The Mt. Sterling advocate., 1922-09-12
A TRIP TO FLORIDA
The Land of Sunshine. Oranges
and Flowers, and Return, and
What We Saw and Heard Through
the Periscope of Eyes and Ears.
lcontinued FROM Last issuel

eled In the SAND, ana Wnfle traVeifng
could smell turpentine and tar and
see the turpentine and tar fires in
the distance. All night at Melbourne
and slept as soundly as Rip Van Win
kle did the first 20 years of his nap.
The lady proprietor of the house ask
ed us where we we're going. We told
her we did not know; that we we're
just travelling from place to place
She asked IL we we're travelling for
our health. told her yes. She was
of about 200 pounds avoirdupois. |
asked her If she was native of Flor
ida. She said she was from Georgia.
asked her If she came there for her
health. She said yes. Then l said,
"And you found it, didn't you?" She
said yes. Then the first drive was
over the bridge over Indian river.
The bridge was one mile and seven
tenths long by the speedometer.
Then we were on the Atlantic Ocean.
II was at low tide, but was still
splashing and foaming. Rogers went
in bathing with some chocolate-fed
girls. Then and there was where we
saw our first whale. 1t was travel
ing down the ocean, or, at least in a
western direction. We saw it
breathe, or throw water, and they
say that is when they are breathing.
We seemed to be about 400 yards
from it, 1t seemed to be about 80
feet long. 1t was fishing, or feeding.
Then we saw a school of porpoises at
the same time. They we're feeding
also. That was on the Indian river
and Atlantic Ocean beach.
We stopped on the bridge crossing
the Indian river and caught a mess
of fish-about 25 cents worth. We
paid 80 for bait When just half way
across the bridge at the toll house we
had to go back to get bait to fish
with, and asked the gatekeeper if he
would charge us for the extra cross
ing, as we had just paid our toll. He
said no, that we could turn back on
the bridge there and go back and
come back without paying extra, but
that ours was the first passenger car
that was ever permitted to turn on
the bridge That evening we drove
Que on a road to hunt place to pitch
our tent and camp for the night, as
we had our camping outfit with us.
We did not know where we we're go
ing, nor did we particularly care, as
we did not know anybody or anything
about the country. We saw sign up
at yard gate reading, Indian River
Oranges for Sale" We stopped and
bought a couple of dozen to eat, and,
speaking of good oranges, never
tasted any like them before. The
people asked which way we were go
ing-north or south. We told them
we didn't know; just then were from
the north, but were hunting for some
place to camp for the night. They
said for us to look around and see il
we could find some place to suit us;
that we could camp on the lot across
the road. There was a house which
they said they would rent to us with
beds, davenports, brussels carpets
and rugs, running water from an ar
tesian well and electric lights. We
rented it for one week. Then Rogers
and | agreed that we did not want
any more camping, but that we would
stay a while longer with an orange
grove in the rear of the house with
it's first years crop of fruit. There
was another grove just in front of the
house, and oranges, oh, boy, | never
saw such ones as to looks and taste.
We did gather gather and eat oranges
to a finish. | thought they were the
friendliest and most sociable people
| ever met. They were from Patter-
son, N. j.. and had been there seven
years.
Then out the next day to st. Johns
river fi,hing and shooting, or just
shooting, at ducks, as the shooting
season was closed. Rogers caught a
fine st. Mary's bass with the reel. |
had to halloo when he pulled him out
with the reel, but it did not disturb
him q bit. as he had been used to
even larger ones in the Kanawha and
Goal rivers in West Virginia. Well.
we had some fish for supper. The
next day Rogers went back to try his
luck. This time he did not get a
bite, but saw a five-foot alligator
within about twenty feet of him. He
said he weEt to the car to get SS,
but when he got back the gator was
gone. | wasn't with him that day. /
| .s..,nzl "a hotua 1 want arnlln0 Oy0r