February 15th, 1891
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Feb 15, 1891
Mrs. F. H. Mason Dear Wife, Am spending a quiet restful Sunday at above hotel situated on and commanding a fine view of the Indian River, which is very wide at this point, the opposite shore being just visible. Am feeling first rate. Find I am a good traveler, sleeping well and to my astonishment find that with a mind free from business cares am rather inclined to be sociable. Was fortunate in falling in with some very agreeable and well posted gentlemen, who being familiar with the country added materially to my natural enjoyment of the odd things, scenery, houses, and people appearing at every turn by timely explanations and despite the fact that the train was in trouble from hot boxes and wreck ahead, delaying us over 7 hours, the trip to Jacksonville was well worth the time spent, should I see nothing else. On arrival in Jacksonville found it raining hard and quite cold, so I determined to go right on that night, and bidding my friends good bye, took sleeper to Titusville, arriving here at 8 o'clock this morning. |
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Have had a bath and breakfast, and after finishing this letter to you, will walk through the town, go to church, and if wind goes down may take a sail. Did not get a chance to write from Jacksonville, had to hunt up a supper and take a walk to get limbered up, hair trimmed, and then hustle back for train. Don't think I will spend much time in Jacksonville on way back, as was not impressed very favorably with that town, but then it was a bad day and I may change my opinion under a more favorable view. Will take in St. Augustine and St. Johns River on return trip.
Tell Ralph that pigs are very numerous in this country, nosing around the train, and from our numerous stops we were able to have considerable fun making them squeal. They are very thin little runts, most all nose. They are well called razor backs, and some with a litter of little fellows squealing and fighting each other, and then such fun with the pickaninies or small black boys. They would gather around the train like a flock of black birds, and passengers would toss nickels on the ground, and then such a scrambling and fighting. And the vehicles, ox teams, and mules, and in some cases a single ox hitched to a cart. Very few horses and they used exclusively for saddlers. For a description and idea of bulk of houses and people through Tennessee and Georgia, look at the article in Century*, Feb number about the Cracker. I can certify that it is very faithful and not at all overdrawn. Had my first Florida orange for breakfast this morning, and it was delicious. Much sweeter and pleasant even than those received by freight. So am anticipating a treat when can select and pick from trees. With love, yours, RJ Mason |