The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-03-30

from the editor of the Register and
agreeable to my promise l am writing
you a few lines this morning.
We are certainly having some fine
weather today, and it promises to De
fine from 0 on. 1t was a great
change from s below at Brookings to
"a in st. Petersburg.
Your surmise was perfectly correct.
| have met many, many friends from
the north. John Diamond was here
and we only wished that Mr.. butcher
might have been with us. We have
spent many days sitting in the sun to-
gether and talking over old times. Dia-
mond has now gone north, but there
are many other people here whom we
know. Carroll Of Kingsbury, Maynes
from Luverne, and Elliott, of Dell
Rapids have been frequent callers.
We have managed to amuse our
selves by riding on the trolleys, going
down on the dock and watching the
birds and the fish and especially the
people there. Everybody seems to
have a sort of a friendly holiday-air
about them and there is no difficulty
at all in picking up good company and
entertaining ones at that.
The hotels here are mostly run on
the American plan. That is best for
tourists who are away from home and
half sick and lonesome perhaps in the
bargain. There seems to be a queer
sort Of fraternity among these tourists.
Think Of walking right up to a perfect
stranger and saying. Good morning!
What is your name? What state do
you come from? How long are you
going to stay" and various imperti-
nent questions like that. Such a pro-
ceeding is always followed by a friend
ship within a minute. In one Of our
northern cities, n would be politely
asked to go on and mind his W bust
ness. 1t is this feeling Of comrade-
ship which goes very far indeed to-
ward making ones stay in st. Peters
burg very pleasant.
You asked me how | enjoy southern
people and southern life. | want to
say to you that we do not come In con
tact with it here. This city is a north
ern city and very few southerners are
here. The cooking is northern; the
tourists who come are northerners and
there is nothing strange about it ex-
cepting that the and customs
are adapted to the tropical climate
here. Southerners come here of
course, the same as others. | have
met people from Georgia, the two
C%arolinas, and Virginia, but the bulk
Of people come from Pennsylvania,
Ohio, Indiana, with ONE considerable
numbers from Michigan and ever from
our own state. Some of these people
are domiciled here, but most of them
go north in the summer time. Some
own cottages, some rent, and many
live at hotels.
There is n thing attractive to us
plain going people, and that is, there
are no schemes for defrauding and
overcharging the tourists, and the cost
of living is about the same as in our
own state.
In regard to farming conditions, etc.
I shall say but little. / would say, ]
do not care for it myself. When it
comes to the problems Of our black
soil, l believe that l know about as
much about it as anybody, but this Is a
different game altogether. We know
nothing of fertilizers, irrigation and
shipping OF fruits and vegetables to the
market. The problems are altogether
different here and | would say freely
that n should understand the condi-
tons thoroughly If he ever expects to
make a home with an income in the
state. Just as any one a come to
our country and make a dismal fail
ure, SO could he come here and do the
same and not half try. At present
think that the property is somewhat
over-priced, but these things will all
adjust themselves and l see no reason
why Florida should not become a play
ground for the American people.
be glad to get back and shall hope to
have a good visit with the Editorial
Department of the Register.