Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-01-25

panied to the train by several friends who
boarded at the hotel with Us. The weather
was 300 above and still growing cold, but
no snow. About II midnight, we ar.
rived at Macon, Ga. Here we found
about four inches of snow, which con-
tinued about 30 miles.
About two hours ride after leaving
Macon, large delegation boarded the
train, headed ny large man weighing
$50 lbs. All surrounded my seat in the
car, he leader being badly intoxicated.
Each one crowded to get the nearest to me
and / thought was captured sure Each
man stood with outstretched hand saw
ing, show do Won do, Brother Reed ?"
j pleaded not guilty. ~ am not Brother
Reed" "You surely are Brother Reed ."
/ refused to take their prof red hands.
"But IL you are not Brother Reed. who are
you, and where are you from ?" | answer
ed, giving nv name and state. The large
man answered in terrible voice, 81 hate
Vermonters." | ans 1ered, "Why SOY
They have no i'll will against YOU" After
a few more cultural souLd DIS like an Apa-
che Indian, he seemed to recover his
reason. He asked me TO forgive him, as
be was only joking. He gave his name as
Col. Ball and said that be meant to be
civil to strangers. Col Ball soon left the
car for the smoker and did not come
back. One OF bis attendants came TO me
and asked me to forgive him, saying,
"Col Ball is a nice man when not drunk"
[ asked where be got bis title OF colonel.
He replied that he was a lawyer and on
his way to court; that ell lawyers we're
called colonies in this state.
Morning dawned, disclosing a southern
latitude as to the appearance OF the trees,
but be weather was northern, as heavy
frost covered the land. Bonfres we're
built all along the road. The blacks OF all
ages stood around the fires to keep warm.
The houses we're nearly all little novels.
Only portion had windows with glass;
the rest bad shutters OF wood.
About a. m. we reached Jacksonville
after a ride OF 1886 miles from Atlanta, Ga
The frost seemed to be as severe here as
all along the way. After a ride OF two
hours over the principal streets OF jack
sonville, we mbarked on the steamer at
D. m. up the 81. Johns river to Sanford,
distance of 125 miles. White people oc-
cupied the upper decks and state rooms,
while the negroes filled the lower decks,
men, women and children packed like
sardines. Supper and breakfast on the
boat we're as good as at tirst-class hotel
| in a northern city. After reaching the
narrow part. the river Is very crooked.
OuT ride of 125 miles by air line is many
miles more by boat. Daylight found US
many miles from Sanford. We now
reached the river narrows, where the cap
tain Oft he boat said the negro pilot was
| liable to climb tree after a coon with
| bis boat at any time. Two weeks before
one OF the boats had been driven so far
ashore by a storm that 1t had not yet been
| fioated. Frost had again appeared jan.
| I'd everyw here. A cleared spot came in
view, white with iIost. The boats decks
where struck with spray were frozen.
Imagine our disgust to be looking for
warm climate and not being warm since
leaving Vermont. But this, 1t seems, bad
been the first frost OF the winter. A ride
up this river 10 northern tourist IS trip
never to be forgotten. Everything SEEM
ed so strange, fishermen living In huts
and tents along the banks where the land
| was not too swampy to prevent; also
herds OF cattle wadiDg the creeks and the
river along the shores to eat the pond
| titles, or plant which resembles IL, but is
relished by the cattle; messy palm trees /;
other trees which looked Ps though they
grew before the present Christian era
with moss hanging down from two to II
| feet. The impression | gained was that
| tourist that never sailed no this river
never saw Florida. The woods along the
banks we're full OF birds OF all XII nos,
which had never seen before, OF enor-
nous size. No alligators appeared, as
they usually do, as the morning was TOO
frosty for gators to be looking for their
prey. But bark the whistle OF the steam
er blows, which is for the drawbridge to
open a pont for us to pass through. A
few miles beyond the town OF Sanford Is
cited. We landed about 10 a. m, feeling
we had had an enjoyable trip.
ITO be eoptinued)
O. w. FLAGa.