The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1910-12-02

places In its path, greatly dam
aged st. Augustine, serves to
call attention to this our Oldest and
perhaps most interesting city. The en-
tire business section of the city was
flooded with inrushing sea water, while
the wind and waves created havoc, the
water pouring over the famous sea
wall.
The spirit Of manana-tomorrow--is
SO visible in st. Augustine the moment
the traveller alights from his train that
he does not need to be told the Span
fish once lived in and ruled the town.
There Is not another city In the uni
ted States. not excepting such few typ
ically alien towns as lie along the Mex
ican border In the far southwest, which
la so foreign. No matter where the
visitor goes he finds reminders Of old
Spain. constantly beckoning him to be-
hold her ancient glories.
Yet here there Is q delightful blend
ing of the old and new. Spain left
many old buildings which are quaint
and odd In their typically Spanish and
Moorish architectural features. and
their methods of building are still fol-
lowed TO q considerable extent. adapt
ed. Of course, TO modern needs. 1t is
nearly q century since Spain coded
Florida Il the United States. but st.
Augustine remains as a living reminder
OF the rule Of the Don, and the shadow
of ths Andalusian regime remains. But
II 10 q shadow without gloom. Every
where in this old, old city the spirit OF
Spain il breathed, but only to the won
der and delight OF the visitor, never
with bitter memories.
The wealth OF many miilionaires has
been layished on st. Augustine. Realiz-
Ing that the chief charm OF the old city
was its antiquity and that Its monu-
ments and structures left by the Span
ish were necessary 10 its life, as 1t
were. the ancient landmarks have
been preserved or restored. and many
sections are as Spanish rs they ever
were In the days of the naughty COVER
nors of CASTLE. The Spanish flag float
ed two centuries over the bastions OF
San Marco. and were 1t to be suddenly
raised again on that old fort the Span
ish effect would be complete.
San Marco. by the way. is probably
the greatest object OF curiosity to Wis
ltors, The United States government
has renamed the place Fort Marion,
but modernization cannot take away
Its quaintness nor It's charm. Over the
door Of the sally port, the coat of
arms OF Spain still looks out, carved In
stone. and nearly as sharp as In the
days when 1t came across the ocean
and all the Fort Marions" In creation
cannot modernize that. It Is one of
the first things the tourist sees when
he e to the old fort, and 1t pre-
pares him for the typicaily Spanish
things he win find further on.
Visitors like to stand long in the
shadow of the walls of Fort Marion,
and climb 10 it's watchtower at the cor.
ner Of the rampant The sentry toweys
TOO. are attractive. and the place is Wis
tied over and over again. What there
Ia In this old fertilization that exerts
80 subtle q charm Is a mystery. Other
places there are in this country which
have more OF history and a great deal
nor OF Importance, bat they have not
the power to attract. To me the fact
that II is the only example OF medieval
strongholds on the American continent
is something OF a reason, and doubt
less others are similarly impressed.
The spirit Of Spain hoyers over The
old fort In imagination ono sees the
soldiers OF centuries ago lolling about
the place. gambling, dueling, quarrel.
Ing. drinking, swaggering. There
these swaggerers and adventures had
their taste of life In the western world.
and there they left their strongest Inn
print that we have In any part OF the
American continent.
Fort Marion is in charge of a rapid
,ire ordnance sergeant Of the United
States army. who takes the visitors to
the many points OF interest. He has
svsry detail of the settlement Of the