A Little Florida Lady

e Bu

walls for three rooms. They worked like beavers, and Mrs. Gordon, amused by this new scheme of the two indefatigables, and thinking to herself that the children would probably be tired of the house by the time the wood was needed, allowed one of t

ew paradise everything they dared lay hands o

"Just walk in. You can stand up-well, almost-if you stoop a little bit. This is the kitchen," she continued, for she had taken her mother in the back

h oven do?" sugge

hat? How'

ained: "It's mad

ou are. Who

ls, so she furnished the materials, and had a darky make the ove

We must be man and wife. Our names will be Mr. a

family and he doesn't work so hard. Besides, I don't

elder, and the elde

help about the house. You

here all nig

ran to beg

ere pacified by Mrs. Newbeginner being allowed to spend the night with h

ened at peep of day. She gave Mr. Newbe

it's time to get up

ed Mr. Newbeginner in a

get our own breakfast, and I can't build

ner condescended to arise. H

ook, furnished them with some uncooked steak, some potato

Newbeginner had many a dispute before breakfast was ready. Mrs. Newbeg

their house and the Gordons'; for the Newbeginner

try his hand at them while she cooked the meat and potatoes. Her part of the breakfast was ready before his. T

batch of cakes, placed them beside the meat an

at ran out from the oven as its main support. Poor Mrs. Newbeginner in her excitement over their first breakfast somehow stumbled over the pol

quickness saved their home from being burned, but not their breakfast. Tears rose and well

siest person I ever saw. I am sorr

grieved and angry. "It's

es are gone." He did not seem to mind so much about the food that Mrs. Newbeginner had

legs awfully. See how they are s

f poor, bruised shins did

house, after all, for our breakfast

another?" proposed tired, re

, and we haven't time. Even if we had, though,

es. "You're just horrid to say that and I'll never play wit

ight of her retreating figure brought Mr. Newbegi

me back. I

however. His wife pretended

never make up with you, eith

ved to be moved by his entreaties. She did not re

, she discovered that both her mother and Marian had gone into town to spend the day with the

y, on his part, had thought of her very often. He had haunted the Davenport wharf, but no Beth appeared. At first, pride had held

rs to invite her out for a row. She

shame. Mamma is not

would let you go

I thin

be in your going? We would b

s reckless. She Just felt like

e I'll go

hat time did you say yo

ive or six th

taking our lunch with u

ask Ma

sing her anything. If the child had asked her for the moon she wou

ho hustled around and soon had

ine?" asked Maggie, as she

would not m

river was as smooth as glass. Beth, at fir

river. I wish it wasn't so far to Mrs.

is

verybody knew about her. She

at the theatre once.

d now. She used to come down here quite often. We'll r

can teach m

efully. I wouldn't have you f

while Beth took the seat beside him.

o-carefully

s that all ther

be so easy

enly, there was a splash of water on her side, and she al

be catching a c

"I didn't see any crab, H

doesn't go far enough into the water. Say, Beth, you had better

d. I like

ncomfortably warm. Her hands burned terribly, and presently she rested a

be a good spot

tired she was

Beth, we'll catch some fish,

o fishing, and both c

"it's time to go a

ngry I can't wait. I di

ild. Why didn't y

it. I was having

t I hadn't had breakfa

g of her choleric spouse, and she h

it happ

That's all. I'm dread

h or so, now, and then we'll coo

ded by their eating three apiece. Then he assisted

the fis

to cook them? Have

ays carry one, as I cook fish quite often. Didn'

our fire. This straight bank back of the beach

, which made him wonder if there was any danger of their catching fire. A little breeze was sprin

Then he applied a match to the bonfire, and it blazed up and crackled noisil

darted past the children, runnin

rted after

e it will lead us to

the f

watching for aw

k for Beth, but she succeeded i

ren, and soon they acknowledged the uselessness of

eth of his experience in

e tamed. I never could raise the young ones. If they didn't die a natural death, a cat or a dog or something would eat them up. For a long time,

had grown stronger, and had carried the sparks upward to the palmettoes and pines, so full of oil. Then it was but a question of seconds before the awful fire sped with lightning speed over the dry undergrowth. Again,

water, and fanned by a wind each moment growing stronger, can realize with what rapidity the fire

spread of the fire it grew more so. The sky was marked wi

th, which made her heartily repentant that she had come. She silently prayed to God to deliver

sibility, came upon Harvey with overwhelming force. He was too hor

erything within range. The hot breath from t

le place? We are surrounded by fire." Then, in

shrubs, circling to the left. Fortunately, they managed

It will burn our homes, our all," they heard one cry.

erstand, the men set fire to the low palmettoes a

es on fire, especially when the men see

go," sh

fault. I have some money in the bank and I'll give them every cent of it. They l

ment. The sparks flew inland. If some change did not occur,

ts waited in the roadway and watche

ncontrolled fury. The sparks flew right and left, but the counter fire served

vey these were the voices of the dragons

, that set us monsters free and we will not be chained now that we are loose." Upward

and devour the fishermen's huts in our fiery grasp. It is awful to you, but t

Harvey covered his face with his hands. H

ow, but what could she say? She, too, felt that

power over them suddenly desce

in glee. "It's raining,

h, one of those showers peculiar to tropical lands

Harvey. "Beth, I'm goi

e arm. "Oh, Harvey, t

started, and if their houses don't burn, the

Beth caught sight of his radiant face, she

e houses won't bur

, when they came to the river, walked down the

ere burned

s. It was all their fault. If they hadn't been so foolish as to be caught, there wouldn't have bee

had both tide and wind against him, and the river had become very squally. The St. Johns is one of the mo

as very hard for him to make any headway. Be

his little companion felt grieved. She tried to let him know that she was hurt, by

ught to himself, "Beth's mother would never

it struck a large wave; whichever it was, one of the oars snapped suddenly. For a moment or so the boat r

"are we going to be drowned? Can't I ever

et you dro

, he skilfully steered the boat with the remaining oar. Next, he picked up from under one of the seats an old umbrella which ch

out, and made the boat fast

I'm going to hire one of

at had happened. More than ever, she felt that it ha

rned with a man who c

to row us ac

it s

fear. I'm strong, and the s

d jumped into the boat himsel

e oars. She was fearful that Harvey would have to row him back. Otherwise, his return trip

your place. I have some errands th

expert as he, and resolved to do her very best to imitate him. She noted especially, the long swinging strokes that he took. C

on himself, but she thought that her mother would rather hear of the

hed the house, but came soon afterwards. Beth imme

said, when the little penitent had finished. "You know yourself it was very wrong to g

rnestly that Mrs. Davenport