The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-02-13

page S to try to guess as locally in sacA a place as this. If were lost, I had only my foolish carelessness to thank for if. To be sure, there was the sun. The sun was in the south and wessering slighsly. and told myself could scarcely 20 two miles in this part of the country without c1ming to house or an orange grove. Although l had told the ssable-b bny that | would turn my horse when [ wanted to come home, that daT Tsy's mysterious be- havioT, and some curious effect of the sameness of the country where had been riding, made me forget this for a mo- ment There vas a sense of bewilder- ment upon me that do not wish to ex- perience again. was bewitehed.
 All at once, like an inspiration, 1 re. called my words at the stable, and l laughed at my folly in feeling fear. | turned my horse short about and told him to go on, which he did at smarter pace than before. l settled myself in my saddle, secure now, but still wondering l what that negro meant In ten minutes had formed fixed idea as to the direc- ton in which De Land lay, not from rea- son, but from impression. h ten min. utes more the pony had destroyed this conviction by turning short of to the right along a path that was evidently merely bridle way, for there were no signs of wheels here. More quails this time they did not think it worth while to move, save few feet, and the whole bevy remained near, and looked at me curious ly as l went by. But few moments later couple of wild turkeys flew up with a great noise of wings and so suddenly that even my sedate beast swerved to one side. Some one had told me when l started this afternoon that might sec q bear, and ought to go armed. In fact, there are bears here, but 1 have seen none, CT any one who has seen one.
 Alter halt an hours riding in wha, seemed to me to be one direction, the scenery began to change in the way which told me that l was coming 10 hum- mock land. Now in very truth began to be seriously alarmed. knew tbere was no hummock land in the direction I should take. However, l kept up the pretence to myself of being calm, though If had to stay all night at some settlers house, my friends in town would be seri. ously alarmed. The pines were retreat ing from the foreground, while live oaks and water oaks were taking their place with gray moss dropping drearily from tree to tree. A cabbage palm and a Spanish bayonet tree stood together as if on guard, and right here my pony made a sharp turn which immediately revealed to me a clearing and a young orange grove of several acres. The next mo ment saw the house, shanty of pine boards, with pipe running up through the roof for a chimney, and wide pia7z !, as large as the house itselfin front. There was a woma an washing at a tub on the pis zza, and child and dog were play ing on the floor. The dog at sight of me came forward with inquiring face and one paw uplifted as if ID interrog ogation. The woman stopped scrubbiug as rode up to the veranda. saw that this was a northern woman. Indeed, it is rare to meet any save northern or western people in this part ot Florida.
 :" Isn't there such place as De Land :? " l asked deDrecatingly, as one might in- quire for Utopia
 "De Land2 Of course, there is. It's only about three miles away. You are from Massachusetts,, aren't you ?" she responds with a half laugh at my ques. ton
 "Yes; and so are you, answer. "Thy Land; a negro told me a piece back here that there wasn't any such spot.'
 "A darky on a yellow mule, with a rope round his neck, the mules neck, l mean4" l nodded, and she went on Ob, that's old Moses Jones. He won't acknowledge the existence of any of these low-do ~n white settle m ents. He used to beleng to a first family in Tallah hassee. How he drifted down here nobody can tell. He's triae daft on the subjec of aristocracy; but he's harmless. We call him Uncle Mo Jones' He lives alone in hut in the pines on nothing, appar- ently."
 The woman was great talker. She touched on many subjects within the next i've minutes. Her husband was a mar tyr to asthma, she said. He was faster of shoes in factory at Haverhil It was plain life would be only a struggle against the disease up at home, so they took their savings and, three years ago, came to Florida. She hoped she had be- come used to it now, and her husband vas as we'll as anybody. It was a queer life, mot like living much," she ended with sigh. But if their grove did we'll they would soon be in a position to go h. me summers. l believe her story is like the story of many oi the settlers here. ] think there k not one in ten who. from mere choice, would live here. Educa. ten. instinct, taste, all lead them to pre- fer the north, in spite of its few rigorS l imagine few people would make home here if the hope of money or of health did not hold them.
 learned from this woman that ! was nearer Deer feot Landing than De Land, though how came round ia such an op- posite direction ] could not imagine. She sent the child out with me to the nearest fork in the road, almost half a mile away. The dog came also. The child was like the mother and rhafteved all