The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-04-05
The Crystal Iiazer

Inv ~ASAoo VI ACAC VI IL ~.
The Crystal Gazer
Looking into the heart of our crys-
tai gazer Sunday evening there we
saw revealed the wonderful city of
Ocala fifty years hence, and all. it
was wonderful sight to behold. Not
much larger in proportion, but o, so
beautifully grand. No telephone poles
or electric wires spelling the natural
beauty of the trees; all underground
and safely out of the way. No sign
boards or other disfgurements what
ever. All the houses were freshly
painted and in good repair, yards
clean with fresh green lawns, broad,
spacious and beautiful. No church
bells, no train whistles, or dust or
smoke-each noise of its kind remov-
ed by high, scientific method. Few
automobiles. Airplanes and zeppeljns
everywhere, also the little mosquito
fleet airplane" enjoying the popula-
rity of the old time Ford car was eve
rywhere. Palatial households f1oated
on the Venetian beauties of Silver
Springs summer and winter, the do
nIestic mosquito having become ex-
tinct, because of frequent casing
through the forests. The Silver
Springs-Ocala canal was a thing of
beauty, winding its silver way to the
city through the tall forests and
sandy hills, at last forming an i'm
mense shipping center just opposite
the union station. Tuscawilla Park,
begun in the year 1919 by the mem
bers of the Ocala Woman's Club, had
developed into wonderful proportions.
The memorial trees along the prin-
cipal driveway were very handsome
indeed. Fountains were playing and
merry children frolicking and rolling
about over the spacious green lawns
at all hours of the day. Policemen
and traffic cops were in evidence in
all directions of the city, subject to
the slightest beck or call. All modern
business buildings were fat-roofed
and used as airplane stations. There
were no old and wrinkled men and
women. They were painted and made
over and were very beautiful. The
rejuvenating of the editor of Bright
Bits was the most wonderful of ALL
Thirty-six inches of heighth added
grace to the otherwise beautiful form
The big, pulpleish freckles so con-
spicuous in 1919 had faded into
soft pink-white complexion, and her
hair that heretofore rivaled the red
of the Irishman's on his native heath,
was now soft and black as the ravens
70 wne@rr &Ha
lips of an otherwise perfect mouth
parted to reveal new set of genuine
homegrown pearly teeth. Altho' her
age we knew to be far past the ninety
and nine, yet was she as a girl of
twenty, so well had the arts of mod
err science succeeded in its efforts of
perpetuating youth against old age.
Her eyes were soft and big and brown,
contrary to the little "pale blue riv-
cts" that in 1919 were prying about
into everyone's business, searching
for news. Instead of weighing 200
or less, her little form balanced the
scales at and she now wore a No.
shoe instead of a No. 9. All these
scenes to the crystal gazer were most
gratifying, and all would have been
well in happiness had not the mystic
graces led us into the maze of impos-
sibles, which contained principally
the Star building. To the amazement
of the gazer there were few changes
there. Everything seemed as of old.
The machinery hummed as merrily as
in those happy PARKWAY days of the
past, and we were pleased to see ali
the old force that be once knew so
pleasantly busy at their respective
duties, even to the honorable and once
aged editor. He seemed especially
rejuvenated, and very greatly enjoy
ing the blessings of life, along with
his host of friends, unchanged how
ever except for the exuberant spirit
Of youthfulness and keenness of
hearing that even a redbird's chirp
listened melodious from across the
pines at Fairy Island. The fact that
was puzzling: Why all this sameness
in the Star sanctum, when all about
was fresh and modern? Just then
maze of radiance formed halo abouI
the illustrious editors brow, and in
its meshes of mystery we deciphered
these words, "Too slick for the fates
to catch. We've ticketed his bunch
through to A. D. 1920" Then the
glass changed into a general obser-
walton of the city, and to our surprise
we noticed that the citizens as q
whole INDUCED in a quick, nervous
affectation, so different from their
habits in the past, and their eyes
twinkled with an unmistakable joy
BUSINESS we could not understand, but
upon close Interrogation, we were in