The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1897-08-05

charge on the polls in Novem-
Der, 1898.
A FLORIDA EXPERIENCE.
A Cracker Concert and a Peculiar
Cracker Church.
To THE EDITOR: To a Northerner the
Florida Cracker is always study. His
simplicity, honesty and hospitality are
always manifest. When it was ANNOUNCE
edthat there was to bea singing con-
vention I was eager to attend and study
these Children of the Pines. A party
of five, with camping outfit, left on
Saturday for New Hope church, where
the convention was held. After a
drive of seventeen miles through the
pines with here and there an orange
grove to relieve the monotony of the
scenery, we arrived at our destination
at dusk. A fire was built and supper
cooked and never did coffee and boil
ed eggs taste better. While the two
ladies of the party we're driven a mile
beyond to spend the night, our good
Scotch doctor and I pitched our tent
and made everything snug for the
night. Off in a distant bay-head
could be heard an alligator calling
"kronk, kronk, kronk," to his mate.
Our camp was under two spreading
oaks covered with silver moss. Ad-
joining was the cemetery-the white
washed tombstones standing out
wierdly in the moonlight. But for all
that we slept as quietly as our near by
neighbors. The doctor swung a ham
mock between two small oaks, and
rolling in his blanket, with a canopy
of stars, snored contentedly all night.
My companion and l preferred the
tent. About 4:3O in the morning [
was awakened by some animal push
ing on the guy ropes. 1 pushed back
the flaps of the tent and discovered a
drove of razor-backs who disputed
possession with us and there was no
more sleep that night. After hearty
breakfast we took walk through the
cemetery and one of the many curious
epitaphs that attracted our attention
was the following:
80 look, Charles, as you pass by
AS you are now, SO once wasI;
AS am now, you soon shall be
Prepare for death and follow me-"
Charles appears to have followed
her, for he sleeps quietly by her side.
Across the road from the cemetery
was neat, plain church seating about
200. The grounds were enclosed by
a picket fence. The church is in the
center, with paths and avenues lead
ing in different directions which ex-
planned itself after we entered the
door. On the wall was large gaily
framed prospectus of the grounds of
New Hope church. With colored
chalk some native artist had conceived
this work. Among the different lawns
l remember these; "Private Interview
Lawn" "Church Council Lawn"
Reconciliation Lawn" "Mothers of
Israel Lawn" "Juvenile Lawn"
"Children's Lawn mo Sand Spurs,
Hurrah." The path leading to the
we'll was designated "Jacobs Well
Avenue" In another part of the
grounds we're number of tables. The
avenue leading to them was Provi-
dence. The road leading to the
church was called Redemption. while
the one to the cemetery was Resur-
rection road. The path circling the
church had this inscription "Ways of
Pleasantness since the feas depart
ure." This may seem ludicrous to my
Northern readers, but after an intro
duction to the Florida flea you will
have higher respect for his adroit-
ness and his capacity to bite. imag
inc the razor backs used the pillars of
the church to sharpen their bristles
on before the grounds we're made hog
proof, and that was the reason for the
expression of thankfulness on the part
of the artist. One would feel at first
that this was irreverent, but this is
mistake. They worship God reverent-
ly and with childlike simplicity.
About eight o'clock on Sunday morn
ing the singers began to arrive, to
commence the second days session of
the convention. From every COW
path and road you could see them
x1orI;o~ thar vuou-fbo mn, -, horoo