The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-02-13

These wln he sesnekimes long view oa rolling land tar oG two os three negroes will he moving ahout in the glare of q burning pine stump Vezy likely they will be cooking chicken or . 6sA by some curious contrivance over the flames 4 coaHtHyman or woman will be coming in from the farm on an amhling pony which is almost concealed by it's rider.
 When 1 took this 6rst experimental ride two days ago, the air was, as l said, too much like the atmosphere of dog days at home. Since then woe and de- vastation have come upon Florida. Not for fifty yesrs, they tell me, has such weather visited this state. All day yes. tetday, January II, the mercury on our piazza kept helow the freezing point, and in the morning marked but ten degrees above zero. For three consecutive days it has been continually freezing. This morning gentleman who knows about the crops from long experience, af6rms that there is not an unfroxen orange on . tree In Florida. It is really melancholy here. Hundreds of people have put all they had into orange groves, and there can be no doubt that the young trees are killed, while, if the older ones escape with their lives, they will bear very little for the next three years. Of course, the full extent of the loss cannot yet be known, but Ii is certain that it is immense. Peo. pie try to comfort themselves with the thought that near the coaSt and the river the cold must have been less severe, but the news from Tampa Is Encouraging
 The dealers in real estate are exceedingly glum. Their siren tales cannot be be- lieved again until the memory ot this cold snap" has grown someWhat dim II oranges are to be subject to such weather asethis, they will be one of the most uncertain crops in the world. Poor pineapple plants, carefully sheltered as they were, have given up the ghost The balmy south Is at great discount this third morning of the freeze.
 write this sitting by stove which is red hot, and am very grateful for the privilege of crouching over 1t. cannot give an idea of the dreariness of a cold spell" here in the south. Nobody ex- poets it in this way, and besides the sui. fering and loss it entails. there is feel ing of resentment concerning it, and as if you were being dealt with unfairly. The people who have been at the hotels Ait away, and if they have homes with warm rooms, they gratefully return to them. The mocking birds are scolding and pro- claiming that they will have to put oHf their song still longer. The houses, though they are nice to look at, and are plastered, still have a great many cram nies and open spaces where the wind sweeps through. They are built on brick or wooden piers, of course, without eel lars, and the north bretze moans loudly under them. To-day the sky is of that leaden gray which matches the color ot the sand. If were at home. l should know that it would snow within few hours. Indeed, we were told yesterday that four men, of good character and con. sidered as credible witnesses, dwelling h Orlando, good ways south of here, made the statement that they saw 1t snow- ing there. But have not seen it snow. As we say at the north, "it must moder- ate before 1t can snow much"
 l am reminded by the weather of Mrs. H. B. Stowe's advice to those who come to Florida. She tells us to be sure and provide ourselves with a rubber bag to hold hot water for the feet at night Wisest advice! Happy those who have followed ii! We hear news of bad weather at the north. There is an astounding tale abroad here that there are five feet of snow on 5 aten Island that the mer- cury was ten degrees below zero at At lanta, Ga; that there is snow in Savan- nah. But even these cheering tidings have not reconc oiled us to the last three days; though in addition we now hear that they are skating on the real ice in St. Augustin