The Harrison times., 1911-11-11
On the Gulf Coast.

acre farm and a nice residence and
ten lots at Alamo beach The resi-
dence lis block and half from the
Lavoca bay. We took up our abode
here October 1S.
| Lavoca Bay at Alamo Beach is
said to be the finest bathing place on
the coast, nice sandy bottom, no
mud and gradual increase in depth.
Nice pavilion and bathing arrange
ments all free. The bank is some 20
feet above water level There are
many grand sights and curiosities
in the gulf coast country. The Jelly
fish is round mass Of white jelly
formation, some four inches through
at maturity with a beautifully
Ifringed cave in one side Of it, An
other Jelly formation, called stingiug
or sea nettles, has four tapering
arms running out from the main
body, which is fiat and about four
inches across. Those arms are al
ways in motion and when they come
in contact with tender exposed
part of the human body, sting like
ncttles.
Another formation Of the same is
round and fiat with a beautiful
flower formation in the center and
fringed along the edge. All these are
lifeless The porpoise or sea hog is
a short black fatty thing between
the fish and whale and is said 10
weigh sometimes more than 1000
pounds, and can swim more than so
miles per hour 1t is harmless but IA
great fish eater, There are sea shells
and curiosities galore,
Indianola, once a great seaport,
was about eight miles from Alamo
beach where we now live. 1t was
on low ground and was overhowed
and washed away in 1878, A hard
and continuous wind from the east
blew the water out over the land,
and, as it returned, it took about all
that was left of lndianola into the
Matagorda bay.
A man told me that at the time
two brothers and a number Of other
prisoners were in jail One of the
brothers had been tried and convict
ed The trial of the other was pend
ing. The sheriff turned them all out
and told them to save all the women
and children they possibly could.
The brother, whose trial was pend
ing, and most OF the other prisoners,
said "We'll take care OF ourselves
and let others do the same, but later
he was killed and the Others killed or
recaptured The one convicted,
with a few Others, part negroes,
said "We'll stay and do our best, "
And they did, and worked hard un.
iii it was all over, and saved many
women and children, the convicted
man acting as captain, and all OF
them were rewarded by being given
free pardon, and the appreeiative
people bought a good farm and gave
to the heroic convict captain, on
which he lived many years, and
made q good citizen, near the scene
of his heroic deed,
Not all who go wrong are alto
gether bad, and if the good in them
was properly encouraged many of
them would make good ritizens, We
should not condone the bad, but
ever be ready TO encourage the good
in all humanity Many have had
the good in them crushed by a
wrong conception of proper treat
ment by the people, especially by
those posing as their superiors, who
instead OF trying TO encourage the
good in them iuname the bad and
shove them on dowpward and
many times environment and mis-.
treatment are wholly TO blame for
their fall and destruction, But | am
DEPRESSING
We have Il fine climate q pleasant
and beautiful country, and Alamo
beach is rs good q place for a town
M ever saw Figs do well and
grow from cuttings The 40-Oere
farm | traded for has made a crop of
cotton this year from the last years
stalks cut back, Vegetation is green
and flowers bloom all the year
round
1t is dry in summer and very dry
now, The planting time is mainly
in February, though some is done
in fall winter and spring Most all
of the water is more or less salty eX.
eept eistern water, and that is not
clear and cold like the Arkansas
springs II il said TO be fine here for
eat0rrh and that Is one thing that
brought my wife and ! here, Ae.