Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 55, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 March 1908 — GRACE PEYTON IS PIANO WINNER [ARTICLE]

GRACE PEYTON IS PIANO WINNER

Popular Youflg Lady Has Larger Number of Votes rhan Any Other Candidate^and Wins. ALSO GETSTHE WATCH Many of the Other Contestants Secure Valuable Prizes and the Contest Was the Best Ever Held In This County. Miss Grace Peyton has been voted the most popular young woman in Jasper county, the test being made in the Rensselaer Republican popularity contest, which closed test Saturday tght at 8 o’clock, and which secured r the fortunate leader the Price & Teeple piano that had been on exhibition at Fred Phillips’ music store since before the contest was begun, on the 2nd day of December. Altho the piano had been Conspicuously displayed during all this time. Miss Peyton had never seen it until it was taken to her home this Monday morning. She had been the leading candidate during practically all of the time and had felt reasonably sure that she would he able to get the plafto and h6r many friends had assured her that she would be successful, but she did not cpe to see the piano until she could count it really her own. The counting was begun Just as soon as the clock struck 8 and a moment later five hands were busy in sorting; the votes into piles. This required about three hours and then the counting was begun, the votes being tied up one thousand in a bunch and all the votes of one candidate being carefully assorted and tied up and then counted and put back into the box. It was early to foe seen that* Miss Peyton was in thb lead and sure to remain there, fbr the pile of tickets for her increased more rapidly than for the others and soon required much more table room than was needed for any of the other candidates. Several persons who felt considerable Interest in the contest stopped in the office during the progress of the count, sized up the great stack of votes for Miss Peyton, uttered Borne expression of approval and sauntered out. But even after the vote was all counted and totaled and the midnight hour had just passed there were a number of people drqpped in to see who was victorious and the success of Miss Peyton was responsible for the most general approval, even some who had been voting for some of the other candidates saying they were pleased that the result was In favor of the Peyton girL

When the contest was first started many of the candidates were little known to the public and many read-, ers of the Republican had never heard of Grace Peyton, but as time went ' along she became more and more acquainted and there wene votes caihe for her from all over the county and aH over the state and from many outside states came subscription renewals and new subscribers asking that their votes be counted for Grace Peyton and she has within three months emergedfromthe confines of a school girl and home girl acquaintanoeshlp. the most widely known girl in Jasper oounty and for several weeks her name has been a familiar one In almost every home in the county. And she has borne her Increasing popularity and wider acquaintanceship with becoming dignity, and accepts her good fortune with the most cordial and heartfelt thanks to the many, many friends who aided her to win the piano. And this loyalty of her friends not only secured for her the capital prize hut again aided her in winning the gold watch offered for the girl that secured the most new subscribers for the Semi-Weekly Republican, and It had previously secured the 925 opal and diamond set ring, so she now possesses a piano, a fine ring and a fine gold watch, whereas a few weeks ago she was without any of these. It is not out of the way to say that the successful candidate Is a poor girl, her mother having been left a widow fifteen years ago this month with two baby girls and small means to support them. Her husband, William Peyton, was a carpenter and dropped dead on the street here In Rensselaer of jmart failure while still a young man. Altho none to strong, Mrs. Peyton, with a determination that cornea from a noble heart, took np the task of raising and educating her daughters, and now after fifteen years during which time Che has been In poor health much of the time, she has the satisfaction of seeing her two daughters, Grace and Wilma, emerg-

ing into young womanhood, the first named being a Junior, and tbe other daughter being a Sophomore, and both being extremely popular and very excellent students. Grace has planned to complete school here and then to teach and thus relieve the mother of the hand toil she has been compelled in the sacrifices she has made for

