The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1886-04-30
From the sunny South,

From private letter written by Mrs. H. D.
Carpenter to her husband, dated from the San
Leon Hotel, Sanford, Fla, March 18th, we are
permitted to make the following extracts, which
will prove interesting to our readers:
II cannot make Florida seem like q part Of
our own land, the United States. The palmetto,
orange, lemon, fig and pecan trees make it
seem to me like foreign cline.
''There are still few oranges hanging to
the trees, but the juice has gone from them.
There are also a few orange blossoms. The
new oranges are about the size OF large pea.
The prospects are not very good for a large
crop the coming season. There will be no
fruit on the upper branches Of the trees, owing
to the freeze last winter. The injury to the
trees cannot be fully estimated even at this
date. The upper part Of the trees commenced
to put out new leaves and buds. The buds
soon dropped off and the leaves have stopped
growing. 1t is feared by some that the trees
may die down to where the old leaves remained.
The pomegranates are in full bloom, and
look very brilliant with their bright scarlet
blossoms. The peaches are nearly full grown.
The new leaves on the cactus trees are nearly
the size Of the old ones. The ripe mulberries
taste delicious at this early season. We are
having new potatoes here now. Green peas,
lettuce, etc., have come and gone. The new
onions and cabbage are very nice.
II was called away right here to look at q
| product of Florida--a medium-sized alligator
| that had been captured and brought here by q
| Sorlu for tho VonLoao /oo In No how,
called here) to look at. His hand was open
for all the dimes that were given him. The
| alligator was five or six feet long. I could
hardly toll which was the worst looking speci-
men Of nature, the darky, with his coal black
skin, dirty, tattered and torn garments, with
his feet protruding from an old pair of moe
casins, or the alligator. There seems to be a
wonderful difference in the looks and appear
ance Of the colored people, Some are SO well
dressed you can hardly tell them from the
| Northern ladies when they are aoell Uailed and
carry sun-shade just right while others are
dreadful looking specimens Of humanity.
''The farmers are now driving in their cattle
from the ranches. They look very poor to me.
The turkey buzzards seem to fly over them as
If they took quite an interest in them. I be.
lieve they hold the last mortgage.
Stanford is a lively town Of $500 inhabit-
ants, half Of which are colored, according te
my own observations. There seems to be quite
an amount of enterprise and push in the bust.
ness part of the town. Ostun has not grown
much since you left, but think it will in the
future, for this reason, that it is a high and dry
location, and will be built up by Northerners
who care more for health than wealth.
''The greater part Of the tourists have re-
turned North. Many Of the largest hotell
have closed for the season. There are some ir
ill health, like myself, remaining until warn
weather is a settled thing North. begin t.
feel some impatience for that time to come.
want to see my family and my Dakota home
have met people here from Montreal and
nearly every State in the Union.
1T must be summer here with the mercur!
so above. The freflies have been with us si1
weeks or more. The change from winter Il
summer is not so marked as it is further north
There is, Of course, some difference in the ap
pearance Of things and weather from what i
was when yeu left. think it is continuousl.
warm here after May. Not one cool day, bu
often cool breeze in the shade. The mockin!
birds sing all night long when it is moonlight
AS it begins to grow light in the morning the
vary their songs more. They often make
noise like the screeching Of a hen hawk. The
sing very nucn more than they did during til
winter. ,.
II shall remain here until start for Mime
apolis. may stop one day at Jacksonville
They have taken off the day boats on the s.
Johns. I think now will 60 by boat to Jacl
sonville, as too much car travel is tiresome.
"With much love to you and family, and a
7 inquiring friends, I remain, ETC.,
ELIZA CARPENTER"