Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-01-26

Facts for which Strangers are No,
Prepared by Reading Florida Liter.
AZURE.
Correspondence Of the New York Sun.

| Correspondence Of the New York Sun.
PALATKA. FLA, Jan. 15.-At almost any
bookstore in this state you can buy a score of
books, pamphlets. and periodicals devoted ex-
clusively to Florida topics Some Of them con-
tain good deal of information. Yet, having
read all Of them, the northerner in Florida is
| continually coming upon facts that are new and
surprising to him. You may be surprised:
To observe that region which was dis
covered nearly 400 years ago, and is said to be
80 inviting to man, has found 80 few to accept
the invitation.
To find Notwithstanding all you have read
concerning Florida winters) the January sun so
warm at midday
To find lin view of all you have ready so few
wild or cultivated blossoms thriving in the
suns rays, and so little fragrance in them.
To find so few birds. barring hawks and other
birds of prey. warmed into voiceful mood by
the sem-tropcal sun-to find so few birds Of
any description.
That the duration Of twilight is so brief.
Tofind how little covering you require on
your bed upon retiring. and to find how much
covering you wish you had when you wake up
toward morning.
To see, upon going outdoors, that the ground
is not covered with frost and that the flowers
(such as they are) are not killed.
To note how little soil there is. and how many
empty tin cans there are above the sand
To see orange trees, with rich green leaves
| and loaded with yellow fruit growing out Of
the gray sand.
To come across gardens in which plants and
vegetables are growing in great variety and
luXuriantly in this same sand.
To observe that SO few persons have these
fOurshing gardens, and to be told that not
many can afford to buy the quantity OF fertilizer
this luxury calls for.
To find the sidewalks shaded by orange trees
weighted down by tempting golden fruit
To discover that this golden fruit is wild
oranges and very sour.
To be told that strangers should be careful
about drinking much OF the water at first.
To learn how little sef-denal the observance
OF this caution calls tor.
To see how yellow most of the native and &C
climated residents are.
To discover. before long, that you are turning
yellow yourself
To note how few persons there are who are
past seventy years OF age.
To see SO many idle negro men, to observe
that nearly all of them wear heavy wooden caps
and to learn that their heads are still cold
To be told by so many of them that they were
"bo'n in de MORT"
That the negro laborers on the docks can't
work without making such a bedlam.
That they can't do any other work while max
hight.
To discover that your water-tight top boots
and shoes contain more or less sand.
To be forced to the conclusion that wherever
there is sand there are red ants also.
10 near the voice OF the nocturnal mosquito
in mdwinter.
To wait in vain for him to settle down and
bite. so that you can get whack at him. and to
be told in the morning that mosquitoes haven't
energy enough in winter to do much biting.
To find yourself wondering whether they, too
are yellow and bilious.
To be assured by plain and candid-appearing
white man that the mosquitoes were so thick
here last summer that they not only darkened
the air at high noon but put out the lamps
which were lighted in the stores.
To find that there are bigger and less harmless
liars than he in nearly every neighborhood.
To have to fight SO many flies in the houses in
the winter.
To be told that flies do not come into the
houses in the summer.
To reflect that you permitted yourself to be
surprised at this information, when it would
have been SO much more reasonable to assume
that your informant lied.
To come face to face in the sandy wilderness
with pack of gaunt, bony. shaggy beasts of
almost every color and resembling nothing you
have ever seen before.
To be informed atterward that they were Mr..
julius Lemons shoats.
To be assured that Mr.. Lemon and his family
contemplate eating them ultimately.