FLORIDA DAYS.


bition to express, there was nothing in his mind
but paternal care for his colonists. He meaiit
that the familiar faces of the dooryard blos-
soms should make this new land hold a look 4f
home. So, in that long march through the
wilderness, across the endless barrens, around
terrible swamps, or by the silent windings 4f
the creeks, the seeds were scattered with lavish
hands, some for use, some for beauty, all for
that homelikeness which was to make life bet-
ter for these transplanted' souls.
 The story would be fairer if Truth did not lay
her finger on the page that tells it, and bid the
reader spare De Soto his praises for bringing
old-world blossoms into the new world. The
fact was, that only the impulse was De Soto's,
the act was left to his followers. Before the
dawn of that Whit-Sunday which found his
fleet in the great Bay of the Holy Spirit,
before even he had set sail from Spain, he
had given his heart to the lovely Lady Isa-
bella; so, naturally, it had been easy for the
sighing lover to forget fame and fortune, as
well as plans for the welfare of his colo-