Rensselaer Republican, Volume 12, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 December 1879 — SMALL TALK. [ARTICLE]

SMALL TALK.

—Sweet cider at B- E.Bpeneer A Co**. —The doctors say it is distressingly healthy. —Fresh tab oysters at B.E. Spencer A Co’s. Try a quart or two. —Last Sunday was the shortest day of the year, but it appeared to beabout the longest—The Republican wishes all its readers a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. — Km met Kannal will -have about the nobbiest drug store in the State when completed. t —Lggs retail in this market at 18 cents, butter at 15, lard 10, corn 35, wood from 92 to f 3 per eord. —Have you seen the Fire Cent Counters at Sears’s new store? If not you had better go immediately. —Now is a good time to haul that wood on subscription. Don’t all speak at once. But we want the wood all the same. —School teachers will find elegant ‘‘Reward of Merit” cards, in a variety of floral designs, at the postoffice—not gnndy, but very pretty. —Ladies, if you want to buy goods at about half the usual prices, call at the “bankrupt store” in the Nowels building, next doortoDwjggins’ hank. —You can buy penknives, brooms boot jacks, dust pans, pie pans, fire shovels, curry combs, SDd a hundred other useful articles for five cents each displayed on the five cent counter at F.'J. Sears 4c Son’s new store in the Makeever building. —ls the Remington Reporter was printed on shoe-pegs with a gheese press it would be just as valuable to its patrons and as capable of being read. The publisher evidently lacks mechanical skill or is troubled with chronic indifference. —Messrs- Reeve A Wrigbt, consignees, h.». stock of dry goods, laces, ribbons,Sroder-wear, notions,etc.,etc., brought here from Peru, which they are selling out at less than cost- Now, ladies, is the timg to make purchases, while you can get good goods at about half price. —Ex-County Commissioner W. B. Price, of Carpenter townsnip, gave us a pleasant call, Tuesday, and renewed his subscription for 1880." We would take it as a great favor to be similarly honored by about two hundred readers between this time and the second week in January. —The best .holiday present you can make a friend is a year’s subscription to the Republican. The recipient will have cause to remember you at least once a week during ISBO. And in so doing you not only give evidence of your friendship and benevolence, but become a public benefactor. —The fiuest and cheapest lot of Furniture ever exhibited in Rensselaer Is now on sale at F, J. Sears A Son’s new store iu the Makeever building. Bureaus, bedsteads, chairs, rockers, tables, stands, looking-classes, picture frames, pictures and everything necessary to furnish any room or household in a manner calculated to make people happy. —The Thompson A Bro. law and ! collection office did a ‘‘land office” i business, last Saturday. Notes and accounts were paid by men who seemed ; to have plenty of moueyand a willingness to discharge their indebtedness, i This is one of the best evidences of re- ' turning prosperity, all of which is due to the blessiugs cf Providence aud John Sbermao’s financial policy. —We owe some lady an apology for losing a communication sent us for publication. Without just cause or provocation it departed our presence before even the name of the fair author. or her place of habitation, were photographed upon the tablets of memory. If there is anyone thing more thanj an other that warps our heart with pangs of regret it is when we fail to comply with a lady’s reasonable request- If our feminine friend wilt write again we promise to “freeze to”, her pinkrtinted message until its contents are duplicated in type. —New goods in the stationery line have been received at the postoftice this week and are now on sale. Many articles are suitable for Holiday Gifts. Among these arc superb photograph and autograph albums, elegant designs of box papers, pocket books for ladies and gentlemen, that are not excelled In quality of material, truly beautiful, ink wells, pencil and pen holders; pearl, ivory and carved-wood paper-knives, and many novelties serviceableand ornamental,together with standard sizes of plain writing papers and envelopes. These goods are guaranteed to be just as represented, and will be told at Chicago retail prices. —Mr. James F. Whatson aud Miss Kate L. Richey, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. James Richey, were united in holy wedlock, Thursday evening of last week, at the residence of the bride’s parents, by Rev. A. W. Wood. A number of guests assembled to witness the union of this happy pair and partake of the bountiful feast that had been prepared for the occasion. The bride isaprightly, intelligent, and like Saiui, “exceedingly fair to look upon ” The bridegroom is a straightforward, industrious young man, prompted by correct principles and possessed of a willingness to supply every want and afford every comfort necessary to the happiness of his loving wife. —Abby Sage Richardson didn’t draw very well at the Opera House, Monday evening. The attendance was less than at either of the former lectures. The subject matter was not of a class best calculated to catch the masses. A minstrel show with a big brass band, will receive a rush of patronage, while an intellectual feast is passed lightly by. This is not only so in Rensselaer, but everywhere. The majority of people desire only to be amused, and therefore only that which will make them scream with laughter is fully appreciated. “A little fun now and then Is relished by the best of men,” bnt in file main they feel that they need something more substantial—something that will assist them in securing the neoessaries of life, something that will fit them for the highest places In society, and something that will help theqi appre--ciate the glories of the future world. Abby’s lecture was all that could be desired or expected, and those present gave strict attention to the words of eloquence that fell from her lips.