her gills. It was the hope of securing the piano in order to sell it that she might use the money to give her the normal school education required by the new law before a graduate of a high school can teach, that prompted her to such (diligent efforts, and thus the opportunity came just in the nick of time. She has not decided :about selling the piano and she will probably dislike to part with it, but she has been informed by the Republican that she can feel perfectly free to dispone of it as she may see lit and If it supplies her the means to gain the education essential to becoming a teacher the tact that she got it so largely by her own efforts will Inspire her to the utmost endeavor to succeed aTui the neault will be entirely satisfactory. Miss Ptoyton will be 17 yeans of age on January 13th and the accompanying picture of her was taken by Photographer Parker only last week, she Saving sat for the picture at the reuest of the Republican, whep it became evident that she was almost certain to be the winner of the capital prim. If her plans are carried out she will graduate from the Rensselaer high school in tbe class of 1909 and will teach the succeeding year. If she sells the piano she will probably go to the state normal school this summer. Many of the other candidates were also very deserving, and will not go unrewarded for the efforts they made. There are fourteen other good and substantial prises and they will be given out according to the positions of the other contestanta.each in turn taking their choice. Orders for these prises will be Issued by the Republican and will be honored by the merchants who donated the prises. Miss Grant, having the first choice, has selected the Princess dresser given by D. M. Worland. Miss Grant learned early Sunday morning of tbs

result at the contest, mod, while she had been a vdose contestant much of the time, she called on the editor of ike Republican and expressed the utmost satisfaction that Miss Peyton had won. “I am glad she won,” said Miss Grant, "land while I should have been grateful to have received it myself, I am glad that it fell into such deserving hands.' That Miss Peyton iis both worthy and popular there is no doubt and I am really glad to be defeated when the girl that defeats me is so worthy.” Mias Grant was tlm original busy candidate, and took a long lead early in the contest and herself and .the many friends that sup-' ported her carried on a nice contest, voting almost every day and.making a systematic canvass for Her campaign was well managed hut the sweeping popularity of Miss Peyton could not forestall the larger vote in the latter’s favor.

Mrs. Halllgan, who has many warm friends in Rensselaer and vicinity, entered the contest late and soon discovered the odds in favor of the leader. She devoted but little time to veto getting since the holidays, and also had a very warm feeling for the leader, which she frequently expressed. It was a fine contest all the way thru, with no hand feelings and every one seems satisfied with the result. The vote on all who had more than L 969 to their credit, also the vote of these on the last day that the vote was announced In the Republican, and the gain made during the two weeks the vote was not announced is published in connection with this article. Miss Leyton had a plurality of 87,360 votes over the next highest contestant. The following is a list of the premiums and the names of the merchants that contributed them. As soon as the successful contestants have made their selections they will be announced in tbe Republican. Ist Price A Teeple piano, value S4OO, given by the Republican. 2nd. Ladles' broadtail coat, value $25, given by the G. E. Murray Co. IrU. Royal sewing machine, value sl6, given by R P. Benjamin. 4th. Priiioees dresser, value sls, given)by D. M. Worland.

■ sth. Combination piano bench and music cabinet, value sl2, given by Fred A. Phillips. 6th. Ladies’ toilet set, value $lO, given by B. . Fendig. 7th. Ladies s'lo nat, latest style, givfcn by Mrs. L. M. Imes. Bth. 1 dozen platinum photos, value $lO, given by H. F. Parley’s studio. 9th. Ladies’ $lO hat, latest style, given by Mrs. H. Purcupile. 1 10th. Ladies’ chatelaine watch, value $lO, given by G. J. Jessen. 11th. Rochester chafing dish, given by E. D. Rhoades. 12th. 1 ton of coal, value $5, given by Branch & Hamilton. 13th. Pair ladies’ $5.00 shoes, given by B. N. Fendig. 14th. Buggy robe, value $5, given by Matthew Worden. Since the contest was instituted two of the prominent contestants have moved away. They are, Miss Katie Maxwell, who went to Mitchell, S. Dak., with the family of Samuel Parker, and Miss Bernice Sayler, whose father A. K. Sayler and family moved to Big Rapids Mich. Peculiarly they ended up with a difference of only 20 votes between them, Miss Sayler being the 11th and Miss Maxwell the 12th in the list. Both will come in for prizes.