Peter Grimm, notoriously the stingiest man in Pleasantville, who raised
the sourest apples in the town and spent most of his time watching the
boys and picking up what fruit rolled outside of the fence, bided his
time with watchful ferret eyes until a promising-looking package came
along.
It was bid up pretty high, and the crowd urged him to disclose his
treasure, but Grimm was not responsive to any mutual human sentiment and
sat down with the package in his lap.
He began a secret inspection, however, gradually working off the paper
covering at one end, and with snapping eyes worming his fingers inside
the parcel.
Suddenly a sharp click echoed out, followed by a frightful yell.
Grimm sprang to his feet, jumping quickly about and swinging one arm
wildly through the air, the parcel dangling from it like a bulldog
hanging on to a coat tail.
"Murder!" he screamed. "Take it off! take it off!"
Bart had to step down to the rescue. Peter Grimm had drawn a patent
mink trap, and was its first victim. He sneaked from the express office
nursing his crushed fingers and kicking his unlucky purchase out into
the road.
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