The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-02-17
As OCAA LOOKS
TO A NEWCOMER
! Impressions of q Northern Visitor
Cover a Variety of Topics, Inelud-
ing Cows and Cabbage
Palmettoes
Written for the ocala Starr

written I0r the Ocala ctdE1
Although we had, In the course of
our six decades of years, expended
goodly portion of our time and sub
stance in travel, following the well
trodden paths of tourist routes in Eu-
rope, in the tropical lands of the
western hemisphere and over the
northern. eastern and western sections
of the United States, 10 say nothing
of a traversal of the Dominion of
Canada, from the Maritime Provinces
to British Columbia, our peregrina-
tions had not until now led us into
that division of oar own country
which is so frequently referred to as
lying south of Mason and Dixon's line,
and our first impressions of this-to
us-terra incognita have been obtain
ed in the delightful little city of Ocala.
True, the vessel that bore US hither-
ward permitted US glimpse of
Charleston-merely a glimpse-while
our stay of a few days in a hotel in
the heart of Florida's metropolis dis
closed, so far as externals went, moth
ing that was not already familiar to
eyes wearied years ago with the glare
of the lights that emblazon the region
surrounding the intersection of Broad
way and Forty-second street in the
Big Town up north. So we turn to
consider Ocala.
We have been here barely week,
hu. at this writing we feel-and this
10 statement of simple truth-that
we should be quite content, did cir
cumstances permit, to spend the re-
mainder of our days here, so agreeable
have been our experiences.
A trite jest is that about the re-
puted practice of New York marine
reporters who ask distinguished visi-
tors from abroad. "What do you think
of America ?" before the d. VS. have
set foot ashore While we lay no claim
to distinction and our opportunities
for observation have been limited
during our sojourn, we have been ask
ed by dozen or more of our new
friends what we think of 0cala, and
we can say truthfully that we like it.
If we didn't we think we have sense
enough to keep our mouth shut. It's
most striking characteristics. as they
have presented themselves to US, are
courtesy, cordiality, climate and clean
illness. To these c's we might add a
fifth-cows. But that is another
story.
From the moment we set foot on
the station platform-it happened
that we were not compelled to alight
at the water tank. as we had been led
to expect-we were made to feel at
home. Since then invitations to go
here, there and elsewhere have poured
in on US. and we hope to be able to
accept all of them Strolling about
the streets we are greeted with friend
~ salutations on all sides, while even
kGC AAOSOAiSt SAsCS ail aPOiOSOblC SAA1AAS
as his warning honk at the crossing
makes US accelerate our pace.
Climate? "What is SO rare as day
in June?" ecstatically sang the poet
of northern cline. His June is mid.
Florida's February And then the
mocking birdsi
If we were asked what local feat.
ure, aside from the public building.
and the commodious and allurine
marts of trade, most attracted our at.
tention, we should say, "The snappy
and scrappy editorials in the Star"
But there are other things that, w.
find, enliven existence here. David
Copperfield was no more startled al
his Aunt Betsy Trotwood's warning
cry to her handmade of "Janet, don
keys!" as signal to assist her in
driving asinine trespassers from hel
lawn than were we when on the eve
ming of our arrival we heard on,
hostess shrek Ginger, cows." Forth
with the trusty Airedale, with a yell
and leap. was outdoors. and in pur
suit of a herd of scampering bovin,
intruders that had entered the gardel
with predaceous intent. The amateur
horticulturist, cultivating a bit of un
fenced land IN the suburbs, we hav
ascertained, has to contend with NOR
formidable and destructive enemie
than bugs, drought and vagrant fowl
Some years ago, while in Boston
gazing at the Bunker Hill monumen,
that memorial OF the most famous q