The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-03-25
RODE ON A RAILROAD TRAIN
INSTEAD OF A RAIL

Most northern people are good
folks, and the South can't have too
many or them, either as visitors or
settlers. The South is evidently a
better country than the North, be-
cause ten times as many northerners
come south as southerners 60 north.
Northern people are more energetic
than southerners, but a southerner
who goes north and stays there gen
orally becomes more energetic than
the northerners. Most northern peo-
pie are delighted with the South, and
the longer they stay in it the better
they like it. Occasionally. however,
some northerner can only speak of
the South to abuse it. 1t is safe bet
that these people are grouches. or
worse, at home. The South is used to
them and generally treats them with
amused tolerance. If they stay long
enough they almost always reform
One, however, did stay long enough
to learn the error of his ways. The
Orlando Reporter-Star tells of him
as follows:
Orlando has one less citizen today
than it had yesterday. 1t is a sad
fact but true. One man has gone from
us, probably never TO return. But hear
the facts of his going before you shed
any tears.
He was a knocker.
Some days ago a committee of
townspeople headed by Ira M. Leach,
of Concord avenue. including several
women, appeared before Mayor Giles
and told his honor that a man in Con-
cord Park was knocking Orlando, the
South and the South's soldier boys.
That what he said was a lie out of the
whole cloth, and wanted to know If
something could not be done about it.
Now, people can, when they have
the disposition, knock the city with
impunity. That is the privilege a man
enjoys. Some avail themselves of it.
You can knock the South, too, and
get away with it. unless you happen
to run into one of the old stagers,
which apparently this fellow never
had done.
But there is one institution not to
be knocked, and that's fat, and that
lis the soldier boys from the South.
They are immune from gibes now and
forever. If you don't like the southern
young men in uniform that is an in
dividual matter between yourself and
your judgment. But don't talk about
it. It's dangerous.
This man said Orlando was rotten,
the citizens were hogs. that the South
was no good anyway. and that the
southern soldiers were no good, that
go per cent of them were disqualified
on account of disease.
That got the mayors goat. Yes,
sir, it got it completely. He said he
would look into the matter, and he
did. Yesterday morning he sent for
Chief of Police Pounds, and told
Pounds he wss in for little trip. Mr..
Giles, the chief and Mr.. Leach board
ed flivver and went to Concord Park
and there they met the knocker.
He was not an humble lmocker. He
was ag'in the South and darn proud
of it. Mr.. Giles, in the presence Of the
chief of police and Mr.. Leach. asked
him why in the name of all that was
holy did he stay in such a rotten
place.
"Well," he replied, "you have got a
good climate. / will concede that, and
/ stay here to enjoy it."
He hedged bit about his criticism
Of the soldiers, but the mayor heard
enough to convince him that the
charge of the committee was true.
Looking the man straight in the eye,
according to the way Pounds tells it,
the mayor said:
"There is a train leaving here in the
morning at 10 o'clock. See that you
are on it."
81 win do no such thing" said the
lmocker. "This is a free country, and
I am going to have my rights" You
| know the CUFF
"All right" said the mayor. "you
stay; but if you are not ridden out Of
town on a rail III miss a bet"
The mayor drove off with the chief
of police. Later yesterday morning
Pounds was sent back with a further
message from Mr. Giles By that time
the gentleman from the Gods country
| UP North, where the apple trees bloom
all year, nobody pays any taxes, and
harps are hung on every limb, had
had chance to ponder over the situ-
alton.
The story goes that he met Chief
Pounds with some eagerness. 'T de-