The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1918-11-01

FLORIDA
CBy a Contributor.)


CBy a Contributor)
A gallant old soldier many, many
years ago, coveted the glory OF con-
quest. His reputation furnished, his
honor unsung, his dreams unrealized,
he builded upon new dreams born OF
Legendary and he sought a magical
fountain in fairyland. On an Eas-
ter Sunday over four hundred years
ago after weary weeks of vOyaging he
found a shore; land gay with spring
blossoms and fringed against the sea
with palms. and he called it Florida.
The youth-giving spring he sought
remained only in his dreams but
Florida, still fiower-laden, remains 70
speak the memory of an old man who
found neither youth nor glory for him
self in a land then and now, glorious.
Florida, the pot of gold at the end
of the rainbow which fancied splen-
dor Ponce de Leon followed from gol-
den sunrise to shadowy twilight; the
will O. the wisp which lured broken
old man to disappointment Yet it is
fairyland to this day.
FIoridas beauties are tangible;
clinging to the senses insistently and
ever fragrant of generous Mother Ma,
ture who chose the spot in which 10
lavish her best gifts Florida lures,
even as she did those long gone years
ago Her moss-hung oaks and flower
strewn hammocks: her mysterious
bayous and swamps. shadow-hung; ST
lent save for the voice of birds and
tiny living things in the grasses, The
tcharm of her jewel heart always calls
to men.
The state as a beautiful princess is
awakening TO the Kiss of Prince Civ
iIization whose caress on her lovely
dimpled face is arousing her. wide,
eyed. to find herself palpitant thing,
Young, vibrating with energy, eager
for the world to learn that she is 4
potent factor in its work; that She is
a commonwealth. Young. yet old. I'M
informed, but alive to all her hidden
! resources
A land OF romantic legend and adj
venturous history; of towns most an
cient and newest, florida with her
unique precedence comes to the front
as court of last resort for the home
seeker. With thousands Of fertile
acres, fairly teeming with vegetative
energy, each acre begs for human eff
fort; just hand at the pillow. It's
east coast and other known areas are
becoming a territory of swiftly-grow,
ing cities, but inland and on the west
ern coast are miles of waiting soil
where the whistle of factory and mer.
camille industries must soon supplant
the sigh of the wind through the
pines. And Florida is winning citi-
zens for her void spaces. Railroads
Iare penetrating the remote points
where before only reigned the exuber-
ant mockingbird the fame c0Iored
cardinal and the painted butterfly On
the banks Of the bayOus where the
waXy bloom of the magnolia the star
lilies ana the wild jesamine alone
greeted the sunrise are bungalows.
and gardens terraced to the waters
edge.
Towns are springing into existence.
with high hope and ready energy to
explore and develop hidden resources.
to till the fields. to establish efficient
schools to strengthen and unity the
churches. ana. in fine with swift
steps. ready service and concertive
energy, make Florida's growing popu,
lation one blended and insoluble uni
ty.
1t has been recently called the win,
ter playground Of the nation. its east
ern coast dotted with towns whosei
natural beauty has been enhanced or
destroyed, as the case may be, by
any means to attract the idle rich 20
whom the climate Of thetropics is 4
respite from the fetid breath of arti-
ficiality
But to the nature lover there are