Rensselaer Republican, Volume 12, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 December 1879 — SMALL TALK. [ARTICLE]

SMALL TALK.

—Mr. Collins, east of town, has pot an addition to his barn. —Elegant new styles of visiting cards received st the postoffice this week. —Good steel pens, celluloid penholders, anti-nervous peu-holdere, Ac., at the post office. - —Ed Parkinson, of Hanging Grove township,,, has built a comfortable bouse on his farm. ' ! —B. P- Thompson is attending court this week in Benton oounty. Mrs. Thompson and the baby are visiting al Oxford. —The M. E. Sabbath-school is preparing for a Christmas Party at the church, Christmas eve. Particulars next week. —lsaac N- Bartley, son of John Bartley, died at his father’s residence. In Barkley township, last Saturday morning, of typhoid pneumonia. He was about 22 years of age. —McCoy A Thompson will commence the decapitation of the old brick bank building in time to clear away the debris and lay the foundation for the new edifice early in the spring. This building will nearly complete a square of fine business houses on the south side of Wasington street.

—Considering the state of the weather subscribers are making a lively run on this office. The Republican seems to be highly appreciated everywhere, and our aim shall be to make it better and better as patronage increases. When we get better acquainted we shall find more of interest to write about. —A few days ago we were shown the plat of the elegant brick hotel that will be erected next summer by John Mukeever, on the vacant lots opposite the northeast corner of the public square. The drawing was executed by J. H. Wood, the contractor, and represents a hotel, when completed, that will be a model in appearance and convenience. —Emmet Kannal expects to occupy his new brick building with his drug store about the holidays. * It was modeled for the special convenience of bis business and when completed and occupied will be one of the most attractive places in Rensselaer. It will be lighted with gas and the elegant plate glass front will give it a decided citified appearance.

—Perhaps the citizenship of a county seat like Rensselaer, beginning to put on citified airs, would not be complete unless it possessed a number of vagabonds and lazy louts whose highest ambition is to live off the enterprise and Christian charity of their neighbors. Lost week an individual of this kind was brought to the surface for public inspection, and were it not for the respect entertained for his relatives the Republican would hold up his name to the scorn of the world. By some freak of fortuue such men invariably procure marital companions with angelic dispositions, whose goodness of heart and sweetness of temper seem to indulge the worthless characteristics of their husbands rather than chide them for their inhumanity. In this case the good wife was confined to her bed by the birth of a 1 child, and the only food and attention she received was bestowed by the sympathizing ladies in her immediate neighborhood, who growing weary of having the dainties for the wife and provisions for the children, supplied by their charitable hands, stealthily devoured by this voracious individal. determined upon a new line of action. Learning that he had somehow, by force of circumstances, earned a little money, they felt it their duty to council with the undutiful husband and convince him, if possible, that it would greatly conduce to his own happiness and the comfort and pleaseure of his family, if he would invest the scanty means which he had lately come in possession of, in such articles best Calculated to alleviate the hunger of his devoted wife and helpless children. He promised-them he would be governed by the wisdom and reasonableness of their advice, and straightway commenced propelling bis seemingly overburdened corporeal substance in the direction of the business marts of the town. But the ladies, always alert to the wiles of naughty aud profligate men, determined to satisfy themselves of the sincerity of bis promise, and to make assurance doubly sure they sent out Spies to detect the migrations of this incongruous individual. They were not deceived by their convictions, aud the ftport soon came that he was guzzling beer at an up-town saloon. The question “what shall be done” flashed from mind to mind instantaneously, and found a simultaneous utterance. A unanimous decision was soon arrived at, and hasty preparations made to carry tbeir resolution into execution. Armed with a determined will and the righteousness of purpose, they set out to discover the bacchanalian haunts of their victim and halted not until the object of their search was startled by their presence and horrified at their manifest determination not to yield or desist until their mission was fully and completely executed. He promised again, but like Pharaobi in a moment his heart hardened, and obstancy was depicted in every line of bis Unclasic brow, while dark shadows seemed to chase each other across his now begrimed visage. Seeing this the ladies renewed the vigor of their courage, and with'words of burning eloquence informed their now antagnistic friend that the alternate of a refusal would a vigorous application of the horseman’s lash to bis leisureloving back. He took the matter under advisement for a moment, but soon discovered that “discression is the better part of valor,” and fully and faithfully promised to make amends for his shortcomings and the former betrayal of thier trust. He is a good man at heart, and possibly this awakening to a sense of his duty toward his wife and children, and bls own personal needs, will be the means of saving one poor soul from the low slums of degredation and want. Lend a helping hand, ye that are not mireing in the “slough of despond,” that the glittering star of fidelity may be added to your glorious crown of righteousness when you enter the eternal haven of rest

■ —Two or three of Theodore Hurley’s family have typhoid fever. —Charlee W- Rueaell, Ed Bruce and James Ryan, each glory in being called pa. —Large line of box paper, writing paper, and hundreds of articles belonging to the writing desk at the poet office. —Dr. Washburn has leased the room in the Now els building, in the rear ot Dwigrins’ bank, and will fit it up and occupy it as an office, by the first of January. —County-Treasurer Adams was at Indianapolis, Tuesday, for the double purpose of making his annual settlement with the State Treasurer, and seeing General grant. —Mrs. Alfred Thompson is fn Chicago purchasing a supply of furniture necessary to furnish their elegant mansion erected this season on the west side of the river.

