Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-06-08
ocala and the Silver Springs.
Editor of The Advertiser:

Ccala and the Silver Springs.
Editor of The Advertiser:
u am stopping for a few days at
the Colonial hotel in the historic town
of 0cala. 1t is beautiful for situation,
built upon high elevation and sheds
the water from every angle, and one
might call it a forest city, with a pop
|ulation of about 1000. The town is
surrounded by beautiful forest of
live oaks draped with long, hanging
moss. There are three banks, several
Large hotels and live chamber of
commerce, and two daily papers.
0cala is the prettiest, most up-to-date
town that l have seen since I have
been in the land of the roses. The
very best accommodation can be OBJ
tanned for the travelling public. The
Colonial hotel is near the union sta
.tion, and if you stop there once, you
will go again. The proprietor is a
Chesterfield man and his wife is the
nricrowned queen of the hotel.
There are many things of much in
terest in and around the little city
limits. And fine farming country to
back it. Anything can be grown here
tosperfection. But the most interest
ing thing is the Silver Springs and
the tropical sceneries connected there
have no equal in North America. A
wealth of legends and words of beau
tif1l memorials left by those path
finders of the red man, cling around
the very name of Florida. Here in
;ocala and vicinity they have made
the indians immortal by attaching the
names of Ocklawaha, Osceola, Tus-
caroro and, Tuscawella to some of the
streets. Perhaps there was no spot in
all Florida that was more beloved by
the red man than Silver Springs, be-
side which many an Indian maiden
has strolled with her lover, and over
whose CLASSY waters their swift ca
noes have glided. Once there were
two Indian lovers who lived in the
forest near Silver Springs, Ocklawa-
has the son Of the mighty chief, Olus-
,kee, and the only child of no less
Is,oEseI full lief ssuWane The two
ofdss chiefs hated each other bitterly
and never met except in bloodshed,
although their tribes were neighbor-
ing ones. One day while hunting,
Ocklawaha came upon Winonah, as
she gathered herbs in the forest, and
fell deeply in love with her. His af-
fections were returned and the two
spent many happy hours together in
the great dim forest. They feared to
tell the implacable old chieftain of
their love, knowing that it would
bring instant separation and possibly
death. The lovers, after several weeks
of perilous happiness, began to sus-
pect that they were being watched,
and they at once planned to escape
to the tribe of Chattahoochee. One
night in response to hoot owl, Wi
nonah stole from her wigwam and
Joined Ocklawaha in the shadowof a
live oak tree, and silently they set
forth on their fateful journey which
would lead them to life or death.
Suddenly rifle shot rang out of
the still darkness of the forest, and
instantly the air responded with hid
eous cries. Knowing their flight was
discovered Ocklawaha and Winonah
made a desperate dash for freedom.
Back and forth they darted until at
length they found themselves On a
high bluff overlooking glistening
stream. As they stood there for a mo-
ment the moon emerged from the
dense clouds by which it had been
veiled; bathed in the silver moon
light, the motionless pair were clear
ly outlined against the sky. A yell of
triumph told that they were discover
ed, and their pursuers broke from the
edge of the forest few feet away.
Turning, the lovers gazed deep into
each others eyes, then ocklawaha
seizing Winonah in his arms 1eaped
below into the Silver Spring the
water being ninety feet deep. The
union of Silver Springs and the Ock-
lawaha river typifies the union of
the two loves in death, and it is said
that the green waving moss that
n ~