The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1913-12-04
PAGE THREE
FROM FLORIDA
Delray, Florida.

short articles occasionally for your
good paper IL you cared to print them,
that they might know how we were
enjoying the winter in the sunny south.
These friends some of whom spent
last winter with us in Florida, realize
that while We escaped the wintrry
blasts and icy sidewalks we also en-
dured many privations while away
from home. Verify the most luxurious
ly furnished cottage o~btainable lacks
articles We couldn't well do without at
home. to say nothing Of the good things
we left stored in a neighbours cellar in
Neutrality-suspicious., canned fruit,
pickles and jelly, while We lived all
winter out OF a tin and paper sack.
Nay verify, this hand to mouth way Of
living is not relished by the frugal
housewives Of South Dakota. Our
men folks took kindly enough to this
new mode Of living II only We would do
the marketing, while they fished. stay.
ed at the pavilion OF the beach watch.
ing the bathers and swapping stories
with the other idlers.
About a month ago when that cold
wave swept over South Dakota we
shivered and thought Of and talked
about Florida's sunshine fair and
balmy air. But the blizzard passed
away and the fine Indian summer
weather that followed was so pleasant
We wished We might stay with the
good Brookings people. Finally the
time came when we must either buy
our winters supply Of coal or leave
the country. Our fine weather con-
tinued till the morning of leaving but
we ran into a rainstorm In eastern
Minnesota, and at Lacrosse 1t was
raining right smart" as the Southern
ers say, and 1t was raining in Chicago.
in Indianapolis and In Cincinnati, and
to add to the gloom the head Of the
family" was sick unto death all day
and night till I felt / ought to have
left him to come with Mr.. and Mrs.
Douglas. Better to have all the in
valids n n party. During the night
however, he revived somewhat so he
was able to carry sundry and heavy
packages from the car to the buss and
depot. The rest of the family are look.
ing fine. We shall miss the good
Brookings people who were with us
last winter. We shall be glad to have
Mr.. and Mrs. Douglas come and v. L.
Mccoy has said and sticks to 1t that
he will be with us o later than
Candlemas day.
But as Samantha would say, ITO
resoom," continued and heavy rain was
falling from Chicago to Cincinnati
and we know not how much farther as
were sleeping the sleep of the just
until We neared Chattanooga. We
awoke with a wish in our heart that
day might be fine as we planned to
visit Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge,
Lookout Mountain, the National Park
and Military Reservation, the guide in
formed us this reservation contained
6,372 acres with a total Of 1,071 monu-
ments. With my pencil l marked these
figures right down, so / hope you will
not be as skeptical as I was. As we
passed monuments, observation towers
mounted guns, ETC., the guide shouted
through a ~megaphone what historical
spots these monuments and towers
marked. The saddest spot he pointed
out was bloody pond" a little pool Of
water on top of the mountain where
the wounded men dragged themselves
to get a drink until the water was red
with blood. A small tree whose top
was cut off by a cannon ball still
stands on the bank looking like a tall
telegraph pole. I did not climb to the
top Of the towers but the scenery from
Lookout Mt, Missionary Ridge with
the Tennessee valley below was un-
rivalled. | never saw a place that had
so much to attract ones attention
The guides description of places was
so interesting. The cemetery is in the
valley near the city (Chattanooga).
We were told that $780, 900 men were
engaged in the battle of Chickamauga
and the killed, wounded and missing
was 33 per cent Of the troops actually
engaged, over a score Of regiments Of
both armies reported a loss from 40 to
20 per cent. The guide told us that
Chickamauga was the most fiercely
contested battle Of the civil war. He
told us many very interesting Things,
some funny things, as well. Near the
cemetery which Is on the outskirts of
the city we. passed and our guide said
this is what We call the Big -Four.
That, said he, Is the distillery; there 10
the hospital; there is the coffin factory
and there Is the cemetery" A little
farther on he said in that fatiron build
ing lies Chattanooga greatest peril.
The basement and first floors are occu.
pied by the distillery company and the
floor above is the suffragette hail."