Year: 1878

| who annually seek our shores from less
favored climes at the approach Of
winter, there are probably very few
who have ever spent summer at the
South. Winter life is fast losing its
sense of novelty to the general pub
lie. The country has been flooded
with newspaper articles upon the sub
ject, magazine contributors have
dwelt at length upon the novel tea-
lures of our semi-tropical climate and
poets have raved over our Italian
skies and sunny everglades. AS
spring approaches the birds of passage
spread their wings fol northern flight
leaving less favored mortals TO con-
tend as best we can against the mani
fald discomforts which are supposed
to attend summer life at the South.
These are numerous enough but not
so many as the majority Of people
suppose.


Our summers Notwithstanding the
reports of such publications as the
Semi Tropical and Florida Ne1o
Yorker to the contrary are hot and
oery hot, and he who would enjoy the
best part of the day should rise early
| in the morning. The air is cool and
balmy; the broad leaves Of the banana
2listen with dew; the orange groves
are vocal with the songs Of innumer-
able mocking birds, while from a
distant bay head Genes the cultural
tones Of the alligator and the hars h
cry of sea birds seeking their morn
ing repast. But the sun has arisen
and is already making its beams felt;
let us retire to the broad porch of the
plantation house and from that stand
point view the varied changes of the
day. By eight o'clock it is warm; by
nine it is hot, and by ten it IS unbear-
able. Not breath of air is stirring
The polished leaves of the orange
tree are stiff and motionless, while
those Of the more sensitive guaVa
droop, CT curl themselves up, wither-
ed by the intense heat. The silence
of death broods over the landscape
The sea-culIs have ceased their clam
orous cries; the ring-doye has sought
her nest and even the long green
lizards that have been summing them
selves upon the garden wall all the
morning have disappeared in search
Of some cooler retreat Higher and
higher rises the sun; waVerlng yellow
lines FL the atmosphere the heavens
are Ike a dome Of brass, and all Ma
turo seems to droop and faint bonoath
the oyerpowering heat.


For a full half hour we have been
gazing anXiously out upon the un-
broken surface Of the bay, to catch
the first glimpse Of the long blue
black line Of tiny wavelets that sig
nal the approach of the sea breeze.
1t is coming; slowly but surely it
approaches the shore, The long fes-
toons Of Spanish moss which drape the
live oaks sway gently in the air; the
fan-hke leaves Of the palmetto rasp
themselves together, while from the
fields comes the glad sound Of rust
ling blades of cane. There is some
thing remarkable about our sea
breezes; no matter how hot it may be
in the sun, but step beneath the shade
of tree and the air is cool and de-
lightful.


At about four o'clock in the even
ing (no postponement on account Of
tie weather) a small cloud becomes
visible in the northwest which soon
assumes enormous proportions. The
whole heavens become black and
| threatening; the vind increases to a
gale; the bay lashes ITSELF into fury,
and woe to the luckless skiif or sail
boat caught upon its bosom at this
untinely hour. The rain soon falls
in torrents; the thunders roll, the
lightnings flash and Pandemonium
seems let loose.


In an hour the flaw has subsided 9,
the rain has killed the wind; the sun
sets clear, and all Nature smiles with
"smile that is childike and bland. 1"
As darkness approaches fires of light
wood CLEAN ftfully III front of the
plantation house and negro quarters
adjoining. These are built as proteo-
tion against mosquitoes and sand-Aies
which swarm in thousands afer sun
se.. These insects form one of the
worst fea!g.ys Of sulnmer life in
Florida. Along the coast q common