A cunning farmer, of near Bally, last week sold a balky horse under peculiar circumstances to the well known veteran horse and cattle dealer, Joseph FROMM, a few miles south, of Macungie. Mr. FROMM accompanied by the well known horse dealer, Edwin KRUM, of Allentown, was out on a trip buying horses. They met a farmer at a blacksmith shop and in talking with him he said he had a good horse and at times thought of selling him. The buyers made arrangements to call at the home of the farmer and look over the animal. After calling at other places it happened that they came to the home of the man whom they had formerly met just as the horses had been stabled for the noon meal. The horse in question was in the stable with harness on and warm and wet from work. Mr. FROMM made a partial bargain and then asked to have the horse hitched up so as to see him at work. The owner said it was not necessary as the horse had been hitched to the plow all forenoon. Mr. KRUM thought it could be seen that the horse was all right and told Mr. FROMM that he was too particular. The answer of the farmer and the remark of Mr. KRUM caused Mr. FROMM to forget his usual precaution and he bought the horse for $130. The horse was taken along with others to Allentown, for shipment and was later found to be a balker of the worst kind, although it is a very handsome animal. On inquiry, Mr. FROMM later found out that the tricky farmer, on leaving the blacksmith shop, hurried to his home and rode the beast until he was ringing wet, then on seeing the horsemen come, he threw a harness on the horse to make it appear as if he had been working hard all forenoon. Mr. FROMM says: Sold by an old farmer for $130 and chuckles.
There will be an illustrated lecture on Panama and Havana, at Perkiomen Seminary, on Tuesday evening, April 25, by Dr. Seneca EGBERT, Dean of the Medico-Chirurgical College, of Philadelphia. There will be about one hundred views of Panama and Havana, taken last winter under Dr. EGBERT's personal direction. The different views of the Panama Canal will be of special interest. The conditions in Panama, the Canal, the problems of the canal will be discussed. The lecture will begin at 8 o'clock. Addmission free. Everybody is invited.
The recent cold spell was a hindrance to farmers in this section, on account of the frozen condition of the ground it interfered with their ploughing. In the early part of this week a progressive farmer of Dillinger, Lehigh county, made up his mind that the cold weather had interfered long enough and so he donned his fur cap and heavy gloves and started to plow. This was an unusual occurrence and those who witnessed it were amused.
The bakeoven on the Hillside Dairy Farm, near East Greenville, Calvin K. GRABER, proprietor, was consumed by fire early Saturday morning. At about 2.30 o'clock Mr. GRABER was awakened by a light in his room and he investigated and saw the oven close to the house on fire. The family and his neighbor, I.H. MEYERS were awakened and by a bucket brigade being formed the fire was extinguished before the nearby buildings were ignited. The origin of the fire is a mystery.
A situation unique in Pennsylvania fruit growing was produced in Upper Merion, Monday night, when David M. ELLIS, of the Chester Valley Farmers' Association, built bonfires around his peach orchard, to save the buds from frost. He raised the temperature all over the orchard from three to 10 degrees, and not one of his buds was nipped, though there was a freezing temperature outside.
Farmer Oswin BAUS, of near Pennsburg, on Thursday found some rye heads in his fields. There were quite a number of stalks ready to bring forth stalks. These are the first found in this section that were reported at this office. To substantiate the above Mr. BAUS sent one of the heads to this office.
