The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1896-05-16
IN FLORIDA AGAIN.
Arp Is Now Down Whore the
Flowers Are Blooming.
Tells Who Ho Met Thero-How a Fishing
Party OF Young People Caused Crest
Anxiety to Their Friends
and Relatives.


With but little warning | had to
leave home and wife and two daughters
and numerous grandchildren and run
down to Florida on business. Here |
am again at Clearwater, breathing its
balmy air and feasting my vision upon
the same beautiful sunsets and dancing
waters and tropical scenery that al
ways charm me when | come. | am
happy with three other daughters and
two dear little grandchildren and with
congenial friends who greeted my COM
ing and gave me glad welcome. Life
is still worth living, if for nothing else
but the pleasure of meeting those who
are dear to you and receiving the cordial
salutation of friends. They tell me
that if | did not discover Clearwater,
| uncovered it to the southern people,
who had never heard of such a place,
and now | find scores of visitors who
are looking in upon the beauties of this
place and buying property, and pre-
pairing to plant here their winter
homes. | was surprised to see so many
of Atlanta's good people visiting here
the Hillyers, Hemphills, Howells, In
mans, Swanls, English, Col. George W.
Scott, DIR. Palmer and others-and even
Mr.. Plant and Col. Wrenn and their
wives did for n time leave the Tampa
Bay hotel and found happy hiding
place in Clearwater. Just think of
Capt Evan Howell staying here week
or two without saying a word about
Cleveland or finance or conventions or
any other politics during his stay. The
calm serenity Of this heaven favored
spot puts politics to the blush and
smothers all selfish ambition and I'M
godly thoughts. The tired mind comes
here in search of rest, and finds it.
Evan Howell used to smile at my
gushing letters and declare there was
no such place this side of Heaven; but
now that he has seen 1t with his
eyes, he can't find ad .iectives enough to
express his admiration, and, like a 10y
al husband, has gone after his wife
10 come down and make choice of
bayfront lot. He says he is prepared
10 believe anything say-yes, even my
fish stories. | told him about an old
lady who had lived near here for so
years, and when she wanted fish for
breakfast, walked down the bluff
and wadcd out few yards into the
crystal water and held out her apron
and let the fish jump in it. Evan
smiled, but said nothing. Next morn
ing | met my old friend Turner, who
publishes a paper at Statesboro, Ga. /
introduced him to Capt. Howell as a
man who was born and raised here, and
captain, thinking to put off good joke
on me, told Mr.. Turner what | said
about the Old woman catching fish here
IN her apron before the war. Mr.. Tur-
ner looked at him solemnly and serious
ly and said; "He told you the truth, sir;
that woman was my mother"
When man first comes here and sees
extraordinary things, he is almost
afraid to tell of them when he goes
back home, and he begins to look
around for a credible witness. Col.
Scott, the quiet old gentleman who
founded the Agnes Scott institute, has
bought beautiful bay-front, with an
orange grove attached, and asked me
TO walk down and see him measure a
grape fruit tree. He did it very care
fully, and found it was 80 inches around
four feet from the ground. He said
that he had measured it before, but
wanted witness. So, for fear he may
be suspected of eXaggeration, had just
as well give the certificate. That tree
is II inches in diameter four feet up
from its base. The groves around
here have pretty much recovered from
the freeze and are now covered with
blooms. Some groves suffered but lit
tie, and never lost crop. Mr. Bailey's
grove, near Clearwater, gave him an
average crop, and so did Mr.. Markley's.
Our home market has not been without
a supply of fine, first-class fruit, as far
superior to the California oranges as an
apple is to persimmon. If | had
money, would invest in grove or two
on speculation, for here is the safety
line, and Florida oranges and grape
fruit will command high prices for
some years to come.
Yesterday morning our young people
made up grouper party and sailed out
to the coral reefs in the green blue gulf.
| was respectfully invited TO stay at
home and look after the little girl, and
they promised TO be back by four
o'clock. | read and wrote and rumin-
ated and played with the child and
helped her make sand pies, until the
sun was nearing the horizon, but still
there was no sail in sight. Every few
minutes | scanned the distant waters
and the two passes between the islands.
The twilights are brief down here, and
when the dark had spread its lonely cur
tain began TO be troubled, and walked
the veranda with anxiety and
impotence. Then l walked down
to the dock, and was com
iorted with the information that
our boat could not possibly get in
until the tide rose and brought them, for
there was not n breath of air to move a
sail Slowly and sadly came home,
ard our little household had supper and
cheered the lingering hours with prose
and poetry and conversation. Ever and
anon | came out and listened for a song
10 float its melody over the waters, for
they always come back singing; but
there was no sound save the ominous
notes of screech owl and the plaintive
song of the whip-poor-will in the grove