The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1896-03-25


ents choice.
William Kings voyage took him to
China, and he was to be gone something
like 8 months. When Kates parents
found that she would not marry the
man, they had chosen for her, they be-
came very angry and turned her out of
doors, expecting no doubt that she would
repent and do as they wanted her to-
But the girl was not made of that sort
of stuff. She went to live with the cap
tain's family and remained there for
nearly two years, waiting for her sailor
lover to return, but he didn't come.
One day report reached Cape May
that the brigantine Sea Foam had foun
dered somewhere in the vicinity of the
Falkland islands, and that all OH board
were lost. The story had the effect of
prostrating Kate, who lay for several
months at the point Of DEATH but she
finally recovered.
1t was noticed that the girls mind
had been seriously affected. She appear
ed to be rational enough on all subjects
but that of her lovers return. She in
sisted that he would return and insisted
upon setting light on stand Oh the
beach every night SO that it would be
guide to him.
With their daughters misfortune the
hearts of Kate's parents softened, and
they insisted Oh her coming home with
them to live, but she refused to do so
protesting that she must stay on the
beach, where she could "watch for
Willie all the time She refused an
offer made by her father to build her
nice cottage Oh the sands. She said she
didn It want any comforts that Willie
couldn't enjoy, and so one day the fish
ermen built rough structure and Kate
took up her residence there.
The captains daughter spent good
deal Of time with her for two Or three
years, but she finally got married and
went at distance to live. The old cap
tain died. Kate's parents crossed the
dark river and the young woman was
left alone.
Kate's parents left an estate valued
at several thousand dollars, and she was
the only heir, but she refused to touch
penny of it until Willie came back to
enjoy it with her.
It was thought that the girls mental
condition might improve if she was
treated at a sanitarium, and she was
shut up in one for three months, but she
begged so hard to be allowed to con-
tinue her vigil that she was finally al
lowed 10 return to her humble home on
the beach.
Kate supported herself by fishing and
accepting favors from the sympathetic
fishermen, who looked after her with a
care that was almost affectionate in its
nature, and she became an expert oars
woman, and could manage a sailboat
equal to the best of them.
Seven Mile Beach is wild place III
the time of a storm. 1t is open to the
ocean, and a good many times the ocean
at that point gets exceedingly nasty. A
good many vessels have foundered there,
and the fishermen along the shore have
organized a sort of independent life saw
| ing crew, and they have saved good
many lives in the last ten years.
Two weeks ago, during blizzard that
| swept up the coast, a three mased
schooner struck the bar off Seven Mile
Beach. The wind was blowing strong
| from the southeast. She struck about z
o'clock in the afternoon, and Daily
Kate was the first to discover her.
She gave the alarm, and the fishermen
made ready to go to the assistance Of