A Little Florida Lady

New

tage. It was picturesque from every side, and seemed to have no prosaic back. Marechal Niel roses, and honeysuckles, and some t

new home. (Illustrat

mmon negro, but had served "quality" all her life-a typical old-time mammy. A red bandanna was drawn tightly over her short curly wool. Her dress was of flowered cal

o' niggahs come hyere. De new massa

nd young; weazened and pretty; black and yellow; all rolling their gleaming black

own the road to see. He beheld January descend from the carri

the fruit that he knew was still green. Hi

age, and handed the fruit to

ssy Beth, if I wuz yo'.

heed him. She selected one, but, instead of taking a dainty nibble, she put the whole fruit into her mouth

ore driving on, he said: "

h, if you are drawn up inside the way yo

Mr. Davenport laughed at her. He had told her not to have J

ach you a lesson. You must not taste

tasting-at least, not for the present. When she thought nobody was

ry helped her out, he chuckled, and swelled visibly with pride. "Dey all work for us, Missy Beth. She's de boss," h

aggie, a typical

r manners were of the old sc

me, Maggie, for I

'. Yo'se de sweetest little missy I knows," and then she added: "Mas

show Mrs. Davenport and th

o go with her mother

I want to see the front yar

back in half an

ed a thousand eyes. The trees bewildered her. There were so many varieties she had never seen before-magnolias with their wonderful glossy foliage; bamboos wi

these trees are the best of playfellows. Climb up here with us. We'll

be a fairy up in one of the trees with the most wonderful voice she

in plumage. It cocked its little head to one side, and eye

n on. But, she did not escape temptation thus. Countless beds of roses, of geraniums, and of many other flowers tempted her to linger, and gather the fragrant blossoms, but, still she did not succumb, for there was greater beauty ahead. She beheld a lovely avenue formed of oran

too, looks more tempting on the trees. The glistening green leaves are just the right setting for the golden yellow balls. Beth wished to stop and eat some of the fruit, but again s

fragrant blossoms, for right in front of the arch was a wharf leading out on the beautiful St. Johns. The river was from one to two miles wide at t

and. She stopped undecided, and looked at the boy. He was, perhaps, three or four years older than Beth. His hair was as light

little un? I don't like gi

alled "little one," and to be twitted upon being a girl. She felt like making up

is is my place. What

place, indeed. The Marlowes own thi

mped her foot in rage. "I won't go

interested. "Indeed

Elizabeth' to be dignified, "and

, I'd better go," he s

. "Oh, I'll

o. I don't like girls.

-cat," and her

u prove it,

at. I hate to be

d me that wa

eth. If you're nice,

going to prove you're

"'Fraid-cats cry when t

se. So d

d triumphant as if that settled the matter

pretty s

ou shouldn't interrupt

's s

t I'd not listen. I jumped up on a rocker to light the gas. The chair rocked and, I fe

you re

ll. "Mamma thought I just had the nose bleed

g. "Two mouths-how jol

ce just below her nose. "The doctor took five stitches, and when it he

eave a scar

w back h

le white line under my nose?

. Then he changed the subject. "Wher

w Y

like it

hated to be dressed up

us. "Most girls lik

don

d you are a pretty little

I d

lly. "Oh, go long. I

rnest, and thought of ano

me mad, so that I just grunted and made up a face at her. My mamma said, 'Why, Beth, that is very naughty.' I said, 'Well, ma

but I only have your word for it that you are not lik

but she was ashamed to show it. So

t was very long, and when he spoke

t I tell you. Repeat aft

at you

, if I tell what you show me, I hope I

hocked. "I wo

cat. 'Fr

called that. It's not true. I will pro

s a great, big, black animal that hates fraid-cats as much as I do. He eats them up. Why, he has

run away, had not pride detained her-and then the recital rather

water. His jaws will open. His teeth will gleam. If any little girl cries, he will snap at her, a

than ever, but instea

Baker, w

then made an impressive pause, and

cry, you die. But, if you keep perfectly still, and never tell what yo

med to her excited imagination an awful head rising to gobble

er, you wer

ible head appeared. Beth was now fully convinced that he was only

that Harvey had spoken about were even worse than he had predicted. Slowly, slowly, those loathsome jaws parted. Beth looked down into that awful gulf, like a great dark pit, opening to receive her. There were the two rows of gl

m, and threw that and the bread into the waiting mouth bel

e wondered if she would have disappeared a

nt, then slowly sank. The waters closed where the head had been.

ied Harvey so unexpectedly

sked Beth with her e

gon-- No, indeed.

really have eaten m

own here winters are killing off the 'gators pretty fast, so the pickaninnies are likely to live. Now mind, Beth, don't say a word a

hey are ju

"Oh, you'll li

ever being fond of such

would it come if I c

"No, indeed. It won't c

get it to c

bringing food for it. I reckon it thought that an easy way to live,

that her half hour m

must go.

ally like you, and will tea

wed a girl to share in the sport with him. Such an invitation as he had just extended surprised ev

Monday afternoon be

if mamma wi

tn't tell any one

even

ouldn't break your

er do

rump, Beth.

it was over. Being called a trump by Harvey pleased her, but even this

rang from among the trees and yelped at Beth. A ragged little dar

What yo' mean by ju

dog and his master. The latt

aid, missy. I won't

look as if he could harm

appeared

dog. I'll show yo' what he can

rning finger. Fritz wagged his

Fritz. Dance

re vigorously, but gave no othe

ke me. Perhaps, if I whipped

she wh

d the boy laughingly. "If I'd whip Fritz, he'

with or without pedig

ut it's too bad he won't dance

y, "Fritz, do dance," but t

can't dance, but 'deed he can. Ma

e capered around and around performing some wonderful steps. W

would not heed, and so the danc

his head on one side

m disgraced in his sight. He c

he re

ndred tim

add, "Although he doesn't look it," and then de

lieve dem. Besides dancin', he jumps the rope, plays ball, says his prayers,

nd of do

head. "Well, missy, I

y wonderful, you

ared triumphantly; "Angels am very wonderful, ai

dog, but now she began to feel astounded

own such a do

tz never goes any place widout me. But, I'll tell yo

work f

t to work for the likes of yo'. I wuz jes' cuttin' 'cross fields thr

is you

t they calls me Gustus. I

t. "If you did, would

her thoughts. His eyes spar

all the time-nights,

l take you to please

ack, and his

at's the

'll k

let him.

he stopped, momentarily, to peek into rooms on either side. There were two apartments on the right. She afterwards lear

no one within. She feared she had missed luncheon. Chancing, however, to look out through an open door, she immediately gave a little cry of de

mily party. Fritz bounded and yelped at their heels. His c

beth Davenp

ork for us. This wonderful, wonderful dog is his, and

breath, which gave some of t

disgraceful?" whispere

what sha

sed the boy. "Are yo

is head, but

tle missy 'lowed yo'

e hire them. Fritz is su

ott, who was acting a

missy. Dat dog am nothin

might be something very terrible. Afterwards she learn

ow the boy

n, an' dey are so pooh dat the maw can't get clothes 'nuff to cover dem. Dey s

ng-dog appearance.

tz kin do all I say,

but was capering around Beth. Howev

ove Fritz, don't we? Dear pa

do, Gustus?" h

flies," cried

y. Come with me, and we'll see what we

he had won. In h

tz, you st

Beth. As she started to put some of it into her mouth, she felt something pawing her lap. Fritz was making his