The Ocala evening star., 1911-06-10
FLOWER MISSION CONCERT
/ Large Attendance and Beautiful Ex
ereises of the Methodist Church
Last Night

Union in cOmmemoration
Of the birth Of their Flower Mission
the Methodist church would have been
tested as TO its seating capacity. As IL
was there was a large and highly ap-
preciative audience present, Cnfor-
runately, however. a couple OF large
revolving fans had been Installed and
were in operation for the first time. and
while they dispensed a current of cool
air that was very pleasant and agree
able 10 the audience. yet they seemed
to scatter or drive back the voices Of
the speakers. while the newness OF the
working parts was so much in evidence
that al times the voices from the plat
form were almost inaudible.
With the exception of one number
(Which was 0mitted) the whole pro-
gram was carried out. with a degree OF
perfection some what unusual in anna
teur performances. The beautiful and
artistic reading Of Mrs. Stephens, as
sisted by the trained voice of Mrs
Hampton, who mayer sang more sweet
| Iy were gems Of culture and taste. The
solo Of Miss Susie Lou Ellis was rare
treat while a song Of the wild dwoOd by
| little Nellie Liddon would have brought
down the house IL applause had been
admissab BILE.
| \ beautiful dialogue, written by Mrs.
NJ NJ Little. and participated in by the
young Misses AvaIee Edwards, Louise
Rentz Ellen Stripping and Margaret
| Little, was very pretty. each OF the
young ladies being letter perfect.
| The Rev J. p. Ley gave a short ad-
dress on the Mission Of Flowers" and
as the reverend gentleman is nothing
| ia q
features of the evening He began by
saving that he never saw fan that
could make more noise than he could.
and his talk proved his assertion. In
part he said that flowers were like poor
folks there seemed 10 be many OF
them, and then to the surprise OF the
laudience who as general thing are
not often surprised at anything he
might say or do. he sang without &C
commandment the beautiful song, ONLY
d Pansy Blossom" He omitted par
Of the song, but said he had another
ready in Acknowledgement Of a posi-
BILE encore, but as the said encore didn
materialize. the audience lost gem.
He said he was a great lover Of flow
ers and gave a very pathetic account o
his efforts in cultivating the same. H
told about receiving some flower seet
from a member of Congress. and tina
the taxpayers had to pay the postage
on the same. Among those seed was
packet labeled "Old Maid and he wa
very anxious to see what success n
could have in raising old maids, SO h
got a large box and took special car
in planting the same, but unfortunate
| Iy one of his neighbors owned a bob
tailed hen" Now up till that time h
be lovers Of flowers for when she i
out with a crop Of little biddies, and
turkey bgzzard hovers overhead. sh
gave the alarm and each little bidd
darted under a flower or bush till tn
said buzza rd was safely perched on tn
parsonage chimney. however the &C
tions of that neighbor's r. T. hen prov
: ed to him that hens have no aestheti
taste for she made bee line for thos
:, | embryo old maids. The speaker CAV
a practical illustration of the way tina
ihen manipulated her feet, and if sh
had been present last night she eel
tainly would have turned green wit
envy. The speaker also had some eA
perience with a cow, and though h
found she was devoid of aesthetic tast
she had strongly developed taste
another direction, for she ate every on
of them.
r. He said the work of taking flower
< to those who are sick and shut in NJ
< only brought cheer to the recipien
Il but also to grace to the giver and &
r. we absorb or assimilate an atmos phei
Il from our environment so by a love fC
4 flowers we become like them. He Sa
:. ne was a lover OF flowers, and gay
that as a reason for being GOO
looking, and he urged on the boys ar
girls TO cultivate that taste. and whe
II they were old as he they would
as good to look at as he is He al:
N urged the audience to distribu
,e their flowers to the living and not wa
ID till life was ended. He quoted h
l. friend Hilburn the president of Soutl
a. ern College. who said he would rath
a have a single flower while in this Ii
with the ability to enjoy its beau
and fragrance than a whole load
flowers on his coffin of which he cou
have no, appreciation.
Mrs. H. c. Packham had charge
the meeting and gave a history of Il
~ founding of the Flower Mission
Francis Willard in memory of Jenn
= Cassidy. She also told a pretty sto
of the result of little girls lett
written to a prisoner in the penite
- tiary and enclosed in that letter Il
child had put two panses. and Il
. work of regeneration which tho
flowers accomplished
The whole affair was pronounc
success and to Mrs. G. w. Martin b
: longs the credit. y feature of the e
ie ening was the organ volutary and a
u compartments OF Miss Mary Erwin, al
a. beautiful recitation by the love
daughter of Mr.. John Edwards, Nj
Marguerite. The closing piece of I
- program was a duet by Frank Cat
and his sister. Miss Mary, and at
conclusion it was a difficult matter
- the audience to keep from applaudir
n The exercises We're opened by
earnest prayer from DR.. Dodge, than
ing the giver of all blessings for I
gift of lovely flowers. And a I
close the Rev W. Fl. Coleman asked