But let the curtain fall.  Moral—­have no confidence in the man who wears his religion on his coat sleeve or necktie; but try the spirits whether they are of Christ.

At this time, a party of prominent people arrived at B——­, from the North, to consider the feasibility of investing quite largely somewhere in Florida.  As they wished to visit the southern part of the state before deciding, I procured free passes for all, and escorted them via steamer, down the entire Gulf coast, touching at all attractive points, exploring coral islands where myriads of sea birds nested, encircling us with wild screams till the clouds of them well-nigh shut out the sun; then we collected rare shells and flotsam and jetsam from far away lands; one hour, floating over the calm Gulf of Mexico, as smooth as a mirror, then tossed by a sudden tempest far towards the stars, and tumbling down to Davy Jones’ locker; now enjoying the lotos-eaters’ paradise, then, as we reached the lowlands, well-nigh devoured by millions of mosquitoes and sand flies.

Then we crossed the peninsular, traveling under hammock-woods and century-old wild-orange trees, whose “twilight dim hallowed the noonday,” regaled with unlimited fish and game to the far-famed Indian River,—­delightful recreation-spots for a few weeks in winter, but too hot, damp, and mosquitoey for colonies.  Then we were guests of the millionaires’ club at Cape Canaveral, where were acres of wild ducks, droves of screaming catamounts, and huge-billed, fish-devouring pelicans.  We drove over many miles of hard, firm sea-beaches—­delightful brief winter homes for the rich, then back to our fertile piny woods highlands, convinced that the “backbone” of the peninsular was the only desirable locality for permanent settlers who must get a living from the bosom of mother earth.

Soon after, leaving Mr. B——­, the superintendent, in charge of the company’s interests in our new town, which now contained over one hundred houses, and had elected a Mayor and Alderman, I returned with my family to Boston, devoting my time to lecturing on Florida in general, and B——­ in particular, in nearly all the cities of New England, distributing illustrated books which I had prepared, and which were approved as true, by many prominent people who had lived for many years among the scenes which were therein described.

My labors were very successful, and a great success for our enterprise seemed assured, when I received a letter from our directors, stating that a Dr. K——­ had offered to accept my position as general manager, without salary; pay his own expenses, relying on his commissions on land sales, and that as I had declined to serve on this basis they had felt compelled to accept his services.  As I was obliged to have a regular income for the support of my family, I acquiesced in the directors’ decision, and soon, under the new incompetent management, the company failed; so another of my business enterprises, on the very verge of a grand success, became a defeat, and again the innocent were blamed for the acts of the guilty.  I converted my stock in the M.L.&I.  Co., into lands of the company at a great loss to me, as I took the lands at company’s schedule values instead of at the cost prices, while the stock cost me—­the full price of $100 per share.  Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for he alone shall not be disappointed.