The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-07-16
4 CONCENTRATION OF
UNFORTUITOUS CIRCUMSTANCES

Cape Nav Point, y. j., July 14-It !
was on Friday that we left for our
Trip 18th and a woman carrying a /
black cat was among the passengers
on the train; now that combination /
OF Friday and cat hooded US from /
Ocala to Washington. Our trouble
however, only commenced as we
crossed the border line between Flor
ida and Georgia. First the engine
punctured tire, or something OF
that nature, and a couple Of hours
were lost in repairs, then when 40
miles north Of Columbia, S. c., we
were blocked by a bad collision be-
tween two freights. One of them
got in a hurry and tried the same old |
trick Of trying TO pass another train
on the same track, but with the usu-
al results Both engines took 10
the ditch one on either side while
the cars out Of sympathy for their
leaders piled up around them. 1t was
bad wreck.
We were then ordered back to Co
| lumbia and had to make a detour OF
nearly 100 miles over another road
| to get around the block and as we
had no right Of way we were held
Iup for everything on the road and
when we got back to the main line
again we were but few miles above
the wreck, but had lost another six
! hours getting there. However, we
thought that our troubles were over
| by this time, but unfortunately the
Iblack cat was still with US and when
we got a fresh engine at Hamlit it
soon developed a case of acute indi-
gestion (the engine not the cat), its
H intestines sprung leak and put out
H the fires, however, after some plug
II ing by the mechanical doctors it felt
II somewhat better and started again
only to have bad relapse after run
l ing another fifty miles when another
hyperdermic was administered and
we worried along until Richmond
was reached and were ten hours be-
hind the schedule. We we're only
allowed to run by the courtesy Of
every law abiding train on the road
and were a little less than IL hours
late when we reached Washington.
There We parted company with the
black cat and our troubles were over.
The crops along the road were
certainly looking fine. They consist
ed only of corn and cotton the only
variation being from corn and cotton
to cotton and corn. The amount OF
cotton planted is immense and to us
not be familiar with the facts ii
looked as though there would be
enough of that staple product raise
in the South this year to furnish ;
shirt, stockings and oyeralls for ev-
cry man, woman and child this side
of Mars.
If the poet who wrote,
Backward, turn backward
Oh time in your flight
was to make the trip at this time
from Florida to New Jersey he
would certainly think that his plead
ing had been listened to and hi!
lprayer granted, for when he left hi!
southern home it would be midsum
/ mer with corn six or eight feet and
/ when he reached south Jersey i
would be like early spring at home
with oats about a foot high and corr
just breaking thru the soil, while
the stores stocked with early vegeta
bles had to buy that stock from tht
commission men of the south.
We find everything here delight
fully refreshing, the weather as coo
and invigorating as late September
the water as salty as ever, while tht
z sea bass, butter fish and sheepsheat
are begging an Introduction to thu
frying pan, and tho we miss thu
early music of the knocking bird anC
the whipporwill's vesper song a
4 eventide, yet as we put the conch Il
our ear it "sings of it's home in thu
sea-" and the waves as they roll OF
the sands of the beach are lullab.
: of rest and sleep. Ais we'll.