Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1950-06-15


most historic city, st. Augustine
in great style-from the seat OF
a cut under, fringed-top surrey
drawn by a huge headed sorrel
PAGER named "Paris Gold" Driven
by black man in a stovepipe hat
who said his name was Carey Brab.
ham, we did the old part of the
town in the "cool of the evening"
from four to six-thirty; no day.
light saving time in Florida-just
Gods time" they say.
Paris Gold" wore a huge vel.
low artificial rose between his ears
his harness was we'll oiled, the car.
riage shining, as he clap-i-ty
clapped UP to the hotel. Viewing
the classy outfit-was glad l had
changed to a printed raspberry
pique and tied ribbon around my
hair-should hate to have a horse
ashamed of his fare.
"Yo" look nice ma'am-we goin'
to git yo' picture took" said Carey
wheeling up to the curb after driv-
ing few blocks.
Poor sucker, almost before ]
knew it the picture was "took" and
I'd parted with a dollar. Every
time we stopped 1t cost from thirty.
five to eighty cents. Soon l was
asking, show much?" everytime
Carey remarked "Yo' care to get
out and look around?" These
Southerners could give the Boston
Yankees a lesson or two.
Founded in 1865, the oldest city
in the United States still preserves
to remarkable degree the evil
dences of its Spanish origin
Around the plaza (town .square)
are houses with overhanging bal.
comics, grilled windows and walled
patios. Through the patio gates
one may get glimpses of gorgeous
gardens--live oaks hung with the
inevitable Spanish moss tower over
palms of all kinds, and oleander,
hibiscus and crepe myrtle bloom
The wonderful bougainville vine
covers whole buildings with great
spikes of blossoms, varying from
pink to rose through lavender To
purple. f%3
One end of the broad plaza looks
over Mantazas Bay. Around this
center the old city was built. Only
the city gates remain of the wall
which once protected the settle
ment. We drank several cups Of
tepid, rather sulphurous water
from the Fountain Of Youth with
no visible effect-and at a cost OF
eighty-five cents Visited the
oldest house at ID Francis Street
(35 cents). Here we. saw re.
stored Spanish outdoor kitchen
wishing well, left my card on the
Scottish postoffice, viewed Semi
mole Indian exhibit and a. large
museum containing many relics Of
the past.
| The old fort which protected the
first permanent white settlement
Castillo de San Marcos, is now 9
National Monument under the De
partment of the Interior Park Ser
vice. This, castle, the Oldest ma
sonry fort existing in the United
States, was started in 1872 by Che
Spanish. It|is surrounded by 6
forty foot wide moat and the only
entrance is across a drawbridge
The castle walls are nine to six
teen feet wide. One may stanc
on the top and look out over the
loveliest of harbors or into the
narrow streets of the old city which
it protected for two and one-hali
centuries. E.m.4lr
We explored the secret dungeon
the shot furnace, guardrooms and
chapel. The window through which
the Indian Prince, Coacoochee, es'
capped after starving himself thin
the room where another Seminole
chieftian, Osceola was confined
were pointed out. They were pris'
oners during the Second Indian
War which started in 1885. OF
all things | saw in St. Augustine
the old fort interested me most
after the surrey and Paris Gold
of course.
Never having visited central
Florida before, / have seen so much
that is new to me that it is hard
to choose for this column.
Friday night, Bob, Ruth and
went to a ball game-everyone
black and white, is baseball-crazy
here. Told you last week that San