Evening star., 1937-10-31
Ry HERMAN c. GAUSS,

nivver and Florida.
Now is one of the best times within
which to take short, inexpensive
motor trip to the land OF sunshine,
palm trees and flowers.
Leaving Washington about 430 on a
Friday afternoon. we found ourselves
driving down the main street of Rich
rnord shortly before o'clock. the time
being noted because of the large num-
Der of persons entering the theaters.
Within a half hour We were passing
through Petersburg. Just below that
town there is an excellent de luxe
auto camp, a collection OF brick cot
tsees, but as it was rather early we
thought that we would continue for
another hour. Soon there were no
stopping places whatsoever. Finally,
about II O'Clock, we entered Emporia,
Va. where We secured accommoda-
tions at a tourist home on the main
highway through the town. In the
morning the young son of the pro-
prietor informed us that Many of the
towns have been taken off the road"
which was hurting the tourist-home
business. However, these hy-passes
enable one to make excellent time.
Excellent Camp Near Charleston.
Shortly after leaving Emporia we got
our first glimpse of the staple product
of the South. We then continued
through Rocky Mount, Fayetteville and
Lun1berton, N. c. Within a few miles
of Charleston, S. c., we terminated
our days drive at an excellent tour
ist camp. Early on Sunday morning
we we're driving along Battery Park,
the ocean front of Charleston, admir-
ing the fine old residences.
On leaving the 'Huguenot Church
and entering the old cemetery across
the street We were approached near
the monument to South Carolina S
statesman, John G.. Calhoun, by a
small. black urcflin who told us that
he would dance the black bottom" If
given a penny. My wife expressed
surprise at his offer to dance in a
cemetery, and on a Sunday. and near
the entrance to a church, and then
gave him several pennies. However,
the chiding as to dancing in cenle-
terry did not seem to sink in, for he
could not resist the desire to dance
Just before We reached the gates.
Early in the afternoon we entered
Georgia, passing a number of pecan
groves and also passing through Sa-
vannah. Shortly after leaving Bruins
wick in the early evening We encoun-
tered a heavy rain. However. we had
the benefit in the darkness of the
headlights of the car behind us in
addition to the lights on our car.
After a while the party behind de-
cided to pass us, but he just managed
to accomplish his purpose when his
motor sputtered, and he came to q
stop. Evidently the driving rain had
entered the coil on his motor. The
rain continued as We crossed the Flor
IDA line.
A Georgia Rain.
At last We stopped at tourist camp
y within a few miles OF Jacksonville.
Masking the proprietor the next morn
lnE whether such rains were frequent,
he replied that it seldom rained IN
Florida, But UP in Georgia they have
those 'nnarshine' rains" Well, not
v1thstanding what they may have up
in Georgia" or do not have In Florida,
our first night in that State found us
donning overcoats for q dash through
the deluge into the cabin.
About 8 o'clock We we're passing
through Jacksonville. which, except
for the palm trees, Is like a busy
Northern city. Within an hour We
were entering st. Augustine. Here
the temperature and surroundings
were more like what we had expected
TO find in Florida. Our first stop was
ct the Fountain of Youth. Next one
passes, on the left, Fort Marion, built
by the Spaniards in 1856; on the
right the old Huguenot cemetery.
while directly ahead are the city
GATES. Parking our car near the
old slave block; We walked through
the narrow streets. visiting the "Old-
est House in the United States" and
passing several other old buildings.
Leaving the city over the Bridge of
Lions, we took the outer drive to Day.
tona Beach. Shortly after noon we
had the thrill of driving on that
portion of the beach where the speed
records have been made. Driving on
this sand, noistened and packed 50
closely, gives one the sensation of
being on heavy velvet carpet, although
I have never driven an auto on velvet
or any other kind of carpet. Early
evening found us along the Indian
River enjoying the glow of a Florida
sunset. At Indian River City we
turned west toward the ridge" as
the center of the State Is called.
Monday night was spent in Orlando,
the largest of the ridge cities.
Box Tower Silent.
Tuesday morning We visited the Box
Tower. a bird sanctuary, at Lake
Wales. However, the carrillon In
the tower was silent. We then drove
through the orange and grapefruit
groves to Avon Park and Sebring and
then turned east, passing Lake Oke-
chohee, to Riviere Beach, little north
OF Palm Beach, where We found an
excellent auto camp with cement
drives.
Early the next morning We entered
Palm Beach. Here most of the build
ings were boarded up, the boards
carrying signs stating will reopen
December 15." After spending an
hour here, We continued to Fort
Lauderdale and then to Miami, where
we took the County Causeway to
Miami Beach, returning by way of
the Venetian. Causeway. Here the
hibiscus, poinsettia and bougainvillaea
bloom in profusion. Parking on the
wide Biscayne Boulevard, which is In
reality four highways with, ample
opportunity for parking parallel at
the curbs, we took a walk through
the business section.
Late in the afternoon we left the
eitv over the Tsr1iami Trail which