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DIXIE THEN—AND NOW.
1861 1909
Then Dixie braves blew many a ring
ing bugle,
And rallied underneath an awful
gloom;
And drums and hearts beat fast at
Appomatox,
The while the storm foretold the
Southron's doom.
Now, South winds blow a thousand
woodbine bugles,
And drums are beat by fruitful
April showers
As if the Mystic Captain shouted
“Fire!”
Night’s batteries scatter flame of
scarlet flowers.
FANNIE KIMZEY.
CHAT.
Is there anything lovelier than a
spring morning on that beautiful, won
derful Florida stream which is called
Inman river, though the blue water,
from two to four miles wide, is salt
and has scarcely any current? It is
made by long, narrow green islands
shutting in the waters of the Atlantic
Ocean for many miles. Its banks are
bordered with stately palm trees that
are now in bloom, perfuming the air
and giving the bees, wild and tame,
opportunity to make the palm honey
that is so delicious.
Here in the twin cities of Cocoa and
Rockledge there are thousands of or
ange, lemon and grape fruit trees, and
on some of these the fruit nas been
left in golden clusters —to mingle
wita the silver of the buds and blos
soms. For the trees are in full bloom
and all the air is fragrant as are the
gardens of Damascus. It is queer to
see in the big, rambling gardens
tall clusters of crimson and pink lilies
and red fruited pepper plants mixed
up together. The cacti are in bloom,
their waxen flowers of rose color, coral
color and white spangling the thick,
fleshy plant in every part. The trum
pet vine hangs its fine glossy foliage
and scarlet clusters over every paling
and outhouse, and the birds—oh, Mat
tie Howard and Old Woman—the
birds are everywhere —for it is for
bidden under heavy penalty to shoot
them —and they people the orange
trees, the palms, the live oaks and
crape myrtles in brilliant and joyous
abundance, fearing no enemy but the
cats.
This morning 1 rose early, while
the delicate tints of sunrise painted
the sky and the water. I walked out
on the pier and ascended the stairs
of the observatory at its terminus.
What a glorious view! The river was
blue and calm, save for the light
waves made by the breeze. Every
where it was dotted with ducks, that
swam or rode the waves, and occa
sionally dived for the fish breakfast
they were seeking when they seemed
only bent on enjoyment. Across the
broad expanse stretched the mangrove
fringed shores of Merritt's Island,
with clusters of white houses showing
through the green of palms and pines.
On the island are many date palms
that bear fruit, some cocoanut palms
and richly bearing fields of pine
apples and vegetables. The flower
and vegetable gardens are in their
spring prime and beauty. The sweet
potato grows here perennially, also
the sugar cane. On my way I saw a
THE HOUSEHOLD
A Department of Expression For Those Who Teel and Think.
thriving town, Hastings, built entirely
on the Irish potato industry. As far
as the eye could reach on either side
the railroad were level lands greenly
carpeted wita potatoes. I never be
lieved they could look so luxuriant,
bushy and regular. A drive along the
river banks for four miles showed an
unbroken succession of beautiful
villas, gardens and groves. On our
return at twilight these were sparkling
with lights—acetyline and electric.
Cocoa has electric lights that make
it a scene of fairy beauty at night;
and dear Mattie Howard, who so often
has asked me concerning Fritz, the
little comrade of all my rambles in the
old-time sunny South days—the con
troller of these brilliant varicolored
lights is this same “Fritz” —who, to
gether with his partner (another Fred)
has the electric plant and the ice
plant, so essential to the comfort of
the twin cities.
The children living along Indian
river and across it on the island have
a happy and wholesome time coming
to and returning from the Cocoa
school, for the trip is accomplished* at
the expense of the county in pretty,
covered wagonettes drawn by horses
on land, while the island children are
rowed across in boats —no accident
ever occurring. This is the only con
solidated school I know of in the
South, and it is finely equipped with
maps, library,, up-tc-date seats amt
desks, and excellent teachers. 1 may
go down to beautiful Palm Beach and
the wonderful white city, Miami, and
to the end cf the marvelous extension
railroad that is striding from little
island “key” to “key” out into the Car
ribbean Sea on its way to Cuba —as
near as it can get by rail, so that
there will be only a few blue leagues
of water for the swift connecting
steamers to cross before reaching the
so-called Ever Faithful Isle.
Cocoa, Florida.
With ©nr Correspondents
MARRIAGE, BOOKS AND THE
SPRING WOODS.
I am just a country girl, well con
tent with her homo, but getting a bit
lonely sometimes. I have lately found
it a good antidote to lonesomeness to
reread the back numbers of the
Golden Age—during the time it was
under the charge of Ada Louise Bryan,
who “went and got” married —and
thereafter has been as silent as a
grasshopper in winter time. What
has become of you, Ada Louise, and
also Annie V.? Were you completely
submerged in the sea of matrimony?
If not,' why don’t you bob up occa
sionally and tell us whether the said
matrimonial sea is all milk and honey
—or is mere a little vinegar to give
varety? 1 s'ncerely hope that mar
riage will nor have a similar silencing
euect on cur eloquent Warnest Willie.
I am dying with curiosity to know' all
about our brother’s love experience.
I am always deeply interested in. the
heart affairs cf my friends, never hav
ing had any of my own, and 1 know
1 should be fascinated by our gifted
lecturer's winsome way cf narrating
the story of his having at last been
caught in Cupid's net. I was a trifle
disappointed because the fortunate en
trapper did not bear the name “Kath
leen,” —but what’s in a name?
