Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-05-06

80 / have decided to--6o out west and
see what I could do"
"Well, 1 can't blame you, Jack !;
Jennie's q good girl, and some who go
west do well. / don't know how I
shall ever get along without you,
though"
And the loving heart OF the sister
asserted itself in a burst Of tears at
thought OF the coming separation.
Jack looked at her regretfully.
81 hate like everything to leave
you, Cynthia, but I suppose + must.
We're going right away, too" he
added, looking out Of the window to
avoid the rare and piteous sight of his
strong, bright sister in tears.
Cynthia Lee swallowed her grief as
best she could. restoring her brothers.
self -possession by few commonplace
words; then he went out. and she
worked on with nimble fingers, she'll
ing beans for dim r.
Soon the outer door flew open, i'm
PEELED by the eager hands Of young
girl.
"The Bartlett pears are ripe, Gym
thia; see these" rolling some beauti-
full specimens of the fruit mentioned
across the table.
The fruit did not call forth any en-
thusiasm on Cynthia's part, and the
younger girl, seeing that something
was wrong, began to shell the beans,
her face disturbed by frowns.
She, like her brother, had an un-
pleasant communication to make this
morning, but the time seemed scarcely
favorable, judging by Cynthia's face.
There was long silence, broken at
last by Cynthia.
"Jessie," she said, 'Jack is going
TO leave us; how shall we ever get
along without himp"
"How--he is?" stammered Jessie.
She had known IL for weeks. "Oh,"
she went on. ''there's no use beating
about the bush, Cynthia; / knew Jack
was going, and l am going, too, at the
same time he goes"
Cynthia turned pale, stern face
toward her sister.
''You do not mean 1t, do you, Jes-
sie9" she said, with a quaver in her
voice. "Why, I promised mother
never to let you out of my sight till
You were grown up, able to"
"Why, Cynthia! I'm II, and lots
Of girls marry even younger than
that" interrupted Jessie, impatiently.
The expression of Cynthia's face
changed once more.
Marry" she exclaimed. 'Tn the
name of mercy, whom are going to
marry?"
"Why, Frank Bailey, of course.
Jack knew it, and 1 should think he
might have told you and saved me the
trouble. should think you might
have seen how thugs were going and
been prepared for this and saved get
ting yourself 80 worked up over it,,
grumbled Jessie in an injured tone.
"Why,I did know pretty near about
Jack, but you-youre only child"
said Cynthia, drearily.
''Well, I'm engagedto Frank Bailey,
any way, and Tn going to marry him
and 60 west with HIM and Jack and
Jennie and his folks, and you will
have to get along tho best you can.
You ought to DO glad Jack and / are
doing so well.
Cynthia thought that time would
prove whether they were indeed doing
we'll, but she did not say it.
''Then / must live I'll alone" she
said
sob, no! You have tine two dogs
and six cats and Moody and the hens.
And you know how to manage the
place Wasn't it lucky that father
left it for your share aud gave the
money To me and Jack?"
Cynthia listened 10 the end Of jess
sizes speech, then dropped her face
into her hands aud laughed and cried
hysterically, till Jessie left the room
with an dir half-indignant, half-sor-
rowful.
Cynthia did not harrow the feelings
OF her brother and sister by any more
displays of grief. She set cheerfully
about preparing outfits for tho two
young emigrants, and before the time
for their departure had arrived there
stood ready, locked and corded in the
hall. two big boxes for each of them,
containing, as Jessiewe knew, the
lions share of the household linen
which by right belonged to Cynthia,
Soon the time came when the double
wedding, the good byes aud the de-
parture were all events of the past, and
Cynthia was alone.
She felt indescribably miserable as
she turned to 60 in after watching
them out of sight, aud the dogs. look
ing into her face, knew that some
thing was wrong and plainly showed
il by their atfectionste demonstra-
tions.
"You dear old boys!" she cried, re-
-.