Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-03-25

"Its perfectly ridiculous, said
Miss Daifodil, ''for you girls to be
thinking Of getting married all the
time; / never do. Now inst look how
this bias fold il puckered! II you
young women weren't cackling and
cha,tering all the time, these things
wouldn't happen. Valentines day,
indeedl Who was that talking about
st. Valentines day? And what is st.
Valentines day to you working girls,
I'd like to know? It's only ladies that
have time to think Of such things"
Miss Deborah Dafiodil, a somewhat
faded maiden of fiye.and.thirty FROST
bitten autumns, was the Burnville
dressmaker, and the four girls in her
dingy back parlor were her assistants,
whom she paid as little and scolded
as much as possible.
"But, Miss Daifodil, reasoned ANA
bel Archer, n rosy, dark.browed bru-
nette, with limpid brown eyes and q
rich crimson flush on her cheek, why
shouldn't We talk about st. Valentines
day? It's always lucky day in our
family. Uncle Job sent mamma a
cheque for $50 a year ago st Nalen-
tines day, and two years ago, on that
very anniversary, my sister Eiiie met
the man that she afterward married.
And who knows what dawn of good
fortune it may bring for me?"
Married. shrilly repeated Miss
Daffodil, tapping her thimble finger
on the table. There il is, again! /
believe you girls think Of nothing
else"
"Well," said Amabel, thoughtfully,
''it does mean u good deal in girls
life. If supposed that had got to
Sit here and sew always"
IL only hope no worse lot will ever
befall you, said Miss Dailodl, sourly.
"But / never knew girl who
was always curling her hair aud
thinking Of her complexion who came
to any good end"
Amabel crimsoned.
''Do you mean Inc, Miss Dafod!l?"
said she.
The spinster tossed her heal.
'Them as the cap fits, let 'em wear
it," said she. "And I'll trouble you
all, young women, 10 leave off chatter
ing silly, superstitious nonsense ABOUT
heathenish old saints that never eX-
istel at all"
At this there was general ontcry.
Not even from the lips Of their vine
gar-tongued employer would the girls
listen to any derogation from the dar-
ling patron saint O! girlhood he good
saint 20 whom all maidcns reader low.
ing homage Valentine!
"Well, If IA did exist, it was 4 long
time ago." said Miss Da,lodll; IAN |
you've none Of You nothing to ESQ with
him now. Aud Miss Chickering's
bridal outfit is 20 he packed on Mon
day, aud here il isn't half finished.
What's that. Amaiel Archer? You
want 20 &c; away early this evening?
You're going ior moonlight sleigh
ride with Captain Juniper? Let me
tell you, miss, that you will do moth
ing of the Kind" said Miss DaiIolil,
speaking with added rancor 1T
iSA NN'NHN H'' E''l'' ~ s'hHk
girl like you to go cutter riding
around the country with every gentle
man in town"
"You went riding with Captain Ju-
niper yourself, last week, Miss DAT
fodil, said Amabel. all else forgotten
in her rising indignation.
That's quite a different thing"
said the dressmaker, simpe.ing. cap
tain Juniper and are very particular
friends.
"Oh, Miss DaHodl." cried out Bar
bara Dayton. You're not engaged
TO him? Oh, do tell u.s."
barbara, will you attend to your
work. said Miss Datiodil. Though,
all the same, ii such reports do get
abroad, con 'iler it my duty neither
TO deny nor confirm them"
But Miss Da.Ioill did not consider
it her duty 10 tell the girls that she
had run half a dozen yards through the
deep snow after CAPTAIN jumpers
cutter, To ask him ri he would Just
as lief as not take her az Ear as the
village TO match some lapiS-lazuli but
tons for Mrs. Gregg's dress, aud that
the gallant captain was too chivalrous
70 refuse to aid lady in distress.
And thereupon Miss Deborah DAT.
fodil had based great hopes.
"He's few years younger than I
am, to be sure" said she; "but il ever
devotion was expressed in human
eye. it was in his when he handed me
= out the card of buttons that wanted
to match and told me to be careful
not to slip down on the frosted curb.
stone. And when invited him to
call he thanked me and said he should
he very happy. Aud don't see how