Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-01-23

grounds are enclosed with high walls i'm
possible to look over. with massive gaze
ways. On the way out to savannah, and
before reaching Charleston one may see
many cotton fields, the weed as it is called
still standing. Savannah is Il bright bust
ling city handsomely laid out. every other
street leading through a succession of
parks a most pleasing drive was out
from the city several miles to an old time
plantation, known as the Hermitage, the
Mansion house ana the Old negro quarters
some 30 in number and the old whipping
post still remains intact.
few hours ride through pine forests and
the same dead level as one sees through
the Caroinas brings us to Jacksonville.
Fla. Nature. has done little for this local
ity in the way of the picturesque Jackson
willie is now in the transition period arising
from its ashes as it were the effects of he
great fire being everywhere appart nj. The
only place of especial interest to tho tour
list here is the ostrich farm in the out skirts
of the city, over hundred ostriches being
kept here. one an immense bird, has be, n
trained to draw sull<y and man to
drive him the reins being placed under
each wing Of the bird. He made fairly
good time around a half mile trick
ST. Augustine, the oldest city in the
United States, 800 years settled. numbering
about 5000 the Newport of the South. was
our next place to soiourn Beautiful for 10
cation and most interesting in historic as
ISOLATION, there is a subtle charm about the
old town that makes one d sire to lnger
here. For though one may gaze with adj
mirution on the great wide modern
thoroughfareS in the different cities with
their marvellous display of al, hitectural
beauties and rare and costly wares, yet |
am really most fascinated hy these same
quaint old streets, little more than lanes.
some with just a narrow sidewalk and a
carriage drive with the old houses, con-
turtles old on either side, some with bale nj IS
where ii one desired they could shake
hands with their neighbor across the way.
1t seems so entirely different from any
other city, giving ii charm peculiarly its
own. Chief among the many attractions
mere Is old, Fort Marion built by the Span
ish some 300 years ago of shell rocks
brought in boats from an island 40 miles
away and still in a wonderful state of pre-
scrvation. Crossing the old moat sur
rounding tho fort we find only one man,
Sergeant George r. Brown in attendance,
who gave us much valuable information
traditional and otherwise We were
shown several dungeons, two of them hay
ing been discovered as recently 1888.
We are told by those who have visited
many of the noted dungeons in the old
World that there are none to equal these
two rooms. once confined within it's
gloomy walls, death was certain in a few
hours without the least possible chance
of escape. These were il the days OF the
Spanish inuuisitions with all It's ingenious
methods of torture and when Spain was a
foremost power on land and sea. But
how have the mighty fallen, shorn of all
their valued possessions, now third rate
power. AS one chances backward across
the centuries and considers the cruelty
and tyranny which have always attended
Spanish rule we must feel they have had
their Just deserts.
There are but few defendants of the
Spanish now remaining here. The sea wall
nearly mile long makes a delightful place
TO promenade sometimes called the Lovers
Walk and Is much frequented on bright
days and moonlight evenings, and no one
objects. For all the world loves lover as
the saying goes.
Chief among the many delightful drives
around and out from the city is one over a
fine shell road underneath arching trees of
live oak and magnolia palms and cactus on
either side; is the drive out to Ponce DE
Leon Spring, said to have been discovered
by Ponce De Leon and whose waters are
said to have the virtue of giving eternal
youth to those who partake. OF course We
drank of the water { not OF the besD hop
ing for the best results.
The old slave market still stands where
in slavery times negroes were bought and
sold, now Valuelcs only as n relic of the
semi barbarsm that made such a condition
OF society possible and brought to our minds
the thought that The mills of the Gods
grind slowly but grind exceedingly fine"
our longing to see an orange tree with its
fruit on was only satisfied by seeing one
tree for since the freeze of '95 which killed
e nearly all the trees in this locality they have
made no attempt to reset as the frost line
is even south of here now, A few trees are
seen on the grounds of some wealthy cti
| zen protected at night by canopy wher
needed
1t has been remarked that oranges ano
{ Yankees were Florida two best crops anC
perhaps with truth. Hotels and boardnl
= house abound on every hand. The Ponce
, De Leon and Alcazar and Cordova stand
| without peer in any part Of the world
The architecture is of the Spanish anC
Moorish type which is in keeping with thei
surroundings. We were most fortunate II
, finding a cheerful homelike place to sto,
while in the city at the Spear Mansion.