The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-13

field One the nobless OF the eminences crowned
by the town. white gables and bory chimneys peepins
through OF foliage Its are shaded BY
grand OLD oaks which quite As numerous as the
citizens ,hmsevcs, and are emblems Of their own
proud and sturdy spiril The latter, however Is mos
cvinced In material progress Of very great impor-
lance. tor che naughty capital or the state seems
more as II IL were some European village which had
recovered from Napoieon's cannonading rather
than which in bis days scarcely conceived
OF Quaint-iookng, mouldy walled houses. with great
spaces between them with debris suggest caiam-
ny poverty. The latter. I-belcve. IL tho amen OF
Tallahassee. II escaped tho shocks OF the war. The
only reminder OF that event which have seen here Is
an carhern fertilization on commencing Hill south OF
the city, and do not think II was ever practically
tested. Bu, what do these black ruins suggest
Public paralysis The city is one Of nns'ghsy dis
tances For its air OF decay the magnificent groves
which invest and adorn 1t are proper accompaniment
1t wears the aspec. OF beautiful and romantic antiquity
after about half century OF existence
YHLosorBIc GROVES.
Its situation ana Character lt we'll for the location
Of university and this what is needed TO complete
the which the visitor feels in its aspect The
walks are Of unique beauty Tho gardens are running
with and honeysucklcs and the air OF Naples
cannot be more rcdolcni Of sweetness. Everything
suggests tho groves which the philosophers
OF old taught their disciples.
RESORT TIE yurrRB
Tallahassee has thus attracted the gay crowd
which goes Jacksonville and ST. Augustine. because
OF the appalling ordeal o! travel, which have but
family dclineated But It win inevitably be point
for the concourse OF nvads and tourists alike. Its
climate is oamy and saiubrious In the extreme, ard
has no such enervaiing influence may be observed
on the east Of Florida the uh Stream
II ,s bracng YET mild. The environments OF hill,
valley forest ana lake charming, and II is in the
midst OF the finest hunting ground south OF tho ST
Lawrence and east OF the Mississippi Tho drawbacks
It's becoming an inland Naples are tho
lethargy almost inanity, Of ts people, and
their stubborn persistence In repenng their
own good fortune. /: tho facility OF approach
were tolerable they WOULD not, OF course,
prevent hotel life from becoming very lively here, ard
there great possibilities IL the completion and
proper management OF the railroad hotel keeper
OF Saratoga y. Y. declared TO mo the other day hts
belief that by boring artesian wells hero nne gcysers
could be produced; and mineral springs are SO
abundant in Florida there Is not much doubt OF mod.
cinal waters being obtained.
ANOTHER MARVEL
Lake Jackson but seven miles from here, lie lovolier
than Lake Mccosukio, and II its shores wore dotted
with villas would not be unlike Lake Mahopac- II,
like almost overy other BODY OF water in this strange
land, has IT'S marvellous story. Over fifteen years
ago It was drained of all its water through .
.sinkhole' which exists somewhere in its bed. Fish
were picked up by the planters slaves by thousands
and hauled away country wains For some years
tho water returned very slowly, and meanwhile the
dry bed planted with corn. Many acres were thus
utilized and 1t is related that tho last crop not
ripcncd until after the lake again nearly full, and
that IL was gathered in boats.
WONDER.
Tho greatest attraction oil Middle Florida and that
which draws most tourists Tallahassee is wonder
full spring. which forms at outburst river that
flows into the Gulf. II Is sixteen miles
south OF the capital, and is reached by
an abominaby sandy road, lying through
OF scrub oak and Pine most wearsome to
the eye. After descending from the breezy hills about
the city you lose all gmpscs Of beauty until you APP
proach, through a narrow path, densey fenced by
thickets, the wakulia Spring dusky boatman
Nv aitcd me there, and revealing the
wonders ofa scene do think is less boauti
full than the dreams OF Aladdin The most poetical
description could not do 1t Justice.
HOME MERMAibs.
The sprinc or small s.loch" as IL might properly be
called, about i've hundred yards wide, and It's banks
are crowded with Expresses bays magnoas and oaks,
in splendid cxubcrance OF vernal ATTIRE II on the
wacissa River had folt II were
suspended between two heavens tho neither one
being the limpid, have perhaps robbed myself
of tho superative of expression which should only
have been employed here. The water is perfectly
coorless but tho reflection OF sky and forest mingled
with rays Of the sun unite to produce the effect OF
a greensh blue tinge more exquisite than dyer ever
conceived. Tho sand below and rocks, which are
really white, partake OF the illusion. Tho brilliant
crystalline transparency Of the medium on which
foated caused a thrill TO pass through which
something very like tropidaton looked tmidly
over the sdo Of the boat, and It seemed like peer.
ing through the diamond-pancd roof Of fairy
palace. But the fanciiul delusion gave way
to tho most absorbing wonder the reality. In
the southern portion OF the spring great shelf can
be distinctly seem over which tho IL rises
flows southward-a river. IL looks but couple Of
yards below boat. but is In tact than ninety
feet The rock abruptly breaks of here and the
verge OF a verable abyss, the bottom Of which has
been fathomcd II extends far under the ragged
Shelf OF that black and mysterious vestbulo Of
other mermaid halls, still deeper the crypts OF
the EARTH slowly boils a huge volume OF water The
eye tails TO pierce that
DARK AND DISMAL PRoPUNDIrY,
but ever and great nsh will be 10 rise into
lighter regions and wheel about aud about dazed
by forced and rapid voyage just com pleted through
places alien 10 the Inc rise, rise, Tlse
like a fountain OF nanitisemal diamonds A itllo be-
yond edge OF the submerged cliff was just able
sec the bottom by the sparkle OF tho sand. The old
boatman told that depth there is 200 feet, and
believed him, for fishes which were far above tho
bottom seemed stl farther from me. Patrarchai
trout such seldom grace the clasine, moved maJes
caIy through their element sometimes even pre-
serving n kind OF order IKE . line OF BATTLE their
black shadows cast upon the bottom seeming many
other hnny monsters More numerous than they.
even, were the muIlct whose scales IN the singular
light which fell through the walery lens looked like
chips Of opal. They seemed to be taking their consti
tn,ona exercise and enjoying tho glory Of the sun In
the lambert depths OF their crystal palace ! dare
venture tnns they would scorn General peasonton and
his blue glass in the greater blessing which Providence
has given them. Where tho river lows out OF the
spring other OF the tribe repeatedly darting from
La fnn ti,o rf.~