56 LETTERS FROM FLORIDA.

canned meats and fruits she brought from.the North,


were an important item n6w,


while everything was in


a formative state.


To be sure, her


husband occasion-


ally brought


in game, but had little time for hunting


while his trees and crops were needing constant care.


But this
girlhood


good
There
but tl
edge


wife


was strong


had learned


thing


every


to handle


young


may come a time when


hat of


many others, may
s accomplishment.


fearless, and in


the oars


lady


early


expertly-a
understand.


not only her own life,


depend on
 After th


her knowl-
e morning


work was over indoors, this lady either worked in the


garden near


her husband, or, before the sun was too


powerful, launched her boat and went alone on to the


beautiful


lake, to


provide


a fine


fish, fresh. from the


water, for their dinner.
 Before leaving the


North


she had furnished her-


self bountifully with a good supply of choice reading,


and,


when needing rest, enjoyed them while swinging


in her hammock


under the grand old


trees that sur-


round the little house, now fast blossoming into beauty ;
while several well-cleared fields near by already mani-


tested


the marvelous


power of industry intelligently


applied.


In the evenings her


husband'read


to her,


when she was busy with her needle.


letter


was


so fresh


evidently truthful,


that I longed


to roll back the wheels of time and be-


anew, in a land so


rich in resources, and so


bountiful in repaying the labor bestowed upon it.
 Another lady, bound for Florida, was also with us


during this same voyage-a


married lady,


with two