The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-08-11
OXFORD PICNIC

Oxford, Aug. Last Thursday, I.
hat Iong-looked for day by people for
many miles around, the occasion that /
has become famous in the history OF .
Sumter county, and more especially
Oxford, is a thing of the past, and is /
now fresh On the pages of history.
Old Sol rose about as early as usual !
and while he was shedding his beau
tiful rays of light over Oxford, one OF
the garden spots Of Sumter county, (!
Jove, the great rain god, rose high IN
the west and Numbered defiance 10 the
pleasures Of the day, but when he
saw the great crowd of people gather
ing for the barbecue, he retreated as
If from fear, and settled behind the
gulf as if to gather greater forces to
make the decisive battle Of the day,
but yet the people gathered from ev-
cry nook and corner of the county,
from her counties and even from
ether states,
To mention even few OF the peo-
pie who were here from every commu-
nifty, hamlet and town in Sumter,
Marion, Lake and fernando and other
counties further away. would be a JOB
that belongs to a person in the posi-
ton of our secretary Of the chamber
Of commerce.
Early in the morning the Lake
County Ice Cream Company of Eus-
It's, made its appearance with 40 gal
Ions of ice cream which was disposed
OF during the day to the pleasure of
the people.
In due time the Ocala brass band
arrived to make melody for the
mingling throng. Among the bands
men was most conspicuous because of
his long acquaintance with the Ok
ford people, Assistant Postmaster B.
F. Borden of Ocala.
The Lake county popcorn mill" of
Eustis was a thing of attraction for
the children and popped many thou
sands of times. And still the people
came until there must have been two
thousand or more taking shelter in
the shade Of the Oxford mammoth
oaks.
Editor A. P. Jordan, the power be-
hind the throne of the Punta Gorda
Herald, one who once resided on Ok
ford soil, was among the great throng
trying to renew Acquaintance with all
Of his former friends Of his early life.
Editor S. N. Graham, of the Sumter
County Times, who sings ink that
makes the Times famous in Sumter,
was meeting his many readers with
gentle smile. and he also gave some
evidences of having an ice cream
tooth.
Mayor Martin of Jacksonville was
conspicuous figure on the bandstand,
for he was the first speaker of the
day and attracted marked attention
during his short discourse, and no
doubt sowed the seed for many votes
if he should ever throw his hat in the
ring for the governorship of Florida.
The police department of that great
gateway to Florida was here in the
person of Mr.. Tom Lane, who spent
a part Of his early days among the
Oxford people.
st. Petersburg had representatives
in the persons of Mr.. and Mrs. Leroy
Widener, who took advantage Of the
occasion to visit their relatives and
friends Of this section, also Mr.. and
Mrs. H. P. Perry of Bradentown. Mrs.
R. L. Griggs, who has been spending
the summer in Indiana, must have
got news of the big rattlesnake fight
through the Times Union, and rush
ed home for fear that Ralph, her hus-
band, might have ben one of the snake
hunters. Mrs. Fannie Dingus and
Miss Eunice Perry, who have been
residing in Georgia and Henderson
Vile, N. c., for several weeks, got
intelligence of this great occasion
and came south just in time to greet
all the friends of former times.
Cupid was here with his CULVER
overloaded with arrows, and he play
ed a lively part with hundreds Of
young people who never saw the little
imp, but unconsciously felt the effects
Of the arrows as they pierced their
throbbing hearts.
Sad, but true, many, both old and
young, met and greeted each other
who will never meet again. It was
noised abroad some time ago that
Governor Hardee wanted to come
down and show some of our fisher
men, Mr.. r. P. Bowman, for instance.
how to catch fish, but for some cause
his absence filed his place Guess he
might have read in the Times-Union
about those big rattlers on the With
lacoochee river and did not want to
risk his life through snakedom to pit
| his art against our spOrtsmen.
That twenty-odd hundred pounds Of
barbecued beef, kid and pork cooked
under the management of J. ". Col
lum, with the great quantity Of pies
and cakes and other toothsome
dishes prepared by the good ladies of
the surrounding country was what
mustered together the great crowd on