Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 79, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 December 1916 — NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS ITEMS [ARTICLE]

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS ITEMS

WHEATFIELD Mr. and Mrs. Ira Clark spent Christmas at Kersey. The general thaw is a boon to those who still have corn to husk. Mr. and Mrs. Paul Frost are visiting friends in lowa at this writing. Yes, we raise black foxes, too. If you want anything of the best brand come up, Joseph Hickam, who has been on the sick list for a few days, is a little better at this writing. An uncle and aunt of Ezra Whitehead from Illinois visited with him. and family a few days before Christmas. John Clager is hauling out foundation material for the new house on the Land company, im-. mediately north of the Mutchler farm. Everybody up here feasted on the fat of the land Christmas. Turkey, goose, chicken, with a large array of trimmings, were on the menu card. It looks as if we are going to be obliged to carry over a large number of marriageable young men for the 1920 clearing sale. At that time we hope that a strong demand will entirely clear the slate. Masons of Wheatfield and v/cinity gave a banquet at the Masonic hall here last Wednesday evening to their families and they also installed the officers for the incoming year. It is needless to say that a grand charge all along the line was made on the eats. Fred Whitehead, who clerks in the Remley general store here, was presented with a seventeen-jewel gold watch for a Christmas present by his employer. Fred is a wideawake boy of the No. 1 brand, so this token of esteem is enjoyed by his friends. . Congratulations, Fred. Mrs. B. F. Funk, mother of Mrs, H l . E. Remley, who visited here a few weeks ago before her departure for California, died in California a few days ago of cancer trouble. Upon her arrival in California she was not feeling well and at once began to fail until her death. She has two daughters there, at whose homes she intended to spend the winter.

FOUR CORNERS J. Monlanka, who sold his personal property, will move back to Chicago. Leroy Noland of Lee is visiting his daughter, Mrs. F. W. Fisher, this week. No uncommon sight these days to see a car standing along the highway or in the ditch. Harry Gr.lbransen is packing his goods, preparing to move to Wisconsin the first of the year. Charles Peregrine’s new house in Tefft is about ready for occupancy. The heating plant was installed last week. The new school house at Tefft is nearing completion, and by the time the frogs remind us of spring we will dedicate. Elmer Hunsicker, who is attending school at Bloomington, came home for a change and to eat a Christmas dinner. The Wheatfield merchants enjoyed a good Christmas trade. Most of our people remained at home and near the fire. The extreme cold of the past two weeks gave way to a thaw, followed by a heavy rain Tuesday and the snow disappeared fast. The election of road supervisors was generally well attended and more than usual interest shown, and in some places the contest did not end with brotherly love. Treichel, the Tefft merchant, who has been sick since November 1, is again able to be about. Dr. Stewart of Monon has been giving Mr. Treichel medical treatment with gratifying results. Clarence Nelson was called to Lowell Saturday by the death of his wife’s father, Mr. Collins, of near that place. Walter and Gil-

bert Seegrist took Mr. Nelson’s place on the mail route during his absence. The picture of Santa with the inscription, “Give the Devil His Dues,” decorates the window of the man who never smiles —our friend at Wheatfield. Now, really, we were under the impression that the devil got his dues on November last. On last Saturday Wheatfield was crowded with cars and teams and on the streets, in the business part of town, was not less than a dozen small boys with sleds hitching onto every car or team they could. That there was no one injured or killed was a . wonder. Why parents will allow their children to do this, or the marshal of the town, seems strange to us. Wheatfield can boast of a number of good business enterprises but no single business venture has placed Wheatfield on the map as has the electric light plant, and Mr. Hamilton, who made the venture, risking every dollar he had and with comparatively no one to encourage him in the venture, labored on with a determination that acknowledged no such word as fail, and from a few lights at the first of November has Increased 'until now every business house in town has lights installed and 'the greater number of the residence owners have put electric lights in their homes. Now, at the beginning of the second year this enterprise of uncertainty has become a paying proposition and goes to show what a progressive and enterprising business man can do if he has the determination and grit. 'About the time this enterprise was started the Wheatfield Booster club was taking the count, and all the encouragement Mr. Hamilton received was from a few Individuals. And, today, had it not been for his individual and progressive spirit H heatfield would be plodding along in the shadow of the old street lamps.

