The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-24


iai warmth of the large open fire
pace for. though the day wa
prlsht and sunny outside, yet Their
was sharp tang to the air tina
made the roaring logs more thar
comfortable. 1t was one of the mod
ern, up-to-date hostelries, not large
but perfect in all it's appointments
that catered to the better class Of
the visitors who come into the Stat,
TO spend few weeks or month
or two. and who, while not members
Of the idle rich, yet are willing to
pay for, and expect, the best that
their money can secure,
We had idly discussed the sea
son, the latest arrivals, the devel-
opment of the State since their last
visit and everything from prepared
ness to presidential politics, differed
and argued and then agreed and had
about exhausted our subjects, when,
with a sudden revival of interest,
my friend from New York remarked !:
There's one question | have long
asked and have never received a sat
isfactory answer. Perhaps you can
give it. 1t is this: Why do the
hotels, cafes and restaurants in Flor
ida feed the stranger out of a tin
CAM"
Same here chimed in the man
from Minneapolis. II, too, have long
sought the solution of this problem,
why do you 'tin-can' the tourist and
serve him Gull grapefruit and or
anges? ! get on the diner in my
city and | expect to eat out of a
can. stand it pretty well until I
commence to get further south. and
when ! at last connect with a Flor
ida train ! look forward to grape
fruit for breakfast foraot it, |
get rusty Gull inst I'D of the beau
tiful canary, waXy fruit that | have
been accustomed to at my club in
the city"
"Cussing the dining-car people |
console myself with the thought that
when | get to Jacksonville I'll be
rewarded. Again I'm handed a Gull.
Remembering that Jacksonville is
not in the citrus or truck belt. | just
know that I'll revel in fruit and fresh
vegetables in Miami or Tampa, but
when ! reach those cites the 'cull'
has followed me, and the tin can is
still in evidence. A stroll around
the streets discloses second and third
grade oranges, grapefruit and vege-
tables in the stalls and grocery
stores. A lunch in the cafes brings
the same result. The same rusty,
SCARED fruit; the same fiat, insipid,
tasteless vegetables, yet we know
that Florida produces the finest in
the citrus line and her truck crops
are no less noted"
MY experience has been the
same" said the New Yorker, "and
another curious thing, can buy bet
ter fruit and truck in the New York
market and at a less price than
can buy here. Why, the stuff they
have on the market in your town, :
turning to me, sis what the dap.
push-ca men hand out to the East
Side What's the answer?
Il can cap that | said Last
winter in a certain town up the
line. and neighbor to my home city,
| was stopping at new, tip-top
hotel, just opened. and went in the
dining-room for breakfast. Noting
on the menu that griddle cakes were
billed for that morning and being
very fond of them, | included them
in my order. When they were reach
ed in due course of time1 picked up
the syrup pitcher and on observing
it ! saw it was not Florida syrup. to
which | am more than partial, but
some suspicious looking fluid, | call
ed the waiter and asked what il was.
Maple syrup. SIR he replied Maple
syrup | echoed, you mean 'Mapeel-
ine,' don't you? Yes, sir, dat's it,
he grinned. Well | returned, you
take il back and bring me some Flor
ida syrup. In a few minutes he re-
turned with the information that
there was no Florida syrup in the
hotel.
Calling the head waiter, whom
had known for some years, | re-
quested him to send out and get me
a bottle of Florida cane syrup. to
which he gladly assented. In a short
time he returned with a long face
to tell me that there was not bot
tie, pint, quart or gallon of Florida
syrup to be obtained in the city, and
that town is in the center of South
Florida, and near it is grown some
of the finest sugar cane that grows
and the best syrup is made from it,
/ know because have seen it grow
ing, eaten it and have the syrup on
my own table
After breakfast | made a canvass
of Tho tnmn,S rrnrnricc and COL, tir,,,nd