Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1897-12-24

eyes, you may keep your pony,
agreed Jerry, with an undisguisej
glance of admiration at the pretty
face opposite him.
Mays eyes fell before his. hut not
until they had flashed back look that
caused his heart to beat high with
hope.
The fact of the matter was that stall
wart, good-looking Jerry had long al.
mired his employers handsome and
accomplished daughter, but today was
the first time he had dared to let her
know it, either by look or speech.
After that, however, their acquaint.
ance rapidly ripencd. and few weeks
later Jerry surprised Mr.. Johnson by
asking for the hand of his daughter
in marriage.
Mr.. Johnson was engaged in the
pastoral occupation of milking Il COW
Mt the moment this question was
sprung upon him, and he nearly fell
off the stool in establishment.
"Want to marry my darter, Mny?"
he gasped. IL guess not, young man!
Not il the court knows itself. I've
bin edyercatn' her fer suthin' higher
than marryin' her fathers hired man. 3"
"Oh, if that is the only objection,
it can easily he removed" interposed
Jerry. 81 don't expect to remain any.
body's hired man after my two years
are up. believe told you when l
came here that | had Just graduated
from college, and intended to make
the pursuit Of agriculture my hfe
business, instead of going into mcdi.
cine or law, or any other Of tho
already oyercrowded professions. |
believe n man with brains can put
them to as good Use and makeas much
money in farming as in anything else,
and propose to prove it, | am study
ing the practical side Of the business
now, and at the end of my two years
l propose to go west and buy n ranch
and strike out for myself. Az far rs
education is concerned; ! don't think
l shall ever give your daughter oc-
cason to be ashamed of me, and "a to
supporting her comfortably and in be-
coming style, believe | shall be
abundantly able to do so, and
Cant help that, jerry" broke in
Mr.. Johnson. 81 hain't gointer have
we luggin May Jest because We two
young folks imagine yer in love. A
woman is mighty queer an onsartin
sort of critter, anyhow, a. yell find
out soon enough when We git hooked
up in double harness fer life with one
of 'em, an il | was in yer place |
wouldn't be in any hurry bout takin
yoke of that kind on my shoulders.
Anyhow, if we insist on gittin'
married in spite of my warnin yell
halter pick out some other pardner
besides the one ye've got yer eyes sot
on at present. My darter is goin' back
to college next week TO finish up her
edyercation, an when she gifts through
her schoolin' it will be plenty time
enough fer her to commence thinkin'
, bout the men. She'll forgity we by that
time fast enough, so ye might az well
give up all hope right now of ever git
lin her. like We well enough other
ways, Jerry, but don't care fer ye in
the role of son.in-law. There, now,
we've got yer answer fair an square,
an ef We want to stay an work out
the balance of yer time, we'll drop tho
love bizness right here, an I'll treat
We rs well as ever; butif We don'tcare
to stay under the circumstances it is
all right, an | shan't blame We any
fer going. Now, which is it to be,
Jerry, stay or quite"
"l'll stay" said Jerry, quietly.
And stay he did performing his
duties as conscientiously and thor
oughly rs ever, although the farm life
grew sordd and dull when
May went back to her college studies.
The months rolled swiftly around,
however, as months have q habit Of
doing, until eighteen Of them hal
be II crossed off the calendar of time.
Then May, "a bright and winsome as
of old, came home with her dimples
and diploma, and, though he did not
even dare to look his admiration,
Jerry was straightway transported to
paradise,
Jerry's term Of service finally ex-
pired, and he regretfully announced
that the time had come for him to
strike out for himself.
That's so, Jerry" said Farmer
Johnson. II had clean forgot bout
yer two years bein' up today. WAL,
I'll look over accounts an settle up
with We after dinner, an in the mean
time We kin be lookin' round an sorter
maxim up yer mind which one Of the
critters on the place we want. / be-
lieve We was to take yer choice when
ye quit
"Well, said Jerry, promptly, ''it