Evening star., 1925-10-23

natives. Then the natives sell it at
| higher prices to some new north
| erner, who. in turn, sticks somebody
else. Land like this finally reaches
Il top price. and then turns into ii
subdivision. This last transaction is
participated i'll by the 50-foot -lotter.
| He listens closely as the subdivision
statesmen relate the glories of Flor
ida and the Ridge section in particu-
lar and reaches for his pocketbook
without a tremor, forking over the
initial payment. He hopes to stick
somebody else with his 50-foot lot,
and failing there. either loses his ini
tlal payment or hangs on In the des-
perate hope that another 50-foot-
lotter Will soon arrive.
Frank About WiIdcattins.
AS said before. shey make no bones
about the ''wildcattin - down here.
They admit it is just that. But they
|. take pleasure in pointing out the diff
ference in the land involved. This is
really the point which makes the wild
cat wild. For instance. they will
show you a lot or an acre facing n
lake, and If you are not bereft Of all
ina gination, you will agree that il is
worth the money--to, somebody who
can come here to live. They'll show
you another beautiful development,
advertised very conServatively by
word Of mouth only. where the plIr-
chaser is carefully scrutintzed before
being allowed to buy. If he has an
cestorS, he can purchase Il lot, pro-
vided he has the money to go with
his ancestors. II he has no money,
and no ancestors, he is directed else
where. where pedigree is of minor
ii of any, importance.
Another subdivision with a large
lake frontage is pointed to with pride.
1t is owned by a college professor
who bought 1t years ago. He is as
sembling, as purchasers of his lake
! lots, men of learning. like himself;
men who read with avidity books on
triGonometry or allied subjects and
walk right into the lake and out again
still reading and suffer no embarra S.
ment therefrom, because their neigh
bors understand them. I was shown
the home OF Edward Box. who saved
his pennies AZ a boy, eyentu-
ally rising to the editorshp of the
Ladies' Home Journal and purcha sing
for himself Winter home in Florida.
l was also shown place we shall
call "Forest-In,'' the same being a
forest of pine trees with the under
brush burned away, permitting the
sand to come into it's own. 1t is fiat.
this place, and a tower is erected in
the center of the 50-foot lots. A bus
brings tourists to this beauty spot
from far and Wide-brings them
through the Ridge section and allows
them q, free look at a lake. Then they
are turned over to high-pressure sales
men, permitted to climb the tower and
select their lot. and afterward visit it
in company with the salesman.
John Smith, for instance, will pur-
chase lot No. 2,222 .222. Immediately
the salesman on the ground seizes a
megaphone and bellows John Smith
has bought lot No. 2,222.222.'' The
cry is taken up by man in the tower,
who likewise picks up a megaphone
and broadcasts the news that John
Smith has bought lot No. 2,222 222."
Word quickly passes around that John
Smith has bought, and Silas Gump,
who lives across the street from him,
digs into his jeans with the remark
that by cracker if John kin, I kin
too" The tidings are then spread
that Silas Gump has bought lot No.
22.223. All OF which affords huge
enjoyment to the hill folk, who nudge