River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-03-22
quaint foreign air, its narrow streets,

COQulud HOUSES. OVbIudnRlng DdlcOnleS
sea wall, old slave market, the ole
plaza with its monument bearing
Spanish Inscriptions, the remains of it:
walls and city gate still standing, with
the grass green moat beyond, the
Huguenot burying grounds and the
old fort, yer 300 years old, bearing
over Its portcullis its Spanish coat OF
arms cut in stone, and within its walls
gloomy dungeons with gloomy histo.
ries, over all OF which an indefinable
air of mystery and interest broods
continually. When Harriet Beecher
Stowe first saw st. Augustine she said
it might have been some old Spanish
town loosed from its moorings and
drifted across the Atlantic TO stand at
last on Florida shore. AS | saunter
through the old streets and through
the gates and cross the draw bridge
into the old fort and climb to the
watch tower above and look over the
blue waters at the distant sails and
muse ON the old civilization when
these things were part of real life
and not mere historical landmarks |
appreciate the feelings of Bill Nye who
said of himself when in London, that
he felt like chrome on the walls of
the Vatican.
This is old st. Augustine as she has
stood grooming in the sunshine for
three centuries. Within the past few
years however modern progress has
been welded to her antiquity and
near the centre OF the town has been
erected what is said to be the most re-
Inarkable and attractive group of
buildings to be found in America.
they are the three palace hotels, the
Ponce de Leon, which alone costs two
and a half million dollars, the Cordova,
and the alcazar. These are all built
in either Moorish or Spanish style of
architecture and although having all
the elegancies and appliances of
modern art in its highest development,
yet are so closely modelled after castles
In Spain, that one may easily imagine
himself in foreign land. The great
est maguificence is displayed in the
Ponce de Loen where one may sleep
on ivory bedsteads, rest his elbows on
tables of onyx, set before place
and mantle cut form solid onyx that
cost $35, 900, read the time ON the face
of electric CLOCKS. and dine in hall of
indescribable splendor that will seat
eight hundred guests. In every room
of the building from entrance hall to
tower chamber is to be found furnish
ing and decoration of the highest order
of art, and the smallest detail in per-
feet harmony with not only the build
ing, but the town as well. In the
courts and grounds of these hotels are
to be found fountains lighted with
colored lights at night, and plants and
flowers of rare beauty, fine music and
llveriod Servants added to the already
mentioned beauties of the place throw
around the visitor a glamour of sweet
delights that make life for the time
being season of enchantment.
Apart from the enjoyment of the
town itself there is the fascination of
sunshine and fragrance and fruit and
flowers and singing birds. From my
window | see the white capped surf
break upon the beach of Anastasia
Island, and | know that white shell
strew the way. The stately ships go
by. The martial music from the
parade ground at st. Francis barracks
floats in at my open window. The
bugle has sounded the signal for firing
the sunset gun, and in little while
the light from the distant lighthouse
will send a tremulous track of gold
across the bay. have said farewell
to all my favorite haunts and in to-
morrow's early light with my face set
toward the further south / shall say
my final farewellto enchanting old st.
Augustine.
My three weeks here have been full
of pleasure, | have breathed the
healing salt air, have sailed the blue
waters, gathered shells, climbed to the
top of the lighthouse where l amused
the lighthouse keeper by saying chow
dreadful it must be here in winter"
| have bathed at the Casino, picked
oranges and orange blossoms. / have
visited the old old cemeteries and
watched the drills and parade at the
barracks, and once when the brave a.
soldier boys put on all the trappings of
war and went out to battle, | got be-
tween the lines of battle and came
near being victim of blank cartridge
warfare. l heard the commanding
officer say to the men in the trenches,
"select your man, aim. fire to kill" l
have walked and driven through the
beautiful streets, have sat on the old
Spanish plaza and watched the gay
life of wealth and leisure and once
arrayed my self in purple and fine linen
and brake bread with them at the
Ponce de Leon. Laden with health
and happiness land curios) hope soon
to resume my place among the workers
of the world. Till then farewell.
ALICE III. SHULrEs.
~~esN~-~
The Easter Numbers of Harper's
Bazaar, published March 18th, will con-
tain three complete short stories: "A
Distinction and a Difference" by
Marion Harland. illustrated by L w.
Hitchcock; EASTER Hats" by Kate
Epson Clark, illustrated by w. III.
Hyde; and "A Disdainful YOUTH" by
Eva Wilder McGlasson. Among the
sketches and essays will be "Comrade-
ship in Marriage, by Junius Henri
Browne. and 1.-The Care of the Aged, -