The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1912-03-06
Chadman's Florida Letter.
PUMA GoRDA EIopInA Feh

Auic - bhbNdy uuu tuc SUI culUlUk
for shuah. A right smart breeze is blow
Ing from the east, tanning and cooling
that spot on your double chin where old
Sol got in some strenuous work yester-
day. You-all should know that this is
the land of the perpetual tan, the peeling
nose, and the dspple grey skin. The
tennis girls come out every morning with
an additional coat of enamel, and the
feminine yachting brigade lay on coat
Of highly calcined cosmetics and red and
white amorphous powders so thick that
one is compelled to scrspe offs square inch
in order to determine whether his COM
panion is Caucasian, Mongolisn, Mozam-
biquan, SeminolIsn, or Schleiswig. Hols-
tein. But not all the ladies' rouge that a.
way l reckon; there are several who
don't.
But, as said before. and now insist
upon 1t, to-day 10 Sunday and let US all
be charitable. Let us look out the
window ana see the long line of fishing
rods on their way to the pier. Look at
proud Daddy coming down the avenue
stepping to the beat of the church bell,
with fine new rod and reel in his left
hand, his right holding to tapering
whip-lash of seven white.robed children,
and the stylishly dressed mother in the
rear. They all stop in front of the
church; the minister shakes hands with
Daddy and examines the rod and reel.
Daddy goes down into his jeans and
fetches up handful OF chiuk which he
apportions among his eager progeny ac-
cordiug to the demands made by the diff
ferent Sunday school teachers the week
before, and which the progeny have not
forgotten. As soon as the wife and child
ren are settled inside Daddy lopes off in
the direction Of the white capped bay and
joins the procession of anglers. He will
troll back and forth ever aud anon yank-
ing in a big worthless cat, horrible
looking jew, sleek long robslo, fine
black-spotted sea trout, a whiting, a
pompsno, or one of hundred species,
and bis conscience will be as clear and Sc
rene as the Forest county sky in June.
And that gives an idea of social life in
newly settled localities. The freedom,
the democracy, the alb 'ence of cant, caste,
and hypocrisy, appeal to the broad mind
and the liberty loving soul. Daddy will
leave the dock when the church bell
notifies him that the services are over.
He will select from his catch several of
the most savory fish and let he others for
the gulls and the pelicans. He will arrive
at tue church as the people pour out and
compare his catch with that of dozen
others. Then homeward with the catch
and the family, the fish he will clean in a
jiffy and slam into the pan, and that
family will dine with astonishing appe-
tites, the mater and kids from the exer-
else in serving the Lord one way and the
this letter should develop into Talmage
sermon. Mighty few would take a look
at 1t II 1t did, hey, whs'i Let me yell into
your ear trumpet that Florida is not a
poor mans paradise or rich mans play
ground. Like the land in any other
State II must be cleared and cultivated
and fertilized. There are sunshine and
flowers here in abundance but they make
a mighty slim menu. Most all the tenn
perste, semi-tropicsl and tropical grains
and fruits can be grown here, but they do
not grow spontaneous. There are more
fish in the sea and bays along the shores
than the people will ever be able to catch.
and yet a real estate firm in Chicago is
said to be ''sngling for suckers" using
as bait, perpetual sunshine and flowers"
"how to make s., 900 year on acres Of
land without work." and so forth.
But. my oh! how quick space is ex-
hsusted. Just a word about that proposed
TionestA dam. read Mr.. Collins article
10 the REPUBLICAN, with much interest.
His opinion and judgment in the matter
should carry great weight. We are all
familiar with the story OF the mill by the
dam site. This dam will likely go the
same way, should it ever be built, but the
destruction in this instance would be
greater than one mill by a dam site.
That story how rcaught the pelican is
true, aud it has been copied into a great
many papers. have the big fellow
tanned now. DIR. and Mrs. Peirce of War
rem we're here last week, and Mrs. Pierce
came over and took number of photos
of"Hook." l send one along SOS you
all will see that this is not the usual
Florida bull con. The Peirces started
Moth last week, the Doctor having had
lot of sport hunting. The rays of The sun
are becoming hotter than our quality OF
hides can stand, and by the middle Of
March the Moth bound train will be la
den with the hobo, the strsggler, the
wanderer and the tourist-sll members of
the same family OF restless spirits.
WALLACE CHADMAN.