The Republican journal., 1914-02-12
Home Folks in Florida.
Mr.. and Mrs. f. P. Frost Sojourning at
Fruitland Park Make Two Excursions.

of two excursions Mr.. and Mrs. Frost ha'
made the past week:
The first was to Silver Sprin gs, the terminus
of the famous Ocklawaha rive. trip. Leaving
the Park on the noon tr in we arrived in thu
pretty and good sized town of Ocala about ont
o'clock and went by autos the five or six miles
to the Springs, over a very smooth and wei
shaded road, one part of which, called "Love1s
Lane, was especially attractive. At Silver
Springs the party embarked, few at time
| in glass bottomed boat to view the various
Springs, which are similar to the Sulphur
Springs to be seen in other parts of the State
at Green Cove Springs for instance, which We
/ visited from Jacksonville, aud where Mr.. E. j.
| Morrison is at present located, believe. The
| Spr pgs are Enthusiastically named, ladies Par
lor'', "Gentlemen's Smoking Room, "Devil's
Kitchen, &c, and vary in depth from about
fifteen to sixty five feet. Except where the
Springs are located the water is very shallow
and filled with grasses and lily pads. AT one
point, called Thousand Springs, hundreds of
tiny springs apparently throw ing up white
sediment, may be seen within an area OF few
square feet, but the principal beauty is the
trans parency of the water, which allows the
tiniest spot on the bottom to be seen clearly,
and the irridescen. blue coloring of the rocks,
After making friends with the tame FRA
zor backs" that were roaming about and
waiting for shower to pass. we returned to
Ocala, where we experienced charming bit of
Southern hospitality A former Fruitland Park
girl invited the entire party of thirty eight to
bountiful supper of sandwiches, cakes, tea
and coffee, which she served to US on her lawn.
Fancy a six o'clock picnic Jan. 29th in the
open! After a social hour with some music we
left for the Park. arriving about ten o'clock.
The other excursion was even better. All
available conveyanees were utilized to carry
the party of twenty-four to Leesburg, four
miles away, (those who had carriages or autos
managing to find spare seats for those who had
none,) and there we TOOK the gasoline launch
Dixie" for a most perfect water excursion
over Lakes Harris and Eustis, and through
Dead River. The day was made to order
soft clouds over the sun all day, so that we
might not burn strain our eyes, yet so warm
that many of US sat on top both ways without
wraps, and not sprinkle of rain. The water
had just the faintest ripple. like pebbled glass,
and the Undiscovered old cypress tress along
the banks, the majestic pines, the tall pal
mettos, the occasional orange groves sloping
down to the water the fishing boats drawn up
into the lily pads, the dusky fishermen answer
ing our salute with CLEAN of ivory. all COM
bined to make picture long to be remember
ed. We passed through ttwo drawbridges on
the way, and arrived about noon at Palmetto
Point in Lake Eustis. where stslwart and
fearless gentlemen named Hiscox has an ali-
gator and snake farm. or our benefit he
made some of lis rattlesnakes ''perfor
maddening one till it struck the bag he was
swinging at it. It's fapgs being fastened in
the bag it was helpless, and he took it by the
neck as feaIlessiy as | would kitten, held its
mouth open with stick and allowed us to see
the drops of poison oozing from the fangs
which appear like two long curved teeth, and
act as sort of hypodermic needle. Within
the sound of his rattle, in the shade of tangled
palmettos and bearded trees, our picnic
table was spread close by the water. and after
the inner man was satisfied we embarked
again for short visit to the pretty little town
of Eustis, where we did some shopping and
viewed the new Ocklawaha hotel. rather i'm
posing structure, arriving home soon after
dark. This section of Florida has the highest
land in the State, yet Primrose Hill would COM
pare very favorably with the highest hill about
here, and even that hill they are expecting to
circumvent soon by building a new section Of
road.
Quail are plentiful in the woods, and we have
seen bittern. cranes. ducks and other water
birds, while in cur own yard the bluejays are
scolding coed part of the time, and hooking
birds and cardinals are frequent visitors, re-
calling US with their grand opera arias. have
also seen wrens, mourning doves, red headed
wood peckers and blackbirds, while the BOARD
of Health" (local name for turkey buzzards) is
never far away and it is not uncommon to see
the skeleton and skin of dog or pig in the
woods with not bit of flesh left on them.
We can get good green peas, spinach chard,
n ew beets, carrots, &C. and ripe strawberries
n the neighborhood, and our huntsman neigh
Dor supplies our table with quail. The fisher
man remembers us,too. Although it is not the
flo wer season, some of our neighbors have
70 SEES in beautiful variety besides other bloom :
in vines and plants.
"Comfort Bungalow" is very conveniently
located on the main street in q small grove
| containing variety Of trees. We have Kings
sats umas and tangerines Of the kid glove va
riety. besides the native sour, blood. russell
sweet and California naval oranges. craps
fruit. kumquats and loquats. There are also
mulberry and peach trees in bloom. pear and
other trees, the names Of which We have not
learned.
Judging by newspaper reports from othel
sections Of the country. east and west,we made
NO mistake this winter in coming to Florida
I only wish you IL deg. below zero victimi
light all be here, too. Sincerely yours.
/ EVELYN o. Frost,
Comfort Bungalow" Fruitland Park. Fla.
i Pownal Lodge. F. & A. H.. Of Stockton
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