The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1899-03-09

Will tEclr kCuakS. Inc return lrlp 10
Tampa was in time for supper, and the
mammoth and most elegant hotel on the
American continent, if not in the known
world, was visited. SO grand is this old
tavern that from IS to s23 per day is the
regular fee for stopping over night. We
stopped only one highland then in our
own little bunk in the car Words can
not describe the beauties of the sur
roundings, furniture etc, and the cost is
said to be four and one half millions.
Leaving Tampa at s p. H., we took
breakfast next morning at s o'clock in
jacksonville, the great winter resort.
Here Is, in our mind, the most prosper
Gus city in the south, especially for a
northern man. Not much to be seen.
but all business. Good streets, side
walks, electric cars, etc. Everything to
make city. An ostrich farm is the
chief attraction here, which of course
we visited.
Friday the llth, was spent in the old
est town in the United States, st. Aug
ustine, the old Spanish home, of which
history tells so much. Carriages with
careful drivers, loaded with full infor-
nation, furnished us the desired know
ledge sought The streets are very
| narrow. in many places twovehiclcs can
| not pass. Tho noted Pence dc Leon
Hotel, and many others, are here situat
ed, not unlike in grandeur and price, the
Tampa Bay Hotel, previously spoken Of
The old Spanish fort, now being used
for a U. S. prison, was visited. About
100 prisoners are confined within its
walls. A U. S. light house and many
old Spanish attractions greet the eyo. Of
which neither time nor space will
permit US to speak.
Sunday. the 10TH was passed in Tall
ahassee, the capitol of Florida, and it
rained all day, so that aside from attend
ing negro church and Tipping pennies
to young darkey boys to get them to
dance, the day was an unpleasant one
Our party was treated to some beautiful
flowers, sent US BY kind ladies of the
city. Several basketsful we're dis
| tributcu
Our start for Mobile was greeted with
| cheers and before long the rain turned
| into snow, and when that city was reach
ed we were ten hours late and practical
ly snow bound in this old Alabama city
for some five hours. What do you think
OF that: Tho big fur coats were still a
comfort. Several of our people crawled
out of the cars among them of course
the Pioneer man and enjoyed good
skate upon as smooth and hard ice as
ever seen in North Dakota, and full
inch OF snow on the ground. The Negro
railway emplycs refused to work. as did
many OF the whites the thermometer
registering s below. When. at last We
did get started, New Orleans was TIC
next stop-l2 hours late and tho first
day Of the famous Mardi Gras carnival
missed. Here the snow had melted by
o'clock in the evening and the streets
were one puddle of mud. Thousands OF
! visitors thronged the sidewalks to see
each other-it appeared for the Mart}i
Gras itself was total failure, and can
not be compared scarcely, to the Grand
Forks or Fargo street parades. The ter
rlbe cold wave, snow and rain, was the
cause, OF course. Two parades each day
on the 18th and l4th one in the after
noon and another at night, constitute
tho Mardi Gras, together with
any number of grand balls at various
places over the city The Pioneer man
was fortunate enough to bring home
several beutiful souvenirs of the Mardi
Gras, presented to us by the Press Club
of New Orleans. including tickets and
badges of honor to the fancy grand ball,
together with dozens Of others purchag-
cd and picked up from all points en-
route, which our friends are invited to
call and see at any time--they may in.
terest you. The old cemeteries and
many other points of interest were visit
ed, including The U. S. Battleship. De.
troit, which was sent there to help cc)e-
brate. Again we were lucky in being
shown over this great man of-war from
stem to stern-she carries 2GO of Uncle
Sans brave boys, and participated in
the late war with Spain. We brought
home two long cartridges and several
old brass buttons, given us by one
OF the officers, for souvenirs of our visit
to the Crescent City. While we were
there one inch of snow fell and 10 below
was registered. Many of the inhabit
ants suffered terribly. And it is not to
be wondered at when you stop TO think
that few, if any. of the dwellings, are
supplied with a cook stove. To say the
least, our heart will always be open to
the southern people for kind and court.
cous treatment accorded. No place on
tlis continent are the people so kind and
warm hearted.
Wednesday morning, at 7 o'clock. we
started upon our return trip for Chicago
and meyer in all our experience, were we
happier.
The journey home was through "A
heavy rain until the Illinois line was
reached and right here is where our
people all, in one voice thanked the
Creator, that We wcro once more in the
land of the living, 80 moro Of yo,n
sunny South for uB not much, The
next vacation we take wo viii ~ 10 Tho