The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-08-04

ready and stood at rest. and down
the whole line each company stood at
rest In its own company street. in the
dark woods sheltered by the oyerhang-
ing branches, and invisible to the
multitude of sight seers.
All this time the little bugles were
giving forth notes, which being prop
erly interpreted, were repeated from
company to company until all was in
readiness and at the bugle note.
hush fell on the multitude, and with a
soft, easy swing the regimental band
left its quarters playing a stirring
tune-and the game of war was on.
Out into the open they marched
and the music stirred the hearts of
men, women and children, for the
silence of death prevailed as on they
went, straight to given point and
stopped. A bugle sounded and out
from the depths of the dark woods
crept slender file of men, heads
erect After them from little nook
further on, another file fell in behind,
and then another and even another
broke from the depths of the woods,
and IN sinuous, rhythmic manner
Wol ked their way across the open
field, now in one formation, now in
another. They unanswered around
and came to rest-a battalion of men.
The band played and further down the
line a stream of men again emerged
from the woods; out they poured, one
after another, until it just seemed
that those woods were full of soldiers,
and as they streamed across the
grounds, the band playing, the people
held their breath, and as they found
their place and came to rest, another
battalion was in formation; as fast
as one line ended another came out
and kept the thread unbroken, until
"a long line crept across the open field
and worked itself into place in keep
ing with the other two battalions. The
bugle sounded, orders were shouted,
the music crashed and the regiment
was in motion.
A subdued tense thrill ran through
the multitude of onlookers as the
thousand men shaped themselves into
a marching regiment as one man.
Here and there they went, winding
their way around and over the field,
giving a good demonstration of the
value of training and such trainingI
These men, many of them only a few
weeks ago were raw, unframed re-
cruits, now walking with the confident
air of trained soldier in Uncle Sans
army.
With grand sweep the regiment
was brought to rest, facing the flag.
The band in very impressive way
played the Star Spangled Banner, the
thousands present barred their heads.
Old Glory futtered from its lofty
perch, and down, down to earth. A
large sigh escaped from the multi
tude, and the parade was over-only
a memory.
To the sightseers it was an object
lesson never TO be forgotten, to the
friends and relatives there it showed
them that this was no local display,
for it brought to their minds that all
over these United States at this time
the same scene was being enacted and
the reason for it was the protection of
our homes and firesides.
Here our men were rushing to the
colors to protect the honor of Texas
and Arizona, if the need should hap
pen. The men of Texas and Arizona
would rush to the colors to protect
the homes of Florida and Georgia or
any other state that might be threat
ened. The very immensely of the
thing appals one
In our every day existence we see
the boys and young men of our towns
growing up around us, and we look at
them with varying degree of toler-
ance. Two months ago for any one in
Belleview to have made the state
ment that Lloyd Maier was a hero
would have brought ridicule upon all
concerned, and yet who will dispute
today that he is a hero? Not only
Lloyd Maier, but every mothers SON
in the Second Regiment of Florida is
hero, fcT they have forsaken home
and freside to go into camp and sub
ject themselves to strict iron rule of
discipline, to which none of them were
accustomed; to put up with all the in
conveniences of camp life and camp
cooking, to endure day after day, hour
after hour of drilling and preparation
in the boiling sun with only the pros
poets in sight of going to the hot
burning sands of far away lands and
being shot at by dirty greasers and
probably hit and left like dog out
in the burning sun by day and the
chill mountain air by night, to die a
miserable death. Why /? And what for ?
First, to protect the home and fire
side of otker American citizens like
ourselves. Second, to help these poor,
misguided and misruled greasers to
establish stable government of their
own. This is the reason why our
bows and men have given up their
comfortable homes, their positions,
their business and all that they hold
near and dear. All hail to our heroes
at Black Point! Eleanor Tremere.