Show THE CRACKER GIRL A story of tho alligator country A stray chicken wand wandered pred about a small clearing now ho stopped to peck at bright pebbles then hopped forward to examine a bigeh of tussock grass grabs then a grasshopper attracted his attention and ull all the timo ims ha was gret getting gretting tint farther away from home at last lie he paused on the bank of a dark creek aud and looked about curiously it was a new world to lo him near by a long black object lay half embedded imbedded im in the sand after j atchi tit itta it a few moments moment lie ho hopped nearer then came a quick flash and knopping of teeth the chickens short drama draina wab over and the alligators tall tail slid bade back into the sand and ilia his half balf closed eyes resumed their air of n unconsciousness neon schou aness Over lica I 1 ma magnolias and live oaks mingled their branch s while hero lure and there ro rose roc c the stately trunks of royal palms great maibes of azalea agave land and sensitive pl plants aritt crept up tip from froin tho the waters edge and spread out over tho the banks and everyN everywhere here clambered the fox grapo grape and bignonia and wood bine beyond the encell c ack and stretching aay for it a hundred miles mile to tilt the south anti and west were the everglade in fu the distance gleamed tho the alpo waters of lake 0 to t the lie cast cail NN as a wilderness lo 10 I 1 0 the north tm twenty enty miles milea of almo almot t jungle and in iju the tile the little clearing lonely and wild and ugly for except where the log cabin flood tood near the conter confer the trees lind had been merely girdled and now biot loso white and gh ghostly otly their uray gray fik cleton arms creal creaking cing and groaning aith evory every passing breeze aanon among P thorn thom N were ere long ridges of sweet potato vines and nearer the cabin a few clumps of gumbo and banana stalks A trill lall roli houtary tary oleander in full bloom stood near the water barrel its fragrant r bran branches chos nearly hiding one cna end of the cabin A little to ono one a side were BO several verd no neglected lecter orange trees the cabin lidd ht but two windows ismall bin all openings which were closed with hoards boards when when it rained near one of these a young girl was waa preparing 4 comptis comp tic 11 on the stove behind her was the inevitable kettle hottle of hat hominy asslie As she worked sho occasionally broke into snatched of negro melody her frosh fresh young voice il heating out lato the foreba and bringing quick responses from mocking and warblers warb lers two men inen wore were working their way through the thick inas masses cs of allm palmetto tto suddenly they hey paused to listen what a voice one of them exclaimed clai mcd A backwoods i nightingale P it roust must be old daughter said the other 1 I was liere hero five years ago and she was then the wild est cst and happiest little thing I 1 ever ABW aaa all the time in the woods chasing and imitating the mocking birds na again the voice floated to them As an it died away tho the first speaker drew a long breath what nn an acquisition she would bo be to my rustic chorus lie isad bad icib companion laughed there you go again I 1 never a fino fine voice but you must be covetous the penalty of heing being a theater manager I 1 sup suppose poc put really Dan ichon you yon gaii must A not walco the ambition of this child of nature she is like the birds and new york would stifle her A few moments later they emer emerged 0 ad from froin the palmetto As they crossed the cl clearing the countr 0 girl left the window and appeared in tho the doorway for I 1 a moment the merely looked eurious curious then a glow glov of recognition crept into her face before they had time to opeal she sprang doi down tri the stops steps with outstretched hands mr lr Low lowery lowary cry fer oil all glicr aber worra borill she crl crud d her eyes cyca sparkling with pleasure 11 ilita mighty pl jil casan ter see ree yell yeh roun uin ahu 1 sut tingly be glad wr ace yell r and I 1 hhall bo be glad to ao see sec him lizit liza mai hai I 1 mr ir lowery cry livar heartily tily veo hunte together V dia jiow how you hava arc riwu you ceru only t littlon gh gill I 1 when Vl lIl I 1 loft an allio illio uk tr 0 o iy ay tr malce make her bows wa nn gren wi gb 4 coul cou 9 aw ill too mr aar lowery smiled wo we did have some fine cooter cooler hunts ho he said then nodding toward his companion added ive brought my friend mr danielson do don doan n to try alligator hunting I 1 tell him your father is probably the best gator guide in south 1 lorida the girls face clouded paws in right pore shape she sho said jowly ille iio war los in the an got the eliakes lowi ul bad I 1 low lie he c cahnt ant do no mo guldin for er cr long time the two men looked at each other it in perplexity seeing the girl hobt ened to add club kin guide you jou un uns better n anybody copt paw lie ile aint but twelve years 01 ol 01 but RAW jav says bays what lu lit dont dollt know bout gators aint lessons on 11 but mr lowery looked doubtful 1 remember deb cleb lie he said but it strikes me that lie would be r P rather mall chap in case of in an emberger emergency ricy A twelve footer would bo be apt to tako advantage of him paw says glob cleb kin git away with mos inos anything any thin ile lows iowa be or ar quiel quicker er nor lightning ligh light tain nin very well well try him of course it is thirty miles to ano