The mirror., 1919-12-04
FLORIDA
Land of Sunshine Air Filled With Melody of Birds and
Perfume of Flowers.
Edith M. Blanchard in Ctica Globe.

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invasion of the Spanish with in
creasing cupidity-and despera-
tion. After facing them for many
months, De Soto left the state with
his company much reduced. his
dream of wealth shattered.
Other adventures visited the
new land from time to time, then
followed the long Seminole war
and the discovery of the Florida
climate by northern wealth and
fashion. Once really started, pro-
gress was rapid-but only two
per cent of the land is yet cult
vated or occupied.
While wandering in the wilder
ness, De Soto once found shelter
for the winter in an Indian village
which is now Tallahassee, capital
of the state. The city is built on
seven knolls and is called ''the
Hill City," as we'll as the City of
Flowers" = being overrun with
roses and blossoms. They are so
thick that in early spring the
place resembles huge hothouse.
The city lies in one of the most
fertile agricultural and livestock
regions. but the immense estates
and old plantations have been
divided many times over. Cotton,
sugar-cane and tobacco still grow
marvelously--but in small lots.
Although Tallahassee has a
population of over 5000, northern
capital has not yet succeeded in
corrupting the place. 1t is still
typically and delightfully."- southern
still the home of the negro
nanny in the bright bandanna.
She comes to town on market days
in an old ramshackle wagon drawn
by a mule. She comes through
valleys, over winding streams, and
purple martins circle above her
head. From the live oaks come
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the song of the mocking bird
from the distance, the twang Of a
banjo-and sometimes she browns
them both out by raising her
sweet old voice in a weird minor
melody.
! On she comes past the cemetery
where a tall monument stands
marked: Prince Murat, King of
Naples. Nearby is another erected
to the memory of his wife. He
was the eldest son of the marshal
of France, made ruler by Napoleon
in 1905 and deposed ten years
later. Visiting America soon
afterward, Murat became fas
cinated with Tallahassee and pur-
chased a vast estate there which is
still called the Murat homestead. u
After becoming a country squire
he showed much interest in local
affairs, and became postmaster, al
derman and mayor. He married
a grandniece of George Washing.
ton.
Tallahassee county is drained by
subterranean rivers. At the time
of the famous Charleston earth
quake, lakes and ponds in the
vicinity disappeared entirely =
leaving quantities of fish high and
dry. Water gradually returned,
however. There is a bottomless
spring in Tallahassee = so-called
because $50 fathoms of line fails
to touch anything solid.
The coolest part of Florida is in
the vicinity of Pensacola, where
light frost sometimes occurs and
where snow sometimes falls. The
temperature has been compared to
! that of southern Italy. Pensacola
stands next to st. Augustine in
age. Its harbor is the finest on
the Gulf, being 81 miles long and
about 3 miles wide. Tons of fish
! from the coast of Yucatan are
brought into this port annually
and the harbor is usually alive
with crafts of all kinds and sizes.
Santa Rosa Island protects the