—Mr. Z Dwigglns and family have moved to Oxford to take charge of the branch bank lately established at that place; This happy family, so greatly missed here, will prove a valuable accession to society at,Oxford. —Look at the date of your subscription on the margin of your paper, and if the time is out, please renew, The better you pay up the better the Republican will become and you will take more interest in perusing its columns. No enterprising citizen enjoys reading his county paper on tick. —David Doll, an employe of the 1., D. A C. railway company, returned to his home at Columbus, Ind., last Wednesday. He is a sprightly, goodlooking young man, and it is safe to conclude that not u few ladies of marriageable age would find great pleasure in possess!ng such a valuable Doll.

—The price of wood in this market eeems to be governed principally by the condition of the roads. During the past month this very essential article has sold at fabulous prices, and if the rainey season continues much longer the supply now on had will be entirely inadeqate to the demand and poor folks may be first to suffer the consequences of bad roads and an ill wind. —Mr. F. J. Sears, of the firm of F. J. Sears & Son, made another trip to Chicago, Wednesday, to purchase two or three more car-loads of Furniture. Every citizen of Rensselaer and Jasper county is respectfully solicited to visit their store in tbeMakeever building and witness the elegant diplay of new goods. Their prices are low and their goods bt the most approved designs. Undertaki’ng will receive special attention. —Mr. aud Mrs. Is. R. Pettit, at Remington, have issued invitations soliciting their friends to witness the tying of the gordian knot between their amiable daughter, Katie,, and W. H. Legg, of this’place; the same to occur on Wednesday of next week. We anticipate the solemnizing of this happy union and wish for each a life of bliss, unalloyed by tile sorrows of earth aiiA inseparable to tlie claims of heaven. May she always remain, Pettit, and he ever willing to Leggislate in the interest of tlie union.

—The present pride of Rensselaer is the double store room and Opera House erected this season by Messrs. Willey & Sillier. We are unable at this writing to give the dimensions or a complete description of this elegant structure, but it may be denominated grand in every particular, an honor to the builders and a credit to the town. The open, plate-glass front makes a handsome showing and attracts the attention of the populace. The gas fixtures have all been completed and the first floor was illuminated Tuesday I evening for the first time, Mr. Geo. ! Longshore, the contractor and car- ' penter, has fully demonstrated his mechanical skill in the completeness of this magnificent building, and we hope other parties may find occasion to engage his services. —We take the liberty of suggesting to the marriageable young ladies of Rensselaer the propriety of organizing a cooking club. The "upper crust” ladies of our neighboring towns are now giving their undivided attention to the cultivation of culinary art, and we would not have this place deficient in an enterprise so essential to the bliss and prosperity of the coming housewife. These organizations are officered by a chief cook, assistant chief cook, worshipful quill-driver, great hocus-pocus, agitated mush paddler, and two assistant mush paddlers. The duties of each member of the club are clearly set forth in the motto: ‘ Eat, drink and get married.” —We heard a good story a few evenings ago, about a young man of this place, which is too funny to keep. Said young man, who by the way is a great admirer of house plants, of which the fish geranium was his particular favorite, called-at the bouse of a lady friend, somewhere in this county, one evening about lea time. Beforejoining in the evening repast the principal line of conversation was flowers and house-plants in general and a large fish geranium, which occupied a conspicuous position among the lady's collection, in particular. He admired it very much, and it was so very fragrant, &c. While the twain were supping their tea and discussing the topics of the times, a pet kitten sat purring in the hat of our young friend which had been deposited on the floor in a somewhat secluded corner. After tea he put on his hat to accompany a certain other party to the barn to attend to the stock and do other chores. Before leaving the house he again called the attention of his lady friend to the extreme fragrance of the geranium, remarking that it excelled any similar plant he had ever seen. Arriving at the barn he snuffed theaffluvia of the cow-sheds and sheep-fold, but amid all this he was fully persuaded that he could clearly detect the exquisite pleasantness of his favorite plant. And the longer he remained the ‘louder’ it smelled, until his olfactory nerves refused to delight in the aroma that seemed to be everywhere present, and be so expressed himself to his company. Returning to the house he again doffed his hat, when the secret of the unusual freshness of his highly favored plant was clearly revealed. It is said the young man no longer dotes on the fragrance of the fish geraniums, and has never since “hung up his hat on the floor.”

' Excellent stationery, justices’ blanks, fiat paper for map-drawing, scratch books, memorandums, pens, pencils, inks, Ac., for sale at the post office. —The indications are that the spring of 1880 will witness a greater number of immigrants to this town and county than have been received daring the past three seasons. There will also be an unusual stir in business, in the erection of buildings, removal of old rubbish, the preparation of farm lands, Ac., which will add vitality to trade and fumiah employment for an increased number of mechanics and laboring men. The erection of dwellings to rent should be commenced this winter or early in the spring, for the demand for tenement bouses will greatly exceed the supply. —See the new time-table of the 1., D. AC. railway, published elsewhere in this issue- Two trains now pass each way over the road daily, but the capacity seems yet insufficient to accomplish the work promptly. The amount of freight to be conveyed each week aud the number of passengers carried excels the expectations of everyone. When the road is completed to Indianapolis and Chicago it will prove one of the best paying thoroughfares in Indiana. This route will be some forty miles shorter between these cities than any other, and the great reduction in the cost of freightsand passenger fare will secure for it a large patronage. —We were unable to be present at the Gospel Temperance Meeting, held st the M. E. church last Sabbath evening, but a reporter informs us that it was well attended and reasonable interesting. The speech of Mr. Sampson Erwin seemed to merit particular attention on account of the happy manner In which be illustrated the labors of the temperance organization and the duties of the church. We are sorry we cannot give his exact language, but the gist of his remarks was that the business of the temperance workers is to take out aud roughhugh the marble at the quarry and then pass it up to the work-shop of the church to be fitted aud polished for the temple of righteousness. Three ladies, also, made speeches, which gives a new impetus to the temperance cause and the interest of the meetings-