Wichita eagle., 1890-02-07
IN THE LAND OF FLOWERS.
HOMES, LEGENDS AND PROGRESS OF
THE FLORAL CITY.

I
THE FLORAL CITY.
the Air During the Season of leo i,
the North-Sociaoye Tallehasssans-Pe
Names Of Fiori1a's Towns.
Every place Of prominence in Florida ha
its distinctive pct name, which is used by it
patriotic inhabitants nearly as often as is it
proper geographical title. Fernandma IS 'th
Gate City" Jacksonville ''the Metropolis,
ST. Augustine '-the Ancient City" Palatlu
''the Gesn City" Orlando ''the Phenomena
City, Cedar Keys ''the Florida Venice" am
SO on through a long catalogue. Tallahasse'
is '1tte Floral City," or, to include the ful
formula, ''rne Floral City of the Land O.
Flowers" Why this formula is appropriat,
| is evident even in the depth Of what by {
poetic fiction is in Florida called ''winSer.
Nearly every house In the struggling roomy
town is hidden in tangled sub tropical mazt
of trees, snubbery and vines, floating from
which arc stringers of the gray Spanish moss
| The rich perfume of tho jessamines scent tht
peaceful inland air, and tine brilliant blossoms
Of the begonias and oleanders burn along the
streets and in the gardens; the roses reserve
tlieir crimson for February and the punctili
ols ''s;paliish bayonets,n with their keer
points, guard for the later summer the secre,
| Of their wonderful white hearts. Still, even
| in the winter Of its discomfort the Floral City
! gives ample indications Of the glorious sum-
Iner before it and the profusion of its fond
partial gifts from our generous Mother Nature.
HOUSES AND PEOPLE
The stranger within the gates of Tallahassee
is at once impressed with the social character
of the citizens. If, as be Saunters along one
of the hilly highways leading out into the
shack country" he chances to speak TO q
F1oridian engaged in pruning peach orchard,
the native viii leave his tree, climb the zigDa2
fence stretching along the road and sit IN
hospitable dignity on its topmost rail The
Tallahassean has his opportunity now. He
mparts information in the most snaEe man
ner and viii not let his victim escape for half
an hour Should the dinner or tea BELLS ring
ing break in upon his didactic conversation,
he Hospitality insists upon taking his captive
to the family assembly. If the cordial invi-
tation be accepted. the visitor has golden
chance to view the architecture and domestic
arrangements of the quaint homesteads.
tages, suggestive of che green lanes and chalk
hills Of Kent, with queer gables and deep
domed windows, hidden behind mounting
masses Of shrubbery. Others ere brick struct-
ures of the Doric style, with spreading port
cos and white wooden pillars. Occasionally
q relic Of the early French occupation may
be seen, built flush against the street, with
its decaying porte cochere, inner court and
rear garden. Occasionally, too, may be seen
blank walled, dismal building, with an odd
overEanging jalousie, the monument of its
Spanish constructor.
In the realm Of housewifery The spirit OF
faisser faire pervades. Hospitality is spon-
taneous and of the sincerest kind, but it is
more Of pleasure than of the duty it often
Is among the thrifty ,natrons of New Eng
land, for here the supervision Of servants ia
Ill that there is to the duties of the housewife
Ancient aboriginal legends and later tales
OF the Spanish occupation make Tallahassee
a stored place. Where the state capitol,
formal structure of straight lines and prim
angles, with Doric columns, now stands, the
Seminole and Yenassee sachems buried the
hatchet and smoked the pipe of peace two
centuries ago Here the Spanish invaders of
iher soil built Fort ST. Luis, the ruins of
which ere among The towns curiolties Here
Andrew jackson, after taking formal posses
sion, in 1921, of the newly ceded province of
Spain, placed its chief military post Four
mikes to the east is Lake Lafayette, lying in
the midst of large estate of % 600 acres,
given to the marquis in recognition of his as
sistence during the revolution. To the west
Is the Murat plantation, occupied until her
death by the Princess Nurat, the daughter
in-law Of the finest cavalry leader in the Ma
poleonic campaigns, Joachim Murat, king OF
Naples, and brother-in-law of the little cor
poral. The grave of the princess can be seen
IN the Episcopal cemetery.
FOLKS FROM TIE "EACK COUNTRY"
According to the census of 1890, the pUpu-
lation of Tallahassee was 9, 800, about 60 per
cent being of shades ranging from indelible
mix to passe cream. On Saturdays the popu-
lation doubles owing to the advent of negroes
from the back country" who come to pur
chase provisions for the ensuing week. The
visitors come with a little milk and honey a
few vegetables and fewer coins After sell-
ing their produce and buying groceries, they
view tie urban g}ories. They favor a nor
therner with their especial confidence and
show much curiosity regarding northern poll
tics. One Saturday afternoon recently a
venerable DARBY with grizzled wool respect
fully saluted me at a street corner and in
quired if I knew Mr.. Blaine personally. On
negative reply, he exclaimed in
injured establishment:
Why, boss You done cum from de norf!"
Bicycle riders viii be interested TO learn
that il Tallahassee is located one Of the three
wheel clubs of the state. 1t is fOurishing
ton Of twelve members
Though Tallahassee is a few dozen miles to
the north of the counties putnam, Marion,
Citrus, fernando and Pasco) growing tho
heaviest crops Of oranges. yet it ships several
thousand boxes annually. A Putnam county
grower visiting at the capital estimates the
crop of the state at 800, ,OC0 boxes, or, in |
round numbers, 145, COO, 900.
While frozen New England shivers through |
It's annual visitation of polar blizzarls, Flor |
da's northern tier of counties is reaping |
wealth from its growsh of sweet and Irish |
potatoes, beans, peas, sweet corn end onions. |
The size to which Irish POTATOES grow in tcis |
soil is something incredible. Specimens are |
ainned into peck IaeasAre. The complaint |
5 not infrequently made by New York con-
Ngaees thst the vegetables of certain lots are
90 large for the trade.-TallaAassee Cor. |
New York Tribune
AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY.