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


works." said she, "and I've put these
jams and jellies up for the Widow
Bothiah Hull. She's dreadful poorly,
they say, and needs watchers every
night; so / told her daughter-in-law
you'd come there aud stay tonight"
Amabel looked up, with n sudden
flush dying her cheek. She had not
forgotten that it was st. Valentines
| eve.
"Won'ttomorrow night do as well?"
said she, pleadingly.
"No, il WON'T" said Miss Dafodil,
tartly.
Amabel said no more. After all,
what did itmatter? If David Juniper
had ceased to think about her, what
meaning could the soft glow of st.
Valentines morn have for her?
So she took the basket and spiritless.
ly departed, almost wishing that she,
too, we're passing out of life's cheer
less confines like poor Bethiah Hull.
Because" she thought, ''it don't
seem IS if life was worth living, after
ALL.
And when the rosy dawn began to
kindle its soft fires along the edge Of
the gray east, Miss Dafodil dressed
herself in her prettiest and most
youthful dress, curled her stiff, gray
sprinkled head with hot iron, washed
her face in cream of roses and posted
herself behind the lattice Of Amabel
Archer's window. For she had been
''reading up" on the subject and knew
all the observances of the day.
''if he sees me first" said she, "he's
bound to be my valentine and no mis-
takel And / can easily make him
believe that 1 forgot to give the mes
sage to that Archer girl"
SO Miss Archer waited, her artif-
cially.blooming face looking almost
CHASTITY in the fresh irradiation of the
dawning day, her eyes peering rest
lessly, hither and yon, over the soli-
tary snow.
And Amabel? 1t had begun TO be
just little light, as she sat there by
the fire in the Widow Bethiah's
room. and Mrs. Hull, the daughter-in-
law of the invalid, had risen and was
making preparations for breakfast,
when there came the merry jingling
Of sleigh bells, the sudden cessation
of sound, the reverberation of knock
ing at the door.
miss Amabel, won't you go and
see who's thereY called out Mrs. Hull,
Jr. II amt gotmy hair out of the
crimps yeti"
So Amabel drew the ponderous
bolts, unlocked the front door and
saw, standing on the doorsteps-Cap-
tain Juniper.
,"Amabelr he cried; my valen-
tine!"
And he caught her in his arms with
kiss.
Remember the privileges Of the
day." he exclaimed, laughing. Ere
member that you are my valentine for
whole year to come-perhaps for
ever"
But" cried Amabel, breathless
with amazement, show came you
hereg"
"'By the merest luck in the world"
said Captain Juniper "My shaft has
got itself broken. | was going to ask
Mr.. Hull for bit of wire to fasten it
together until could get to Miss
Daifodil's. l was going there TO see
you, Amabel. Didn't You expect mc?'
"No," said Amabel, opening her
eyes wide.
"Did not Miss Dahodil tell YOU that
/ was comingT" he asked.
"Not word" said Amabel. "!She
sent me here to stay with Bethiah
Hull"
1.-The cautankerous old vixen" said
Captain Juniper. $50 she has been
playing me false all along. Bat st.
Valentines sweet influences have been
too strong for her at last. Look here,
Amabel, darling. 1 will drive YOU
home in the cutter. Well show her
that We are valentines after all. "
And, hat an hour or so afterwards,
the little cutter dashed up the snowy
road under the very easement where
sat Miss Daffodil, blue with cold and
already experiencing sundry twinges
Of rheumatism.
She flung the sash open with a
smile, but the expression on her face
changed when she perceived that
Captain Juniper was not alone.
"Look, Miss Daffodil" lie cried ,au-
daciously cxultant. Look at the
sweet gift which st. Valentine has be-
slowed on me--my valentine my
promised wife,
Miss Dailodil closed the shutter
with bang.
1.-The folly Of them young people!'
she muttered. II don't care il
never hear the word valentine again.
But declare" she aided, after few
minutes melancholy reflection, lit
does seem as if there was some super.
,,a.nral az work ~