A Little Florida Lady

rst Fishi

cat with three kittens. The cat was of only a com

ad fitted him out in an old suit of her husband's until another could be had. Of course, everything was much too large for Gustus, but

ng from ear to ear; and, not waiting for an answer, he added, "Yo'se

eth. "But, Gustus, I couldn't th

chuckle. "Yo' ain't takin' him 'way from me.

rong to "own" Gustus. Slave days were a thing of the pa

be a good boy," was al

me with me, an' I'll s

s it clears. You know she's gone to town with Marian to s

the lady wouldn't lose money. They didn't think I'd study hard, but, Gustus, I like to know things, and learning to read was a great help. So I studied very hard. Then I was taken very sick and was out of my head. I talked about

n' Fritz don't n

tus, and I'm goi

ffer. Nevertheless, Beth put the cat and the

The mother cat was after him in an instant. Her back was ruffled, and she struck Fritz with her sharp paw. He dropp

me back," c

t her books, and had Gustus sit down beside her. Then she tried him with the alphabet. He p

me A,

d. "A wha

"goosie," but thought in time that such a wor

ected. Nevertheless, she persevered. Her face grew fl

ed from town, she found Be

us ought to

his eyes rolling so there was h

the point. She intended to

said, untying a package and drawing out a suit o

valanche of thanks, using large words, the meaning of which he

towards noon the sun broke through the clouds. Thi

diately after luncheon. "Harvey Baker asked me to f

. Why didn't you

t thought much about Harvey except at night. Then that awful alligator haunted her

go, m

thing about him. He ma

ced to be presen

missy go wid any Baker. I'se s'prised, do, dat Harvey axed her

ourse

ary. Harvey's a big boy, and

ce, Mrs. Davenpor

he river. On the end of the wharf sat Harvey, holdin

d you. I thought your mamma mi

you were 'quality,' and

, but as long as your mamma trusted me, she sh

opped the end into the water. H

to catch fish with

y: "I s'pose not,

der than ever. "We

being called silly, but s

a says if people don't keep quiet, they'll scar

is silly to laugh and you're a wise girl. You'll ma

nd threw it out into

She wished for Harvey's good opinion, and so she did not even speak. It proved pretty dull work

ot her pride prevented. Harvey felt sorr

e. You take my place-yes, you must, a

low the boy. He caught several on the other side of the wharf, while the p

le jerk on her line, followed by a steady pull. Beth was afraid the alligator had swallowed

e quick. I can't pul

ldren began pulling together. Harvey's e

eve you've ca

finally something black wiggled out

snake. I don't w

ake, Beth. It's an eel and a b

re it is no

won't eat them, but they are fine eating. My, just see him squ

. It was a wonder that the children had ever been able to pull him in. Harvey tried to

use on the line. I want to s

rst we'll fix some

are

we'll catch some when we co

d tied raw beef on the ends of them

on, took up her line with the eel on it, a

st see wha

rt at sight of the eel. "Did you real

ater. It tugged awfully hard, but I wouldn't let go. Mamma, this is Harvey and we're just having heaps of

. Mrs. Davenport like

papa. Harvey and I are going back

ment. "Harvey, you'll take good c

ack the children sc

le I go around to the other lines. If there is, call

ise Harvey. Therefore she overcame her fear, and continued pulling up the line. For a wonder, the crab hung on all the way from the water to the wharf. Beth was delighted to think she had caught something without Harvey's aid. Mr. Crab, however, as so

notwithstanding tears were streaming down Beth's face. She looked so ludi

rwock that bites, my

ng an instant. "I th

repeating a line fro

the more angry it grew, and the harder it bit. Finally, he pulled so despe

p the crab. Again Bet

. Put it in the basket and then come a

off the dismembered claw, but, finally, they succeeded. Poor Beth's finger was bitten to the bo

hurt much?" w

cing back the tears. "Say, Harv

two. There were two on one line, so with yours we have four. But never

her crabs. Here, tie my handkerchief aroun

nd on some of them there were two. Harvey would pull the crabs to the surface of the water and then scoop the net under them. In moving the

hem up to the house with them. Arriving there, they found that Mrs.

the finger, and Harvey accompanied

in no time. Here, yo', Gustus, yo' run and fetch me some tar. Hurry, yo' lazy niggah

me with the tar. Maggie dressed the wound with it ve

and jes' held yo'r finger with dat crab out over the

d, "you can have all of the

want you to stay. Say, Har

ust put them in water and b

surprised? Maggie, can't we boil them?" and Beth seiz

no room on de stove.

d Beth, already having learned her po

yo' what. Yo' an' Harvey kin do

se, I kn

kettle into de library. Yo' kin put de

"Oh, won't that be fun. Thank you

ll take dis cold watah in fur y

n wood-fire in the library. Then she left the children to their own devices, Fritz alone keeping them com

for water to b

ey conceived a

bs before it begins to boil. The

on't hurt them like h

d the crabs into the kettle.

thing that bit me. I k

eaten to show how mean he

play

while they played, Fritz snooz

so vigorously that a log slipped and upset the kettle. There was a sizzling o

piness, he thought it another kind of kitten ready for a frolic. At any rate, he put out his paw towards the crab, which me

the Jabberwock that bites," cried Beth f

whirled Fritz in a

phantly. "Gustus always said he

rabs, grunted disdainfully, but continued his

n accord, and the frightened dog tore like a stre

y had a crab, when Beth beheld another c

cried Beth; "a crab's goi

lounge to escape the threatening c

abs. I'm going to get down again." Beth,

ould come to help us. I'm going to try

hen floated the sl

am it,

come here

oft tread of her feet

coming,

ugh the door and beheld th

what am yo' doi

bs on the floor, and

more than ordinary merriment. Her

is am a sight. I jes' 'lows I must go to Titus

est, "I think you're real mean. W

d no attention

topped for a moment i

s making fun

ng," exclaimed Ha

move, he capt

ack here with it,

tween Harvey and the window. He ran

working not far away

ary," he cried. "There ar

so quickly that he caught every one in the room. The one-legged one that Harvey had thrown out of the window was never found. P

ith the crab and Beth had a terrible nightmare that