Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-03-13
FLORIDA FACTS
For Which Strangers Are Not Pre-.
pared by Reading Florida
Literature
IPalatk,l Cor. Now York Sum-

TPalatka Cor. Now York Sum-
At almost any bookstore in this state you
can buy score of books, pamphlets, and
periodicals devoted exclusively to Florida
topics Some Of them contain COOL deal OF
Information Yet, having read all Of them,
tho northerner in Florida is continually COM
ing 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 so inviting to man, has found so few to
accept the invitation
To find notwithstanding all you have read
concerning Florida winters] tho January sun
so warm at midday.
To find in view Of all you have readI 50
few wild or cultivated blossoms thriving in
the sln'srays, and so little fragrance in then.
To find So few birds, barring hawks and
other birds of prey, warmed into a voicrful
mood by the scmitropical sun-to find SO few
birds of any description.
That tho duration Of twilight Is so brief.
To find 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 out DOORS that thu
ground is not covered with frost, and that
the flowers Isuch as they arcl 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 IRE growing in great variety
and luxuriantly in this same sand.
a., l,t l,o,,
fourishing gardens, AMI to be told that not
many can afford to buy the quantity of fer
t.lizer this luxury calls for.
TO find the sidewalks shaded by orange
tre,'s weighted down by tempting golden
fruit.
To discover that this golden fruit is wild
oranges, aud very sour
To be told that strangers should be careful
about drinking much of the water at first.
To learn how little sclf-,lcnial the observ-
ance of this caution calls for.
To see how yellow most Of the native and
acclimateI residents are.
To discover, before long, that you are turn
ing yellow yourself
TO note how few persons there are who are
past 10 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 "bon in dc norf.'
That the negro laborers on the docks can't
work without making such bedlnm.
That they can do any other work while
making it.
To discover that your watcr-tistt top boots
leak sand, and to be told that everyboly'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 musquito
mlwnter.
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, are yellow and bilious
To be assured by plain and candid appear
ing white man that the mosquitoes We're so
thick here last summer that they not only
darkened the air at high noon, but put ont
the lamps which were ii GIFTED in the stores.
To find that there are bigger and less harm
less liars than he in nearly every neighbour
hood.
To have to fight SO many flies in the houses
in the wint.r.
To be told that fles 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 liel.
To come face to face in the sandy wilder
ness with IA pack of gaunt, bouy, shaggy
beasts Of almost every color and resembling
nothing you have ever seen before.
To lie inform9 afterward that they were
Mr.. Julius Lemons slloats.
To be assured that Mr.. Lemon and his
family contemplate eating them ultimately.