New-York tribune., 1890-01-12
WITH THE FLORIDA CRACKERS"
4 DIsGUsTED NORTHERNER WHO WOULD NOT
SEE THE GOOD POINTS OF THE
G. W. 8.
PENINSULA STATE.


al took trip to Florida for my health during
nv Christmas holiday said lawyer in an uptown
cafe the other night as he sat slipping black coHee
with friend, "and Just got back IN time to eaten
the influenza I wish l could go down aealh III"
the endemic IS over but can't spare the time now
I enjoyed the trip immensely. queer country
hat-whcre their principal stock in. trade IS climate
and the principal industry keeping hotel. ga
little exploring Of my own, outside the icEn"r
beaten paths Of the ordinary tourist and found
the native cracker every bit peculiar as the state
he lives n AT one Of the hotels one day met
dlscusted Northerner, who had invested In some Tow"
lots through a glib agent and had como down 10 hnu
them.
".what have you got that's fit to eatP he said
to the negro waiter.
o.Bacon. sah' said the waiter, 'an' homny, an
sweet potatoes. an coot pie
"Coot pie what's thatY said the stranger
.Coot pie sab. don't know what coot pic is' sab
Why It's pie made o coots'
"'Of course I know that, You dolt' said the
Northerner, but what are cootsi
".Coots, san, very fine game, sab, sumpen like a
duck
HAD It wingsi'
dyes sah.'
"'Could II 6yi'
"'Yes, sah.'
"Thcn don't give ne any eoot in mine. ANY
thing that had wings and could hy and didn't GET
out Of this blasted country desp.,c too much even
~'Ihls gentleman, you will easily perceive con
tinucd the lawyer, had become rather sourcI' Vic
natural result Of investing money n the ,and I"i ,
0f paper town. The state really has many natural
advantages, which being developed Slowly
perhaps, bat surely. II, man, however, iaNIi- been
deceived, could nothing good n th' country or l-
prople ! came up t. jacksonville ON TIE tram WIN
him from the southern part Of the state, Wlcf" We
met and derived not little fun from his -ard"uIc
humOr did the others ou the car
st orc little station iu tie "oD'- iHc trlu stopped
long time AID began 10 I1oh around for diversion.
Close rs the side Of the track. ops ste tho station
exceedingly thin and ecky looking CROP the soil being
little better than -and \ tall. cauut bow Of about
sixteen YEAR dressed from head ~ foot 81 rd jcanr
wa l7ily Aocur and Vccdlne between re 70"
Look that wrctehcd crop -ald the NoiiArricF
Dirty seed. 100 manure, poor -oll. itI.E sun. moo.
culture: not even plough 10 stir th" land deeply li
alone a -cultyator" 10 weed 10 quickly and Often.
The weeds vu have choRed the south half 81 th"
crop hc0rc that lazy fellow gets the north end clear
II them.
10y he called. 'yonng felowl II seems 70 ne
vour corn IS rather small. isn't ~"
"Thc boy looked at him for moment, spat re
nectvcly. and replied Yea, mister, pop planted the
small Nnd'
rather yellow isn't IT,
Ii IS. mister replied tho boy. Pop planted the
yancr kind
.Wcll Il bet you ten 70 one said the N0rthcrrcr
rather testify ~ Uttered az thc hoy'- an
swers that Won won't Cct than half crop
You're rlsht. mslcr. dr." Jed the boy, 'lu.t half
a crop. Pop planted il op shares
"Thc train pulled ont iust then and the car fairly
rocked with our laughter for q milo or more