—‘‘Little May,” at Spencer A Co’s, Is the best eigar in town. —All money due on subscription to the Rensselaer Union Is payable only to the proprietors of the Bstobucan. —The elieapet holiday presents can be found at F. J. Bears A Son’s, in the Makeever building. —S. p. Thompson A Bro. pay cash in advance for four Copies of the Republican. Come thou and do likewise. • —The gas lights on the balcony of the Opera House, Monday evening, gavf atony east to that part of Washington street —Dr. R. Y. Martin will please accept thanks for favors. Besides being a well-read physician he is a clever gentleman and a friend to the Republican. —lt is to be hoped that those who are not so fortunate as to receive a supply of Christmas presents will be satisfied with the presence of mind — or as the boys say, “presents in your mind.” —A part of the time at the temperance meeting, Friday evening, will be devoted to the election of officers. As this is an important matter, and oue necessary to the maintain&nce and success of the society, it is hoped that every member will be present. - —Bro. McEwen’s Democratic Sentinel failed to make close connection with the day of publication last week. A multiplicity of unforseen difficulties and ill health account for his narrow gauge time. But “give the old man a chauce” and he will do better hereafter.

—Mr. David A. Williamson, business manager of the Thai ian Dramatic Club, of Lafayette, was in town, the 22d lust- and made arrangements with Messrs. Willey & Sigler for the formal opening of the new Opera House, on the evening of January Ist, by presenting to our citizens the beautiful comedy of “Extremes.” The play will be elegantly sustained by one of the best soceity troupes In the country, and those of our people who do not hear them will miss a great treat. Tickets for reserved seats can be had at Willey A Bigler’s store. —As soon as the festivities of the holiday season areoverand the lengthening days give evidence of the coming spring, we hope the property-own-ing denizens of the town of Rensselaer, will each begin to lay plans for improving the appearance of their property, by removing the rubbish, repairing or rebuilding the fences, painting the buildings, if they need it, and fixing up generally. A ragged town is like a ragged man among strangers—he may be rich but that will not prevent him from becoming a subject for remarks. Many strangers will visit this towD aud county next spring and summer, and the majority - of them will form their opinions from what they may see , rather than any word of praise they may hear. —Buy j’our figs, dates, candies, etc., for the holidays, at Spencer A Go’s. —Last Monday a specimen of the feathered tribe known as an old hen, flew across Washington street from the court house yard, in the direction of (he Makeever building, and in her flight attempted to find shelter in F. J. Sears A Son's new furniture store, but to her great dismay her head collided with one of the large plate glass in the front of the building, which did not yield to the force of her momentum, and not possessing the physical ability to longer resist the attraction of gravity, she gave a terrible squeak and dropped to the sidewalk below. Recovering her.sensibilities She went through the door, which happened to be ajar, fluttering and sqalling as if her life depended upon her utmost exertion. Passing by a looking-glass she beheld the reflection of her proportions, aifd instinctively “made for” her supposed companion. The glass being in danger the proprietors of the store held up their hands in horror, while the junior of the Republican hastily reached for* the narrative of the obstreperous biped, but the tail pulled out and the hen sought safty in other quarters. What originally caused the old hen to become so pan-ic-stricken perhaps we Bhall never know, but the supposition is that she became terrified at the thought of being devouredJt>y a court-house official for a Christmas dinner.

—Prepared mince meal only 12J cts. per pound at It. E. Spencer & Co’s. —There is no denying, the fact that Jasper county has acquired abroad tbe reputation of being p low, fiat, marshy country, productive only of mosquitos, froes aud web-footed people. In the main this story is erroneous and the damage it ha 9 done this section of country in the way of debarring immigration, is almost incalculable- It is true that a small portion of the land encumpassed by the boundaries of Jasper is covered for a good portion of each season with water which renders its cultivation impracticable, and until ditched and drained can be used only for grazing purposes. This wet land lies along the Kankakee river, which forms our northern boundary and it is principally through it that our whole county has been brought into disrepute among those who are not correctly informed- No other count/ in the State, to our knowledge, contains a greater acreage of tillable'land than Jasper, and but few can equal it in the productiveness and durability of soil. The face of the Country greatly resembles the lolling prairies of Illinois, and in a few years more our farms will be as attractive and valuable. Ah observing citizen of this place, who has traveled a great deal, informs us that several years ago certain parties who were then engaged in various branches of business here, traded large tracts of this Kankakee land, at greatly inflated prices, to eastern wholesale merchants for goods, who, when they discovered how they had been swindled readily concluded that Jasper county is one vast frog-pond—hence these evil reports.