A pretty wedding was solemnized at 3.30 o'clock on Wednesday afternoon at the residence of Dr. C.T. WAAGE, of Pennsburg, when his only daughter, Miss Mae C. was united in marriage to E.J. WIEDER, Jr., of Pennsburg. The ceremony was performed by two uncles of the bride, Revs. O.F. WAAGE, of Pennsburg, and Rev. KEHM, of Sellersville. The beautiful ring ceremony of the Lutheran Church was used. The happy couple marched into the parlor, to the strains of Mendelssohn's wedding march where they were met by the officiating clergymen. The bride was attended by Miss Stella TROXELL, cousin of the bride, of Philadelphia, and Charles W. KEELY, of the firm of Dotts & Keely, of Philadelphia, was best man. Miss Gertrude ANDERS, of Lansdale, presided at the piano, and Dr. Fred. WAAGE, cousin of the bride, was usher. The bride was attired in a handsome wedding gown of white mousseline and carried a bouqet of bride roses. The bridesmaid was also attired in white while the groom and best man wore the conventional black. The house was beautifully decorated with potted plants and cut flowers. After congratulations had been showered on the happy couple an excellent wedding supper was served during which the choir of St. Mark's Lutheran Church, of which the bride is a member, rendered choice selections. After the departure of the guests Mr. and Mrs. WIEDER took possession of their newly furnished home on North Main street, Pennsburg. The bridegroom is a well-known young man of town. About a year ago he started the jewelry business in town and but recently bought out the extensive jewelry stock of J.T. XANDER, and is continuing the business at the old stand. The bride has been a life-long resident of town and has for years been a successful and well liked music teacher. The guests present were Dr. and Mrs. C.T. WAAGE, parents of the bride, Mr. and Mrs. E.J. WIEDER, parents of the groom, John WIEDER, Miss Cora WIEDER, Miss Lizzie BOBB, Miss Ada V. WAAGE, Mr. and Mrs. M.K. GILBERT, Dr. and Mrs. W.H. HUNSBERGER, Mr. and Mrs. V.H. STECKEL, Misses Vinnie MENSCH, Nora KNEULE and Florence DYSON, of Pennsburg; Mr. and Mrs. Thomas OTT, and Mr. and Mrs. Emanuel MOYER and daughter, of Limeport; Mrs. Frank HELLER, of Standard; Mr. and Mrs. Joseph ANDERS, of Lansdale; Miss Alice WELKER, of Red Hill; John HILLEGASS and Miss Bertha RAUDENBUSH, of East Greenville; Mr. and Mrs. Charles JACOBY, Mr. and Mrs. CRESSMAN, Mrs. Dr. RITTER, Harry KEHM and Miss Tillie CRESSMAN, of Sellersville, and George WELKER, Mr. and Mrs. F.F. HUBER, Mrs. C.F. SCHOENLY, George DAY, Frank HARING, Misses Sarah WEIL and Nora KELLER, members of the St. Mark's choir. The bride was the recipient of a large number of beautiful and expensive presents.
Instead of the regular preaching service as previously announced there will be an Easter service at Perkiomen Seminary on Sunday night, at half past seven o'clock. This change is made on account of the death of the brother of Dr. D.W. EBBERT, of Ursinus College, who was to have preached the sermon but who is detained because of his brothers death from coming. There will be special Easter music by the choir. Mrs. WEIRICH will sing the celebrated solo, "The Resurrection," with organ and violin accompaniment. Brief addresses will be made by Prof. Montfort MELCHIOR and Prof. J. Roy STROCK. All are cordially invited.
On Thursday evening May 4, a Lecture Recital on "The Development of Music in America" will be given in Perkiomen Seminary Chapel, at Pennsburg by Herbert Wilber GREENE assisted by Mrs. GREENE both of New York City. Mr. GREENE is one of the most prominent authorities on vocal music in America and a composer of wide reputation as well as a vocalist. Mrs. GREENE is one of the prominent pianists of New York City. Her playing will be a feature of the program. It is expected that Mrs. C.B. WEIRICH will take part in the program illustrating certain kinds of music outside the range of the male voice. This will be a rare treat to all lovers of good music.
Mrs. Henry GEHMAN of Palm has several cineraria plants which are the most beautiful in that section. One has over three hundred and another over two hundred flowers. The two primulas together have five hundred and fifty flowers. Mrs. GEHMAN would like to hear of a plant of this kind that bears more flowers.
The Montgomery county courts, by virtue of the passage and approval of a recent act of Legislature, may consent to an increase of the present staff of the District Attorney's office. The recently enacted salary act fixes the compensation of the District Atrorney of this county at $4000, in lieu of the present fee system. With this change is also carried a provision for the appointment of two assistants. At present there is but one Assistant District Attorney, in the person of Theodore Lane BEAN, the former Burgess of Norristown. The question has arisen amongst the younger and aspiring attorneys as to whether this authorization applies to the province of the present official, District Attorney SHEIVE. Should the courts so decide, and there is no doubt but that the long criminal list will have weight in the matter, there will be an immediate move for the honor. Several names have already been presented for consideration. Amongst the number is that of Frederick L. CLARKE, the stalwart son of the noted protectionist, Charles Heber CLARK, of Conshohocken, and whose pleadings at the bar have won him many honors.
Rev. Charles I. SAUERS, of Bally, pastor of the Church of the Most Blessed Sacrament of Bally on Sunday announced the marriage to two brothers to sisters. They are Henry and Irwin KASE, of Bally and Isabella and Blanche WALTERS of Niantic. The weddings will be solemnized at the same time in the early part of May. The grooms are sons of Mr. and Mrs. William KASE and the brides are daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Francis WALTERS.
D.K. GRABER, the treasurer of the defunct lodge Knights of Ladies of Honor which was started in Pennsburg about five years ago, this week distributed the balance of the money in the treasury. There were nine members and they were about equally divided between the two sexes. Each member in good standing received about two dollars and fifty cents.
