Page:Florida Trails as seen from Jacksonville to Key West and from November to April inclusive.djvu/137

 CHAPTER IX

IN A FLORIDA FREEZE

In St. Augustine there is a very genial, old colored man who, in spite of his weatherworn tatters, is a philanthropist and has an eye for good dressers. His favorite stampede is the sea wall and the open region about old fort Marion where he watches with wary eye for the tourist.

"Heah you are, suh," he says to such, "heah's yo' lucky beans. Take a han'ful suh an' be lucky all de res' ob your bawn days. I gives dem to yuh. I ain't charge nuffin for dese I ain't, kase you is de born image ob my ol' massah. Yaas you is, suh. Mons'ous fine lookin' man he, yass suh. Dem ladies dey jes' nachully follow my ol' massa roun' kase he such fine man. Hey? Yaas, tank you kindly suh. You sure is like ol' massah."

It is astonishing how many visions of his old master rise in this gray old man's sight as tourists pass. Long or short, fat or lean, it makes no difference to him, so be they are well dressed and have an air of prosperity. If it is a group of