Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1916-03-16
"A LETTER FROM FLORIDA

The following is an extract off letter
to Mrs. John Stephenson, from her son
Wesley, who is spending few months
in Florida:
I took the Oreola" from Jacksonville yester-
day afternoon, arriving here at Sanford today
noon This point is something over hundred
miles from Jacksonville by rail and several
times that far by the winding st Johns River.
The river leaving jacksonville is SO wide one
can scarcely distinguish things the shores,
but on awakening this morning we found it so
marrow the stern almost touched the banks in
making sharp turns. 1t is lowland all the way,
probably only few spots being above water in
the rainy SEASON. You see a few orange
orchards, many nnkempt palm trees, and cattle
looking poorly than those that have
suffered a severe winter on the Canadian pl .lns;
lots of dusty looking Spanish moss dropping
from the trees, and occasionally some green
mistletoe, The trip is not very scenic for one
who has travelled much.
Sanford is on Lake Monroe, small lake, and
the head of navigation for large boats. 1t is
town of five or six thousand. Celery, is King
here. They are busy shipping by carloads
celery, lettuce and small or Chinese cabbages;
you see acres and acres of green and yellow.
Many straw Wberries are grown also, but the
northern demand keeps the price high here and
we see but few of them.
have eaten in Florida my first Spanish pea
nuts direct from the shell. That's the kind
they salt, and each nut contains three and
usually four kernels, filing the shell complete
ly. in contrast to the great quantity of shell and
small quantity of kernel we have been ae-
cnStomed to-
They do not love a northerner here, but I
know their dialect so we'll that they can't guess
my pedigree. The Northerner is legitimate
game ia Florida. Jacksonville, as near as I
could discover, and two fayorite sports are to
the native, fleeing the tourist; and to the
tourists, seeing the movies. 1t is laughable, and
almost pitiable, to see the tourist. desperately
intent upon enjoying his trip to the Southland,
walking about the streets of Jacksonville until
he is dead tired. and finally finding his enjoy
ment in a movie. Most people would enjoy
themselves more at home.
And pity the unsophisticated traveller. The
season is short and SO the pirates must plunder
while the plundering is good. No one marks
goods in plain prices: none seem to expect to
see you more than once, SO each dips deeply
that once even the fruit vender on the corner
has no placards for his wares but levies on you
whatever sum he has guessed you will stand
for.
But Jacksonville is Mecca only for the visitor
who thinks he is enjoying himself. There are
two other kinds the ordinary visitor who knows
how to enjoy himself aNd goes to some small
lesser known place for quiet and inexpensive
comfort; then there is the visitor extraordinary,
or sometimes called the 'real thing he goes to
the fashionably expensive places like Palm
Beach and Miami, where he doubtless finds
comfort. but as to quietude. 1 cannot tell you
till get there.
Sanford il one of the quiet places, hal dly
wintering place, yet considerable number of
people come here to rest and enjoy the warmth /