Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1897-11-26
A Journey to the
Land Of the Sky.

1t was the last day of February.
The portion Of the world visible from
the platform Of Southern depot was
white and cold. The air was soft
blur OF falling snow.
A tall man paced the length of the
platform impatiently. The collar of
his topcoat turned up about his ears
almost met the soft felt hat pulled
down to protect his eyes. Delayed
trains conduce to restlessness, and a
sleepy railway station is not exhilarat-
ing under favorable conditions.
His native land had given him a
cold greeting. Not patch of blue,
not a glimmer of sunshine to welcome
him. The laden sky gave color to his
thoughts. Women change so, and the
years had been long. 1t was ten years
since he babe Margaret good-by on the
rose-covered porch of her fathers
home. He had lifted his miserable
eyes to the soft indifference of hers,
and avowed to love her-only her
forever. The roses bowed their heads
in sympathy; or was it to hide their
laughter? Her picture had never fad
ed from his memory. Even in that
busy, hurrying life he could not for
get.
So he had determined to come home
Tomorrow he would see her again,
would watch the smiles dimpling her
face. 1t was worth q trip across the
continent, he told himself, to see once
more the dimples born OF youth, and
Joy steal in and out about her ripe, red
lips.
Again the thought that women
change thrust itself upon him. He
lifted his head resolutely. His dream
maiden would meet the reality; if the
result was disappointing, he would
give up the memory, and in his far
western home-forget.
He passed slowly up the length of
the crowded car. Most of the passen-
gers at this season were in search of
health, that elusive will.o'- the-wisp
that danced ever before them always
just beyond their reach) and led them
now TO the low-ands Of Florida, now
to the glorious heights of the "Land
of the Sky"
At the end Of the car a woman sat
gazing out of the window. TO his
request she gave assent in
tone as cold as the snow outside. then
glancing around and up into the eyes,
bent upon her ungraciousness, she
moved nearer the window and swept
the book and magazine lying on the
seat into her lap. Having eased her
conscience of any possible rudeness,
she returned to the window.
Her GOODNESS angered him. He was
not accustomed to being thus disposed
of. Who was she, this Lady Disdain?
He watched her furtively. How serene
and self-possessed she was. How dark
the lashes that almost touched her
smooth, round cheek. Her heavy
coiled hair-he started--it was the hair
of his dream-maid If he could look
into her eyes again, but she was alb
sorbed, unconscious of his presence,
lost in admiration of the white fakes.
He could stand the uncertainty no
longer.
An utterly absurd childish rhyme
rang in his ears. eff it be /, he will
gladly wag his tail; if it be not I, he
will loudly bark and wall He gave
himself little angry shake, and yet
it it was she. He stretched his hand
to the magazine. On one of his strong,
white fingers he wore quaint. old
fashioned ring. She would remember
it.
MAY II" he said, then as she
turned her Startled eyes upon him.
"May 1, Miss Margaret?"
Robert, Robert Elliott" the words
came in astonished, futtering gasps,
but she quickly recovered herself, and
held ont her hand, welcoming him
home in a pretty. friendly fashion.
The afternoon wore away. The pas
sengers across the aisle regarded their
sudden friendship with curious and
somewhat suspicious eyes.
The engine was climbing the noun
tain now, painting and snorting, but
blowing through the snow in an
angry, determined way.
He brought his conversation around
to the morning of his departure. With
charming irrelevance she ignored it,
and went back to a more remote
period.