E-text prepared by Al Haines Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 17165-h.htm or 17165-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/1/6/17165/17165-h/17165-h.htm) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/1/6/17165/17165-h.zip) A LITTLE FLORIDA LADY by DOROTHY C. PAINE [Frontispiece: The Little Florida Lady] Philadelphia George W. Jacobs & Company Copyright, 1903, by George W. Jacobs & Company Published, October, 1903 CONTENTS I. THE JOURNEY TO FLORIDA II. THE NEW HOME III. BETH'S FIRST FISHING LESSON IV. VISITING V. WALKING ON STILTS VI. HOUSE BUILDING VII. BETH'S NEW PLAYFELLOW VIII. LEARNING TO SWIM IX. THE LITTLE DRESSMAKER X. THE HORSE RACE XI. DON MEETS A SAD FATE XII. THE ARRIVAL OF DUKE XIII. ANXIOUS HOURS XIV. THE RESCUE ILLUSTRATIONS The Little Florida Lady . . . . . . _Frontispiece_ Beth Thought a Cotton Field a Pretty Sight [missing from book] Beth's New Home [missing from book] Maggie, a Typical Old-Time Mammy Laura Corner in the Treasured Easter Hat Harvey [missing from book] "The Cutest Things Yon Ever Saw" January with His Perpetual Laugh and Fiddle The Darkies' Quarters A Little Florida Lady CHAPTER I The Journey to Florida. New York was in the throes of a blizzard. The wind howled and shrieked, heralding the approach of March, the Wind King's month of the year. Mrs. Davenport stood at a second story window of a room of the Gilsey House, and looked down idly on the bleak thoroughfare. She was a young-looking woman for her thirty-five years, and had an extremely sweet face, denoting kindliness of heart. The hall door opened, and Elizabeth Davenport entered, carrying in her arms a little ball of fluffy gray. Elizabeth, or Beth, as she was more commonly called at the age of seven, might have been compared to a good fairy had she not been so plump. She almost always radiated sunshine, and her face was generally lighted with a smile, the outcome of a warm heart. Sometimes clouds slightly dimmed the sunshine, but they always proved to be summer clouds that quickly passed. Her face was now flushed, and her eyes sparkled. Mrs. Davenport turned, and smiled in greeting, but, at the same time, brushed a tear from her eye. "Why, mamma, dear, what's the matter?" cried Beth. Mrs. Davenport's eyes filled, but she bravely smiled. "I'm a little unhappy over leaving all our friends, Beth. Florida seems very far away." "I wouldn't be unhappy." "How would you help it, dearie?" "Why mamma," she answered triumphantly after a second's thought, "there are so many pleasant things to think about that I just never think of the unpleasant ones," and her face broke into a smile, so cheery that Mrs. Davenport's heart lightened.