The Ocala evening star., 1911-02-27

TRIP DOWN THE RIVER
The editor of the Star and MS wife
glided down the run and through the
murky waters Of the Oklawaha river
to Conner yesterday. to enjoy the
beauties of woodland and sparkling
waters and natural thrills that abound
and pulsate over the emotions and
imagination until every prospect pleas
ed and our poor limitations baked al
all the glory Of sky, forest and stream
and the habits of the living things
that moved in its limpid depths.
We learned for the first time that in
the 10 miles of the Oklawaha river
there are 999 bends and crooks This
tells the story of the sinuousity Of
that fascinating silver shaded and
shadOwed stream.
Of course, we saw Pat Randall, the
promoter Of Conner. He was as smil
ing and gracious a newly enthrown
ed king, and why not, with handsome
and productive orange grove. whose
fruit has been sent to every point Of
the compass and into the homes Of
tourists who have invaded the waters
of the Oklawaha from every state in
the Union, to say nothing of the pro-
vinces Of Canada.
Last Friday the Hart liner OkIawa-
ha came up stream with its load Of 68
passengers. Nearly every one Of them
took away specimens of his fruit
from a sack of a dozen TO a box and
that is the story of every boat that
comes up the river The location on
the east side of the river Of the Ran
dali grove is great. II occupies bluff,
rising some forty feet above the river
line, sloping gently to the crest,
and a slightly and commodious home
adorns it's appex. embowered in all
manner of fruit trees and rose bushes.
that make one blush with pleasure and
delight to feast on their perfumed
blossoms.
In passing let us say the cold did no
damage to the orange blossoms, to the
| peach trees and their fruit and bios
SONS and to the figs that are just
forming. We passed on to the home of
! Mr.. and Mrs. L. VI. Graham, chaperoned
! by their genial and companionable
! son, Albert AnsOn, a short distance to
! the east of the Randall place and in
reaching this home we passed through
Mr.. L. NJ Graham's peach orchard
closely examined the buds, blossoms
and fruit on it and found the cold had
| passed over it and scarcely left a
blight of its whitening breath. 1t must
| be the mist rising from the warm wa
ters of the river and bordered on all
sides with thick growth of timber that
protected these groves.
We regret to say we found Mr. Gra-
| ham lying on pallet in front of the
fire place, the victim of acute rheuma
| tism in his legs, from which he has
| been great sufferer for several
weeks, but pleased to say is slowly inn
proving and could sit up at the table
| for awhile. while Mrs. Graham saw
| that the generous dinner was supplied
Several things cOnspired to make Us
| think that was the most satifyine
meal we have partaken of for a de-
cade, but we still think and feel with
| the aroma of it's fragrant incense ir
! memory's hall that most of its delic-
iousness came because of supervision
exercised in it's cooking by Mrs Ora
ham and her daughters, Mrs. Carlton
and Mrs Dillon Graham. Be that as i
may, we shall not soon forget the
genuine Southern hospitality partaker
of at the Graham home.
/ Speaking of the death of Genera
Cabell of Texas. reminded Mr.. Graham
OI HIS di NY experience anu we were
hi hly entertained by the recital o
his efforts to get home from the wa
after the Confederate soldiers wer,
disbanded a AppamatoX by Genera
Lee and Mr.. Graham's experience il
the hospital at Augusta; his feverisl
desire to reach home, his trip to Co
| lumbia, Ga, the boat ride down tn,
river, the accident to the boat, tn,
footing it of 20 miles across to Quincy
and then to Jacksonville and up tn,
iriver home and in it all to meet tht
dear mother whose loving heart anC
tender care never fore waking
moment lost sight or memory of tn
absent boy and in that meeting, greet
ing and embrace he lost for the tim
being every vestige of remembrance o
the years of toll, trouble. privatiol
and suffering on the battlefield an
amid the smoke, din. crash and suffer
ing carnage of battle. But what glor
iOuS memories, talks of those long ag,
days. brings up for renewal when com
rades meet.
But enough only to say to every on
that can, now and then go out am
take a nature bath and with it the in
cense and pleasure it gives to NEE
old friends and remise.