The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-07-12
ROTARIANS ON
THE RIVER
- I'm a Little Prairie Flower" Lulled
the AlligatOrs to Rest Along the
Oklawaha Friday Evening

some weeks ago, the always active
mind Of Fred Hooker, legal member
OF the Ocala Rotary Club, originated
the idea Of a moonlight trip for the
club on the Silver and Oklawaha riv-
eTs. The first named date had TO be
abandoned because first the moon
would be Overripe and second many
Rotes would be out of town. But
Fred is like q Pears soap baby
Tnen ne wants anything he won't be
happy till he gets it; consequently the
excursion was pulled off yesterday
evening with great eclat. (We don't
know what eclat means but it sounds
Ike one of the noises the Rotary Club
nakes when it is real happy.)
\ large majority Of the club men,
Ders with many of their lady relatives
and some friends met at Silver
Springs late in the afternoon, to
LCard the Silver Springs, queen of the
Cklawaha navy. As the boat was
about to cast off, somebody made the
terrible discovery that J. J. Gerig
was missing. What was more terri
ole, the supply of ice cream and soda
water was missing with him. Only
enc suppOsitiOn was admissible and
that was that highwaymen had held
up Jake and confscated the ice cream.
Fred Hooker and several other intre-
pld Rotes seized barrel slaves,
lunches of sandspurs and other dead
Is weapons and had started up the
road TO the rescue when Jake came in
GlCrHr Iy-IH-inor biS lilo Tahrr
his chariot. and when they arrived it
was found that the refreshments were
safe.
Again when the boat was about to
leave the dock, President Chace wasn't
aboard. He was around a corner of
the warehouse, discussing with Alder
nan McIver either some method OF
putting teeth in an ordinance or bury
ing the same. The pair gained the
deck by a running jump, and at 6:37
p m. the boat moved down stream.
Just before leaving the Rotes sang
their national anthem, "The Little
Prairie Flower" The crowd on shore
looked surprised, but Ed Carmichael
having thoughtfully removed every
thing that was small enough to
throw, the Rotes made their getaway.
The boat ran from Silver Springs
to some miles below Conner, reaching
the dock on the return about 1870.
Everything passed off as smoothly as
silk, the weather was perfect, the
boat ran like a watch, and the
mosquitoes, which can't fly fast
enough to catch one of the Carmichael
fleet, had to sit on the bank and gnash
their teeth.
There were a number of ladies,
good housekeepers and first-rate
manipulators of edibles aboard, but
the Rotes always do everything the
other way. so the gentlemen operated
the commissary and served the eats.
There was about enough and a half
for everybody including the crew,
and it was served informally-that is,
al! used their laps for their tables.
Too many good things to mention, and
topped off with elegant ice cream.
About the time the supper was dis
| posed of, the boat turned for its home
| trip. This was an experience delight
full to remember. The Rotes naturally
turned to song-they have some good
voices among them and those that are
not good are we'll camoufaged. Also,
| the ladies joined in sometimes, espec-
! tally on THE Suwanee River" which
was most appropriate to sing at the
time and place. The moon was in full
! Tor near-fulD glory, and every few
minutes turn in the stream would
! bring its beams directly on the water,
changing the river to a road of silver.
Then a bend would seem TO head the
! boat into a wall of solid blackness,
| but the pilot knew the way and on the
| boat would go thru the shadows until
another turn or a rift in the foliage
would bring fair Luna's arc light into
active service ag" in.
The following program was render
ed:
Song, "The Prairie Flower"-Club
members.
Solo, "Forty-nine Blue Bottles
Hugh Henry.
Recitation-Jake Gerig.
Vampire dance-Zack Chambliss,
Arthur Cobb.
Solo, THE Brave Old Duke of
! y ork-Arthur Davies.
Recitation-George MacKay.
Solo, "Tipperary''- William Huck-
ably.
Shortly after the boat started, it
was discovered that Jake Brown was
hot in the party. Everybody missed
| him, but his absence was slightly COM
pensated for IN the absence Of the
usual confusion caused by having two
JGkes in the crowd.
The party was made up mostly Of
Rotes, their wives and children, a few
grass widowers, two or three young
men who beauxed their mamas, that