A Little Florida Lady

Hors

double the r

t. I 'lows it's more partic

t so the judges can all have a taste

almost lost. In her hand, she held a

s.' Twice five is ten. G

aggie counted out

k dem for

ldn't be fair. Oh, dear me. The yolk has got into th

. Beth tried to beat them and spattered them n

s are very sli

t more'n half a

e eggs. Next, she measured out the other ingredients. She tried to be careful, b

eauty," called a boyish voi

where did yo

our mother told me I'd find y

ll you all about it. Maggie," added Beth to the coo

yo' don't want me to. I'll stay here in de pantry

deed, I

ed to the oven, and then Beth

going to get a prize for it. Mamma says th

ing one hand behind him. Beth now n

you there?"

me so near burning you up, I've been saving m

for Don, and what's this mark on it? 'Don. Owned by Beth Davenport.'

l forgotten. Away she

ar fitted him exactly, and the childr

y cake," and ran as fast as

lanche of smoke came forth. T

n the floor and cried bitterly. Maggie

u'ful cake. I knew I jes'

idn't you tell me it w

o' tol' me I must have

the sentence

rvey; "Maggie will make you

ing to take a prize with this one, and the jud

ot to cry over spilt mil

ake another cake, and I won't let

n the oven, she watched it so carefully that Maggie feared it would be spoiled by overzeal. For

ing so late that Beth did

ing, which was about a quarter of a mile from her

of her great desire to ride Dollie, so she called the horse to her, and

up against the h

ollie. I know I could. I'll

Beth to h

ride Dollie

ing to get Mrs. Corner, who is to spend the day w

bring Laura

t come. She goes t

u let me ride D

metime, but do

vey, and Julia that she was to ride Dollie; that her mamma had sai

brary where her mother and her guest were having a cozy chat before starting for the races. She had t

m going no

etween the two women was especially absorbin

I, ma

econd. She took it for granted that Beth w

t. Run al

en of happiness, Be

ould not object if she borrowed her riding habit. Beth knew just where to find it. The skirt wa

ureau, and fell sprawling over the floor, tangled in yards of trailing skirt. She tried to rise, and tripped again. For a moment, she rested on the floor, thinking to herself that it must be a much harder ma

skirt. She buttoned it on over her own dress, bu

glass, and burst forth in

darkies-"I feel like a cat dressed up in clothes. It can't

ey were almost lost in the voluminous sle

a horse without ha

iculty by pinning up t

, and had some blond frizzes sewn across the front of it. The hat with its false front added th

irt would allow, she hurr

ch amused over

dat needs some rags to fill it out. Whaff

uch remarks, but sai

saddle put

yo'r maw won'

old me I m

nuary he

s I kin ko

ry. Hurry,

Beth to mount. Nobody but him saw the start. He was so much in

ter settled the question with a switch cut by January.

the Fair and the races. Many a person turned, stared, and smiled

icular afternoon she, too, was driving on the shell road and chanced upon Beth. She and her escort laughed so heartily over the ch

w? I'm not a bit afraid. Say, Cousin Lulu

d harder than ever. Beth t

ousin Lulu. Are you afraid

n the carriage

e well enou

urse,

en at a fast pace in her life. She did not

man was hi

ounds gate before we do, I'll give you a box of candy. Now when I

h the switch. She was boun

aped forward, almost unseating Beth who,

also started forward at a good fast p

feel the contagion of the race, especially Dollie who had been, as J

d she could cling on, she was not a partic

n turned to

r such a little t

er. Her racing blood was thoroughly aroused, and it would have taken an extremely strong hold to quiet her. She simply flew, an

ver the hard shell road. The s

ld say if she were thrown and he

yesterday. I wish I could tell her that

autiful than ever now th

lie, whoa,

ved well down she sped as fast as in her palmiest racing d

h the child. Stop her, stop he

ing came

very high fence surrounding them. There were two ga

t stop her. People scattered in every direction before the runaway horse

be dragged from her horse. Her dress has caught on th

mmel, and with the other to Dollie's mane. This saved her. He

e driveway. Far ahead of them they saw Dollie and Be

come from the Fair buil

amed Lulu, "Dollie is r

e runaway horse now nearing the

straight for it. No rider urged her on as of old, no rivals were by her side; but Dollie of her own a

Beth held hers also. Dollie needed all of her breath for her solitary run. On, on, she fle

Her long curls and the clumsy t

r the stand. Jockeys ran out on the tra

un if only the littl

k, and her speed remained unabated. If people had not been so fearful for the child's life, some one might have thought to time Dol

ar, ready to head off the runaway animal if it s

ow terrible it must be for him

eed remaine

avenport was almost within hailing distance of his b

try to stop the horse or not, for fea

father and

aking her hand from the

to death. She, however, proved a better rider than they expected. She was growing accustomed to the rapid motion of the horse, and gained confidence thereby.

Dollie,

she heeded the frantic appeal. Gently as any

f her horsemanship, Beth r

Then in a tumult o

not going to

tburst of enthusiasm followed. People clapped and stamped wildly, shouting themselves hoarse. Mr. Davenport, too agitated for speech

e people shouti

e her a convulsiv

outing for y

quite overcome, and then

nt her to go so fast, but I couldn't stop her at first. In fact, I thoug

overcome to say much. Beth was rather surprised to have him hug a

tly Be

n't I? And say, papa, I won a box

ard her. He grinned h

s. I reckon she's born with a liking f