Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-06-29
TOM RINGGOLD.
A Bit Of Florida Life.
GRACE BROWN

"Who is it?" asked little Eve, with
two interrogation points sparkling in
the deepest of deep blue eyes.
Hugh, Just returned from answC ring
knock at the door, sid, while smile
wrinkled his round, quizzical face,
Guess"
trace, the slender white maiden,
having caught glimpse through the
orange trees, of flaming head and
sturdy shoulders, murmured with the
calm omniscIent air that fitted her SO
sweetly,
Tom Rlnggold."
yes and what do you think he
waLts?"
II know" cried Peter, short for
Lawrence suppressing a violent yawn
that quivered through his whole hand
some, lazy length. He wants to lend
us his head for festal torch on our
expedition today. He aspIres, Tom
does, to be a cheering light in the midst
Of darkness.
80, let him go Peterl Let him go.
Hugh! Please dol Tom is good. like
hiI0. He can't help his red head, and
it Il A UsTy nice head anyhow"
And young Ewes bewitching little
face took on a Madonna look of entreaty
as with clasped hands and upturnod
eyes, she executed series of dances
about her big. indGlgent brothers.
a shade of annoyance, born on the
calm white brow of Gra e,-borr ONLY
to die of ecstasy in the light of the
gold-brOwn eyes-was family per-
ceptlble for a moment, as she explained
to her northern guest, Regal Graeme,
that Tom Ringgold was a nice, kind
hearted boy, but always so solemn and
distressingly awkward that he seemed
to carry about with him an uncanny
atmosphere, something neither of earth
nor Heaven. HE is quite pet with
mamma" she continued with her slow
lauguorous smile, ''and Eve thinks
him model of grace and elegance. So
of course, we must make the best of it,
and invite him to JOIN us to-day, with
soft little sigh.
Just then the host and hostess, with
their guests, Col. and Mrs. Graeme,
entered the broad hall and the party now
being complete, all started to walk
across the Causeway TO a rustic wharf,
where floating among reeds and ferns
and bonnets of blue AMI yellow, lay a
gayly painted beat.
1t was a day following one of rain
and the earth seemed newly created
Eden. In the rays of the rising sun, the
great stretches of pine barrens were
transformed in to hall of cOlumned
gold, the bright pools of water, here,
there, everywhere among the tall green
grass, making a tesselHted pavement of
emerald and crystal. On every side,
orange groves lighted the nj hit of
their dark shining foliage with thou
sands of lamps of god and green, while
the magnolia, in stately rivalry, hold
ing high against its wealth of glitter,
pearly cups of perfume, seemed
Summer, herself, Offering libatIons to
the deities inhabIting the airy spaces;
and over all, the beautiful palms, singly
and IN groups, kept watch and ward.
Each member of the party walks In
a self-creRted sphere of perfume, from
roses, jessamine and hellOtrope worn
at bosom, belt or in button-hole.
All, in that group were no old and
no young, but all we're young that
dayl
The boat was nearly filed, and
Regal Graeme began to think the boy
with the red hair and ''uncanny atmos-
phere," had not been invited, when
Eve poised for a spring into the boat,
drew back her slender foot, and x
claimed,
so, Tommy can 1 go with you?"
A boy of fourteen, the ve-v quin-
tessence OF awkwardness, in form and
feature, stood leaning against boat.
A shook of brick-red hair hung low
over a forehead and framed face Gov
cred with enormous freckles of ugliest
brown. Added to these defects were
the large outstanding ears, a stub
nose, and a wide mouth; not one re-
deemiDg teaturel-Yes, one, great,
frank, smiling blue eyes.
At Ewes appeal, he removed his
broad brimmed palmetto, and came
forward.
''If you will permit me, MIR.
Hillson," he said, 81 will take Eve
with me and be very careful of her"
"Thank you" was the answer, "only
keep your boat near ours.
Mr.. Hillson, intent on making his
northern friends acquainted with the
many beauties of the Ockltwaha, rowed
from lovely to lovelier, following for
miles the numerous bends in this
crookedest of crooked rivers.
Most of the time they seemed riding
on fairy lakes, completely walled in
with spreading expresses, massive oaks
and towering palms. Then trees, dis
playing In soitened beauty through |
wells of swaying moss, the scarlet
bloom of air plants, and masses of gilt |
tering vines, stool deep among grasses !
and ferns and flags and lilies.
Peter and Hugh busted themselves |
in gathering treasures for the herbar- |
ium of Regal Graeme; and to do this, |
rowed close to the shore. When l say |
shore here, / do not mean what you !
mean by the word.
The Ocklawaha is really a stretch Of |
valuable timber, drnped and decorated |
by Nature in her vii lest, most fantas-
tic moods IN all the richest and bright |
est create ms of water and sunlight. |
A narrow clearing in this forest forms |
the river proper, but on the right and |
on the left the water laps and swirIs |
about the trunks of stately trees whose |
matted uuderbrush forms q retreat for |
numerous denizens of air and water, |
not the least of which are the deadly !
moccasin and the surly alligator.
In the wake of the larger boat, fol-
lowing its every curve and turn, came |
the tiny vessel officered by rom Ring |
gold. He seemed to be acting the |
devoted cavalier to Eve, whose silvery |
laugh and song mingled pleasantly with |
the tests and chat of the occupants of |
the leading boat.
so, exclaimed Regal Graeme at sight |
of the Umbrella or Spider Lily, lean
ing its star OF perfumed pearl against
. clump of graceful fern, "there is sure
ly a dream blossom. Nothing of earth |
can be about 1t. Did any one ever hold |
it in hand? viii it not vanish to the
touch?"
LET me try it. said Peter, stretch