Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-04-29


surprised, for John was a first-rate
farmer. "Down our way it's all ont
o the way, nm plantin' will be conin'
along pretty quick"
"Yes, am late," laughed john,
cheerily enough, looking up from his
work he was helping his wife prune
the roses and shrubs. you're ahead
this time, sure. But l told Lefty
here she shouldn't do all this prunin'
and tyin up alone-the plowin' could
wait bit. Don't you worry. I'll
catch up with you"
John and Johns wife were bending
over white rosebush, and their heads
and fingers came together, now and
then, in the friendliest nudges. Both
of them we're laughing, with their
voices keyed to spring music. 1t was
very pleasant out in Johns front
yard.
Reuben sat on the doorstep and re.
volved new notions in his head.
"Why shouldn't I help?" went OH
Johns voice. Half this front yard 8
mine, an guess / want things to
look ilourishin' in ii, too-hey, Lefty?
what's that you say about men folks
not carin for flowers? Take it back,
ma'sm - one, two, threel"
A merry race ensued, and all the
little John children flowed out of nooks
aud crannies TO Join in IT,
Lefty came out of it breathless and
smiling.
"We're goin' to put the aster seeds
in under the windows this year." she
explained to Reuben. They'll look
30 bright against the underpinnin'.
And the sweet peas over there against
the fence and the panSy beds here, you
see. The children see to those. Oh,
we're goin' to look fine, | tell you!
And Johns sent for some new shrubs
too-let's see; hydrsngess and gold
en- elder and smoke tree. Last year
We got that purple.leaved plum. You'd
ought TO see it 10y and by! And we
got the white lilac"-John's wife's said
'1aylac, 'toO---'ast year. Oh, yes, and
that cunnin' little mulberry tree. We
try to get three new ones every year.
When the front yards full, there's the
back yardW
Johns wife laughed and went in to
see if the John baby had walked up
yet.
"5he's great one for fixin' mp,
Lefty is" John remarked, proudly.
al leave the selectin oil To her; then /
help set out aud tend. There's moth
in like havin' things kind o. pretty
around the house. | say that's as
necessary as havin' good potatoes and
thick hay crops. II you cant have
both, have six O. one and half dozen
o. the other. You chaps with the
money can outshine us, of course, but
well do the level best we CAM"
All the the way home Reuben Cole
was still revolving his new ideas. In
the back of the wagon was a bulky
bundle OF shrubs done mp in burlsp.
He had driven ten miles out Of his
way for these. johns wife's slips
were in moist packet under the seat.
Halfway home. the ideas said there
was going to be revolution in the
front yard at home. Two-thirds of
the way, there was going to be rev.
olution in the little homely sitting
room where he and Leah sat together
long winter evenings. There was
going to be something new and bright
there as well us in the little homely
front yard.
Grand ideas brave IDEAS.
Three-fourths Of the way homo, he
was going to help Leah set out the
things aud prune them and dress
them for her. Poor Leah Shed
had kind of hard, uphilly time of it
tryin' to fix mp things round home.
Come TO think of it, Leah was GROWN
real sober and old, late years Leah!
and she used to be the sprightliest,
han soonest little woman in the United
States! Happy an chirk, too. as
laughin' child.
Four-flths Of the way, five-sixths -
almost home!
Seven.eighths Of the way; he was
goin' to give the little woman a sur
prise an see if shed forgot to blush
that little soft red color that used to
set her OFF so.
Home. Aud Reuben Cole sprang
lightly down and kissed LEANS pa
tient, gentle face. A little soft red
color hurried into her cheeks ond
made her young again.
why, Reuben landr'-The House.
wife.