Year: 1870

were thrown into the river wives aud
mothers after suffering every indignity
that man is capable of bestowipg, were
mangled beyond recognition; and children
were thrown high in air and then allowed
to fall shapelcss mass on some huge rock
or instrument of death. t,#-e- q


The Bluff stands high up from the riv-
er, and it is said that the blood from these
innocents ran down its banks into the wa
ter and made it crimson color. After
burning the houses of the Huguonots the
marauders returned to St. Augustine
Looking at the place as it now is, one
would scarcely believe that such horri-
Bile slaughter was ever perpetrated there
and that before this happened, peaceful
villagers went about their accustomed dali
ly labors.


Great pine and palmetto trees stretch
themselves up, darkening the ground be.
meath with their shade; and the wild Or
ange tree covered with vines, and the oak
hanging with the dead grey moss, fill Up
the background. There is, however, not
much underbrush in the wood, and the
whole has the appearance of some grove
reserved fer holiday festivals.


Associated with its scenes of three GEN.
turies ago, the spot cherishes an incident
of later date. A short distance west
of the Bluff, and on much lower ground,
stands chimney and part of wall
of what was once one of the finest
buildings in the neighborhood of Jack
sonville.


But this was years ago, away back IN
1S5-. Viewing the ruin from river
boat-strangers mark this, in passing and
repassing, as ''Baalbec, or the magnificent
ruin"-there is grand picturesqueness
about it but closer inspection soon dis
pels this.


Where once there was fourishng
garden and beautiful yard, there is
not tree within hundred feet: here
and there the remnant Of fence post is
seen, and close by the wall, half ensconced
in the grass, an old row boat; the wall
itself is not more than FIVE feet high, and
it is fast crumbling away; the top of the
chimney is gone and ever and anon the
birds fly from its mouth; and even on
the wall loathsome reptiles crawl and on
sunshiny days expose themselves for hours
at timc.


Farther back in the country there are
several negro huts, the inhabitants of
which entertain strong aatipathes against
the outside world, are very superstitious
and visit the places before mentioned only
when necessity calls theta and on no con-
dition will they go near them after the
sun goes down.


Ask them why that is and instantly the
story of Harry and Alice" or a" That
Kiss! !" is begun by a dozen or moro
tongues.


1t is not as romantic as the French
story of Abelard and Heloise. which has
been handed down to us for over seven
centuries, but there is something so nure-
publican like and weird in it, and such
incidents SO rarely happen in our age that
it is well worth being chronlcled.


About twenty years ago well-to-do
farmer in the Connecticut valley, on ac-
count of some financial irregularity, was
compelled to dispose of all his available
articles tc meet the demard of his credit
ors. Owing to the disgrace which the
affair entailed upon him, he Immediately
left his native town and with his family
settled on tract Of land on the St. Johns
river, Florida, at the very place where
our story is laid. The energy nurtured
in New England home was soon display
ed here, and after few years Of toll
which brought an abundant harvest, new
house was built, not in consonance with
those in the place Of his nativity, but
large, roomy, well.convenienced-a regu-
lar southern mansion. Everything about
the house was apportioned to its beauty.
Back from the river where the negroes
now live, might be seen in its season great
fields of cotton, and west Of the house.
some distance up the river, there was a
showing of rice. Thus well had this once
staid farmer prospered in his new home.
There was an only child, daughter,
named Alice, and at the time of her re-
moval here, was, as we would have her,
g sweet SIXTEEN" Yea i saW7 paFe "a


Along the river on each bAnk, but at
some distance from one another, there
were other mansions, staid old buildings,
but containing warm hearts and generous
souls 1'a s3f'a tih iHaAifN A3 sA


When the days work was done, labor
and care were thrown aside, ard the eve-
ming given to visiting. Then, as now,