Litchfield enquirer., 1880-09-23

| IN few instances having to desert their
houses by four o'clock. fearing overthrowal;
and think all devoted themselves during the
\ Sabbath to keep from getting entirely ahoat
Such wind! 1t reminded me of the zephyrs
| that sweep over Goshen and Warren in March.
| only that there was none of the freezing chill
| even though it was straight from the north
| east. Our Florida houses are not all built as
| tightly as those of colder climates, and the
rain drove in under the clapboards around
| the window castings, under the doors, where
| ever the mere suspicion of crack was found
Happily for our family. we have one brick
chimney, so did not have to subsist on ''cold
wttles," during the. rain, even though our
kitchen. stove-pipe was sailing down the
| avenue, with numerous Others Many Incl
dents are funny to look back upon, but twas
busy work at the time, up stairs and down.
with mops, Cloths rolls of carpet and bags,
pans, pals, anything to catch and hold water,
and the experience of all was much the same.
One of our citizens claims to have been served
somewhat worse, as while he was taking an
after-dinner nap, gust fiercer than before took
out the entire window sash, and, landing it up
| on him with the mosquito bar and several
other little encumbrances, caused a rather
sudden awakening. Happy the ones who
| owned neither carpets nor satin and rosewood
furniture, but could WELD the mop awhile and
then rest, thinking calmly "Wel, it will not
| seriously injure rugs and pine boards" D..
Out of doors there was grander scene than
anything ever beheld. Our loved orange
| trees whipping from side to side, the broad
banana leaves stripped into ribbons, every
shrub and plant bowling under the heavy tor
| rent, and more potent wind, barrels rolling to
| and fro in the yard, fences overthrown and
| houses moved off their blocks and the giant
pines swayed from the very roots as if wor-
shipping the hour of the setting sun, while
now and then one would fall crashing to the
ground. These luckily escaped all houses,
though several barns were crushed. The fury
of the tempest continued till towards Monday
morning, and though on Monday it rained at in
tervals and there was a brisk wind, we called
it clear by force of contrast. To-day the
clouds are nearly cleared away, and people are
venturing forth to ascertain the extent of the
loss. To those who have bearing groves it
will be considerable, as much fruit was blown
off. We new settlers do not mind it SO much,
the young trees being not materially injured
One of our neighbors means 'l've lost three
fourths of my entire crop" Explains after
ward that the crop consisted of four oranges,
only one of which is left. doubt not Aug.
29th, 1880, will be day long looked back
upon, and will date all things for decade to
come as before or after ''the storm" The head
of the family delights in remarking "Oh, what
if the mercury stood down below freezing, and
this had been all sleet and snow? ?" Truly,
with nearly years experience, I can not say
too much in praise of this climate. The sum-
mer has been an agreeable surprise, at no time
as hot as many reports we have received from
Michigan and New England. Mercury rang
es from IS . to 95 o, but even at the latter
a cool breeze never fails. Although for few
days the early morning has seemed sultry, the
breeze would spring up by 8 O'clock. The
direct rays of the sun think are hotter than
at the North, but perhaps the breeze would
compensate even for that. hold that per-
sons coming South for their health make
great mistake in not coming earlier-by the
last of September certainly. and if they can
not stay all summer, remaining till June
And to those who dread August's scorching
days, let me say, Florida knows no DOG
Days Es-
intended to have given in this letter
sketch of Orange City, but have already, I
fear, wearied your patience, and will wait
until next week, telling you then something
of our enterprising little place. a.. ,-.
QUILLIsT.