Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-04-15
A Cape Cod Sketch.

i was thinkin' perhaps / could sell
taters enough TO pay rent till spring
if You think you won't"
"Won't what, father?"
"Marry John Mellen."
Beulah shook her head. "You
know 1 cannot do that she said, tim
idly. 81 have told you so every time
you have spoken of it. l have told
him so, too"
81 can't see Why" said old Peter;
"he's worth the most of any man in
Hoepatchie an will give me the deed,
fair and square, Of this place the day
you'll marry him."
"But, father, he is my cousin and 40
years old, objected Beulah.
What Of thatP Amt Hoepatchie
all cousins? SO | don't see who you
can take that's better, an as for his
age, that's nothin'; jest the prime of
life, you may say"
81 shall not marry my cousin any
way" said Beulah, resolutely.
Then you can't marry nobody,
that's sure, returned tile old man,
positively, "'ithout it's tho school
MASTER" he added moment after.
The red blood rushed up to Beu-
labs temples, but she did not speak.
"You don't mean to marry Dwight
Farnham, do you, Beulah?" her father
asked, looking up her through the
shadows.
"Why, father, what a question:
Beulah cried. "Mr. Farnham never
said word to me on the subject;
what made you think of such n
thing?"
"Waal, dunno; seems to me he's
kinder hangin' round. Learnin's a
good thing, Beulah, but it won't make
the pot bile, an if he had money he
never'd spend time keepin school in
Hoepatchie.
"Why, you know he came down for
the benefit of the salt breezes, because
he had been studying too hard. But
that has nothing 10 do with it, rich
or poor; he never said word to me
of any such thing said BeulalA
81 aiu't mean," and the tears com.
menced again to run down his nose
~ amt mean, an don't want to
lose you, Beulah, but what can 1 do
about the placer" asked Peter.
81 don't know, father" said Beulah,
throwing her arms around his neck;
"don't fret about il. but come in and
eat your supper while it's hot. I've
been thinking l might go to Lowell or
Manchester and work in the factory;
you know Nancy Eames earns ever so
much there"
"What do you think about it iather?"
asked Beulah, as they sat before the
fire after supper.
"About WHAT"
'Me going to the factory to work"
"Ohl" said the old man, shaking his
head slowly, THAT won't amount to
nothin'; times are hard and pretty
soon there won't be nothin' to do in
factories.
Dwight Farnham smiled behind his
semi-weekly paper the only one which
came to Hoepatchie), but he did not
speak, and presently old Peter arose
with long sigh aud went to bed.
Bculah began to fold up her knit
ting.
Don't hurry away, please" said
the teacher, drawing his chair nearer;
II want to talk with you a little, Beu-
lah."
Beulah commenced to work again.
IL happened to hear what was said
in the barn before supper" he went
on, with his ewes on her face; land
don't you really think You ought to
marry your cousin for your fathers
sake2"
ooh, dear" said Beulah, laying
her head upon the table to hide her
tears. al shouldn't think you'd say
that to me-" and then she stopped, bit
her tongue and began again: "No.
Dwight Farnham, I wouldn't sell my
self 10 old John Mellen for all Massa-
chusetts. will go to the factory and
work willingly, but not that other"
"How would yon like to keep house
for a gentleman instead?" the teacher
asked next.
"Who?"
"Me."
She gave little start at that. 'You
are not married, are you?" she asked
with tiny tremble in her voice.
"No, but | intend to be soon, Mess
disappointed"
IL don't think should like to-"
she answered, hesitatingly. Then to
show him that she did not care, she
asked: us it a Boston LADY,"
"No, indeed; she lives here in Hoe
patchie. I love her very dearly, and
her name is Beulah Miles"
. He lifted the crimson face from the
table and transferred it to his shout