The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-04-02
BILL ARP AT HOME.
SINGING FAMILIAR OLD AIRS.

The Best Place in the Wurld--Inci-
dents of the Return Journey-A
Good Joke on his Wife.
From Oakland to Sanford and from
Sanford to Palatka the traveller passes
through wha5 was q few months ago
the finest orange country in Florida.
Now there Is no picture of winter that
looks more desoiate than the groves
along these railroad lines. On acres
and acres of large, shapely trees not a
green leaf ia to be seen. They seem to
be dead, utterly dead, and we noticed
that in some places the trees had been
cut down and burned and the ground
was being prepared for something else.
The little depots seem deserted, the
packing houses closed, the saw mills
silent and tho whole country looked
like Sunday. From all L could learn
there Is the same desolation + all
that portion of the State north Of Ocala.
In the Tampa region it is not SO bad.
Many groves have escaped with only
the small branches killed. The trunks
and larger limbs will put out again.
We watched my daughters grove (she
has one tree) with anxious interest. 1t
was, quite a large one that she purcha-
sed last fall and had ~transplanted to her
front yard. 1t had over a thousand or.
anges on it, but of course the top had
| W 10 dill CuU Oh auu Only JhS UTuuh anu
the stumps Of four branches were loft.
| Since the last freeze that tree has pu:
ou numerous tiny shoots and bids fair
to clothe itself with evergreen before
the summer has passed.
When we reached jacksonville we
were ushered into the beautiful and
spacious depot that is now finished and
complete in all it's departments. W.
had four hours there and we're enter
tanned in studying the travellers who
come and go. AS I walked around |
observed a man and two ladies to take
seats in the ~gentleman's waiting room,
and rs they seemed in q strange place
L ventured to point out to them the la
dies room that was more comfortable.
The ladies seemed grateful for the in
formation, but the dog OF q nan said,
"Well,I guess we a take care OF our
selves" His tone OF voice made me mad,
but [ didn't say anything. Thinks L to
myself, I'll tend to my own business af-
ter this and you may sit where you
dog-on please. Soon we boarded the
sleeper for Atlanta by the Waycross
and Triton route. Thcre was II sorrow
full looking man n woman nearby us
and q little tot Of a child was with
them. My wife always notices chill
dren, and soon she was petting this lit
tie one as 1T cruised around. Or course
that got up a conversation with the
IN
"Is this your child 2" she said. "No,"
said the sorrowful woman. lit is my
grand child. Its mother is in the bag
gage car in q coffin. We are going back
to II home in Michigan. My poor
daughter had pneumonia and the doc
tor said she must go to Florida, but
another bitter spoil came on the way
| and Sha died snnn nftaI, una rnnnhnl
Ozona." Whata sad journey was theirs.
Soon the porter called to make up the
berths and while he was at it my wife
told him to place her pillow towards
the locomotive. What for" said L.
81 always sleep the other way" 81 do
not" she said, very emphatically.
They carry the dead to their graves
feet foremost, and | am superstitious,
you know" l surrendered of course
| always do. But when we reached
Waycross She was asleep and our sleep
err was run round on q Y and reversed
and away we sped feet foremost toward
Triton. After awhile she awakened
and pushed aside the curtain to see the
moon that was shining brightly. 1t had
got overon the other side and the trees
and telegraph poles were all going the
wrong way. She was perplexed and
wondered. She endured it for awhile
and concluded that she was either era
~. or we 'aeIo backing towards Jack
sonville. She reached overrtu my berth
and called mo "William, William"
What is 1T" said l.. "What is the
matter? What are we backing towards
Jacksonville for ?" she said 1.-THE trees
are all going the wrong Way and / 1 am
riding feet foremost" "Oh, yes" said
|. I'VE are not backing, we turned
around on h Y at Waycross." "Well,
| declare | never was so troubled in all
my life." She laid down satisfied and
never changed her pillows to the other