Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1914-05-14

/ ne flowers run IlOt every WhCiS-
nasturtiums, geraniums, oleanders, hon.
eysuckle, the royalty beautiful bougain-
villea and many Others Of brilliant beauty.
The city has its modern Improvements,
the magnificent hotels built by Mr.. Flag
Ter being the finest touring hotels in the
world. The church built by him as a
memorial to his daughter, and where his
body and hers lie in the mausoleum, IS
an artists dream. The woodwork OF the
INTERIOR is marvelously beautiful-the pews
OF San Domingo mahogany cost $loo,OOO
alone. The art glass windows are mir
acles ofimpressive elegance and all the
furnishings are in exquisite taste. The
architecture is faultless and in perfect
harmony with its surroundings. The
church is built of coquina concrete and IS
said to have cost $3.50, 600.
There are so many objects OF interest
about st. Augustine that one cannot be-
gin to describe them unless one should
write book. There is Ponce de Icons
spring, curious well of water that GIBBS
and flows, with cross OF ccquina stones
said to have been placed there by the
famous explorer; the ancient cemeteries,
where most of the bodies are in vaults
built above ground ; the old cathedral,
erected in 1871; the sea wall, which says
to the waters of MatanZas bay, thus Tar
and no farther. We must say word
about the marvellous beaches adjoining
Jacksonville. South Beach is typical
Florida beach of hard, smooth white sand,
300 feet broad and stretching into nat
ural highway eighteen miles long, max
ing an ideal speedway for automobiles
and other vehicles. The Incompatible
beach and the rolling surf make it an
ideal spot for bathing, and we enjoyed
several delightful swims in the ocean.
We cannot speak from experience as
to how desirable place ST. Augustine
may be for work or for business, but we
believe that it is just about the best SPOT
we know of for vacation and rest.
The climate is so salubriouS that one can
ask for nothing better. The town is so
quaint and attractive that there is always
something OF sufficient interest to prevent
one from being bored. The people are
kind and courteous and agreeable. Sit
ting on the porch of our hotel, with the
fresh, sweet breeze blowing in from the
sea, the shining waters of the "river OF
dolphins" sparkling in the rays OF the
morning sun or the silver radiance OF the
moon, with the green luxuriance OF An
astasia island ringing the beach on which
the curling waves break in changing
beauty - oh, we'll, Florida seems just
about all right, and we long for another
visit TO its attractive shores.
A week in Florida was all too short,
but duty called us homeWard, and we
left the land OF flowers, the palmetto and
the pine, with many backward glances.
And yet, when we were back once more
in the dear old Valley of the Shenandoah,
with its rolling hills and sheltered wales,
where the Blue Ridge mountains stand
in hazy beauty like faithful sentinels
guarding the riches OF the land; when
we gazed across the green fields ofgrow-
ing wheat and the warmth and wealth Of
tine -plowed soil; when we saw the
orchards in the beauty of bud and blossom
and reflected on the fruits to follow when
we saw and heard Our own native birds
swinging and singing in the trees, with the
dogwood and the redbud and our whole
some foliage and flowers in supernal
loneliness - why, of course, after all,
there's no place like home.