The Frankfort roundabout. [volume] (Frankfort, Ky.) 1882-1908, 1892-04-09
Letter From Florida.

KIss1MMEE, FLA, April 8, 1892.
Editor Roundabout:
Since writing you from Orlando, I
spent two weeks there, then went to
Lakeland, where 1 spent two weeks.
Have been here four days, prepare
tory to taking a trip down to Fort
Myers, by water, three hundred and
fifty miles, through Lake Lehapikeli-
ga, Cypress Lake, Kissimmee river,
Lake Okechobee and Calvosahatchie
river. Then, from fort Meyers, by
way of the Gulf of Mexico, one hun
bred .and fifty miles, to Fort Tampa,
which will take about two weeks or
more, when Iexpect to start home.
On this trip I win be accompanied
by Mrs. Sarah LeCompte and
daughter, Miss Maggie, of our city,
whose company I have had the
pleasure of enjoying while at Lake
land, and are with me here. They
have been spending the winter most
ly at Lakeland. How pleasant it Is to
meet friends when away from home,
and how pleasant it is to form the
acquaintance of pleasant, agreeable
people. Ties are formed which last
through life. 1 have made this trip
alone, that is, none of my family are
with me. At times feel as though l
cannot stand it any longer, and must
go home, but then some pleasant face
meets and greets me, and encourages
me to stay longer, but in few days
separation comes and sad feelings
and home sickness come to me
again, when all of a sudden some
familiar face is seen and kind words
spoken and sad feelings for awhile
disappear. When goodbye is spoken
again the same old feelings
creep over me.
But there is generally some word
spoken at these partings that enables
me to cheer up and remember the
the time will not be long before 81
will go home," to meet the dear ones
left behind. Also it will not be long
before Il will go home'' and meet
the dear ones gone before. In shak-
ing hands with q friend whose &C
uuaintance l formed one year ago, |
and met again this winter, 1 said
"good-bye, God bless you," the reply |
came, "be good and you will be hap
py." This thought has been run
ming in my mind from that hour to
this, and will make it point never
to forget it.
After a long life seemingly 1 have
lived, I am thoroughly convinced
the only real happiness in this life is
in doing good. Doing good, being good
arises from good heart; good hearts
is made by eradicating selfish motives,
doing something for others, If it is
only saying be good boy, be good
girl-looking the one you speak to in |
the eye, your eye speaking as much
or more than the words-leaving |
something in the minds of those |
spoken to that will never by for
gotten.
did not intend to write in this
strain when began, but these sepa-
rations we are having, and l am
having while here, have driven me
in this direction, and as l write
thoughts crowd themselves upon me
and remind me of the fact that we
have partings and meetings all
through this life, and that we have
had partings and will have partings
yet to come, and the meetings will
not be in this life, but in the life to
come.
How happy the thought, through
faith, of that meeting. meet some
who say this faith is superstition.
sayif it is superstition let it be so. 1
am happy in the thought, while those
who do not look for the meeting
beyond are miserable in not meeting
the dear ones gone. Thefore, tell
them it is better for US, even If there
is no beyond. If the Bible is fiction,
it is the only guide we have and
we are better here for believing it, If
there is no beyond. But as you are
not publishing religious paper,
will drop these thoughts.
A party Of us yesterday drove out
to Saint Cloud, to the sugar mills and
peach orchards and gardens. Several
years since this section was ten feet
under water, but by cutting canals
from lake to lake and lowering the
water from six to ten feet, has devel-
oped the richest land in the world.
The soil or "muck," as they callIthe
made earth, is from five to ten feet
deep and will produce anything to
perfection almost that is grown,
ruit of all kinds, vegetables, If they
escape the frost, have never seen
jhe equal. But the poor gardener
his winter has suffered terribly