The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-03-04
A RIDE THROUGH
THE FLORIDA WOODS

If there is any one thing of which
Ocala people should be proud it is
her splendid roads leading out of
town in as many different directions
as there are points TO a compass; but
unfortunately just now the celebrated
deity, j. P, who is supposed to be
responsible for the live-giving rain
drops, seems to have given this sec
ton the go-bye, and his absence is
noted not only in the wistful look on
the face of every farmer, but also in
the dull gray color which seems to
have been adopted by every vehicle
driver and occupant who travels over
them.
However there is one road oven
which it certainly is a pleasure to
drive, even in this dusty season, for
the gray powder is very little in evil
dence after you leave the two-mile
post on the Sharp's ferry road. And
long before you reach the river and
miles on the other side the beauties
of nature as displayed in the magnifi-
cent trees, in their new spring suits,
the splendid many small lakes and
streams that are seen on the route,
makes this one of the most charming
rides in the county.
Nearly all the land this side of the
ferry that is not now in cultivation is
being fenced up with good wire fenc-
ing, with the intention evidently OF
being utilized for corn, cotton or cat
tie. Just before we arrived at the
bridge, we turned off the road for a
quarter of mile and made a call on
Mr.. Hinton and his neighbor, Mr..
Brooklen. 1t was the first time we
have had the pleasure of meeting the
latter gentleman, but he said he felt
well acquainted with US, for when he
was coming into town Saturday he
saw me under the family car doing
| some kind of work, and / suppose the
fact of my being busy must have im~
pressed itself on his memory Mr..
H. informed me that the river was so
low that there were no fish left in it,
and that on the previous day he had
travelled many miles along it's banks
and hadn't even seen gar. Now we
didn't just know what gar was, but
suppose it was some kind of fish. Of
course, we know what G. A. R. stands
for, but we never knew one of them
who could live entirely on water.
AS we crossed the river on the
splendid iron bridge, we recalled
former time when we crossed on the
old fat-bottom boat, which was man.
ipulated by the aforesaid Mr.. Hinton.
This was before the big freeze and
we were taking little Nelly, then
frisky colt of two years over to
Volusia county for the summer and
we recall the fact that Nelly protest
ed most vigorously against trusting
herself on so frail a looking craft.
About mile on the other side of
the river the new straw road begins
and as the straw has been put on
most literally, it is like riding on vel
vet. While the trees on each side Of
the road reaching across and inter
twining their limbs and branches, the
yellow jessamine gracefully blooming
in their tops, and thousands of lovely
white lilies grouped around the bot
tom, one has to rub his eyes to be
sure they are not in fairland.
At the Oklawaha church cemetery,
we left the car to investigate large
marble slab not yet out of its crate.
1t was standing at the side Of two
newly made graves, each covered with
a cement slab about four feet wide,
nine feet long and six inches thick,
and the marble slab that was evident
ly to be placed on one of them. Part
of the crate had been removed and We
read:
civilian T. Henderson, 1867-1917.
Here lies a mana loving husband, .
kind father, Christian and friend :
A most loving tribute and one en-
dorsed by all who knew him.
As / said before, there was but one
beautiful marble slab, but two graves,
but looking on top of the crate we
found that it was addressed to Mrs.
Hattie Henderson, Ocala, Fla, and
Ithen we understood. Love had
prompted the widow and children to
order the marble, but ere it arrived,
the wife had gone TO dwell forever
with the one she loved so well.
Fl. G. P.