The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-03-29

"A Few "FIowing Notes" ana Things About
the Town.
ST, AUGUSTINE, March II, 1879
| No city ON the American continent can boost
Of so antiquatcd history as thai Of ST Angus
tine, and though somewhat obscure, it dates
back forty years beyond the time Of any other,
and is therefore the lurthcst reaching link that
binds the present with the past. 1t is now over
three hundred years since the banner of Spain
was first uniurlcd to the breeze of Florida
when Pedro Mcncndcz at the mead of the Cas-.
titan Chlvalry proclaimed Philip | the SOW
creign of the whole continent of North Amcri-
ca-at which time the foundation of this re-
period when Spain was at the height of her
greatness and when she possessed the greatest
naval power III the world, and her possessions
were so vast and extended that she boosted
upon her possessions the sun never set"
Away back III the almost forgotten past
about the year 1912, Juan Ponce de Leon was
Governor Of Porto Rico and actuaicd by the
belief that somewhere IN the direction of the
setting sun the tabled fountain OF perpetual
youth was to be found, fitted up such ships as
were at his command and set sail for its dis
covery. Along during the month of March of
the same year. he landed on the coast of Flor.
da, during the season when this "land of flow
crs' is robcd III her lovcliest mantle; he was
so charmed with the grandeur of its scenery,
its rich foliage and beautiful wild flowers that
he supposcd-likc many who visit it today
that somewhere amid lis wild mOraSscs were
To be found the fountain whose translucent
stream perpctuatcd youth and health and con
signed care to oblivion and open, longing eyes
To Il joyous future, from which the sunlight of
happiness would never depart"
At that season Florida was at the height of
her floral beauty and appeared 10 Ponce dc
Leon As it does toncarly all the frozen pilgrims
from the north who leave their native town of
snow and ice and arriving here find lovely
summer ROBBED III green aud garmndcd with
sweetest flowers Its climate, mellow toned,
rcstlul and seductive, in which II ALWAYS seems
afternoon. The balmy breezes perhaps flowed
gently and soothingly through the vast pine
forests and waited the odors of howcrs-the
like of which are nowhere else To be found
Along the coast flowed a warm current which
broathcd mild yapor5 upon the shore and vogc
taton was found marvellous and Gorgeous
The slender pines waved their highest boughs
of green as II among the stars, and the native
shrubs put forth leaves in which Il man could
wrap himself as in u blanket, while the deep
grasses appeared soft, delicious and feathery
and the birds so brilliant and beautiful in
plumagc fitted about the woods and sang
gloriously throughout the live long day. We
had never seen skies so sunny or earth more
beautiful and green, and it was not to be won
dered at then that amid region so attractive
as this he should lingcr for Il time at least To
enjoy It's pleasures, to which conclusion the
city of 1t. Augustine owes its existence. lie
and his followers at once set to work LAYING
out the city, erecting buildings, laying out
vast and beautiful gardens after the fashion of
his Spanish ancestors, adopting the same ar.