The Iuka vidette. (Iuka, Miss.) 1894-1912, 1895-04-18
WANT TO GET BACK.
Arps Are Yearning for a Glimpse
of Georgia.
They Are stIli Among the Tourists-They
Are Mixing With Millionaires-Bill
Goes to an Opera House Down
There and Hears IA Concert.

Tarpon Springs is charming little
place-so clean and nice and just now
so odorifcrous from the yellow jessa
mino that in every yard climbs the
trees and verandas in wild profusion.
Jessamine would be fit namo for the
town for there is more jessamine than
tarpon. Sometimes that silve king of
fish does find its way into the large
pool they calla spring, but not often.
The spring is in tho center of that pool
and Is ever in commotioD, throwing
up its sulphurous, gaseous waters from
subtorranean depths whose bottom has
just been found. Sometimes in tho
dead of tho night it makes explosions
that are heard all over the village and
throws up aquatic debris that floats off
to the bayou. What is going on down
in those mysterious depths is still I'M
known. The pool covers, perhaps, two
acres OF space and the circular high
lands around it are studded with beauti-
full residences and the walkway whore
the little boats arc moored is thing OF
beauty. Stairways mado of cement
lead down TO this cement walk and 1T is
only step from there to the boat you
wish to take whether it DO rowboat or
a sail or naphtha launch. Some of the
most beautiful and costly boats in all
Florida are there, for these wealthy
people seem to emulate each other in
procuring the most handsome in design
and the most artistic in speed. Some
of them were taken to the Worlds Fair
and took the premium over all com
petitors.
Tarpon is not on tho gulf nor on the
harbor. 1t is about four miles away,
and on a bayou that connects with the
beautiful Anclote river and Anclote
connects with the harbor. On an island
near this harbor is the Anclote light
house, and to this island and up the
river pleasure parties go every day that
the weather permits.
rode out in a carriage with some
gentlemen. The road was good and the
weather pleasant. While looking off
at the numerous small vessels that
were anchored in the water a large,
strong sailor came from his cabin on
the shore and said: "Good mawnin'.
He was barefooted and had on neither
coat nor vest. He looked tough and
rough. He was sponger, and my
friends knew him. "What is the
weather going to do this evening, Tom?"
Tom replied gruffly: wind gwine to
the north-rain on you afore you git
back and heap colder" l smiled, for
it seemed an improbability, if not m
impossibility, but my friends said,
"rom knows if anybody docs. He is an
old sponger."
We had not driven half mile before
we felt the north winds breath upon
the back of our necks and the driver
stopped to let down the curtain. In
about ten minutes tho temperature had
changed at least 10 degrees and driv-
ing rainstorm was upon us. 1t was lik >
a Texas norther. ''Touch up that of
horse" we said, land make for home and
| SHELTER"
There are about !, 200 of these spongers,
AMI there are about 100 small vessels
along the sponge reefs that eVtend for
many miles along the gulf coast. This
business is owned at Tarpon and has
proved quito profitable to its owners.
TIE sleeps wool sponge is of three
classes, and sells for from rs cents to
So. so per pound. Philadelphia and St.
Louis are the principal markets.
Mr.. Disston, one of tho rich saw
makers, has winter homo in Tarpon,
and is a leading citizen in identifying
and ornamenting thoplace. The ladies
have formed village improvement as
ISOLATION, and take pride in their work.
Everybody is for Tarpon, and there is
more sociability there than we nd at
Clear Water. The V. l. A. has brought
the ladies nearer together and broken
down some social barriers. wish there
was one in every community. When
the town marshal or the street commit
tee asks man to clean up his lot and
make it look decent and attractive, it
makes him mad, but when the ladies
say "Mr. Jones, there is an ugly lot Of
old tin cans lying around in your lot;
Piohoo uiB q hoAo anu Jury OuoH UT HAUL
them off to the woods" he will do it.
When they say 'Mr. Jones, we want
you to plant a few evergreens and vines
and rose bushes and repaint your house
and your fence and fix up your old gate,"
he can't stand the feminine racket and
goes at it. There are some backyards
here in Clear Water that are horribly
dirty, and are in full view of passersby.
Tarpon has little gem of an opera
house-the PROTEST for its size in all
Florida-and they have some entertain