The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-03-10
FLORIDA LETTER.


Mrs. =, 2. EIanna.
PALATKA, FLA, Jan. 25, 1885.
I am sorry to hear that you did
not receive my letter, because 1t is
not very much fun for me to write.
I wrote long letter from Jack
sonville, giving you a full account
of our trip, with its incidents and
accidents; since, I have not writ
ten to any one for the simple reas-
on that have been expecting my
glasses every day, and ! thought it
would be some comfort to write
again when I could see, as it is mis-
cry for me to undertake to write.
The letters are all blurred and run
together aud I cannot tell whether
the writing is readable or not. I
have several letters to answer, but
intend to leave them unanswered
until l get my glasses, which will
correct my triple sight.
First, I will say ! am getting
along in health much better than
could be expected. I did not suffer
the least inconvenience, physically,
from my trip, and have only had
one sick spell since I came. Ny
only trouble now is my sight and
not being able to sleep, which I do
not permit to detract from enjoy.
ing everything. We have been in
Palatka over a week and both Of US
have enjoyed every day to its full.
est extent.
The climate is almost beyond
description; bright, warm, sun
shining days, with flowers on every
hand. The last week has been jul
like spring week in E. Tennessee
The thermometer stands at about
40 degrees at night and 60 or 65 In
the day time.
Palatka has at present about 4,OOt
inhabitants, and not of the South
ern class that 1 was expecting Il
find, but of wide awake, enterpris
ing Northern men from almost ev
cry state north of Mason and Dix
on's line. Everything has a new
appearance. The town does no
look as if it were more than three
or four years old. The business
part the city consists of larg'
modern brick business building
and the stores are filled with ever,
thing enticing, in fact almost any
thing you could find in New Yorl
you can find'here. 1t is much su
perior to Knoxville in that respect
The dwellings are all modern build
ings, are newly built and show tina
there is money here. There ar
hundreds of dwellings finer an,
much more costly than Mr.. Post
home.
Business seems to be brisk
, though where 1t comes from I an
unable to say, as the country seem
to be very sparsely settled.'-
In the way of amusemeuts Their
are attractions of every kind; skat
ing Kinks, shooting galleries, dane
ing halls, theaters, boat racing,
half dozen large excursion boat
leaving the wharf every day, max
ing trips up the river among tn
hundreds Of UNEMPLOYED lagoon
lakes and rivers. Hunting an
fishing are excellent; ducks an
water fowls by the hundreds. an
fish almost innumerable. 1 stoo
on the wharf at Green Cove Spring
a few days ago, and In space n
larger than where our hous
, stands I could see not less than q
catfish (making allowance fl
sight, none Of them less than tw
feet long. Some of them ha
} mouths six, eight and even te
inches in width. Now this ma
seem q pretty big Ash tale but
!, can be proven at any minute. II
catfish are regarded as scavenger
. the same as our buzzards, and al
|. never molested, and consequent
g grow very large and tame. Som
1 Of those I saw in that little DO
: would weigh a hundred pounds,
/, think.
ri I don't know whether It Is VIII,
e is called the Florida afever" or nc
4 but there is one thing certain,
! have fallen in love with the Flori(
winter. 1t seems almost like . pa
. adisc when I think about how Dis
greeable it II there.
l Am aSreeably surprised Wi
legaBd 70 Florida had form,
IN idea that is was a poor saue