The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-01-11
VOx POPULI.
Pleasures of the country.
R&ANM2A&M&RMMr&Rw.
Editor Pensacola Journal:


Editor Pensacola Journal
No one can appreciate the real
comfort and pleasure that a country
life affords until an absence from it
Tor years seeking other sources in
busy cities or travel in many states
for what may only be secured with
less exposure to temptations and a
sense of Independent ease as in the
country. Back again to tread in free
dom the unpolluted soil, where the
football gives back no echoing sound
from the yielding grass. breathing the
air. pure. and sweet from the grassy
helds or pine-scented forest, one feels
like taking a new lease on life.
But conditions have undergone
many changes since wlen country
life was abandoned years ago and
many disastrous changes are visible
on every hand-changes that cannot
be remedied for many decades.
The humble shack of the sGuatter
or settler that years ago furnished
all the comfort of shelter and warmth
his humble life required, no longer
gives him the needed protection, al
though the pine knots burn as bright
on his fire place and the clapboard
roof shelter him from the rain; the
chilling north wind Is no longer vest
bound by miles of virgin forest and
his poorly built house is penetrated
on many sides by an air that almost
chills the marrow in the bones. His
natural protection disappeared before
the axe of the log man to feed the
ever-devouring saw mill, when the de-
mands of greed and civilization were
alike satisfied. Ranges for an unlim-
tied number of cattle and sheep which
grew fat on rich grasses are no long
or productive as feeding grounds; ex.
posing the soil to the intense heat Of
summer by the removal of protecting
foliage, has destroyed or rendered
non-nutritions many varieties of the
native grasses and all that is left to
the wandering herds and fiocks is
tasteless grass. and the coming of
cold weather find them neither shell
ter nor feed for their gaunt forms.
Before these disastrous changes
were made throughout the country.
the forests were gay with bright
plumaged birds and vocal with songs
warbled from the threats of migratory
birds from the far north. None of
these attractions exist to-day. The
pot hunter" has been abroad in the
land and has made such a merciless
slaughter of the feathered tribe that
scarcely a chirp is heard among the
'black-jacks,' and if one more brave
OF courageous than another. the dead
ly shot gun in the hand of some idler
is there to take its life, as the writer
witnessed a few Sabbaths ago.
One of the most desirable of in.
sectiYerOus Of the birds common 10
this locality had lighted on a dead
pine tree and had barely settled on
its perch before a deadly gun was
aimed and discharged and brought
the poor thing to the ground in the
IagOnies of dissolution. This cruel act
was done by well-dressed man, but
a violator of both a sacred and stat
ute law.
He did not see me, and when he
left the. writhing bird where it had
fallen, / sought the spot and ended
the agony of this act of unwarranted
cruelty by dispatching the bird. I
do not know the duties the law de.
fines for the game warden" to per.
form. whether he is TO look after
offenders as closely on the Sabbath
day as on other, days. l think he
would find as many offenders on that
day as duEing the week.
EXINSPECTOR.