The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-04-03
BILL ARP'S LETTER.
Bill Says Home ls the Best Place In
the World.
atlanta Constitution.

Atlanta Constitution.
From Oakland to Sanford and from
Sanford to Palatka the traveller passes
through what was a few months ago
the finest orange country in Florida.
Now there is no picture Of winter that
looks more desolate than the groves
along these railroad lines. On acres
and acres Of large, shapely trees not a
green leaf is to be seen. They seem
to be dead, utterly dead, and We motto.
ed that in some places the trees had
been cut down and burned and the
ground was being prepared for some
thing else. The little depots seem
deserted, the packing houses closed,
the sawmills silent and the whole
country looked like Sunday. From
all I could learn there is the same de-
ISOLATION across 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 lar
ger limbs will put out again. We
watched my daughters grove (she has
one tree) with anxious interest. 1t
was quite large one that she pur.
chased last fall and had transplanted
to her front yard. It had over a
thousand oranges on it, but of course
the top had to be all cut of and only
the trunk and the stumps Of four
branches were left. Since the last
freeze that tree has put out numerous
tiny shoots and bids fair to clothe
itself with evergreen before the sum-
mer 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.
We had four hours there and were en-
tertained in studying the travellers
who come and go. As I walked around
I observed man and two ladies to
take seats in the gentleman's waiting
oom, and as they seemed in strange
place ventured to point out to them
the ladies' room that was more COM
Portable. The ladies seemed grateful
for the information, but the dog of a
man said, "Well, I guess we can take
care Of ourselves. His tone Of voice
made me mad, but didn't say any
thing. Thinks I to myself, I'll tend
to my own business after this and you
may sit where you dogon please. Soon
we boarded the sleeper for Atlanta by
the Waycross and Tifton route. There
was a sorrowful looking man and wo-
man near by us and little tot of a
child was with them. My wife always
notices children, and soon she was
petting this little one as it cruised
around. Of course that got up con-
versation with the woman.
"Is this your child ?" she said.
'No," said the sorrowful woman, "it
is my grandchild. Its mother is in
the baggage car in coffin. We are
going back to our home in Michigan:
My poor daughter had pneumonia and
the doctor said she must go to Florida,
but another bitter spell came on the
way and she died soon after we reach
ed Ozona." What a 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" saidI. ''Ialways sleep the other
way" IT do not, she said, very
emphatically. ''They carry the dead
to their graves feet foremost, and am
superstitious, you know" I surren-
dered, of course-I always do. But
when we reached Waycross she was
asleep and our sleeper was run round
on Y and reversed and away we sped
feet foremost towards Tifton. After
awhile she awakened and pushed aside
the curtain to see the moon that was
shining brightly. It had got over on
the other side and the trees and tele-
graph poles were all going the wrong
way. She was perplexed and wonder.
ed. She endured it for awhile and
concluded that she was either crazy
or we were backing towards Jackson
vile. She reached over to my berth
and called me: civilian, William: !"
"What is it?" said I. "What is the
matter? What are we backing towards
Jacksonville for?" she said. "The
trees are all going the wrong way yn2 and
I am riding feet foremost. y ooh,
yes," said I. "We are not backing,
we turned around on the Y at Way
cross" "Well, I declare, I never
was so troubled in all my life. She
laid down satisfied and never changed
her pillows to the other end for l told
her I reckoned we would turn again at
Triton. We came through without a
bauble and were received at the depot
by children and grandchildren and
friends. The weather is wet, but not
cold. The difference is in the muddy
ground we have to walk upon-the wet
shoes and damp feet. In Florida the
walking is good all the time, for the
rain sinks down in the sand and the
surface dries in few minutes. 1t is
like walking on velvet carpet
neither man nor beast nor wheel makes
any noise. A robber could step up
behind and sandbag you and take your
money before you knowit. "Laddie, =
our faithful dog, was not at home
when we got there, but he came soon
after and jumped all over US and lick
ed our faces and whined for joy. The
peafowls came struting around. Old
Aunt Ann was around and the house
| and yard was in order and coal fire
in the CRATE. Once more we are in
our accustomed corners, where we can
look out upon the garden and see the
steepies Of the Churches. Home il
the best place in the wide world and
the older we grow the better it is
My wife went to the piano last nigh
| and surprised us with her sweet old
fashioned songs, such as " Home me-
Sweet Home, ~ How Dear to Ny
Heart Are the Scenes of My Child
hood" "When You and | Were
Young, Maggie" and "Flow Gently
| Sweet Alton. /" There are yet NJ
songs sweeter than these to my old
fashioned ears. New songs like new
novels come and go and pass away but
the old ones still linger in our mem
cries. Old prose and old poetry is the
best, but this generation does not reat
| - MI o1,c,;o. ora o1ynoat Inknown