Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1890-05-03
FLORIDA CRACKERS.
sturdy Fellows who DO Not kaSlly Los
Their Presence Of Mud.


Their Pre-enre Of Mind.
II took trip 10 Florida for my health
iuring my Christmas holiday" said a
lawyer in an uptown cafe the other
night as he sat slipping black coffee with
friend. II enjoyed the trip i'm
mensely queer country that where
their principal stock in trade is climate
and the principal industry keeping
hotel did little exploring Of my
own, outside the regular beaten paths
OF the ordinary tourist. and found the
native cracker every bi:ss peculiar as
the state he lives in. At one of the
hotels one day met a disgusted North
erner. who had invested in some town
lots through glib agent and had come
down to find them.
"'what have you got that's fit 10
eat?' as said 10 the negro waiter.
BACON. sab, said the waiter. an
hominy, an sweet potatoes, an coot
pie
"Coot pie, what's thatq' said the
stranger.
'Coot pie. sab, don't know what coot
pie Is. sah' Why it's pie made o. eoots.
'O course | know that. you dolt,
said the Northerner, but what are coots.
'Coots, sab. very fine game, sab,
sumpen like duck"
"'llad II wings?'
Yes sab.
Could it fy?'
"'Yes. sab.
Then don't give me any coot in
mine. Any thing that had wings and
could fly and didn't get out OF this blasted
country despise too much even 10 eat.
This gentleman. you will easily per-
ceiye.' continued the lawyer. had be-
come rather soured the natural result
of investing money in the sand lots Of .
paper town. The state really has many
natural advantages, which are being de-
velopcd slowly perhaps. but surely. This
nan, however. having been deceived,
-ould see nothing good in the country
or its people. came up to Jacksonville
On the train with him from the southern
part of the State. where we met, and de.
rived not little fun from his sardonir
humor. 80 did the others on the ear
AT one station In the woods the trair
stopped long time and we began u
look around for diversion. Close by tn,
side OF the track, opposite the station
house, was patch OF -orn two Or three
acres an exceedingly thin and sickl,
looking crop. the soil being little better
than sand. 4 tall, gaunt boy of abou
sixteen years, dressed from head to foo
in red jeans, was lazily hoeing and weed
ing between the rows.
Look at that wretched crop. SAID
the Northcrner. Dirty seed. no manure
poor soil. baking sun, hoe-culture; no
even plow to stir the land deeply le
alone ''cultivator'' To weed il quickl,
and often. The weeds will have choke(
the south half Of the crop before tina
lazy fellow gets the north end clear o
them
Boy, he called young fellow l
seems to me your corn is rather small
isn't it2,
The boy looked at him for a moment
spat rctioctisely. and replied: Yes, mis
ter, pop planted the small kind
%, is that SOP said the questioner
but it's rather yellow. isn't it?'
1t Is. mister, replied the boy. 'Po
planted the yeller kind.
Well, I'll bet you ten 10 one. sal
the Northerner rather testify, as som
one of us Uttered at the boys answer,
that YOU won't get more than half
crop
You're right, mister drawled tn
boy. Just half crop. Pop planted
ON shares.
The train pulled out just then an
the car fairly rocked with our laughte
for a mile or more. N. Y. Tribune.