The Wit and Humor of Pioneer Florida
by
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The late Norma Hendricks, former staff writer for the Leesburg Commercial, wrote in her article, “Newell’s Book Keeps a Grin on Your Face”:
“David M. Newell long has been claimed by Leesburg as its Number One Artist, even when he was off chasing around the world in his pursuit of panthers, tarpon, or Canadian geese.
“His latest book, ‘If Nothin Don’t Happen,’ would naturally be of interest to local people, even it is not the kind of book it is; one to read over and over, whether you are native or newcomer, city slicker or country boy.
“It’s the kind of book people need right now, one where the reader never quite gets the grin wiped off the face from beginning to end, even though the characters have their serious moments.
“Dave Newell’s pen-and-ink hound dogs are so hound-doggish you expect them to start scratching a flea.”
I often made the comment, “David Newell was a man who did what he wanted to do. He might have made a lot of money at times with all of his sporting endeavors, but if he did, he spent it, enjoying every minute of his wonderful and exciting life.”
He fished for and caught Atlantic salmon in the rivers of
Although he was the son of, and also the brother of, Presbyterian preachers, Dave didn’t talk much about religion. He had a great faith, however, in God and His Son, Jesus Christ, saying often, “I have my ticket to get on the train.”
When Dave and I were at some lovely scenic spots in
In 1929, he wrote a poem in his book, American Animals, that in part reads:
“Some weigh ounces, some weigh tons,
This one swims and that one runs,
Some eat grass and some eat meat,
Some like cold and some like heat,
From frozen pole to hot equator,
They all have one supreme Creator,
We’d all be fools, you must agree,
To think they simply ‘chanced’ to be.”
Above pages are from the 3rd collection of stories entitled, “Dave Newell ---- The Huntin’ist and Fishin’ist Gentleman.”
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About the Book
Mark Twain would have loved and envied this book with its early times lawyers, judges, sportsmen, cowboys, circuit riding preachers and backwoods characters.
Like Mark Twain, this elderly native Floridian and country lawyer builds his collection of stories into a saga.
Courtrooms, churches, turpentine, citrus and cattle are taken for granted as the rural Floridian’s chief concerns. Revival and court trials have much in common in mortal and immortal man at the bar of justice. From these often fierce and smoldering realities, this old
From his recollections, covering a period of more than eighty years, the author tells about a part of
Dave Newell was claimed as
About the Author
Mr. Howell is Mr. Howell is a native Floridian. He is an attorney with the firm of Howell, Taylor & Duggan in
This is his second book. His first book, Piney Woods, Swamp Water and ‘Gator Tales, was published by Lifestyles Press,