The Meeker herald., 1909-02-20
FOOLED BY
A NAME

These soft. syrupy names for
towns" began travelling man ~ he
bit OF the end Of his perfecto saw
agely. never any more Of EN- for
mine: I've got to know after this
all about town, Just what size map
1t breaks In on, and some more things
before I'll fall for its purity name.
There may be lot Of good towns
with mystic, euphonious names that
you'd rather have in your mouth than
a bite of chocolate. but they don't get
my money. Nope! Nix! Hue uh! I've
got to know more'n just the name aft
er this.
Here's what I'm getting At" says
the reminiscent drummer. Something
made me think Just now Of my trip
down through Florida = somebody
spoke Of taking a run down to Miami.
and reminded me Of it-and ! recalled
my little stay ut zolfo Springs.
Nov. Just take that name Zolfc
Springs and roll your tongue around
1t once or twice. Pretty good. amt II?
Doesn't it just sort OF conjure up pipe
dreamy effects Of broad hotsl piazzas
and fluffy. chiffony. pink-cheeked
southern bellies floating around, and
neat little tables here and there with
mint juleps and settler bottles and
. things ON EN-? Amt that the sort OF
truck that fiits right into your mind
the minute you say .Zolfo Springs?'
Can't you look out through the palm
trees and see the crimson sunset on
the job? You can feel the balmy Flor
ida breezes on your cheek, can't you
and hear the tinkle of the ma>a-
iolins and-well. you know? Doesn't
that 'Zolfo Springs name Just bring
up all that sybarite stun. though?
We'll, 1t was about this time Of
year was in Florida. and had 10
run down to Fort Meyers and some
other towns down in there for day
or two. l can't tell now Just where 1t
was heard the name, but | woke up
one morning with 'Zolfo Springs rub
bing and beating against my tympan-
UNI. It struck me that 1t would be
better to stop OF some place like that
than to try to make the run down to
Fort Meyers over night. I'll Just stop
on at the springs l says to myself.
until morning and then jump ON down
to Fort Meyers And 20 did.
"On the way down the conductor
came up and asked me: Are you sure
you want to get OF At Zolfo Springs?'
Certainly told him. But did
not get wise. Within half 4 mile OF
the springs he came along again and
asked me II l wanted to get OF there.
and II i was acquainted with any one
at that point. I told him was, junt
to keep him quiet
After. the train had gone on I
looked around 70 SO wHers they'd left,
me- There was little shed Of sta
ton and that was all. except about
three feet of sand everywhere you
stepped. / looked around for wagon
to take me to the hotel, but there was
none There wasn't = human be-
ing or house in sight. 1t was getting
dark, too. started up the road and
after I'd walked about two miles, car
rying my grip. through the sand, /
came upon = colored man. Where's
the hotel!' asked him. Amt none
he says.
HE volunteered. though. to take me
up to Cap'n Smiths house to see II
I could get lodging there for the night,
as that was the only house within
walking distance. We arrived At the
captains place. an old shack. At IL
o'clock. 1t took me about 20 minutes
to talk him into keeping me over
night, and then he had to 10 back to
talk 1t over with the old woman