A HOME AND

a one will win immortal
of. this fair land from "
oblivion."
 Until within a comp


was
6ver
her
was
their


WORK FOR ALL. 9

fame by saving the history
sinking into the darkness of


aratively few years Florida


a bone of. contention, or the foot-ball of which-
nation had the skill or craft to gain posseion of
and keep her the longest. For a year or t*o it
in the hands of the French; then wrested frem
grasp by the Spaniards, only to be snatched


from both by the strong ar
 The French coveted th
 they saw in its profusion
 brilliant and sweet-singing
 .the promise of a life of ease
Sand hoped to find among its


m of England.
is lovely country because
of fruits and flowers, its
birds, and loft4 balmy air,
and perpetual enjoyment,
* wonderful mineral springs


the legendary "fountain of life and perpetual youth."
SThe Spaniards reached out after it, hoping, with ar-
rogant and despotic power, to wring from the toil
of natives, through merciless taskmasters, fabulous
wealth, which they imagined was hid in its bosom.
The English, more practical, discovered at once that
its great wealth lay in the rich fruits and productions
of its soil, which through well-directed labor would-
give to them a rich possession. They sought to de-
velop the resources of the land by suitable cultiva-
tion and organizing manufactories for such work as
-promised to bring forward the best that Florida could
yield in the most remunerative manner.
 But neither held this goodly land long enough
under their rule to enjoy much of that which each
most dired. Yet the very strife and misrule that