nearest settlement where a guide could be lound now 2 ow suppose we go in and have a LC hc with your father an hour later cleb came in a sm ill freckled faced boy with quick eyes winch which beamed to take in ill v ry thing soon after appeared mr low crys man with the camp equi patre 1 I suppose wo we can have theold the old camp site by the creek mr lowery iu ill quiren Sut tinly lyl responded mr Do besson heartily you uns net act jc 30 9 like yell wart home an hep yo sea theres rafts 0 01 gaarden boss an mci on ons defore night the camp was ready and late in the evening tho the two men with their young guide went down tho the creek for a preliminary brush with the alligators and it did not take taice long to discover that the girls praise of af I 1 her brother brot hr was veas justifiable As mr Low lowerts erys man said he was a peeler to 1 lie bufor fore many days the two men expressed themselves as perfectly satisfied with his services As the biays we went rit by the relations between tho the house and camp grew more intimate mr danielson was an enthusiast st in his profession and found the voice of the young girl fally as attractive as alligator hunting day after day lie Ns to her singing and often accompanied it with his own rich voice A little practice and her quick car caught the opera airs even her teacher was sometimes surprised by the exquisite ron rendering dering which her superb voice gave to thorn them and the more lie listened tho the more he be was resolved to take her back with him to new york 1 I i like the training rv of such it a voice lie he said to mr lowery there is rare promise in it A few days later they were standing i I 1 ng near the cabin making arrangements 4 1 13 for the next days hunt sud r denly danly snatched atio rifle irom cleba grasp gran r and taking quick ahn ard A heavy crash atud scream ali almoas alimoot noot instantly I 1 y camo came from tho the undergrowth tp n near C ar the camp il a wildcat she in onlan explanation auar a anakin for 0 u ucb n tent I 1 low hit smelt vit vitt f 0 cs 11 I 1 I 1 and sure elou ii tin an immens ecat ett was wa found under one of ih the llie alv 0 coal oaks c As mr lowery pointed to the small wound in tho the basso base oc 01 tho bleull lio lie looked at hn his coin companion panion 1 you or I 1 lie ho 6 thud aid could never hayo done this lit dueh it a distance mr danielson biuk iio aply lut but he looked itt at the lith i duro of tho the 0 young girl vath renewed interest he ill lc be a grand N rm an omo biome acy lie ho chou thought ait if only her language was not so bar barbarous barons but as s the cit cl by even her r U los herh to hi his ears scars her glicr quaint expressions clia charming aud and her tys sicre ere r ro fo o brown und and ace deep p so frank and open what watt mattor ored cd a few oddi ai ol of ono one day mi i La lowchy Low ivery cry took liim him to t ft gro go danielson lson lie he sad i lly you wv lire lut twenty five and lla liza lj ji xio no or on I 1 mary almary girl hut but you know the MI I 1 t J for a 0 moment his hib c spanion mp tinion mado made no reply then lie ho his ats eyes cyca slowly vlY yes lie he said quietly 1 I know the I 1 libity I 1 liau convinced my iny iseff of it a hundred i ho gairl iri Is ia ab absolutely i ignorant borant a cr crack acl r in the bense or of the t e tom tf rn v in L 0 I 1 ara ana una what books and money have made nic me and alid yet ho continued after a pause as boon at ah I 1 convince in olf of it absurdity ty 1 fani avilure uro to I 1 c i iii tomako ito mako plana to talco tako lier hur north tin an I 1 give ivo hur her tin nn na v ith her capacity on in ed odai tj cadon would bu a matter ol 01 little dim culty allut you must have her consent and excuse me ine the N hole plau is idiotic 1 I know it A in nt later he anro and walked toward the cabin mr lowery him curiously 1 I fancy our alligator hunting is about ov 0 t 11 lie thought 0 ulie lle ncik d afternoon as the two were practicing pr leticia Leti cin 0 bets together mr ir daniel sou soa asked the girl in z ci matter ot fact tone how would you like to po go north and study music liza she her eyes frankly this was one of lier ter she bic never showed or bell con 1 it I u ui tor low ilow id I 1 1 ko r tor ter leam cam things r erht ht mu much 11 v tuio ad but son sen imas bon an namey unit y blasc I 1 ive gill in hit all ali up ill lilt kiib be gran ter know t amri 1 in I 1 g liaro you i ua there war as a lu in it in c voice NV which Ilich lie he took advantage ru of if you could arrango to go ga north with us lie paid raid eagerly va gerly ayou 1 would have a alian chance cc to ficai n i er athing my mother bould look after you 1 I am sure 11 hits its too lato lafo oo 00 aw thara abara other th i I 1 I 1 u g what kut rut I 1 at this moment mr lowery came I 1 up with him was a tall man an in the i inte n tir danielson said mr lowary but I 1 majit you to know my friend norton youve heard roo me speak ef cf him my Aly guide amon among the keys sayed sayad my lifa oil off and nearly lo 10 lot t liis his own mr danielson Danic lson advanced cordially lie be had heard hear dt many stories of this brave guide this apollo among tho the cowboys but before lie he could gras grachis grasp R his hand a lithe figura ti before h oh boo ijohn il we didn dian niec ach fore fora then turning about bahe added with a char charming minx air of pro 1111 hits its my mybon bob waverly 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