OCR Text |
Show WHERE HONESTY THRIVES. Mrs. ALiiinic Moore Wilson of Kissim-mco, Kissim-mco, Florida, makes comparison between be-tween the turmoil of New York and the tranquillity of tire Everglades, and the Everglades win, just as though New York were no rival at all. "When I come to Xew York," she says, "I wondor whether I have not reached a prison. Every house here is locked up; every door bolted; in restaurants restau-rants there arc signs, 'Not responsible for coats or hats'; tho streets are full of police; tho papers full of court trials and murder stories." In contrast, Mrs. "Wilson says that in tho picturesque palmetto camps of the Seminole Indians in the Everglades wilderness there are no Jocks, no doors, no police, no laws, no trespassing, no nmrdor, no lying, no cheating, no stealing, steal-ing, np private property. There a"c, on the contrary, order, peace, respect and honor. Mrs. Wilson has been for many years admitted to the personal friendship of the Scminoles. She is the only white woman to enjoy this distinction. Sh'.-was Sh'.-was very active in the movement which, in 1917, resulted in a government govern-ment grant of 100,000 acres of land to tho tribe. It took Mrs. Wilson many years time to gain the confidence of the Indians, in spito of the fact that her husband had known them since he was a little boy. They are extremely suspicious of white men and have a saying, "White man no good; lie too much " Wlusn she tried to explaip the charms and benefits of the white man's culture to one of her Seminole friends, he frankly admitted that he didn't think much of tho new scheme. 1 ( Mo no want to be civilized," he said; ' by and by big sleep come. Me want see Great Spirit. Me want to see my grandfather. grand-father. Me no think white man find Great Spirit easy. ' ' Evidently the Seminole believes in holding fast to that which he has, particularly par-ticularly as it seems to his mind to wear much better than that which the white man has to offer. |