The Southern herald., 1900-05-04

were pOsterity at home that she feared
would fall into a well or get bitten by
mad dog, or get run over on the
street, or catch the measles or some
thing else, and every time they came TO
greet her her eyes would get watery
at the thought of leaving them. Neigh
bors and kindred urged her TO go, for
she had not been as far as Atlanta in
five years, and needed change of air
and water and scenery. And so we
escorted hertothe depot and there were
so many to kiss and so many parting
injunctiOns about the children that
she had liked to have been left after
all. For ten miles she never said a
word, but looked out of the window
and ruminated.
An acquaintance on the car came for
ward and that relieved the monotony,
and we got to Atlanta in due time, and
after short stay left for Florida
Now we are both glad that we came,
for we made our kindred happy and
will make some more happy when we
get back. This evening we visited
the ostrich farm, the Florida ZOO,
which of itself is worth a trip to Jack
sonville.
wish that all the children could
visit it, for it is bigger thing than
a circus or menagerie; it is much
larger than it was two years ago, for
now, besides over 100 Ostriches the
proprietors have many varieties of the
most beautiful birds in the world. They
are of exquisite plumage-pheasants,
ducks, parrots, pelicans, cranes-and
there are deer, monkeys crocodiles,
otters and many other creatures that
are never seen trt tyeling around, and
are things of beauty that would de-
light the little folks. My wife says
that it is the best show for a quarter
that she ever witnessed. 1t is worth
that to see the Otters playing in the
water. This zoo is an established sue
cess and a speciality for Jacksonville.
Crowds visit it every day, and the
tourists buy feathers and eggs most lib
orally.
The street car takes you there for
a nickel and they are always full. We
are going to Pablo Beach tomorrow
and to st. Augustine next day, and
keep on the go all the time as long as
letters from home tell us all is we'll
What wonderful change has come
over the city since first knew it, when
there were about 10000 people, and il
was under the ban--a suspect-a home
for pestilence, and the tourists hur-
ried through it to safe havens. Now
there are $4,000 people, and during the
winter half as many more. The city
has been thoroughly severed and
drained and is supplied with the purest
water and the streets and walk ways
are all paved and everything looks
clean as a parlor.
The pestilence that walketh at noon
day will not walk here any more. And
then what change of diet has come
over us. Early vegetables, early oy-
sters and shad and pompano, and
strawberries for dessert every day. ]
sent some orange blossoms home YES.
terday, but requested the girls not to
get married until we return. My wife
and | are being rejuvenated. Fine
clothes, fine diet, and nothing to do but
receive attention, will regenerate ma
ternal ancestors.
And it helps the veterans, too.
feel this morning like | can Jump over
a two-rail fence and cut the pigeon
wing-a small pigeon.
But never said anything about our
brief stay in Savannah, that grand old
city that Georgia is proud of, and it is
still the most beautiful and interest.
ing city in the south. Its parks alone
are a monument to Oglethorpe. Its
broad streets and shade trees and flow
ers are things of beauty. Its churches
and public building are time-honOred
and impressive.
Now just ponder it for a moment
when say that saw Savannah for the
first time G7 years ago, and do moi
suppose there are 100 people living
who saw it before then. My parents
and brothers and myself sailed from
there to Boston in 1893. We returned
to Georgia by land in a carriage. II
took us two months to make the long
journey, and we never crossed rail
road, for there was none to cross. How
is that for antiquity? And yet l am
the boy. the only boy about the house
and when Mrs. Arp calls me l move to-
ward her with alacrity. And so lei
Ammo Domini roll on. Yesterday
met young lawyer here by the name
of Marks, and when he told me whose
son he was, | remembered that l was
at his grandfather's wedding, though !
was then little schoolboy wearing my
first gallusses. But l verify believe ]
can chop more wood in a day than
Marks can, and could outrun him but
for my corporosity.-Bill Arp, in At.
lanta Constitution.