Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1895-07-23
FLORIDA In SUMMER.
Arp Is Trying to Make It an AL the
Year Round Resort
Gricves Itself to Death for Its Mate.
Midsummer Life In tho Tropics.

Sricves Itself to Death for Its Mate.
Midsummer Life In tho Tropics.
Away up in the pilot-house. We used
to call 1t the wheelhouse when l was
young, and the wheel is up there yet
just the same and the rope that is
wound around the hub and runs down
mysteriously to the ruder and guides
the great boat Tho captain invited
little to see how easily could change
the course. A girl could manage it on
an open sea like there was from Tampa
to Egmont lighthouse. 1t was lovely
day and the scenery charming What q
relief to get of the dusty train after
600-mile journey and walk the deck Of q
pretty steamer and stretch yourself or
climb the iron ladder to the pilot-house
and gaze upon the green shores and the
islands and passes and the white sails
Of passing vessels. There is but little
comfort in travelling on the cars, so far
as sightseeing is concerned, but 1t is
splendid on river boat in Florida. You
take in miles and miles at a glance, and
II a man only had another eye in the
back Of his head his organism would be
complete. But then he would have to
have another spectacle when he got old
and that would be bother, and If he
was in church he couldn't listen to the
sermon, for he would be looking at the
pretty girls behind him. 1t is hard to
do now when the choir is full and sits
in front Of you. And then the breeze,
the balmy breeze that is ever breathing
on you as you sit upon the deck makes
you feel so calm and serene, feeling of
innocuous desuetude," or words to th at
effect. Folks don't talk much on a
steamboat. They look and think and
enjoy in a sweet and restful silence the
ever changing scenery. Evon the quiv-
ering throbs of the steamer make it
seem like thing of life and remind you
of your own heart-beats that the poet
says
''Still like mufled drums are beating
Funeral marches to the grave"
We touched at Petersburg, and from
there steamed away to the quarantine
island, near Egmont. "What do we
stop here for" said to sociable drum
mer. sob, to be fumigated, of course, :"
said he. / pondered that in my mind
for a minute until convinced that he
lied, and then joined in the laugh that
followed. These drummers are always
lying or joking, and they select me for a
victim when l am about. The old
quarantine doctor was portly Cuban, a
dark brunette, dressed in navy regu-
lation suit with gilt braid on his cap.
He had good manners and was we'll fed
and looked like an educated gentleman.
The great barn of house was full of
boilers and tanks and tubes and chemi-
Gals for disinfecting the mails or the
clothing Of the passengers in times Of
pestilence. OF course we only stopped
this time to take on and put of Uncle
Sans little pouches of mail matter and
some freight. The lighthouse just be-
low doomed up like thing of beauty.
Graceful as bird in form and as white
as the clouds it stands solid upon it's
swelling, base and every night lights
the mariner safe through the narrow
passes to deeper and safer waters.
These are the things that add majesty
and strength to the nation. The quar-
antinc, the lighthouse, the forts, the
life-saving service, the men-of-war, all
impress you and deepen your patriotism
and cause you to submit more willingly
to the burdens of taxation.
Our next stop was only a minutes
pause in the channel and girl came
swiftly from the land in her tiny boat,
and when alongside she tossed the little
mail bag up to the captain and he tossed
one down by her side. She said good
morning and then goodbye. and was off
as quickly as she came.
"Does she get paid for that?" said I.
''Oh, yes" said the captain.
'.Well," said /. 'tshe is the first fe-
male mail boy ever saw. What is it
these modern, self-made girls cannot do?
I see by the papers that they have been
practicing as conductors of the street
cars in Rome and the men are doing
lots of riding"
BY and by we entered the broad ex-
panding mouth of the Manatee river, a
river named for the curious aquatic ami
NAL of that name that used to be found
In its waters. The natives called it .
sea cow, for it gives birth to it's young
and breathes air like q whale-a sort of
half-horse and half-alligator creature
and has tail like beaver. 1t is link
between the cetacea and the pachyder-
mata, or words to that effect. Many
museums have fossil remains OF the ami
NAL and the old settlers still tell about
seeing them in the river. Manatee
county was named for this river, and
Bradentown IS the county seat. In going
up the river lone and lofty tree was
pointed out that stood on the north
shore. 1t was date palm and is still
mourning for its mate that was de-
stroyed few years ago by storm or
some casualty, and since then this tree
has never borne bloom or given q
single fruit. 'They bear fruit in pairs, /"
said the captain. They fertilixe each
other, and whea one dies the other
ceases to fruit and In few years grieves
itself to DEATH" I have great respect
for the date palm. 1t is more loyal to
it, mate than some people know
At Bradsntown the river 10 about .
mile and . half wide and the pretty