Here's another vintage article from The New York Times about St. Augustine, from 1860. The reference to "Judge Lynch" is tongue-in-cheek: the point was that the allegedly adulterous or merely amorous New York physician avoided lynching by leaving town.
Cute piece:
FLORIDA.; Summer in Florida Salubrity of the Climate Judge Lynch on the Bench in St. Augustine.
Published: July 3, 1860
Correspondence of the New-York Times.
ST, AUGUSTINE, Fla., Thursday, June 21, 1860.
Unlike most who seek this climate for purposes of health, I have placed a degree of confidence in the assertion of the natives, that Summer in Florida, or more correctly at St. Augustine, is no less delightful and salubrious than Winter, and accordingly I remain behind, after the crowd of Northern invalids has dispersed. We have now reached the Summer solstice. The sun is but six degrees from the vertical point at noon, and his beams have corresponding power. But such is the wonderful efficacy of the sea-breeze, which comes up daily at 10 A.M. or earlier, and blows till the next morning, cool, delicious and refreshing, that the heat does not seem oppressive. True it is, indeed, that in the middle of the day his rays hare a power not experienced at the North, but everywhere in the shade the pervading ocean wind coming freshly from the southeast is in the highest degree delightful. There is sometimes, however, a disagreeable exception to this rule. It occurs when a west wind blows across the heated land between us and the Gulf of Mexico., as it does usually once or twice, and for a day or two each time, in the course of the season. On the whole the claim of the inhabitants, regarding their Summer weather, is sustained by the facts. It is highly agreeable and perfectly healthy. Invalids usually fancy that unless they flee to the North by May at the latest they will be roasted in the Florida sunshine. On the contrary, we have as yet had no heat above 92"°" Farenheit, and seldom higher than 85"°" The nights are decidedly more pleasant than at the North. We have thus far had no nights too warm for comfort, or in which a blanket, if not two, failed to prove agreeable. It will probably be long before the hundreds who come from New-York and New-England every Winter to renovate their health can be persuaded to stay through the Summer as well; and yet that such a course would, in very many instances be highly beneficial, admits of no question.
We had a session of Judge Lynch's Court here recently. The facts were these: Dr. -- , a New-England man, who had been settled in the practice of his profession for some few years, seduced a young married lady, who was here together with her husband's mother and brother for their health. They belonged in New-York, where the husband remained.Dr. -- was called to attend to the lady; she grewconvalescent; rides in the Dr.'s buggy ensued; so did scandal, and what is worse, sufficient grounds therefor. The thing became notorious; the mother ordered the amorous physician to quit her house; the young brother-in-law called him hard names; for which he was cowhided by the Doctor -- a compliment he acknowledged by means of a revolver, out with no very serious results. Then followed a public meeting in the Market House -- a resolution that the Doctor be required to leave town speedily, and the appointment of a Committee to see the resolution carried out. There was no obstinacy on the part of the libertine saw-bones. He sent a note to the Committee to the effect that he should be off at once -- a promise which he promptly fulfilled, thus enabling them to report that "Dr. -- had gone to parts unknown." A. M.
No comments:
Post a Comment