The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-08-02
FLOWERS FROM FLOYD
For Col. Robert F. Rogers and Mr..
Raymond ID. Bullock, MaFf0n's
Representatives In the
Legislature
&C. H. B. Floyd
CHAPTER VIII.

Perhaps | have talked about men
before; perhaps not. l talk so con-
secutiyely, continuously, voluminous-
ly, spontaneously and unanimously
that | cannot remember more than a
trifing fraction of it all. But not
about such man as Preacher Rog-
ers has been my theme.
There is the absolute masculine
and the absolute feminine. Preacher
Rogers is pretty close to the abso- 1
lutte masculine. He Is as masculine
as the Rocky Mountains, or huge
coal-burning engine on the Pennsyl-
vania limited. He is not afraid of
public opinion, or the devil, or any
thing except God.
He fears Gad. He is soaked with
the old time religion He has the
Abraham variety. The soul gets cold
as we'll as the body gets cold Here
in 1911 we live in the Siberia of Re-
ligion. The world now is chilly,
frozen. But fire steadily burns in
Preacher Rogers. Some night you
ought to have the chance ta warm
your hands before the freight that
extends its invigorating red flowers
upward from the rich nature OF
Preacher Rogers. Having been hun
CRY yau have fed and you remember
the sunny joy of a full stomach and a
restful position, especially if you end
| ed the meal with d nice slice of
Roquefort cheese and a thirty-five
cent cigar. That is bodily enjoyment
and peace. But to listen to Preach
| er Rogers talk about his life, he
opening now and then the stove door,
and shoveling in a lot of relig-
ious fuel-ah! that is very good, too.
Men of such sunny faith, such restful
reliance on an inv lble and loving
power are not raised now-such
deep, calm, untroubled, unruffied
faith. it's roots deep as the roots of
very tall trees. Ask Senator Sans.
He and l sat like chilly little bare
foot children aHe night for three
hours, listening to Patriarch Rogers
talk. Why, he is like deep ship that
left port sixty years ago loaded with
Igeld and gems and peacock feathers,
all of the sails set and every wind
that blew was mysteriously temper
led SO that never a reef In sail was
taken the whole journey long.
Preacher Rogers seems never to have
encountered gale; no tepsail ever
has been blown away; he is all here.
AS the largest oak has built around
the wood of the young tree, ring by
ring, so Preacher Rogers, back In
the middle of his soul holds his boy.
. ish innocence and love and JOY. In
stead of paying him a paltry six dol
lars day to represent his county,
Florida ought to pay such man six
ty dollars a day to go around and
talk to school children about the Ten
Commandments.
He is a patriach. What kindly
man. What a charm he has! He is
ideep purple velvet. He is the phrase
) BE of good cheer" made flesh. He
reminds you of the last King Of Eng
3 land, i'm appearance. Anyhow he re
' minds one of a king; real king
very much a king. To hear him tall
iof his children is good for the heart
How full of love he is, Why he ha:
been miraculously sheltered! Not {
leaf has been blown from the Oal
: tree, What massive mind he has
When he spake how careful he wa:
OF other peoples feelings. What
living rebuke he was to the represen
tative from Franklin. Why, he ross
Expressed himself Gut Of his deep con
victioas, INDUCED in no personalities
kept ON the record, was brief. i'm
pressive. splendid! And his voice
l. surely some grandson of his will b.
a world singer. Why his voice
I luminous, musical as the beach i
1 musical when the tan waves fall up0l
it's white. breast; his voice is as gran
as certain notes In cathedral from
> cathedral organ what tune the dea
body of your father in the black ca:
ket rests for a while under flower
and song, before it is carried ou
again to the bright afternoon and tn
renewal tOlling of the bells. Their
n is bell music in his wonderful voic,
Its gold tone Is the symbol of hi
doop nature