Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-25
c. {. BAILEY TELLS
OF sunny FLORIDA
Writes Argus Of Trip Through South
land With Mr.. and Mrs. Boards
ley and Mrs. VanIiorn.
MEETS ROCK ISLANDERS THERE
Finds Much Of Interest in the Land
of Tangerines. Oranges and
Strawberries.

Basking in Florida sunshine and
revelling in the groves of the luscious
tangerine and orange. George E. Bailey
of this city has found time and inclin-
alton to write The Argus of his visit
to the southland, which he is enjoying
with Mr.. and Mrs. j. NJ. Beardsley and
his sister, Mrs. S. A. VanHorn, in
whose behalf as well as his own he
writes The Argus. Writing from
Belleview, Fla, under date of Feb. 20,
he says:
"A few days ago j. M. Beardsley-
and | should say his good wife-took
your servant and his sister Mrs. Van
Horn on board train and landed us at
$50 that afternoon in the old city of
Orlando there to meet our old friends
and revel in the lusciousness of the
tangerine and orange groves until we
were surfeited to the brim. And we
think we had the best that Florida can
boast of and to this some of your
townspeople can testify since we sent
them four sample boxes of the fruit.
After two days spent in looking over
we hied ourselves to the next town of
Kissimee There we had the pleasure
of the most painfully exquisite ride
ever experienced in an auto, going to
the city of St Cloud, IA miles distant
Sand-just sand and bumps, with the
result that l am sure there is a hole
in the top of the machine and l know
that | have less hair than | had before
! | began the trip, with blue marks
pretty well covering my body But we
got there and stopped over night with
our brother, but shook the town in the
early morning for Lakeland.
/ Meets Former Rock Islanders.
/ AT Lakeland we found our friend
Art Husband (well known to the boys
of Rock Islands postofice), and his
good wife and the belle of Florida
who had arrived just three days before
we did-and if Mr.. Husband doesn't
feel like the biggest man in Florida
J
she was delighted to see US and in
sisted upon us coming to see the lit
tie lady who is oil that queen of
Florida should be- We next took the
train to Plant City, the city of straw
berries. Here we visited the market
and remained long enough to see them
load two cars of the finest fruit. Then
we boarded the cars for Tampa and
the Gasparilla show. Tampa was
alive with excitement and the noted
buccaneer chief of long ago came ur
the bay and took the city and after
much hard strife we drove him and his
crew across the river into the fair
gr0unds-capture
I'VE revelled there two days and tool
q ship for st. Petersburg, arriving
Sunday noon. After dinner we drove
around to ten places before we got
rooms for the night but patience al
ways succeeds When we tired of st
Petersburg we took boat to BradentowI
and landed there at noon and at once
found an old friend of ours making
ice cream, getting from him a dish fol
each of US. We were invited t
his home to see his wife and W.
visited with them until our train came
along to ship US to Manatee an(
across the river TO Palmetto. A night
ride landed us again in Plant City tt
harbor in the smiles of our landlad,
till the following day. Here we me
. Tom Mansil who is doing things herr
and in Tampa. We boarded train OF
the home stretch and arrived herr
whole and full of Florida sightseeing
and sunshine. Oh, it is great! Blu
don't let us forget to thank you agail
and again for promptly getting Thu
Argus and all the news to us ever.
day while we stay in Florida.
Remember US to all our friend
and tell them that we are we'll. W,
will ever remain,
Yours very truly.
GEORGE E. BAILEY"
(Mr. Bailey and Mr. and Mrs. Boards
!; ley and Mrs. FanHorn journey to tn
, SOut bland every wear hut To them i