202 A FLORIDA SHRINE. 



land. He talked of his crops, his children, 

 the climate, and so on, all in a cheerful 

 strain, pleasant to hear. If the pessimists 

 are right, which may I be kept from be- 

 lieving, the optimists are certainly more 

 comfortable to live with, though it be only 

 for ten minutes under a roadside shade-tree. 



When I reached the street-car track at 

 the foot of the hill, the one car which plies 

 back and forth through the city was in its 

 place, with the driver beside it, but no 

 mules. 



" Are you going to start directly ? " I 

 asked. 



" Yes, sah," he answered ; and then, look- 

 ing toward the stable, he shouted in a per- 

 emptory voice, " Do about, there ! Do 

 about ! " 



" What does that mean ? " said I. " Hurry 

 up?" 



" Yes, sah, that 's it. 'T ain't everybody 

 that wants to be hurried up ; so we tells 'em, 

 4 Do about ! ' " 



Half a minute afterwards two very neatly 

 dressed little colored boys stepped upon the 

 rear platform. 



" Where you goin' ? " said the driver. 

 "Uptown?" 



