The Republican journal., 1903-02-19
St. Augustine,s.' ,s.'fIorida.
Note. of Journey from Northport I" the
Land of Flowers" via Charleston >. T..
correspondence of The Journal.

correspondence of The Journal.
ST. AUGUSTINE, FLA, February, 1903.
Tl,e readers of The Journal may be in
terpsted in rambling sketch OF the
,post ancient city of the United States,
and | will attempt to give few pic
1lles of this quaint and picturesque
,ld town as have observed it during a
fhree weeks rambe through its narrow
WAYS and by-ways. l have found 1t so
interesting and enjoyable that the pleas
llre of it will never fade from my men,
ory. But to begin at the starting point:
Saturday morning, Dec. Goth, at sunrise,
we left Lewis wharf, Boston, on the
good steamship Seminole of the Clyde
line for Jacksonville, Florida, via
Charleston, S. C. 1t was delightful
run all the way. The weather was fine
and the sea Just frolicsome to give the
shin that long and lazy roll that made
its passengers feel that they were per
fectly at home on its rolling deep. But
a shadow came over the dreams OF some
If them when we were 100 miles north
of Hatteras, and very reluctantly they
paid their tribute to old NEPTUNE With
many a sigh for their native turf. Inc
thirf day we reached Charleston. but as
oul stav here was limited to two hours
we saw very little of the place. what
we did see pleased us very much.
We gazed long and reverentiy upon elo
Fort sumter that guards the entrance
70 the larbor. Ever since boyhood days
# had ever been our desire to look upon
shat fortiGcation which received the
firs- shot that signalled the beginning
Of hat long and terrible struggle Oh
+o,,~ wear, that was to bring peace once
,,o,.,.. 10 A united nation, Its battered
walls have been repaired by the gov
..,-,roent. and the old fort looks no" is
+ ,}.d i'm 1e61. ON the opposite siiore ls
1,o,~ \1oultrie. silent and still, its site
r,o,, ,.ed as park and resort Tor Vlsl-
-5rs fYom the North. Leaving halleS-
-5.,, ..hout noon we reached JACKSON
.-i.l. abont II o'clock the next Gay.
,+..r landing we found We had about
.o,l,. }.o1Irs to 10 the town IL before TAX
,,.c- -h4 train for st Augustine, ana
wiz, some friends we Stroiled over tlle
,i+v Ne found it d very busy, Thriving
1,lace notwithstanding it suffered great
" IN ire about three years ago, when
3esfroved a large part Of the business
.av-ra 1t is fast building up, ana the
rr,]diups erected are very beautiful ana
substantial. There are many pretty
drives and parks, and about three miles
mt reached by electric cars, Is an os-
rich farm. Tie grounds are enclosed
gz, a high fence and they are dlVldeu
.u+o sections by wire netting. Inc sec
slows y.l4.re the ostriches are kept are
5aree and roomy. The females are Kept
~ themselves. There are l3o OF tllelh,
aron and small. They are an ungalhly
..oking bird, yet attractive, Win d
.+r;dn While walking which gives one
30 in,prpssion of a feeling OF lmpor-
-aree They strut up to the raliIhg ana
..c.-a their hat heads, long bills ana
.o51d. bright eyes at you, as much as
.o saw WHO are you. anyway: II one
were to reply tile response Woulu oe'
.,1yau Won are a comical creature to
say The best" They deposit their eggs
.,, 4 hole about Is inches deep and
,4t4ra certain number have been laid
~nay take turns in sitting upon them.
rl,as4 eggs are large and heavy. They
a4a generally taken up as soon as
4td and when erough are gathered
tN4v are placed in an Incubator ana
.,a44hed out in about 4S days. Inc
males are black and the females are
,rav The males furnish the most
oeautjf1ll and costly white plumes.
They are taken from the lower part OF
4F,eir wings, and are pulled, | believe,
,-,r;ce a wear and sent to NewI ork where
-hgy 80 through a process OF making,
and are then distributed to the dealers
through the country. The gray feathers
.,f 4hp females are much less expensive
and are mostly bought by people OF mod
crate means. An exhibition is given
syery day of hitching an ostrich to d sui
KEY which is driven by an attendant.
They are swift of foot and get over
nile in an amazingly short time when
sneered it is dangerous to trlfie with
mem. They strike terrible blow with
heir legs. They strike forward with
.,,,eat force and the toe, or claw, or what
ever one may call it, cuts deep and leaves
= raqped wound This is q branch OF the
4a,m IN California, and the experiment
s growing quite successful. There are
also many other rare and beautiful
ojrds to be seen here, from almost every
,,larter of the globe. China, India ana
.-o,1th America are represented by the
most lovely specimens, from the SUB
Fued color of the American eagle to the
cav plumaged birds OF the tropics. ] he
.linators. monkeys and wild cats are
alsn well worth seeing, and We ADVISE
all who to 90 Jacksonville to visit this
very interesting place.
.fal. T.