The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-03-09

On Saturday morning Jan. 90, we
babe adieu to the Crescent City and
about ten o'clock reached the popular
resort known as Pass Christian. Hither
the wealthy citizens of New Orleans
flock in summer and i'm winter the
denizens of our northern cities are lured
thither by its balmy breezes, beautiful
drives, and fine fishing.
The principal hotel is the Mexican
Gulf House, handsome structure well
equipped in every way, commanding a
beautiful view of the bay, with long
piers running out to pavilions and bath
houses
Our dinner here was fine and unusu-
ally well served, the oysters being the
largest we have ever seen. 1t is no
fish story" to say that some of them
your scribe was obliged to dispose of in
three sections, though we have never
been noted for the smallness of our
facial aperture.
The town consists mainly of one long
avenue following the trend of the coast,
the ripping waters of the bay on one
side and cosy cottages on the other,
nearly all with beautiful grounds, some
of them renting at $500 for the season
of six months. For six miles this road
is shelled and bordered with live-oaks,
sycamores, magnolias, and the queer
mulberry trees, their knotty trunks
l.
the driveway and beach one frequently
sees a little platform built about "A
clump of trees, here rustic seats tempt
the wayfarer to rest beneath the green
canopy. w. l.. May, the pleasant edi-
tor of the Coast Beacon had interested
some of the prominent citizens in our
visit, and the result was an invitation to
drive over this beautiful highway.
After one of the most enjoy
able rides we have ever experienced,
we stopped under the branches of one
of these live-oaks SO gigantic as to be
known far and near as The oak. With a
trunk 20 feet in circu inference and
spread of branches 125 feet across, even
though cut off far enough from the tips
to be the size of mans wrist, this tree
might well have become one of the stree
brides" of Oliver Wendell Holmes, who
was in the habit of putting his tape-line
around every tree that would measure
twenty feet at a height of five feet from
the ground, quantity saying that he was
putting on the wedding ring.
In the evening we were entertained
in the parlors of the Mexican Gulf
Hotel by Miss Griffin, little Iowa
teacher of elocution who rendered an
excellent program specially in our
honor. Her representation of the vocal
efforts of BABY Ruth" and antics of
the naughty little girl were especially
good and elected loud applause. This
program was followed by social hop
in the pleasant ball room.
Late that evening we were costly
slowed away in the berths of the Leon
cito", en- route for Pensacola, awaken
ing next morning to find ourselves
really in the Land of Flowers. This
city has about 10000 inhabitants and,
as every one knows, is situated on Pen
sacola Bay, one of the finest of harbors,
while its sailing tonnage is said to ex-
coed that of all other Southern ports
combined.
AS no definite program had been laid
out for Pensacola, it was a go-as-you-
please day, most of us devoting some
time to needed rest, though few went
out to Santa Rosa Island, returning
with their pockets full of shells.
AS for ourselves, we breakfasted at
Hotel Escambia and then obtained
fine view of the city from its observatory,
after which we sailed forth with one
companion who shared our desire to
attend colored church, and visited
cOlored Sunday school. We were most
courteously received and found things
as Systematically done as in any Sunday
school. The pupils were all well
dressed and attentive, and at the con-
clusion passed out by classes to the tap
of the bell, there being nothing save
their dusky faces and negro dialect to
remind one of the race so often de-
clared incapable of intellectual inn
provement.
Leaving the church, we strolled down
onto the wharves and inspected the
shipping from various foreign ports, re-
turning to the Escambia for dinner and
starting that night for Thomasville,
Georgia.
At River Junction, the eastern termi-
nus of the l.. & N. K. r., we were
transferred to the Savannah, Florida,
and Western, one of the main branches
of that great combination of railway
and steamship lines extending over g.
56S miles and known as the Plant Sys-
tenn. III. b. Plant is its president, and
here we were joined by Col. ID. IL. Ell