The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-05-07
RENTz'S PICNIC
DOWN THE RIVER
Most Beautiful Oasis in the Desert
: for Bunch Of Busy
Men

Mr.. George Rentz gave a number of
his men friends a picnic and days
outing on the river yesterday, that
viii be long remembered by them as
an enjoyable day-a restful oasis in
busy man's life.
Mr.. Rentz's guests assembled at
headquarters. Charlie Goddard's liv-
sry stables. a. . o'cloclr, ard shortly
after with the great supply Of @eats''
the party left for Silver Springs in
automobiles, where the commissary
supplies and fishing table were tax
en- aboard the City Of 0eala. which
Mr.. Rentz had chartered for the day
and that vessel got under way for
the picnic grounds, the Osceola bat
tie field, one Of the most beautiful
bluffs on the river 25 miles down
the stream.
The trip down was made IN a leis-
urely manner. the guests absolutely
doing what each one preferred. and
it was very pleasant under. the cano-
by, on the upper deck of the boat in
the comfortable steamer chairs.
The breeze was fine all day, the
water was never clearer, and in its
mirrored depths, the guests never
tired of Watching tfis Count IS ess- .fish
flashing pas; Irs& thI6se who fancied
the strenuous sport would take turns
standing on the bow, spearing, or try
ing, to spear, the huge alligator gar
fish, with the five tined spear, on a
20-foot pole. Now and then 20 or
40 FOUNDER would be speared and un-
less the captain who stood just back
of him would stop the boat, the Off
cial harpooner was apt to be dragged
overheard. In fact, Mike Roess saw
ed this scribe on one occasion, 1T
taking their united strength to hold
the line, which was around the wrist
of the harpooner.
Whether by accident or with malice
aforethought viii never be known,
but Mr.. Rentz took nothing stronger
along to drink than lemonade and ice
water. There was some little grumb-
ling among the passengers but no
outward signs of trouble and mutiv
ny was avoided. Mr. Rentz's color
ed steward, taken along to serve the
guests, kept huge bucket Of ice cold
lemonade circulating among the
guests during the entire trip.
Arriving at the bluff, the boat was
tied up and the supplies and chairs
removed to the shady grove a hun
dred yards back, with an elevation of
nearly 80 feet, and commanding a
beautiful view Of the elbow curve of
the river and from which the clear
waters did not look to be more than
a foot or SO in depth.
The picnic dinner was spread on
long table cloths on the lawn-Iil<e
surface, and the many good things to
eat spread out for the hungry men.
There was first and foremost q couple
of barbecued lambs, cooked by an ex-
pert in barbecuing meat, who ever
he was. This was sliced and distrib-
uted over the table. There was In
great abundance, ham sandwiches
with pickles, bread and biscuit and
corn pone, cakes of several kinds,
pies of many kinds, hot coffee and
lemonade and other things to tempt
the delicate appetites of such men
as Gober, Brown, Goddard and Halle,
together with Cobb, Tompkins and
Peek. Peek, having his hyperdermic
along, had agreed to administer a
dose to any one who should be made
Ill by over-eating, but the doctor
was soon helpless himself, from the
T-n,e c-r1e, and rnahie ~ -c-ec--n
Several lay members volunteered 70
assist their over-indulged brothers,
but it was found that there was not
enough Of the aIleviator of pain to go
around so it was decided that the
helpless ones should be laid out under
the trees till time-the great healer
should come to their rescue These
members when the boat was ready TO
start for home had sufficiently digest