The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-10-26

for its citizens the blessings of tran
guilty and peace and today our ration
is engaged in an effort to secure for
the whole world these inestim&ble
blessings.
l wish here and now to thank the
ladies of Ocala for this significant
demonstration.
From the earliest ages fire has sym.
bolized enlightenment, more so in the
early ages than now, and to keep
them burning required vigilance and
vigilance in all ages has been the
price of liberty.
We all remember how the vestal
virgins kept the sacred fires burning
and those performing that duty had to
be chaste of body and soul.
So = 'Jntry we are keen
the fires of liberty burning and they
never burned in a cause more sacred
or holy
From the Atlantic to the Pacific oc-
cans and from the Great Lakes to the
Gulf on our border this great country
of ours, is illuminated tonight with
these patriotic fires.
We are at war. 1t is no longer the
time to ask the reason, why or where
fore? 1t is the duty of every loyal
citizen to stand beneath the folds of
his country's flag and hold mp the
hands of the president in mis- every
undertaking in this hour of the ma.
tion's peril.
How can we, who from age or other
causes, are unable to serve at
the front, to help win this war?
One way is by the purchase of these
liberty bonds
And permit me right here to say
that they are liberty bonds. They are
not the scheme of financiers or nation.
al bankers Ito get hold of them so as
to dictate the nations fiscal policy
for if it were they would have been
issued in sizes ranging from one to
one hundred thousand dollars, but in.
stead we find them fixed at the low
sum of fifty dollars and they can be
secured on the installment plan. max
ing them within reach of every
one who is at all frugal and industri.
Gus.
So let's make their sale a success.
full one Let's all stand one for all and
all for one.
If this be done there can be no doubt
but that our cause will triumph and
the stars and stripes will stand as a
beacon light of hope and inspiration
to the nations of the earth for now
and evermore.
Mr.. w. T. Gary was the next speak.
er. He likewise represents one of
Ocala's oldest and most prominent
families. Mr.. Gary is a very brilliant
young orator and in placing his fagot
a piece of wood from the home Of the
great Indian chieftain. Osceola. on
the fire spoke:
Mr. Gary spoke substantially as fol.
lows
l hold in my hand and now place
upon this liberty bond fire stick OF
wood which may be interesting from
a historical standpoint to the citizens
of this city. The same was secured
from the site of the home of Oceola,
one of the best known of Florida's
Indian chiefs, who lived about four
miles southwest of Ocala, on land
now owned by the Edwards Brothers
of this city.
In 1885. the wife of Oceola, while
visiting Ft. King, a few miles east of
Ocala, was carried off into captivity
it being claimed that she was the
daughter of a fugitive slave woman
In revenge for this act Oceola attack.
ed and killed Gen. Wiley Thompson
and six of his men while dining out.
side, but near Fort King. Dec. %,
1885. thus bringing or the second
Seminole war.
Oceola defied the armies OF the
United States for about two years, de.
feating the same in several engage
ments. In 1887, while visiting =.
Augustine under nag Of truce, h