Joseph H. STOFFLET, a rising member of the Lehigh and Northampton county bars, died at the Allentown Hospital, aged 33 years of appendicitis.
By the will of the late John M. KISSINGER, president of the Schuylkill Valley Bank of Reading, public bequests aggregating $12,000 are left to four of Reading's charitable institutions, to be paid after the death of his wife. The Home for Friendless Children will receive $4500 and the Reading Hospital, Reading Benevolent Association and the Reading Relief Society, each $2500.
A young daughter of Frank SCHOLLENBERGER, of Boyertown, died from Morphia as the result of carelessness. One of the members of the family is afflicted with heart trouble and is in the habit of using morphia to check the disease. This week by accident one of the pills was left lying on the table. The child came along, and unknown to the family seized the pill, swallowed it, and died within an hour after taking the drug. When the child showed symptoms of poisoning the family was aroused and every available remedy possible was used but the dose proved too strong for the toddler.
A recital by the students of the Music Department of Perkiomen Seminary will be given in the Chapel Friday evening April 28 to which a general invitation is extended to the public. The program will be as follows: Mazurka,Von Wilm, Mary KRIEBEL; Summer Wind, Thomas, Estella KLINE, Simple Avew, Thome and Gypsy Dance, Bohm, Ellwood ROEDER; The Frolic, Erlich, Margarette MEREDITH; The Jolly Fat Friar, Davis, Stanley POWNALL, Caprice, Mendelssohn and Spring Song, Mendelssohn, Elizabeth SCHULTZ, LaMatinee, Dussek, Frieda KRIEBEL; Cucko's Song, Sommervell, Ida HERSH; Scherzo, Schubert and Sontagmorgen, Bendel, Mamie HAUCK; Friendship, Masgials, Stella KLINE and Pearl FISHER; Papillon d'amour, Lchytte, Sue SCHULTZ; Good Night, Lohr, Chaminade Club.
An alligator was discovered at Palm on Monday of this week, while John MILLER, Harvey MESCHTER and Oswin MESCHTER were unloading a carload of bran for coal and feed dealer J.W. BUTZ. When the first half of the car was almost unloaded an object representing the end of a rats tail protruded from a pile of bran. The men were surprised when they further investigated and found a dead alligator. The reptile was found to be about six inches in length and has been placed on exhibition in the feed house of Mr. BUTZ. The same day and in the same car the men found a meerschaum pipe in good condition. The pipe is now for sale by Mr. BUTZ, as he has never before offered any smoke pipes for sale with his other stock.
L.H. MILLER, senior member of the hardware firm of L.H. MILLER & Bro., of Old Zionsville, has a relic in the shape of a pen drawn map of the city of Philadelphia, that was made by Scull and Heap. It is in fine condition and an interesting piece of work being one hundred and fifty five years old. It was made in 1750. On it the State house is mentioned in particular which was founded in 1732. In 1749 the houses of the city were carefully numbered and it contained 2070 houses, of the principal ones mention is made besides a good many interesting items are given.
Despite his declaration that he had never smoked a cigarette in his life, Chester BELL of Muncie, Indiana was on Tuesday fined $25 and costs, amounting to $35, for having cigarette papers in his pockets. He was warned that a repetition of the offense would call for a fine of $100. BELL is the first person in Indiana to be fined under the new anti-cigarette law.
O.S. URFFER, the veteran school teacher and organist of Old Zionsville, has organized a singing school numbering fifty scholars. The class meets every Tuesday in the basement of the Old Zionsville Reformed Church.
Alfred ROBERTS' best Holstein cow got hydrophobia from a dog's bite, near Spring City, attacked Mrs. ROBERTS and had to be shot.
Mrs. Milton LIBELSPERGER, of Moslem Berks County sold six bushels of dandelion in Kutztown for use at the Normal School, receiving 75 cents a bushel.
The Republicans of Montgomery County held their convention on Tuesday morning in the Opera House, at Norristown, for the purpose of electing nine delegates to the State Convention at Harrisburg on the 26th of this month, when a State Treasurer and Superior Court Judges will be nominated. The chairman A.H. HENDRICKS, of Pottstown, called the meeting to order. The secretaries were Attorney John M. DETTRA and Walter F. CHILDS. The roll was called and a large number of absentees were noted, after which the chairman appointed the following committee on resolutions: J.P. Hale JENKINS, Norristown; Wilmer JOHNSON, Gwynedd; Freas STYER, Norristown; Frank POWNELL, Lansdale and H.R. BOSSERT, Pottstown. The following aspirants were then nominated and later elected by acclamation as the delegates from this county to the State Convention: Henry ARNOLDY, Norristown; B.K. BUTZ, Upper Hanover; Andrew ERVIN, Mooreland; Wm. F. McCRACKEN, North Wales; Wm. O. SCHOLL, Pottstown; Frank SHALKOP, Trappe; A.A. SHOEMAKER, Franconia; S. Gordon SMYTHE, West Conshohocken; Jacob RIDGEWAY, Haverford. While the convention was awaiting the report of the committee on resolutions, State Senator Algernon ROBERTS responded to a call for aspeech. It required just twenty-eight minutes for the convention to transact all its business.
