Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-01-07

ROOu fortune IL 10 Otner men. Dut
deep within his honest breast was n
well-spring of hope, bubbling to the
surface in ne'er-ceasing ripples and
giving to his face its sunny smile, his
eyes their happy outlook, spite of
misfortune and disappointment. 1t
fairly oyerran its boundaries when he
wooed and won pretty Meta Allen for
his bride, and the year they spent to-
gether was u year of perpetual sun
shine, spite of the dark cloud of pov-
erty which hung over their humble
cottage, and made il so hard to pro-
vide even their simple wants. But
Meta sung over her work like some
bird building its nest, and John found
labor pleasure with the memory of his
bright tireside before him.
But there came day when the poor
girls song died on her lips, as they
grew white and pale, leaving only a
sad, lingering smile about them, and
the CHEEKY fire burned low, unheeded,
and shadow--not of poverty, but the
great. grim terror, which broods over
the palace alike with the hovel-shut
out the sunshine, and sweet Meta HUI
bert's eyes, with one lingering ook
of love in their depths for the strong
man sobbing like u child at her bed
side, closed for the last time, while the
feeble flame of life hickered and went
out. For little while black darkness
entered into John Huberts soul.
Even the waters of the spring seemed
dried mp, but, 10! his young wife had
not left him uncontrolled. Baby fin
gers clutched at his heart strings;
baby's cry stirred the waters of hope
once more, and as the months grew
into years and he traced in the little
ones eyes the same look which had
shown in her mothers his very soul
went ont to the child who was as
daughter and wife botn, and the we'll
spring of hope once more dubbed and
sang. 1t was for her dear sake, II
long years after his young wife had
been laid to rest, that he determined
to leave the grave kept ever green and
turn his face westward. His farm
was mortgaged, his struggle hard
one. Little Meta deserved something
better, so he sold all he had and, with
her by his side, set out for their new
life to the wonderful gold country.
1t bore little evidences of its hidden
treasure when at last II was reached.
Meta looked dismayed at the rough
men who formed the settlement, when,
clinging close to her fathers hand,
they entered among them. She could
not understand the amazed looks they
cast on her. She did not dream that
with her golden hair falling in curls
below her waist, her great blue eyes
timidly appraised or dropping with re
long brown lashes, fringing the deal
cate cheek, it was as though an angel
had suddenly appeared in their midst.
Some of them had wives and children
of their own at home, and tears sprang
TO eyes which had known no moisture
for years.
"This is no place for such rs she,
growled forth one man, indicating the
child with glance, but John ans wered,
not without dignity:
"Her place is by my side. She
knows no other friend. Her mother
is in Heaven"
So no more was said, and John HUI
bert's claim was marked out with the
rest, and the little girl was soon as
much at home as though she had
known no other life. But the feeling
with which she had impressed the
men never died away. To them she
seemed more angel than child, and
when her yellow hair came floating in
the breeze and she would suddenly
dance up to any group, the coarse jest
about to be uttered would be silenced
the muttered curse be sent back to
its fountain head.
So the years went by until Meta
grew from childhood to girlhood, al
most to womanhood a pure, sweet
flower in this far-off wild. No .-..
luck fell TO John Hubert's share. The
nugget which would have made his
fortune he passed by, while those on
right and left Of him gathered it. But
the old smile, the old, accomplishing
honesty, made him a general favorite,
and no one felt even pang of envy
when at last, after five patient years
of toll, the rumor spread through the
camp that success had crowned his
efforts; that John Hubert had struck
gold aud carried enough to his little
cottage to enable him to go back q
rich man to his home again. They
had no bolts, no locks, in this rude
district. Each man was to the
other a brother-a brother marked,
perhaps, with the brand OF Cain upon
his brow, the result Of quick word,