The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1901-03-15

cred, the most lifting and effectual
preaching.
FROM THE LAND OF ORANGE Bios
SONS.
A LETTER FROM MR. AND MRS EDISON
e. ATWOOD.
We left from Pier IS, New York
City, on board the Comanche steamer.
There were over 1886 passengers with
all the freight and baggage apart
1t was showing hard when we depart
ed at $50 p. m. We enjoyed fine
view. From the moment our steamer
drew out into the North river, the in
tereSting features of the voyage be-
gan, the towering background of great
white buildings, the passing view of
the Battery, Governors Island with
grim Castle William overhanging the
water and the statue of Liberty tow
ering heavenward. These and thous-
and other interesting features made
and lastly Sandy Hook babe us fare
we'll.
We were summoned to dinner at
p. M, our first meal at sea. The spot
less linen, handsome china and tempt
ing variety of eatables, roast beef,
roast duck, turkey, ETC., and fruit of
all kinds from both north and south, as
we'll as the watchful and efficient ser
vice we enjoyed immensely. After
this we took promenade about the
furnished steamer. There was fine
ed very sweet and beautiful music
during the evening. The purser, S.
r. Tuttle, was very entertaining, as
sisted with the music, and did all in
his power to make all enjoy them
selves, which am sure none failed to
do. The night was very smooth only
while passing the Delaware bay when
it was little rough.
Wednesday morning we found the
| sun shining beautifully and our steam
er making between Is and Is knots an
day, only a little while before 4 and 5
O'Clock, when it became little rough
passing Cape Hatteras The night
was quiet and Thursday morning we
enjoyed the balmy air and steamed
along smoothly. Soon after the har-
Dor bar, nine miles from the city of
Charleston, S. c., was crossed, we
passed famous old Fort Sumter. Near
~ opposite on the right was Fort
Moultrie, which on June %, 1776, beat
off the British fleet. We reached
Charleston at 1.30 p. m. Our captain,
L. w. Pennington, said we could
interest. We took trolley ride, five
miles out through the city to one Of
their parks, rode with the cotton
fields on either side of the car and
many farmers blowing and working in
the fields. On our return we saw the
beautiful Magnolia cemetery which
was worth the visit. We were kindly
showed through ancient St Michael's
church, which has the first pipe organ
land and put in in 1867. We also had
the honor of sitting in George Wash
ington's pew, No. 43. Next we visited
the U. S. Custom house, which is built
of white marble in the Roman COrin-
THAN style and cost $4,000, 900. The
court house, city hall and postoffice
were all fine buildings. Charleston,
like New York, has it's Battery on
south and east which occupies the ex-
IRENE peninsula, has long quay form
ing the finest sea walk in the world,
with a background of typical Southern
residences. The great fires of 1888 and
1861 have not materially effaced the
truly southern and colonial character
of dwellings and public buildings and
other places, but since the destruct-
i've earthquake of August 81, 1886, a
change has become apparent. We re-
turned to our steamer and departed
for jacksonville at $50 p. m. The
voyage was very smooth during the
night, until about p. M, Friday
m orning, when we neared the bar off
There it became quite rough, the
toughest of any time. There were
not many at breakfast, although we
were not i'll. The voyage up the St
Johns was delightful, being in the
morning when the sun was right to
make the scenery very interesting and
pretty. The purser, S. r. Tuttle,
kindly pointed out G. P. Aliens beau
tiful southern home on the St Johns
Jacksonville at 1.30 p. m. We took
trolley with party of our friends out
to the ostrich farm and saw upward of
200 Ostriches of various ages, also
many other very beautiful birds from
different countries. The full grown
ostrich stands from seven to 10 feet
in height and weighs from 25O to 400
pounds. We also saw OliverlW., who
made time of 2.O2 on the Saratoga
race track, last summer, hitched to
road wagon. We spent that night in
friend, DIR E. G. French, formerly of
Watertown, whom we found in good
health and very glad to receive us.
Jacksonville is a pretty city of $4,000
population.
| Saturday, the 18th, at 1915 a. M,
we took train for Waldo, sc miles, ar
irving at 11.55;w with some other friends
| we met aboard the Comanche. At
1.30 we all took a small steamer
through the Chain Lakes, IA miles to
| Melrose, reaching there at 4 p. m.
| Stopped at the Hoffman house on Sun
day and attended the Lutheran church.
We liked Melrose very much but there
were no oranges there this year, but if
nothing happens there will be next.
We visited our place, which had some
200 bearing orange trees at the time
of the freeze in '95. We saw many
other pretty places owned by Water
bury people. We left MelrOse on the
18th, returned to Waldo and took
train 1877 miles farther south to Plant
City, arriving at 5 p. m. We saw the
9r3ero e%SNSM0
\ The Cure that Cures (
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