Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-01-28

| neuRefOW) was III evidence III the
neighboring yard. Really, after por-
ing over musty theological tones all
winter a man must get some freshness
in his soul and new blood in his
heart.
The gardening went on apace, and the
treacherous warm weather continued.
Many were the conferences held across
the hedge regarding the proper prun-
| ing Of rose trees, the planting Of hardy
seeds and the preparation of the beds
of earth. The rector had never sus-
pected there was so much detail TO the
business of gardening.
One morning, just after warm
night rain, the Rev. Mr., Smiles was
called to the hedge by little cry
from his neighbor.
''They are comingV' she cried, in
delight. "See! here is the dearest
little blade of green pushing up
through the mold-and there is another
and anotherl Just look at them"
The rector found ii necessary to
leap the hedge (he had been some
thing Of an athlete at the university,
and certainly this spring weather was
sending the blood coursing through
his veins quite like old times) and look
at the crocus bed near to.
"They are such lovely Ones" she
said, earnestly. 81 don't believe you
noticed them at all last spring" (he
pronounced maledictions upon him
self for having been so blind as to
miss so much beauty the previous sea
som, but they will he even better
this year--if we don't have that horrid
frost you have been prophesying.
She looked at him roguishly, and il
suddenly crossed the young rector's
mind that several yellowish- green
points of crocus blade, breaking the
damp soil, made a far prettisr picture
! than the finest rose bush in full bloom
which he had ever seen. II was
strange fact and one he had never dis
covered before.
But when he had returned to his
own lonely domain and entered his
study, he stopped and thought seri-
ously for a minute. Then lie east his
tiat.crowned ministerial hat upon the
floor with great emphasis and ex-
claimed:
"It's my creed, tell You, that q
man in orders should not marry"
Now, there was no one visible to
argue the question, and yet there
seemed TO he argument in his own
mind. for the Rev. Wetherby Smiles
smote his palm with his clenched fist
angrily and kicked the fat-crowned
hat to the other end OF The room.
For two days the rector of st. James
rigidly stihed his interest in crocuses;
his interest in creeds, however, was
not entirely satisfying. On Sunday,
after vespers, he overlook on his way
home little figure in a fawn-colored
gown.
"You must see my crocuses, Mr..
Smiles" she said. "rhe buds will be
open before Sunday"
The rector glanced gloomily at the
darkening sky and thought that prob
ably there would be frost that night.
But he could not long think of frost
and other unpleasant possibilities
under the skillful manipulation of his
charming little neighbor. He hest
tated at her gate, and again crocuses
triumphed over creed The crocuses
were hourishing finely; the creeds
took back seat-indeed. very un-
obtsusive seat-in the rector's men,
DRY.
His interest in the crocus continued
that evening to so late an hour that
his old servitor really thought he was
not coming to supper and cleared away
the repast.
"Never mind" said the rector, kind
ly, 81 am not hungry, "and when the
old man had doddered off TO bed he
sat down before the open window Of
his chamber and stared out into the
still night.
He sat there for an hour. A light
burned behind the curtain Of one OF
his neighbours windows. That was
her light he knew. Finally it dis
appeared, but he sat on, his arms
folded upon the sill, his eyes glaring
fxedly into the darkness. Greed was
making strong fight for life.
1t grew rapidly colder, and suddenly
the Rev. Wetherby Smiles awoke to
the discomforts of the outer man. He
shivered and drew away from the win
dow. There was no breeze and no
clouds, but an increasing chill made
him close the easement.
Then he slipped on smoking jacket
and went to the door. There was
light haze upon the river and SHIN
mer of frost in the air.
"A bad night for the farmers and
fruit growers" he thought. Then