The Osceola times., 1878-01-26


That money was used. might try to show;
And while msy fall in defeating bis title.
They'd give me fee to keep quiet, you know.
SKETCHES FROM BERMUDA.
A General Review of the Vegetable and
Animal Kingdoms, In which Man
Tahes NO Unimportamt Part.
BY MARK TWAIN.
The birds we came across in the coun.
try were singularly tame even that wild
creature, the quail, would pick around
in the grass at ease while we inspected it
and talked about it at leisure. A small
bird of the canary species had to be
stirred up with the butt end of the whip
before it would move, and then it moved
only couple of feet. 1t is said that even
the suspicious flea is tame and sociable in
Bermuda, and will allow himself to be
caught and caressed without misgivings
This sheuld b, taken with allowance, for
doubtless there is more or less brag about
it. In San Francisco they used to claim
that their native flea could kick a child
over, as If it were merit in flea to be
able to do that; as if the knowledge of it
trumpeted abroad ought to entice immi-
grafton. Such thing in nine cases out
Of ten would be almost sure TO deter a
thinking man from coming.
We saw no bugs or reptiles 10 speak Of,
and SO was thinking Of saying in print,
in general way, that there were none at
all; but one night after / had gone to
bed, the reverend came into my room
carrying something, and asked, Is this
your boot?" said it was. and he said he
had met spider going off with it. Next
morning he stated that Just at dawn the
same spider raised his window and was
coming in to get shirt, but saw him
and fed.
inquired, "Did he got the shirts"
"NO."
"How did you know it was a shirt he
was after9'
81 could see it in his eye." -~-
We inquired around, but could hear
of no Bermudian spiders capable OF doing
these things. Citizens said that their
largest spider could not more than spread
its legs over an ordinary saucer, and
that they had always been considered
honest. He was testimony of clergy.
man against the testimony of mere
worldlings--interested ones, too. On
the whole ! judged it l'est to lock up my
things.
GRAPE-BEARING TREES.
Here and there on the country road:
we found lemon, papaia, orange, lime
and fig trees; also several sorts of palms
among them the cocoa, the date, and the
palmetto. We saw some bamboos forty
feet high, with stems as thick as a man.
arm. Jungles of the mangrove tree stood
up out ut swamps, propped on their in
terlacing roots as upon a tangle of stills
In dryer places the noble tamarind sent
down its graceful cloud et shade. Here
and there the blossomy tamarisk adorned
the roadside. There was a curious
gnarled and twisted black tree, withou,
a single leaf on 1t. 1t might have passed
itself off for dead apple tree but for the
fact that it had star>like, red-hot fswer
sprinkled sparsely over its person. II
had the scattery red glow that constel
lation might have when glimpsed through
smoked glass. 1t is possible that our
consultations have been 30 constructed
as to be invisible through smoked glass;
il this is 30 it is great mistake.
We saw tree that bears grapes, and
Just as calmly and unostentatieusly as a
vine would do it. We saw an India.
rubber tree, but out of season, possibly,
30 there were no shoes on it, nor sus.
penders, nor anything that a person
waulI Drororlv avpoct to End tkara
This gave it an expressively fraudulent
look. There was exactly one mahogany
tree on the island. ! know this to he re-
liable, because saw q man who said ne
had counted it many time a8d could
not be mistaken. He was man with q
hare-lip and q pure heart, and everybody
said he was as true as steel. Such men
are all too few.
POTATOES, ONIONS AND TRAMPs.
We saw scores Of colored farmers dig
ging their crops of potatoes and onions
their wives and children helping
entirely conteuted and comfortable, il
looks go for anything. We never met q
man, or woman or child, anywhere in
this sunny island, who seemed to be
unprosperous, or discontented, or sorry
about anything. This sort of monotony
became very tiresome presently, and
something worse. The spectacle Of an
entire nation groveling in contentmen,
is an infuriating thing. We feltthe lack
of something in this co immunity "a
vague, an indefinable, an Elusive some
thing, and yet lack. But after consid
cradle thought we made out what il
was--:ramps. Let them 60 there, right
now, in body. 1t is utterly virgin soil
Passage is cheap. Every true patriot in
America will help buy tickets. Whole
armies of these excellent beings can bs
spared from our midst and our poll they
can find delicious climate, and green
kind hearted people. There are potatoei
and onions for all, and q generous vel
come for the first batch that arrives, ant
elegant graves for the second.
1t was the Early Rose potato the peo
pie were digging. Latter in the yea
they have another crop, which taey cal
the Gansst. We buy their potutoes (rs
tAil) ct tl5 barrel end thsse 6o1orel
fis9eu bcy cuts ~ Z spqg, ~ ~ q
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