The Republican journal., 1915-01-28
From the Land Of Flowers.


mythology plays tricks with my memory,
Telemachus left Ithaca some centuries ago to
search for something, while his faithful moth
er Penelope remained at home with her knit
ting. And after long search he found the
thing he was searching for, but found it at
home. In his case it happened to be father,
but in these days many Telemachus starts
off into the world in search of various things;
some looking for health, some for wealth,
some for peace and some for happiness, and
many time the searcher returns to find one or
all these things at the home Preside where
faithful Penelope still bides with her knitting.
On December 9th one Telemachus. whom
will hereafter call T for short, left home on a
quest, and was his companion. and our OBJ
jective point was "Daytona the Beautiful"
where it seems to me that health and happi-
ness are to be found if they exist anywhere
on this terraqueous planet. Oh, yes! That
word is in the dictionary. I ran across it
by accident and saved it for this parti-
cular occasion. After most tiresome
journey, over which I wish to draw the
veil of forgetfulness. T. and arrived
in Daytona at a. m. on December 31st.
Georgia Ford accompanied US and we were all
glad enough to have reached our destination.
even at the unearthly hour of three o'clock in
the morning. By strange coincidence as we
walked up to the Despland Hotel through the
sort warmth and fragrance of the summer
night, the wall Of the Daytona fire whistle
rose on the air, sounding like thousand cats
in back yard, all engaged in good old fash
toned cat fight, and l remembered that the
same thing happened year ago. Why Day.
tona finds it necessary to salute me each year.
when in quiet and unassuming mar ner try
to creep into the town, it is beyond me to tell
you-but the result in this case was gratifying
The Despland, when we reached it, was light
ed, but lock ed-and as the house did not open
until January first, there was no genial night
clerk Oh the lookout for late arrivals and night
providers like ourselves. Georgia had been
swallowed by the hospitable doors of the
Clement home, as came by, and T. and
were alone with big hotel and the city of Day.
tona on our hands. Leaving T. in one of the
comfortable veranda chairs l started to re-
connoitre, finding each step of the way as ia
miliar as though only day, instead of many
months had elapsed since had seen the place
before. But thanks to that fire whistle my
work was not very strenuous. In the window
of the Waite cottage, next door, appeared
kind and familiar face. for the family had been
awakened by the fire whistle, and upon prov
ing our identity we were invited over by Mrs.
Waite and disposed of upon two luxurious
couches for the few remaining hours of the
night. Sleep? We got. think, just twenty
four hours of good refreshing slumber into
those next three hours, and when Leon and
Brownie Waite were astir for their usual
morning frolic. we awoke ready for long day
with nothing to do but enjoy ourselves, and in
cidently to find room where T. could hang up
his hat and feel at home. After breakfast we
started out and soon found the place, where
home comforts were combined with the free
dom of bachelor household. pending the time
when the several apartments and the adj DIN
ing bungalow should be rented for the season.
And here let me say that any stranger com.
ing to Datona might do well to stroll down
Ridgewood avenue in our footsteps until just
beyond the old canal he finds the house of Mr..
F. W. Selover under the great live oaks, with
its pleasant rooms and its nice veranda and its
quiet surroundings, where town life meets
with country life and one sees most attract
i've side of each. Here" far from the madding
crowd" that ever congregates on Beach street,
one may sit and watch the automobiles that
are passing at all times, and listen to the birds
hat in no live L. ~,
it is January. I. has changed his abode for
one nearer the Despand, and is happier be
cause in his present home he comes close to
those blessings of peace. health, contentment
and happiness which he came seeking-but we
both have a kindly remembrance of the house
just beyond the old canal
There have been many changes and improve
ments In Daytona since last winter, but chief
of them all is the broad concrete sidewalk
which has been built on the water side of
Beach street, where those who love the river
and the water birds can stroll and watch them
TO their hearts content, entertained meantime
by the splendid Italian band which plays each
afternoon and evening. The peicans at their
fishing, the gulls, ducks and terms, are all most
iuler estiiig, especially Wnen some KIND cltlZen
brings food for them and they come in like a
huge flock of domestic fowl, close to the shore;
and who never wearies of bird life, derives
much amusement from their eager struggles
to catch the food before it reaches the water.
He finds many of his old friends here and also
many new ones, in the bird kingdom. Flush,
he said, as we stood under a telegraph wire
over at Sea Breeze and listened to the sweet
low note of a hooking bird. Don't talk. You
can never get near a bird and watch him if
you keep talking" And SO l have learned to
stand beside him silently and hear the full
sweetness of these songs. At the Public Lii
brary we have found many interesting books
and magazines concerning the birds and other
natural attractions of Florida and T. spends
some pleasant afternoons in the cosy reading
room. And best of all he has had the privilege
of accompanying Mr.. Clements in his motor
boat down the river on several fishing trips
and of seeing much more of the country than
he would otherwise have done. We have also
spent two afternoons the wonderful Day.
tona Beach, enjoying the ocean, which is ever
new and fascinating to us-and had on the first
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