The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-05-21
THE SAXON
WILEY HARALsON BURFORD.

WILEY HARALSON BURFORD.
Long ages ago before the dawn of
history. a people. large, fairhaired and
blue-eyed. rOamed through the fastness
OF the German forests, and with
stone-tipped club. terrified the beasts
of the wood in their search for food
Each man lived alone with his family
and constantly warred with his neigh
Dor on any slight pretext of injury to-
wards himself or his home.
He acknowledged no superior other
than the gods he worshipped, and
these were merely presentations of
nature and of his own character. Thus
early arose in the breast of the sturdy
German that desire and love of freedom,
that hatred of oppression. This feel
ing in the heart of every true SAX
on. He diSdained to be connected with
his neighbor in the tribal state. no law
could bind him, no chief could direct
his affairs, his life was the life of per-
feet independence
It may have been his search for food
that made him wanderer, it may have
been that the same surroundings con-
stantly presenting themselves 10 his
mind. were in opposition TO his ideas
of boundless freedom, freedom to do
what he pleased, TO go unrestricted
wherever a longing for new things
might lead. His ultimate desire was TO
| live a life unhampered by nature, man,
or beast.
! In the course OF time, proba bly, to
avoid destruction by foreign races, the
now more developed minds of our
hardy ancestors began to perceive that
! in unity there is strength, hence the
! formation of the tribe. \ nation is made
/ great not through external display and
| appearance but through the predomi
mating character of its people individ-
uaIly. So il was with the tribes of the
! Saxons. their claim to renown rested
upon each liberty-lOving wOrshipper OF
Thor.
| In place Of the man resisting his
ineighbOr, now the tribe resisted lnVa-
sions by outside foes The individual
Saxon's love of liberty, his indomita-
BILE courage. and his resistless persever-
ence now rendered great aid. For z
century or more the country between
the Rhine and the Danube was drencR'
ed with blood Of a million heroes
To the sturdy Germanic mind, sub
mission was impossible; like a slow
but ever advancing tide. he drove hi:
enemies from him and once more helC
full sway over his own sacred father
land.
Through wears and years the SaXOr
had battled with external and interna
foes and had emerged victorious A.
a result Of repeated success and in
creased power obtained through eve
multiplying numbers. the Saxon be
came confident and in time aggressive
Linked with this aggressiveness wer
the distinctive features obtained by hi
stubborn resistance in former periods
Instead Of PASSIVE Saxon jealous.
guarding his Freedom with Iimitles
determination and with courage bOrd
I4rin- on reckle<SnesS. We have tn
ACTIVE aggressive Saxon with thes
same qualities What a preparatio,
this warIike race had 20 distinguish it
self. What possibilities might Ia
open 10 such a people. They possesse
every fundamental prerequisite 70
: power: numbers. bodily strength, IN
Iconuuerable courage. love OF liberty
RELENTLESS perseverance, and an over
whelming aggressivneSs
= With all this, the Saxon tribes ex
E banded and became crowded in thei
: own territory. What then should b
: expected from such a people? Exactl
! what happened. that old wanderin
E spirit inherited from their prehistori
d ancestors gradually seized each fierc
e blue-eyed warrior affecting whol
2 tribes Then it was as Roosevelt say
= lswarmed out Of the dark woodland ca: