The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1911-03-01

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reached uncie'S home and were
pleasantly received. and enter
tanned for a good while by other
kindred.
Florida is a beautiful country
and is inhabited By kind and
hospitable people, and l will say
right here, is poor mans coua-
try for farms from ten acres to
farms of forty acres can be
bought on easy terms The best
lands, l was told, could be
bought for thirty dollars per
acre. The hammock lands is
said to be fertile and the best
lands in Florida. The beautiful
truck farms on these hammock
lands will bear any one out in
the assertion.
My stay was mostly in Marion
county, and Marion is said to be
the banner county in Florida.
had the pleasure Of visiting
Ocala, the county seat Of Marion,
which is pretty town, and
have a progressive and an en-
terprising people.
In Florida l had the pleasure
of meeting several South Caro-
linians and their descendants.
The crown:ng feature l5out
Florida is, there are very few
people, both white and colored,
but what own their own homes.
During my stay in Florida l
saw only one place that was
said to be rented.
After spending three weeks
in the neiShborhood Of Reddick.
l accompanied son who was
making a short stay at Reddick:
to Tarpou Springs. Tarpon
Springs is situated on a consid.
erabie body of water known as
Bavu. In this body of water
they say is several springs. This
Bayou connects with the Gulf
of Mexico, said to be about three
miles distant. At point where
the Bayou connects with the
gulf, is situated a lighthouse
All around on the water front
of this Bayou there are many
beautiful residences: with an in
telligent, refined and cultured
people.
Lake Butler, about two miles
east of Tarpon Springs, IS a
beautiful body of water, and
looked to the writer like an
ocean: and then like a lake. Lake
Butler is said to be cne and 4
half miles wide, by three miles
long. Tarpon Springs is the
most beautiful town | saw in
Florida. and is situated in Hills
boro county, and in population.
is composed of many nationali-
ties. and numbers about five
thousand souls. The Greeks is
said to predominant in numbers
and is said to be the most peace
able and inotfensive people in
the world. The Greeks are large
ly engaged in the sponge indus
try, who dive III deep water an d
pull the sponge from the bottom
of the water ard from many
rocks. Occasionally Greek
loses his life from diving in deep
water and staying in the water
too long. While at Tarpon
Springs had the opportunity
OF attending 4 Greek burial and
their burial rites was interesting
to me. The deceased lost his
life, was said, by diving in water
that was more than an hundred
feet deep. and by staying under
the water more than two and 4
half hours.
The cemetery is located a mile
and halt from the town. aud in
the procession TO the grave. the
Priest led, the hearSe following,
and people IN buggies and on
foot following the hearSe. On
arriving at the grave, the body
was placed as is customary and
opened. The Priest taking his
stand at the head Of the grave
with lantern in his hand. and
swinging the lantern backward
and forward and chanting some
service in the Greek language
After this chanting. the Priest
took up a spade half full Of dirt
and threw q part Of the dirt in
the dead mans face. and the
rest Of the dirt, be strung It a
long over the dead mans body.
After the Priest had got
through with his dirt process, be
took two bottles. which Judge
was holy water After flirting
this water over the body, com
mencing at the feet Of the dead
man, be finished with the water
at the dead mans head
-Aficr all these rites was per
formed by ,be Priest, the body
was let down in the grave. After
the body was put down into the
grave, the crowd dispersed and
went back 10 town. leaving the
man that dug the grave, who
was a Greek. to ill the grave
up.
Will now deSist from wrl.ing
any more AZ present III regard