MT. AYR (From the Tribune! Charles Harris is home from Racine, Wisconsin, for the holidays. Francis Wood of Rensselaer spent several days in the Harris home this week. Mr. and Mrs. Howard Rimer of Michigan City are Christmas guests of relatives here. Miss Leota Elijah came Saturday for a holidays’ visit with his sister, Mrs. Sam Guthrie. Bruce Hardy was home from Dane, Wisconsin, to spend Christmas with his family, Mrs. George Lambert's mother, father and two brothers from Enos spent Christmas with them. Lawrence Amy and "wife of CorydOn are here the guests of Mrs. Amy's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Cort La Hugh. ' ' W. A. Shindler and family took Christmas dinner with Mrs. Sliindler’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Keeney, near Rensselaer. Martin, Snow, wife and daughter of Timberlake, South Dakota, are spending , the holidays with his brother Charles -and family. Professor Raymond Stacker and wife of Muncie are spending the vacation with home folks. Raymond has a good position in the business college at Muncie. He and his wife are looking fine. Bruce Hardy and family took their Christmas dinner with Kenton Parkison, his brother-in-law, northeast of Rensselaer. Bruce left Tuesday morning for points in Ohio to look at cattle lor his employer.

FAIR OAKS , Mr. Cottingham’s condition is Still very serious. Health still continues reasonably good in our village. Our teachers are all enjoying the holidays with their home folks. Otto Cedarwall and family spent Christmas with M. I. Gundv’s here. Mrs. Will Warren, after about a week’s illness, is again able to get about. Mrs. A. I. Abel went to Hammond Wednesday to visit her sister until Saturday. Mr. and Mrs. Kight took Christmas dinner with their daughter, Mrs. Shein, at Monon. - - J Owing to a big wreck on the Monon Tuesday morning the milk train was several hours late. Owing to the softening up of the weather the ice harvesters have postponed their job a few days. N. A. McKay’s spent Christmas with their son Frank at Buchanon, Michigan. The snow was very deep there. Herby Bozell and sister Mamie went down to Edinburg last week to spend Christmas with their home folks. Miss Alice Moore of Lafayette came up the first Of the week to visit with her aunt, Mrs. Bringle, during the week, Mrs. Erma Markin of Pleasant Ridge and Mrs. Allie Potts of Rensselaer came up Wednesday and visited their sister, Mrs. James Clifton. •T. B. Wiseman and wife, who have been out in Montana the past two years, returned last week and are now visiting with his son Parm over in Newton county. The young people of the town have been putting in the evenings of this week playing ‘‘The Happy Old Miller,” ‘‘Pussy Wants a Corner,” ‘‘The Needle’s Eye” and numerous other games. Yes, we got another great change in the weather Tuesday morning, when it began raining and continued throughout the* day and night, taking most of the snow off. Xmas day was fine and everybody enjoyed it, even the mail carriers filed out heavily ladened with all kinds of mail. The most enjoyable thing on the road was a nice big chunk of roast turkey and equally good eats, which always accompany such occasions. The Christmas exercises at the Christian church were the best in our town for a good many years. The scene of the Christ child, the star of Bethlehem and the wise men were exceptionally good. Everybody enjoyed the exercises immensely, after which the children received their Christmas treat.

Peanut crops in Maine are rather unusual, as the Kennebec Daily Journal observes, but Mrs. Mildred Simmons of West Farmington bas a crop that proves her ability as a farmer. A plant was pulled which showed a large number of fullydeveloped peanuts attached to the roots, having every appearance of being entirely ripened. The seed nuts were not planted until well into .Tune and grew rapidly. The tops of Ihe plants are much like mustard in color and the leaves are arranged in pairs.

The Indiana Daily Times has also announced an advance in subscription rates to take effect January 1, after which date the price will be $3 per year to rural route subscribers. This advance is made necessary, says the Times in notifying the public of the raise in price, because “everything that enters into .the production of a newspaper has doubled in price, and in some instances has trebled,” and because of the print paper situation.