Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-07-22
FAREWELL 10 The DOBS0NS :

democratic, one family, at least, is
considered beneath the social level.
Their lower rank does not come from
any difference of wealth, intellect or
morality, but is due, almost entirely,
to the general shiftlessness Of the
neglected family. Often the judg-
ment Of the neighborbood is Just, but
IL Is not always so.
Mrs. Dobson once said, How do
tbey know We never had AIRY chance
here in Nebraska. We were rs good
no the best where we come from, and
I'm sure I've worked hard enough to
be somebody; but what can woman
do with seven children, and a man as
lazy as the Platte river?"
Mr.. Dobson looked up with a good.
natured grin, but said nothing. APP.
parently, he took no more notice of
his wife, who went off to spread her
meagre washing on the gum.weeds.
He tilted his rude chair back against
the trunk OF a giant cottonwood, and
looked over the landscape with lazy
enjoyment. From his position, he
could see down long yistas OF dark,
shining, blue-green corn.stalks and
beyond them the Platte.
'Meanest, dirtiest water ever
saw" he thought, dubiously. "Taint
no good to anybody. Don't fetch
down any mill power; can't tote any
trade boats; isn't ever two days alike,
it's so shifty and sneaking. AS lazy
ms the Platte Well! wellr
He sighed, and glanced sheepishly
at his wife, who was shaking out the
last tattered garment OF the washing.
He watched her uneasily q moment,
and then his eyes wandered vaguely
to the far-off purple bluffs across the
rive,; but what he saw was distance
OF years instead of miles.
"Abner, called his wife, plaintively,
lust look at me. Ireckon Mrs. Bar
nard hasn't got any such sand-burs as
we have. She don't get pricked to
pieces when she goes to spread her
washing. do wish you'd" but she
stopped hopelessly.
"Mis' Barnard don't have to spread
her washing" corrected Abner, dog.
gedly; shes got yards and yards of
clothes.lne and pins and baskets and
q machine"
Melvina Dobson glanced at her hus-
band anxiously. Never before had he
seemed uneasy or envious. II reckon
Mis- Barnard has her drawbacks, "she
admitted, generously.
Eyes" answered her husband,
modify, "and Barnard amt no more
willing than I'd be if / was him. His
paw left him money, and mine didn't
know one thing, though, il I was
Barnard, Mis- Barnard wouldn't wash,
II she did have machine. I'd sell
the pigs first"
Melyina looked at him gratefully.
II know it, Abner," she wered,
soothingly, ''you always have been
good to me. II there amt money
enough for both, you always want me
have It, reckon 'tain't your fault
that We are so poor; l don't care for
myself, but the children"
She broke off suddenly, and went
in to get the scanty dinner. Abner
took down his rusty hoe, aud passed
into the neglected. patch.
He was working with great delibera-
lion when his half.grown daughter
passed, without speaking.
"Sallie," he called.
The girl seemed not TO hear him.
She held her head with an air of |
offended dignity, and looked neither
10 the right nor to the left. A second
,all from her father brought her to
lefant pause.
81 say" he called, lazily, what
Nils you9 Have ! done anything?"
Reckon not, she answered, sui.
enly.
"And your nav don't seem natural.
Is she ailing?"
The girl looked him full in the face,
md her eyes were not pleasant. "Oh,
naw," she answered, sharply, why,
nav is kind Of worn ont with church
'ocisls and things, nav is. It's most
made her sick, sewing on her new silk
lress and doing up her hair. And
low there's the party at Sansen's.
''Sansen'sf"
''Yes. when they move into the new
'ouse. Everybody has been asked,
ven Mis- jenkins. 'cepting maw.. Nav
- such fine clothes aud 10 20 stuck
-, that she wasn't bid.
Abner turned the hoe in his hands,
nd watched potato-bug travel calm
, from one hill TO another. Some
hing In his attitude touched the
hid. Suddenly she lost her look Of
edssce, and said brokenly:
NAV couldu't 60 anyway, she's
Of nothin' to wear. Her old gray