The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1917-07-05
ASSOCIATED Press)
PATRIOTIC PAGEANT
Celebration this Fourth of July the
Prettiest Ocala Has
Ever Seen


The Ocala Red Cross certainly de-
vised most patriotic and appropriate
way of celebrating the 4th in the
pageant which it gave on the public
square Wednesday,.
This fourth has set an epoch in the
history of America and of the world
1t is the first in the era set by Amer
lea abandoning her traditional isola-
ton, which would now be selfish, and
joining the democratic nations of the
world in trying to secure the common
right of all men to 'life, liberty and
pursuit of happiness"
Could moving picture of We'd
nesday's ceremony be shown in any
community in any one of the strug-
Cling nations which are our allies, it
would have heartened them to see
how this typical American town
chose from among its fairest girls
and prettiest little ones to most ap-
propriately express its sympathy for
them and its own devotion to the COM
mon cause.
The square was thronged late We'd
nesday afternoon. Not only was
Ocala out in force, but hundreds of
country people came in to attend the
exercises. At o'clock, the members
OF the band and the chorus were in
the bandstand, and people were
gathered around by the hundreds on
the sidewalks and lawn, while the
beautiful new flag of the Ocala high
school on it's tall staff fioated over all.
The parade formed down on South
Magnolia street and came marching
around the sidewalks of the court
house square. It was made up Of
pretty girls, was the prettiest parade
ever seen in Ocala, and was as pretty
as could be seen anywhere.
First came a bunch of dainty little
maidens representing Japan, the Sun
rise Kingdom, which America tempt
ed from it's seclusion of thousand
years and ushered into the light of
modern civilization-Ni Nippon, the ma
tion which has proclaimed the Mon
roe doctrine of the Mongolian race.
Next came squad of fair girls,
wearing the garb of Russia mighty
Russia, that labored so slowly thru
the years toward the dawn only to
step more quickly than any other ma
ton into daylight.
Then the pretty representatives of
Italy, where democracy was crucified
and recrucified thru the centuries, op-
pressed from abroad and betrayed at
lhome, but rising at last triumphant
as truth in spite of tyranny, supersti-
ton and poverty into one of the
noblest of nations, and one, now
worthily filling its place in the far
J flung line that fights for the rights
| of humanity
The fair young ladies that repre-
sented Great Britain marched in
three squads-frst, for canny Scot
land, which despite its thrifty dispo-
sition has created by bravery and de-
votion more romance than even stor-
led Greece; then Ireland, whose heart
has ever ran away with her head;
then sturdy England, within whose
bounds the very cornerstone of con-
stitutional government has been laid.
Next came the girls who represent
ed Belgium, the little hero, who pre-
ferred destruction to submission-the
tiny stone that ground to powder it
self yet broke the cog in the Prussian
war machine that has made it limp
ever since; Belgium the orphan that
the Allies are bound to cherish till
they can place her in her home again
And then France, Americas first
ally, and now her dearest friend, the
bravest and most self-sacrifcing OF
nations, ever ready to draw the sword
for what she thought was right and
without any idea of reward. America