The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1889-04-16

u. a
son, for lis usciousness and different varieties
But cannot more than begin to enumerate the
manifold treasures OF nature which this month
OF March is unfolding to view in tree. shrnh
flower and fruit-for the strawberry, the dew,
berry and blackberry will presently be in the
market plentifuly and inexpensiveIy. Don't
you wish you could look in upon us in about len
davs?
But the time of the singing of the birds
has come Although we have had bird song
going on all winter it has been in a bal2
hearted sort oF way. Bat since real spring has
set in, the woods and gardens have become
vocal from new visitors, such as the wren the
thrush, the blue bird, the saber the lark and
above all the mocking bird which appears TO
be the king OF all the Florida feathery choris
ters and if L could only discount his notes in
print think that every amateur ornitboIooist
In ST. John would agree with me that this b.gg
could not be beaten-for he is a whole shox,
In himself, as his refrain is the echo and imita
ton OF all the other birds OF air. The notes
OF the poor robin go BIZ. a short distance in
the Upresence OF his mocking neighbor. who
appears to be the soloist Of INC feathery choir.
But there are many birds fitting about here and
singing there, OF rare plumage, of whose names
and habits have no knowledge
Again, "she rain is over and gone ~ Thie
sentence contains great deal, for when il rains
in Florida, at all events here it is very waterv
bat not quite SO bad as Scotch mist. the kind
experienced on cruise through Loeb Lom-
ond In Scotland, once upon time a mist which
saturates one to the skin, pervious to mackin-
tosh or umbrella, for no human contrivanre
can resist it. 1t does not only 90 to the skin
but through it and enters every nerve. fibre and
tissue of The body. Ii this NAV moi annear IN
our Scotch friends like exaggeration. il will
at all events, convey my ideas of Scotch
mist, however erroneous. But here the rain
comes down so hard and in such big drons
that it makes no more impression upon one than
ii would upon wafer fowl. 1t has no time TO
stop on its way, or allow any obstacles to i'm
pede its course, but rushes down the sides of
the steep hills or streets, with the widest i'm
petuosly, ploughing up the earth and leaving
gueS or turrOWs in some places ten feet deem
carrying with it all the debris and street sweep
ings, thus acting as scavangerl and purifier at
the same time, rendering the sanitary arrange
ments, through these natural downpours and
outlets, all but perfect Il rains until it gets
tired, II one may SO speak, and leaves off as
il begun, without hesitation and makes room
suddenly tor the sun to shine. Not so with rs
at home. | have known the clouds to frown
and sulk for whole week in "wet weather" in
summer time, and then we are not sure of sun
shine until the ST. Johns fog has taken its
departure round Red Head driver by its en-
emv, which is a stiff westerly breeze. II hone
that his remark will not disturb the serenity
OF ar oody) But now 'the rain is over and
gene lin hef words the winter is past, and
we ..p baking ia sunshine beneath cloudlees
skies, lclalag she fragrance VI - "'housaad
flowers"
But. Progress yCs must moi supposs that
these southern oharms l have been att, lpting
feeblv to describe make me dissatisfied with or
fOrgettu OF our own country, many parts OF
which, at this writing. are enshr0uded in snow
and encased in deep layers of ice. While the
laws of compensation and equivalents hold good
in climatic as in other respects, we have nothing
TO complain of on the score OF being kept out in
lie cold in New Brunswick considerably
beyond the month Of March Ii our winters
long, our houses are warm and we enjoy
the best summers in the world when they come
about, with soil as fertile and productive as
any (cpterts partJus) under the sun. If per-
sons purse were l0ns enough to enable him to
copy after The wild geese and spend six months
North and six South, migrate November /, and
Iemlgrate May l, summer, or the next thing to
it, might be enjoyed ali the year through-and
in such we should all be the wiser and
healthier for the change. However, as my own
purse is now getting shorter than it WAS when l
lett home, | shall soon have to right about face,
and then, perhaps, feel like Mrs Maapropos
who, on returning from Nice, declared that the
pleasaniest thing in life was to leave home,
except to return to it. q. E. F.