Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-03-03

NASSAU, y. P. BAHAMAS, Feb. 1G, 1908.
Editor Democrat:
Assuming that you will Oe glad to hear
from me, will begin by telling you how
| happen TO be here.
Twenty-nine years ago this month, L
married a girl in Auburn, Maine, and we
have got on SO well together, that we
are DESTROYS to continue the partnership
for at least twenty-nine years more. But
my partner came perilouSly near leaving
me month or six weeks ago, by the
much travelled but highly dangerous
pneumonia road, and the doctor told me
that as soon as she was able TO be moved,
| would do well to take her TO some place
sufficiently far south, where she would
have the benefit of warmth and sunshine,
which would do more for her sore lungs
and throat than he could do. Hence
here we are ut Nassau, on the island OF
New Providence, the principal one of
the Bahama group, 700 miles south OF
New York, and about POO miles east of
southern Florida.
Our hotel is nearly as large and nearly
as good as the Poland Spring House, or
any of the great White Mountain hotels
In front is the ocean, with many different
shades of blue and green. On the other
three sides of the hotel is a tropical gar
den with numerous cOcoanut palm trees,
palmettoS. rubber trees, hibiscus, trum-
pet vines. bell flowers, and almost all sorts
and kinds of tropical vegetation in great
abundance For the convenience OF
visitors, these strange trees and shrubs
are all properly labelled. There is one
specially interesting, called the "Whis-
pering Bean" so called because the
seeds are something like an enormous
string bean, and rattle in the pod when
dry and swinging on the branches. The
natives here call this tree ''WOman's
Tongue because il rattleS so.
The amuSementS are principally sail
ing and driving. The roads are perfect
and for the most part are along the banks
of the sea, giving almost constant views
of the ocean. But aside from these adj
vantageS. the roads are not at all equal
for scenery TO those within radius OF
twenty miles from South Paris.
One of the fayorite excursions is sail
in a steam launch to little near by island
called Hog Island, where for twenty-five
cents one has bath house and so forth,
and all the fruit that he can eat on the
premises. The fruits are displayed on
benches, and consist of oranges, bananas,
grape fruit, and others too numerous to
mention. We were interested 10 know
the largest number of oranges that could
be eaten on single occasion, and we
learned that the record was thirty-two.
The man who achieved this greatness
apologized to the proprietor for having
rather exceeded the limits of hospitality,
but the proprietor affably replied, ''Oh,
don't mention it. that is all right. You
know the name of this place is Hog
Island am sorry to state that am
still twenty-four short of the record
number of oranges to be eaten on a sim
gle occasion.
The people of the island number about
1900, of which twO-thirdS are cOlOred,
but they are the politeSt, most agreeable
cOlored people we have ever seen. The
whites are English or of English descent,
for it should be remembered that this
island of New Providence is English,
belonging to His Majesty King Edward
VII. There are few CubanS and Portu-
geSe, and also some of the descendants
of our own people from the Southern
States. who found it convenient to come
here during and after the Civil War.
The climate at this season of the year
is from y to -, but is tempered by al
most continual cooling breezeS from the
ocean, so that one does not find the heat
oppressive, but judge that it must be
oppressive to the permanent residents,
for certainly they have the look OF THAT
tired feeling, and they speak with a
drawl, in comparison with which the so
called New England drawl is absolutely
quick speech.
The other night | went to a colored
meeting of the denomination known as
"ShouterS," for as the name implies,
their religious enthusiasm is in part ex
pressed by loud shouts. Frequently the
brethren and sisters will be so overcome
by an excess of religious emotion, as TO
fall in a sort of rigid cataleptic fit, and
will remain unconscious sometimes for
several hours. The theme of the sermon
seemed 70 be the Importance of accept
ing belief which will enable the be-
levers 10 put on Gospel Shoes, so that
they may stand firm on the last great
day, on the unknown "Sea of Glass.
OF course it is easy to criticise, but it
struck me that the preacher might have
found some subject of more immediate
practical import, and this feeling increas-
ed when at the close of the sermon, the
preacher himself passed round the plate,
and noticed that when any silver coin
of considerable size, or bill was placed
on it, he Immediately took the coin or bill
from the plate, and put it in his own
pocket-which, have no doubt, was
worldly wisdom on his part.
CHARLES l.. CASE.