Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1897-10-15
AGAINST THE TIDE.
DY MAJOR ALYRED n. CALHOUN.

fort during my holidays" said Alicl,
Freeman to his friend, Casper Burns,
with whom he was discussing the
place where they should spend the two
weeks vacation allowed them by the
bank in which they were both clerks,
, and OF which their respective fathers
were directors. D.
''We had good time at Saratoga
last year." said Casper Burns, adding,
with sly laugh, "but you are afraid
of meeting Miss Julia Fletcher there
again well, 1 don't blame you; she
is as rich and pretty and heartless as
you find them"
"No, confound it, Casper, Miss
Fletcher is oil right it is 1 who was
the fool, and presumptuous one at
that, for thinking she looked more
favorably on me than she did on the
score Of fellows who danced about her
like midges in the sun. 1 hate fashion.
Why, only the strongest constitution
can stand the dressing, the driving,
the dining and dancing of those fash
ionable watering places. We want
rest, or, rather, change. Now what
do you say to Whites Inlet?"
"White's Inlet? Never heard of
such place." replied Casper.
"Theh I'll enlighten YOU" said
Alick Freeman, stopping in the midst
of packing his trunk and turning to
his friend. whites Inlet is near
Barnegat-"
"Down on the Jersey coast?"
Certainly; the fishing is good, the
shooting tip-top, and there is no such
place for boating and bathing. And
then it is pretty we'll out of the world,
and the chances are we'll be the only
visitors within miles
"And we can wear out our old
Clothes" interrupted Casper Burns.
"Of course no one would think of
wearing anything but old clothes down
at Whites Inlet. Oh, we'll have a
splendid time, free as the winds, and
almost like being in state of
nature"
'I know, Alick, but people in
state of nature eat and sleep; how are
we to obtain those necessary com.
fcrts?'
"The point is we'll taken" said
Alick, slamming down the lid of his
trunk and facing his friend. Fright
near the mouth of the inlet there lives
fisherman named White"
"The inlet takes its name from
him."
Gust so; and he has all accommoda.
tions necessary. L sent him word
we'd be down next week, and he's ex-
pecting Us.
$50: any pretty daughters?'
"No; that's the beauty of it; has
no one but his wife, and the only
neighbor is q mile and a half away
across the inlet. Oh, we'll have peace
and no end Of agood time, said Alick
Freeman, rubbing his hands in antici-
patton of the pleasure in store for
them.
The result of this interview was
that the young men found themselves
ut Whites Inlet within week. After
leaving the cars they had to go in
wagon some twenty miles over sandy
road that ran through forest of fune-
real pines and distorted scrub oaks,
which the sun bent with tropical inten-
sity and along which the mosquitoes
prowled in fierce, bloodthirsty bands.
at doesn't look promising, must
confess, " said Alick Freeman, as they
got out of the wagon which they had
hired at round price to fetch them
over, "but it looks as il we might
have all the quiet mere that heart
could wish for" This was Alexis
first visit to the place, which had been
recommended to him by bachelor
friend, and though he pretended to
like it, he felt in his heart that it was
not all he desired.
''It must be splendid place for
fish" said Casper, with a grim smile.
ooh, it is! Why, there's no end Of
fish out there" said Alick, waving his
hands at the water.
eff it isn't good place for fab"
continued Alick, "then it's about the
most worthless place l ever set eyes
on"
Sam White, weather-beaten man
of fifty, came out of the cabin to well
come his guests and help them in with
their Craps" as he called the goodly
array of baggage they had brought
with them.
Mrs. White looked enough like her
husband TO be twin, but she was a
clean, wholesome, hearty woman, as
unconventional as the most ardent
admirer of nature could wish.
The young men were given room
there were only four apartments in
the house--in the annex made OF the
section of the wrecked "Eliza Jane. 4"
The windows had once admitte light
20 the captain's cabin and il reuuiral