The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-01-14
OC4LA KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS
VISITED DUNNELLON

The editor OF the Star took night /
off Thursday evening and joined a |
large delegation of the K of p in a |
visit to Dunnellon.
The party started about $40 and |
hustled toward the Phosphate City in |
jig time. The car we rose in was the |
second in the line, and looking back |
from a hilltop about six miles down
the long straight road, we allowed the |
farmers along the route must come
to the opinion that an auto event was
on, for fully mile back we could see
the lights of the cars as they came
along in well-spaced line, about two
hundred yards apart. We rode with
W. w. STRIPPING. Strip has one of
those dandy Ford sedans, and the edi-
tor being old and descrepit he took
him in to keep him out of the weather.
He also carried C. P. Howell, who will
never again be as young as he used
to be, but to keep the party from be-
coming too venerable he added to it
George Howell. whose long legs and
longer memory are a great aid to
Uncle Sans postal service in Ocala.
The procession ran almost as fast as
Mr.. Pythias rushing to redeem Mr..
Damon, and the road wasn't so worse,
so Dunnellon was reached in little
over an hour. The bright little phos-
phate city was sparkling with the
combined effort of the moon and it's
fine system of electric hghst, and
the Dunnellon knights were lined up
with a hearty welcome.
Before beginning the meeting, the
entire force of both lodges left the
l'halI and marched in procession to the
residence of the late E. T. Becker, in
| order to pay respect to the dead, who
Dunneiion mouras as one of its best
citizens. Reaching the sorrow
stricken home, the knights entered
with barred heads and passed in single
file by the casket, where the body of
their departed friend lay in his last
sleep, awaiting the morrow when his
sorrowing friends should bear it to it's
final resting place. Mr.. Becker was
highly esteemed in Dcala as well as
in Dunnellon, and many of the visit
ing knights were his personal friends.
Returning to the hall, the knights
were called to order, and the lodge
being organized prepared for work in
the third rank. It is for this eere-
mony that the Ocaia degree team has
been organized and drilled for the
amplified work with a proficiency that
makes its performance a pleasure te
witness. The esquire who that night
sought knighthood was ]. o. Edison
and bravely he faced the fearsome or.
! deal, received the hearty applause Of
the assemblage and in due time hae
, bestowed upon him his well=earaee
, accolade.
The ceremony over, some fine talk:
were made for the good of the order
including an eloquent address from
Knight C. P. Howell.
1t was the editors first visit to tn
Dunnellon lodge in six years, and a
he watched the proceedings he couldn'
help but think of all that had happen
ed while the billions of gallons of wa
ter had flowed under Withlacooche
bridge in the intervening time. Thel
g our country was striving to keep GU
of war-other nations regarded i
= with contempt. Now it has gone in
and the proudest nations of the worl
j, look up to America. Many of thos
: who had sat with US in that hall si
:, years before had passed the fiery or
deal and some had put their knight
!, hood to the final test. There were bu
few in the hall that had been Their
six years before-only some of tn
older men of both lodges. But then
was good to see the great crowd G
young men who had come in to carr
on the work, and call in recruits t
fill their places in turn. Dunnello
had grown, Ocala had grown, bot
lodges had grown-perhaps some {
those who read these words toda
will remember and compare agai
the growth of all'in another six year
Dunnellon has good lodge. It's o.
ficers for this year are Fl. c. William
c.. c.; o. C. Williamson, " c.; A. !
Gallant, prelate; C. C. Gaines, NJ. W
R. N. Wells, NJ. A; L. M. Kibler,
G. c.; Raymond Rawls, l. G.; Porte
Young, o. G. 1t has live membel
ship and is steadily moving ahead.
The hour was growing late, and tt
Dunnellon knights had not forgotte
the road to Ocala was long and he
many bumps on it, and that empi
tummies would shrink in the nippir
air. All during the ceremonies, q
Afro-American scullion had bee
keeping watch and ward over caldrol
on a stove in the outer hall, deliciol
smells meantime arising from sa
caldrons. And now the hoary sen
lr schal called on various Dunnelle
=. knights that they should lay asit
their arms and further ennoble then