James SCARLETT, of Fredericksville, had 2000 peach trees that were damaged by the winter, and he replaced them with new ones.
Hunting dandelions near Robesonia, Berks County, Mrs. Wallace DIPPEN encountered a nest of 12 large snakes, and masculine companions killed the reptiles.
The will of Jesse H. GERY, of Palm, Upper Hanover township, a former Prothonotary, of this county, was admitted to probate at Norristown on Monday afternoon. The estate is valued at $75,000 and is disposed of as follows: To Amanda GERY, his sister, his house and ten acres of land for life and after her death to Dr. Alfred O. GERY, to her is also given $4000, an iron safe, horse, carriage and household goods; to Thomas H. GERY, a brother, $10,000 and 31 acres of wood and sprout land and his wearing apparel; Dr. Alfred O. GERY gets $10,000, a 21 acre tract of wood and sprout land and his gold watch; to his nephews Jacob B. GERY $2500, Jesse B. GERY $10,000, Wm. B. GERY $100; to his nieces, Sarah, Anna, Mary, Daisy B. GERY, Lucy E. SMITH, Ida B. STAUFFER and Mary B. FEGLEY, each $2500; to the Pennsburg Reformed Church, of which he was a member he gives $500 in trust to keep his burial lot in repair. The remainder of the estate is bequeathed to his brother, Thomas GERY and nephews Dr. Alfred O. GERY and Jesse B. GERY. The document is a lengthy one and was written in the hand of the testator and was purposely unwitnessed as he declares his reason for the omission in these words: "Most any one that had any dealings with me, and there are a great many, can prove my handwriting and signature." His will was executed July 20, 1903. Mr. GERY was a bachelor and his sister Amanda, a maiden lady kept house for him. Beside her another brother Thomas survive him. The other GERY's mentioned in the will are all children of the brother Thomas. The executors of the estate are Thomas H. GERY and Dr. A.O. GERY.
Recently the members of the Montgomery County Bar Association passed a resolution requesting the three Judges, SWARTZ, WEAND and SOLLY, to wear black silk gowns while on the bench. Monday afternoon the judges notified a committee of the Bar Association that they had decided to adopt the silk robes in the near future.
A blacksnake six feet long was killed with axes by Albert BOYER, Jacob DICER and Maurice KELLEY, near Pottstown.
Benjamin RUCKSTUHL, aged about 45 years, of Hendricks Station had a very narrow escape from a horribe death by being whirled about a shaft at the nail works of the Lessig Iron Company, at Pottstown, Monday afternoon. His knit jacket caught in a pin while he was working in a shaft pit and the unfortunate man was whirled around until his companion, Nathan HIPPLE, could climb out of the pit and notify the engineer to stop the machinery. RUCKSTUHL had his left elbow dislocated, several ribs fractured and was badly injured otherwise. RUCKSTUHL, a tinsmith, was working in a shaft pit with Nathan HIPPLE ????? of them revolved shafting used in operating the blueing process in the nail mill. The space in which the two worked was cramped, and within a foot of them revolved shafting used to transmit power to the nail machines. RUCKSTUHL was engaged in soldering the funnel and had stepped back to survey the work when he came in contact with the rapidly revolving shaft. In an instant his jacket was caught on the pin and he was jerked off his feet. When the shafting was stopped RUCKSTUHL was removed from his perilious position. Nearly all his clothing had been torn off him and he was bleeding where his body came in contact with the wall of the pit. The unfortunate man was hurried to the Pottstown Hospital in the Good Will ambulance, where Drs. ASHENFELTER and HARRINGTON gave him surgical attention. It is not thought that he has been injured internally.
A marriage license was issued on Tuesday at Stroudsburg to John J. BARTHOLD, of Allentown and Amanda SHIFFER of Brodheadsville. The prospective bridegroom is 74 years old and the bride is 69.
Mrs. Harvey SHANER, of Gilbertsville, met with a painful accident while watching her husband cutting down a plum tree with an ax. She was standing a short distance away and the ax flew from the handle and hit her, severely cutting her.
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