The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-12-05
DOWN PLUMS FOR
THE CHRISTMAS TREE

hundred berries to put on that indus |
trial school Christmas tree. / know
there is plenty of money for the un-
dertaking THE only drawback is that
haven't much time to hunt for it,
SO if the spirit moves you to con-
tribute don't wait for me to hunt you
up-send it or bring it; any of the
Star crowd is safe to trust with that
kind of money.
B. C. Webb of Kendrick took pleas
ure Saturday in handing me one of
those pictures of Lincoln and Grant
that even the most unreconstructed
rebel likes to put in his pocket gall
lery. And Lee Lyle from the orange
groves by the lake said he was help
ing one Christmas tree already but
glessed he could give boost to an
other
A good-looking, amiable and mod
est bachelor said the Christmas seal
fairies hadn't left him but fifty
cents, but he gave that on condition
| wouldn't tell his name. I think he
is going to give me another half a
dollar as soon as his finances recup-
crate.
E. H. Martin is another mamie
who came across without asking
what l was going to do with the mon
ey His confidence is touching, so /
touch him every time I'm out on the
raise
My first volunteer was Hansel
Leavengood, who no sooner read my
spiel in the Star than he handed me
brandnew toadskin. Not often a
young man of his age comes in on
anything like that. His contribution
made me feel little bit conceited,
for the boys on the Star are all wise
to me and / have to write about a
really, truly good cause to win their
depreciation.
Next volunteer was Arthur Cobb,
who is always sixteen full rows of
long, heavy grains to the ear with
anything that enlists his sympa-
thy. If you don't understand
the foregoing figure of speech, lose
nc time in inviting yourself to a
cornshucking.
Intruding myself into II. A! Water
mans store late IN the evening, /
found Ards and Frank Logan in
grave consultation at once. Frank
being the nearest to me, | asked him
to get on the bandwagon. AS he
promptly reached in his pocket for
the fare Ards inquired in a grieved
voice if he was going to be left off,
and handed me his ticket before / had
time to reply.
| Going up the street, / found E. T..
Helvenston counting up the result of
his days sales. He had kale enough
to choke an elephant. Cousin Eddie
has more confidence in me than 1
have in myself, and didn't even ask
what | was going to do with the dol
lar he gave me.
Crawling out of the hay Sunday
about dinner time. and going to the
postoffice, found, inclosing a. check,
the following letter:
Ocala, December 8, 1921.
Editor Star: | have just read the
Star and must have the privilege of
getting in on the Christmas tree prop
osition for the industrial school. En-
closed you viii find my dollar. I am
sending it by mail as l may not see
you personally before leaving for
Miami
Hope the tree will be at least
5000 tree and l believe that to be a
much better size for so excellent an
institution Bless you for thinking of
t. Yours most sincerely.
C. L. Collins.
DIR. Collins, like most preachers,
hasn't enough dough on his fingers to
render them unwieldy, and his contri-
button is therefore the more appre-
ciated. Pm cheerfully confident his
congregation will follow him in this
as in other good causes.
Albert Gerig took me in his gaso-
Inc buggy to the union station Sun
day afternoon and there / found a
gold mine Mrs. j w. Dumas was
there in a car with her husband and
1Iessrs. Sexton and OFT. They were all
volunteers. Mrs. Dumas contributed
and smiled, and al the others came
right in. Also, the southbound Sea-
board train came in and from it
alighted Mr. William Jennings and
Mrs. Dumas uncle, Mr.. T. S. Fay.
Mrs. Dumas kissed her uncle and he
az once handed me dollar. That left
him forty-nine dollars to the good.
Coming back up town, and loafng
around Albert Gerig's newsstand for