The Newtown bee., 1903-02-13
A PICTURE or LIFE IN FLO2!D
BY REV JAMES F. II TT.

A PICTURE or LIFE IN FLORIDA.
 BY REV JAMESP II, ,YT
 A letter, which recently appeared in the columns of THE BEE, from Florida, reminded me of q promise made during my brief visit in NewtOwn, last OctO- Der, to communicate with former parishionerS, neighborS and friends by an occasional letter. As the bee eX- tracts and conveys the essence of tlow- CTS, so l will ask this BEE to receive and convey to many homes the essence or essentials of Florida life in this thriving young city on the west coast of our peninsula. Imagine yourself coming from Tampa across as beauti full sheet of water as our country posseSSes-Tampa Bay. This bay is a trinity of bayS-three in one; for Old bOrO Bay, on which the city of Tampa is situated, extends northeast from the larger bay. which opens into the Gulf of Mexico, for all three bays are really one. As you glide out of Hills bOrO bay into Tampa bay you can see the gleam of electric lights in St Pe- terSburg on the west side: or, if your trip be in the day time you will catch d glimpse of this beautiful city by the sea, with it's wide streets, lofty towers, long wharveS, fine residences, numer- ouS boats and sailing vessels and steamers as they move in and out and along the bay front. You can land either at the railroad pier and take d train up to the depot, wh gre is d ter minus of a railroad line, where trains or sleepers go through to New York, or you can step from the steamer on to the city duck at the foot of Fifrh ave nue and walk up five blocks to the home of the writer, fpr the parsonage and church occupy the corner of Fifth avenue and Fourth street. stand on the veranda over which. as in every room gluwS electric light, turning night into day. The best room in the house in this climate is this room out side the house. You will see diagO- nally opposite our fine park with it's pav9d walks and tropical trees or plants. graded. terraced. planted and cared for by the Ladies Lawn Inn provement Association, who have also surrounded the whole park with broad paths and live oak trees: just opposite are eight graceful palms: farther away are the towers of our churches and our fine High school and Industrial building. Beyond are pleasant homes as far as you can see, with the bay VlS- ible on the east. our lake on the west, and the main street. Sixth avenue, block away Step around the corner and see this, our Broadway, lined with stores. some of them of brick, three stories high. Notice the crowd of peO- pie thrOnging the avenue, the trolley car about to start for distant D,S>ton City on the Gulf, and eventually for Passagrille. the Cuney Island of this region. Do not overlook the ''AnneX.' so SOlidly built, and the largest audi tOrium in Florida. with a superb organ, all the gift of a Connecticut man, F.. II. Tomlnson. Then retrace your steps to the parsonage yard and lawn, where we can show you these trees and shrubs: Orange, pomegranite, camphor, date-palm, grape fruit. cactus and century plant, Spanish bay Onet, pineapple, banana. plum, cherry. oak and various lowering bushes Now cross the park and enter our Fair building. Here is a bewildering dis play of hundreds of Southern fruits, plants, flowers, textile fabrics, pre- serves. curiOS, etc. d fine exhibition of what nature has done for us and of the miracles which are wrought on and out of Florida soil. If there were time l should invite you to accompany me in walk to the beautiful orange groves, uOW lducll WILL II Cilt pinerieS where thousands of pine apples are fruitng, the sugar cane fields and vegetable gardens, where all the usual vegetables are found and the strawberries are ripcning in Feb ruary: and then to ride with me miles and miles over sandy roads, it is true. but through whispering pines. grassy fields, and by the side of orange and grape fruit groves. the trees bending under the weight of fruit and the air filled with it's fragrance. But before you leave us and say farewell to Flor ida for this time, enter our church, beautiful and ornate with its low double windows of stained glass and exquisite rose window over the pulpit. You will hear the best choir in South Florida and see d congregation from all over the United States which some | times. as last Sunday, not only fills the seats. but the aisles, pulpit plat form, veStibule and doorway. a rev erent company of Christian wOrShiper> to whom it is delight to minister. some of them eminent in church and state. The windows and doors are open. It is like June at the North. and birds sing around us. while per haps blizzards rage around our North ern friends Now ''gOOd bye," but | COIllc dSdlIl anu N''llC lp otdS.
 For further information about this place and locality, with numerous en- cravings and illustrations. see the St Petersburg bOoklet, which have sent to all the deacOnS in the three churches of which l have been pastor in Connecticut. and which 1 will send to any one requesting it. J. P. II.
 The next meeting of the Mems club will be held on Tuesday evening, Feb ruary r.. at the Grand Central hotel as guests of Dr A. l.. Schuyler The literary subject, a discussion on "IlOW
 1 would spend a million dollars" vii
 be in charge of A. M. TibbettS.
 MT and Mrs IIolliSter Sage of South
 Britain were present at the valentine sale and supper at the Congregations
 church on Saturday evening.
 Dr H. s. Nichols has his office il