The Mt. Sterling advocate., 1902-02-04


Ky., U. S. a.
My DEAR Son You will doubt
less be surprised to get a word from
me and find that / am summing a
few days in this ''historic land.
But / am not feeling lonely in the
least on account of the congenial
crowd that accompany us, all being
Kentuckians and nearly all from
Mt. Sterling. The little excursion
company of us are VIM. Sutton and
wife, Mrs. Dick Smith and daugh
ter, Davis Orear and wife, DR..
Stoops, VIM. Smathers and wife, Of
Sharpsburg, and myself and family,
making eleven besides the children.
We all left Mcintosh, Fla, Jan.
Is, 3 p. M, on the "Plant" Rail-
road System for Port Tampa. ar
irving there at about a. m. Jan.
10, stepping off the train onto the
boat in Tampa Bay Harbor found
for this place to start at near Z a.
m. Jan. 10. At about s O'clock our
little boat, "The Mascotte," loosed
from her moorinys at the Tampa
docks and started with her precious
cargo, including our little excur-
sion party, for Havana de Cuba via
Key West. After we had all eaten
breakfast our little company as.
sembled on deck for a view of the
bay and gulf or ocean cracking ouI
jokes as to who would succumb first
to the sea-sickness general with all
persons. The morning was beauti-
full, clear and calm, affording us a
fine view of the bay. ST. Petersburg
and lighthouse as we steamed out.
Our little party was much inter
ested in watching the antic freaks
of certain kind of fish that seemed
to follow the boat to show us how
high and gracefully they could leap,
About 10 O'Clock some of the ladies
Of our party had to retire to their
berths from sickness, from which
all recovered except Ellen. She
remained very sick unto the end.
We spent a beautiful day on the
voyage, stopping at Key West at
Midnight to make changes of both
freight and passengers. The city
and harbor presented beautiful
night-scene to one not accustomed
to such sights. From there to Ha-
vana the voyage occupied all our
time from 2 o'clock until about 10
a. m. On landing we went straight
to the botel, where we enjoyed a
fine view of the bay and within 200
yards of the debris of the Maine
WITH her many points projecting
out of water. After eating dinner
the proprietor of the hotel supplied
us with an English speaking guide
and we boarded the, street cars for
sightseeing and took in the city,
taking in the cemetery, which sur
passes my ability to.describe. And
thus we spent the evening, and all
seemed delighted with the first
half day spent and returned to the
hotel for good nights rest. Tie
next morning we changed our man.
ner of travel, secured rigs, accom-
panied again bygthes congenial and
accomplished proprietor of hotel.
First we drove to the old Cathedral,
in which Columbus remained bur.
led so long, viewed its massiveness
and grandeur, built in 1856, with
altar costing $4,000. Then we
took in the Spanish Club House, a
modern, up-to-date structure in
keeping with the town. Then to
the Market House, Botanical Gar
den and Governors summer palace
and back to our hotel for dinner,
after which, with our guide, we all
boarded a boat, crossed the bay to
view in and through the famous
MORO Castle commanding the en-
trance to the harbor. Uncle Sam
has it in control now and we enjoy
ed a thorough investigation OF its
strength and picturesqueness