The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1917-02-08
Letter from SkJw hogan Resident il
Florida

81. petersburg, Florida,
Sunday. January a, 49,.
w. F. Smith
My old friend: T.
Here we have been at our Jour
ney's end since December LIST. 1916.
The new year in its hurry and rush
to get somewhere has made quite a
gap between these two dates. |
heartily realize where and how the
time has been spent 1t occurred to
me this morning that l promised to
let you hear from me sometime after
getting fairly settled in our new
home. and to redeem that promise is
the object of this letter as also TO
bring you in debt to me to the extent
of one letter knowing that you are
FESTIVE and a little hot under the col
, lar until you have discharged your
obligations. On our arrival here on
! Friday, Dec. LIST at O'Clock a. m the
! first person | saw as | stepped from
the car to the platform was she that
was in good old times, Laura Ma
COON. Now Mrs. Harry }. Cobb OF
Minneapolis, whom | had not seen
since she left Harmony some forty
years ago, but whom | recognized as
soon as | saw her. She caught
sight of me at about the same mo-
ment and recognized me at once,
coming towards me. well. here
comes Laura" | exclaimed as VIC
shook hands. About the same time
an old friend l.. w. Valentine of
Spearfish, North Dakota, came into
view and Immediately following him
came Abbott Kendall. formerly OF
Skowhegan, now a proud resident of
ST Petersburg. In jiify we were
hustled out of the crowd of people
and off to an auto at one side in
which was sitting another old time
boyhood friend Harry J. Cobb of
Minneapolis. Harry is now. as you
may not know, entirely blind, having
been so for several years. Hello
Harry" I said approaching the car,
Here we all are" We'll | guess |
know that voice" replied Harry.
How are you Hamlin"? Into the
auto we all climbed and away we
were rolled to the "Dusenbury' one
of St Petersburg's most excellent
hotels, on the porch of which whom
should we discover but a very old
| friend of mine, John Bartlett whom
we never met but once before and
then in California nine years ago. |
used to ship him tons of dried apple
that YOU and | used to help put up at
! those pairing bees in old Harmony
during the COS of the last century
He was then in business at Island
Pond Vermont, but now lives with
his son in Milwaukee, Wis. He Is
now but Sc years old and says he
has no idea of leaving this beautiful
world until he sees the other side OF
one hundred unless something nap
mems to him. He married Valentines
oldest sister and is spending the WIN
ter with him here in st. Petersburg
At the Dusenbury we ate our mrs
breakfast in the State oil FLORIDA
That accomplished and after lltti'
rest, we all went up to Harry Cobb'
very comfortable and inviting apart
tments in which he makes his home
While soiournng in this city after al
hour or two talking over old time
and friends, we returned to our hote
for dinner after which we put our
selves into the hands of an agent VIII
Whisked us over the city into variOu
houses in search of something yer,
hard to find. Just what we Wantet
for rooms. That afternoon and
part G. the next day we disa1pointe,
numerous expectant householders Blu
finally in the afternoon we decide
on the rooms where we now are, MI
and Mrs. Currier of Oberlin, Ohio ant
ourselves. and where we are com
ifortable and contented, all under on
roo
Aho,,% eight days after our arriva
NJ Warr "ud wife with two friend
80 h is" NJ I'd Miss Eddy of Dor
Oh n's, Ms Mass a,riyed and took
cottage not far from '1s we man
age to see more of Ices ot ea '
household nearly every d.'3 IN
doctor is a famous fisherman @nn ~
and Mrs. Mari manage to go Out aHft
ing quite often. The doctor like
fish and they seldom come home
without one hanging from his girdle
if money will buy one. We see
Harry Cobb and his wife quite often
and find him the same old Harry not
withstandng his affliction. He has
wonderful memory of persons and
events in old Harmony where he liv-
ed until he was 16 years of age. In
the summer of 1854 he hired sos and
started for Minneapolis. where he has
made good, and he now is and has
been enjoying the cold winters by
seeking warmer climes in various
parts OF the country. He has been
coming to st. Petersburg for several
years In summer he spends por-
ton Of the time in Minneapolis where
he has a beautiful home; also one
son who is in business there and who
is proving to be chip of the old
block and big chip at that. A
portion of the summers he passes at
his cottage at Old Orchard, seeing
again in Imagination and listening to
the grand old breakers as they climb
headlong over themselves in their
vain effort to come ashore We
had the pleasure of a ten days visit
from Mrs A. A. Healy (Theo) who
came down from New York with her
father and mother to spend a little
time with them in their genial eli
mate She and we all have found it
much to our liking. | must tell you
of the Park which is the one great
feature for so many of the tourists.
1t is located right in the central part
of the city, covering one large block.
1t is well shaded with large trees of
many varieties and under their shade
are laid out grounds for playing