The Golden Age for April 1, 1909.
Naturally timid, I have stood in awe
of marriage—and I shall have to ac
knowledge that rather close observ
ance of the double state has failed to
encourage me muchly, but I have no
doubt my views would change should
Prince Charming ever make his ap
pearance.
Don’t you think we ought to induce
more of the Sunny South’s writers to
join our Golden Age Circle? I think
Mrs. Bryan had eight hundred in her
family then, and what a lively crew
they were! However, the Golden Age
Household is “powerful” entertaining,
and the paper itself is a gem. What
a blessing papers and books are in a
country home! There are nine of us
in our household, and w r e consume
magazines, books and papers galore.
We have access to two small libraries
and I have read several interesting
books recently, among them a charm
ing novel called “Phyllis Burton.” 1 am
not a skilled critic like Julia C.oman
Tait, and I can only gauge the merit
of a story by the degree of entertain
ment it affords me. Phyllis is a de
lightful girl—oldest daughter of a
country doctor, not blest with an
overplus of worldly goods, but happy
in his pleasant home- and charming
family. One laughs over the time
pretty Susie has with her beaus—and
little Nat is witty and winsome. There
is no villain in the story —not even a
mean character. The home scenes are
reai.stic, and there is just enough love
in the story to give it the spice of
sentiment.
Tcday my sister and I celebrated
cur weekly holiday by a tramp in the
wooes, now putting on their spring
suit of many colors—green predomi l
nating. The honeysuckle bushes are
full of the pink buds which wili
make the w’oods fragrant and beauti
ful. The snowy dogwood and the wild
plum and violet will follow suit. Down
by the rippling “branch” we played
washerwoman in the soft, bright
water. I would like to say something
brilliant in this, my very first, letter
to a paper; but though I sprinkled
salt and paper on the top of my head
before beginning it, 1 am conscious it
is poorly seasoned with interest. May
be it is the fault of the ink. which was
frozen in the cold snap and had to be
livened up with bluing and shoe
polish.
May Bee.
Roopville, Ga.
R
CHILDREN’S LUNCHES—WHAT TO
DO WITH DATES.
The date, so cheap and wholesome,
is not used in cooking as often as it
should be, particularly in preparing
foed for children. Often 1 make date
bread for my children’s school lunches.
Stone the dates and cut crosswise in
three or four pieces. For each small
loaf allow a cupful of* this prepared
fruit and knead it in befare putting
the dough in the pans to rise the last
time. To make date buns, save out
three cupfuls of the raised dough and
mix with it one and one-half cups
white sugar, one-half cup of butter,
one spoonful of baking powder and a
cupful of chopped dates. Make out
and bake as usual. Date sandwiches
are always relished by my children.
Butter thin, even slices of bread that
has been baked twenty-four hours.
Spread with dates that have been
stoned and chopped fine. Apple sauce
may be greatly improved by stewing
dates with the apples in equal propor
tion. The sauce will need scarcely
any sugar. Dates stewed and sliced
and served with cream, and sugar are
an excellent sauce for the tea table.
To make the delicious date cream pie,
bake a single rich crust in a deep pie
plate or tin, pricking it thickly to pre
vent rising or blistering. To each one
inch pie plate allow one and one-hdai
cupfuls of prepared dates mixed with
sufficient sweetened and whipped*
cream to fill. Cover the top with a
meringue browned lightly, and when
cold dotted with bits of bright, red
jelly. This is as good as it looks.
Dame Durden.
Alabama.
•?
WHERE DANGER LURKS.
During the past winter the number
of deaths from pneumonia was sim
ply appalling; while la grippe, with
its attendant disorders, had full sway,
and diphtheria, that dread disease
which every mother fears most, left
many a home mourning the loss of
loved ones.
Far be it from me to add one pang
to their sorrow, but it is my honest
conviction that numberless deaths re
sult from putting on damp clothing in
the winter, while nearly all the forms
of influenza, which is so often met
with, are attributable to the same
cause. Surely the climate is not al
together at fault, but as it can not
raise a dissenting voice, it is often
held responsible for many human ills
which in truth are self-imposed.
Os the many duties that fall to the
lot of the housewife, none are of more
importance than that of making sure
that the clothing which comes in from
the laundry is perfectly dry before
being put away. Many cases of sick
ness and numberless doctor’s bills, to
gether with the anxiety and hardships
which sickness entails, would thus be
avoided. 1 believe that no woman
would wilfully neglect this or any
other duty that would add to the wel
fare of her family, but that many do
not fully realize its importance.
ft is the custom in most families to
have the laundry work done away
from home. Some colored woman is
usually employed to do the work, and
although she may be one of the most
painstaking of her race, she is. in nine
cases out o& ten, very poorly equipped
for the proper care of the clothes.
As is frequently the case, there may
not be a day during the week that Old
Sol more than shows his face, or rain
may fall almost constantly. Under such
circumstances, even with the best fa
cilities for drying the clothes, it would
be a difficult job; while flannels and
the heavy knitted garments so gen
erally worn, require nearly a week of
winter sunshine to make them dry
enough to be put on with safety.
M. S. McDaniel.
WHAT KING GASPAR CARRIES.
By Azorin.
(According to an old tradition, the
magi, or wise men from the East,
were three kings—Gaspar, Melchior
and Balthasar —who are supposed to
come every year, on the 6th of Janu
ary, to leave gifts for the children.)
The three Kings have left their
pa’aces. The three are very old men.
King Melchior is tall, with a white
beard, blue eyes and gold-rimmed
