St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-03-30
Letter from Florida.

sojourn in Florida has passed. 1t has
been like June in Vermont, yet more
sunny and bright. Strawberries and
green peas are in order. There is not
in the wide world a more charming
sight than an orange grove at this sea-
son, with its glossy green leaves, its
golden fruit, and at the same time
myriads of white blossoms that fill the
air with their delicious fragrance.
NOrtherners when they first come here,
get insane on this subject, and have
expended vast sums in setting out and
rearing orange groves. Two men set
an hundred acres each, and have worked
and expended, and waited ten years to
realize their first crop of any impOr-
lance this year, which was estimated
worth forty thousand dollars before the
cold snap in December, which utterly
ruined the whole crop. Thousands of
others have had the same luck on a
smaller scale. A few groves, sheltered
by wide waters on the north, have es-
capped injury.
think ninety-nine out of every hun
dred will find it losing business. Be-
low % degrees north (the frost line,)
oranges and lemons and bananas, pine
apples, ETC., ETC., are easily grown, and
are safe and profitable investment.
The general character of Florida is low
plains and gray sand, covered with a
thin growth of pitch-pine with small
and large swamps scattered all around.
The soil is poor, crops small and I'M
certain, and the labor of the husband
man poorly paid; but as a recompense
the climate is as fine as any in the
world. The mean temperature for
twenty-five years here, was spring 68
deg, summer 80 deg, fall II deg, and
winter So deg.
This city is noted for its thousands of
roosters, and dogs, and cats, that crow,
thousands of gaunt hogs, that throng
the streets by day-also for high piles
of grindstones outside, with a chain
through the eyes, and screwed by IA
stout paddock to keep them from being
stolen.
At the recent state fair held here,
there was a very good show of oranges,
lemons, bananas, pine-apples, and
vegetables and flowers, and fowls; some
good stock and horses. The trotting
and racing was fair; but the best of all
was the baby show, of as healthy, hand
some and bright little ones as can be
found any where. Those voted the
finest received premiums; the ugliest
(homliest) man also received pre-
MUM, and he was so coarse and rough
that we thought of Darwin, and that
like TOpsy, she had no mudder, bat
growed hisself."
Iattended the colored peoples church
here. The preacher was black and I'M
educated, but had great flow of Ian
guage. In reference to the disposal
and punishment of the wicked, he said
''the Lord would make a great pile of
light wood (pitch-pines,) great pile
of de latest kind, bigger dan dis house
den he chuck de sinner onto it-den he
touch a match to de bottom, and it go,
bout! and burn dem all up, and de
ashes be trod on by de sole of de feet
of de righteous" Referring to the
miracles, he said these words-"And
Jesus said to de dead chile, stand up
dar, and de chile stand on his foot.
Den Jesus said, glib him piece of bread
and send him to his mudder." The
following is part of hymn sung:
You better come now if your cumin'
Old satan is loose and hummin',
De wheel of destruction a hummin'
oh! come along sinner eff your cumn."
Passing along among the bushes, with
little negro huts scattered all around,
man laid his hand on my shoulder and
SAID, ''YOu are my prisoner" Turning
saw my captOr was a negro. l asked |
by what authority he arrested me. He
turned back his coat and exhibited
marked marshal. l then
enquired for what offense | was arrest
ed. He said, "Firing a gun twice,
which was against the law-the fine |
five dollars for each offense.n | was
off to the Mayors office, and
ordered ''to take a seat in de dock wild
de prisoners" The Mayor, black
stolid negro, spent long time in look
ing over his docket and making mem
and getting on his official
dignity, but finally ordered George
Sawyer "to stand up dar"
and OH his rising, said, "You're 'cused
of making a assault on woman. You
plead guilty, or not guilty 2" Answer,
Not guilty." A woman was called and
to lay her hand on Bible, and
after sworn, it was held up to her and
she kissed it, She then said, ''Dis man
chased me in de street, and cotched me
and frowed me down and set down on
NE long time. l don't know what it
Was fOr-I hadn't dun muffin to him.
A man called who testified to the same.
Then the prisoner was sworn. He said,
dis woman was my wife-I got
spicious of her, and cnmmin into nv
house when not spected saw proof of
Ter guilt. | started to kill de man but
lie man said he 'spose she was a girl,