The Osceola times., 1884-03-15
FLORIDA FACTS

for Which strangers are not Prepared
by Reading Florida Literature.
Palatka Cor,N. Y. sun.
At almost any bookstore in this state
you can buy score of books. pamph-
lets. and periodicals devoted exclusively
to Florida topics. Some of them con-
tain good deal of information. Yet,
having read all of them, the northernei
in Florida is continually coming upon
facts that are new and surprising to him.
You may be surprised
70 observe that a region which was
discovered nearly 400 years ago, and IL
said to be so inviting to man has found
70 few TO accept the invitation.
To find Notwithstanding all you have
read concerning Florida wintersl the
January sun so warm at midday.
To find lin view of all you have read
50 few wild or cultivated blossoms thriv-
ing in the suns rays, and so little fra
grance IN them.
To find so few birds, barring hawks
and other birds of prey. warmed into a
yoiceful mood by the semi-tropical sun
10 find so few birds of any description.
That the duration of twilight is so
brief
To find how little covering you re-
quire on your bed upon retiring, and to
find how much you wish you had when
you wake up toward morning.
To see, upon going outdoors, that the
ground is not covered with frost, and
the flowers [such as they arel are not
killed. .... -.......
- To note how little soil there is. and
how many empty 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 luxurantly in this
same sand.
To observe that so few persons have
these flourishing gardens, and to be told
that not many can afford TO buy the
quantity of fertilizer this luxury calls
Tor.
To find the sidewalks shaded by
orange trees weighted down by tempting
golden fruit.
To discover that the 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 self-denial the OBJ
servance of this caution calls for.
To see how yellow most of the native
and acclimated residents are.
To discover, before long, that you are
turning yellow yourself.
To note how few persons there are
who are past 20 Years of age. ..I
To see SO many idle negro men, to OBJ
serve that nearly all of them wear heavy
woolen 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 norf."
That the negro laborers on the docks
can't work without making such bed
lam.
That they can do any other work
while making it.
To discover that your water-tight ton
boots leak sand. and to be told that
everybody's boots and shoes contain
more or less sand.
To be forced to the conclusion that
wherever there is sand there are red
ants also.
To hear the voice of the nocturnal mos
quito in midwinter.
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 enough energy in
: winter TO do much biting.
To find yourself wondering whether
they, too, were yellow and bilious.
To be assured by a plain and candid
appearing white man that the mosqui-
toes 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 50 many hies in the
ouses in the winter.
To be told that flies do not come into
= houses in summer
CO. 70 reflect that you permitted yourself
poot be surprised at this information,
Q, IN it would have been SO much more
Pieaaonable to assume that your inform
come face 90 face in the sandy will
derress with a pack of gaunt, bony
shaggy beasts of almost every color and
resembling nothing you have ever seen
before. 8f.r r.a h.
10 be informed aflerwari that they
were Mr.. Julius lemons shoats.
To be assured that Mr.. Lemon and
his family contemplate eating them
ultimately.
Labor Notes,