Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1914-05-28
St.AUGUSTINE
OLD ST. AUGusTINE-A PERSON
AL GLIMPSE or PONCE
DE LEON LAND.
BY Stella Marie stutenroth.

view. 0He WAS 10 Uun the SOIQ a
riches Of this new found world a
the other was to find the fountain
youth in which he expected to bat
and become young again.
There was a very good reason (
his wanting to become young agai,
he was in love with a young lad
Donna Inea de Satomayor, and
was confident that after finding Il
fountain of youth he should indeed
as young as the lady of his choice.
Ponce De Leon was born in Il
province Of Leon and was a wortl
member Of the celebrated faml
whose history Is connected with Thu
province. He received his militar
instructions at an age when mos
children are under the care of
nurse. In the field he was the bra,
est OF the brave and when Columbu
fitted out his second expedition Ponc
DE Leon was n OF the first to vol
unteer his services.
Donna Inez on the death OF he:
guardian was left to the special care
OF De Leon who on his first meeting
with her fell madly in love. How
ever. he would not marry her until az
ter he should have his youth renewed
through the agencies OF this foun,
tain of youth Of which the Indians
had told him so much. He made
several unsuccessful attempts to find
1t and on his last voyage he promised
her he would find 1t or s1eaye his
bones to bleach In a Western wild
erness.
it is Just IS probable to believe
that the powers attributed to this
spring existed, as to believe as many
do In the righteousness Of other
springs that are deemed potent to-
day, We must remember that the
Spaniards at that time were engaged
in a career OF activity which gave a
romantic turn to their imaginations.
A new world was open to their view.
IN this delightful country nature
seemed to assume another form. If
the rapid succession of new and strik.
ing Genes could make such an I'm
preston, eyen upon the sound un-
derstanding OF Columbus, that he
boosted Of having found the seat of
paradise, will it appear strange that
Ponce De Leon should dream of dis
covering the fountain of youth.
To finish this love story so that no
one will be kept in suspense | will
say that De Leon did not marry Don
ma Inez, for on his last voyage in
1921, after finding that Florida was
mainland instead OF an island as he
had hitherto supposed, an Indian fired
an arrow into his thigh. the surgeon
was unable to extract 1t and forth
with he was carried OF board his ship
and returned to Cuba, where he died
and was buried with great military
honors. Donna Inez mourned his
death for some years and then was
happily married 10 another of SPANS
respected noblemen.
Tt was March 27. Easter Sunday,
1913, when Ponce first unfurled the
red and yellow banner of Ferdinand
In whose name he took possession OF
che sunkissed land, calling 1t Florida
on account OF the many flowers to
be seen everywhere. In 1856 Pedro
Menendez anchored in the Matanzas
river, and being Of a less romantic
turn of mind than the knight of the
Lion,a at once landed and begun pre-.
parations for the founding Of a city
to be called st. Augustine, In honor
OF the day OF his landing, August %
the feast day In the Roman Catholic
church.
While it looks III the map and
while many believe that st. Augustine
lis on the ocean. such Is not the case
The MataIizas river and Anastasia is
land are between st. Augustine AMI
The ocean and you may reach ths
ocean In half an liour by electric carr
by crossing both river and island.
Menendez died about ten years al
Ter he founded st. Augustine but b
had begun work on ~fortiflcations. an
old Fort san Juan de Pinos, aftel
wards called San Marco, and noy
called Fort Marion, was commence
under his instructions. Now as 70
may suppose Fort Marion, SO Gale
after General Francis Marion VII
wassuecsssful IN helping to eonaue
the indians there, Is . Of the be-
preserved Of all the relics Of SPANS
occupation and one Of the most int
eating Fort Marion is the only 4
alnpleof medieval fertilization on TIL
continent and was 1871 years In bull
ne ii was built from plans 81
Famous French engineer ana Is
splendid exainpieof thaarf of mi
ary engineering as developed A "a
ffv1an Id mAd6 0f coatlif5a (SDa