The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-02-02

was old, and she said that once in a
February blow the waves at high tide
had washed right through their set
tin room. and they thought they was
go1n' to float out to sea.
1T wasn't much of life for a timid
woman, was it? But she said her
brother wouldn't leave. While she
didn't complain, made out that he
was the lazy kind that liked to set
around the house and do woman's
work. but he didn't have much idea Of
earnin' livin'.
Why. I'd work my fingers to the
boon to get away from here she said
to me. with her big eyes blazing.
We'll, I went away the next morn
In, but I used to think of her when
the storms came, and l kind o. got
into fashion Of running over and set
tin with her when it was bad enough
to scare her.
But after the winter set in It
wasn't easy gettin' there. No boat
could live in some of the blows we
had, and the big waves used to wash
O'>A shS SoooSWdy dL ulsu tue duu
make wall to beat me back.
We got to be such good friends
that l was invited over to Christmas
dinner with them. Lizzie was going
to cook big turkey, and 1 had plan
ned to take oysters for the soup.
But when Christmas day dawned
we were in the thick of the worst
gale / ever saw on the coast. There
was snow with it. so that everything
was just binding whiteness, and the
wind howled an tore like sixty.
Il knew there wasn't any use try
ing to walk across the causeway, so
l fought my way in boat across the
harbor, inch by inch, to get to Lizzie
knew what she was sufferin', and I
didn't know whether she was safe
from the dangers of that sandy strip.
L got there just in time. The wind
had ripped up the edge of the roof
and the snow was piled up on the
floor. Lizzie and her brother were in
the kitchen. She was crouched in an
old rockin' chair with her hands over
her face, but he was calmly bastin
the turkey in the oven! And that,
with the tide comm higher every min
ute and the gale increasin'.
I went over to the chair and put
my hand on Lizzie's shoulder 1T
amt very merry Christmas. said
that I've brought you. You'd better
put your things on and come back
with me. It's safer in boat in the
harbor than it is on this beach,
"She put her hands in mine. On.
yes, she whispered. anywhere away
from here
Come on said to her brother
But he just looked up from his cookin'
and said in stubborn way, She
amt goin', and I amt. This is where
We belong, and we are goin' to stay
here
land If the house blows away,
what them asked
1T amt goin' to blow away he
said, it's stood a lot of storms in its
time, and it's goin' to stand some
more
But / knew what shackly old
place 1t was, and anyhow he made
me mad the way he spoke about Liz
zie. You can stay here if you like,
1 said, but your sisters goin'.'
HE Strengthened up and looked at
me across the stove, so said the
words right over again. Your sis
ter's goin',' because l love her and
want to take care of her And il she'll
marry me you can do as you please,
stay here or I'll pay your board on the
mainland, but ] amt goin' to have her
life ruined by fear and selfishness
and she suffers from both in this
house, and it's got to STOP
well, she came with me. and her
brother came, too, huggin' the turkey,
which he had wrapped up in a big
parcel. 1t was fight to get across,
but when we landed l brought Lizzie
here, and she has a south room that
looks over the street and away from
the water and she has lots of friends,
and when the rest fail her she has
me-" He laughed his big laugh,
and she amt afraid any more, are
you, Lizzie?" he demanded, as his
wife came in with a tureen full of
steaming chowder.
Am l what?" she asked, as she set
1t down carefully.
Afraid of storms?" he said. 81
was jest tellin' how you used to fear
them"
She came over and put her hand on
his shoulder. and stood looking down
at him with tender light in her
eyes. "As If any one could be afraid
with you." was her affectionate way
of settling 1t.