125 years ago

may 7, 1886

By Home Talent

The two entertainments given by the pupils of the Marion schools last week were creditable to all the participants. The capacious opera house was crowded each evening, and we have heard but one opinion of the performances—good.

Thursday evening’s programme was rendered by the High school, and consisted of vocal and instrumental music, essays, recitations, declamations, etc., all of which were excellent.

Friday evening’s entertainment was by the scientific Department, and consisted of a most creditable rendition of that popular little drama which has done so much for the cause of temperance, “Ten Nights in a Bar room,” closing with a laughable farce, “Mischievous Niggers,” which of course “brought down the house” These pieces will be repeated tonight (Friday) for the benefit of the G.A.R.

We haven’t space to do justice to all the various participants in these two successful entertainments, and to mention a few without mentioning all would be manifestly improper, and so we must content ourselves with saying to all the boys and girls—well done.

Mr. W.E.M. Oursler put out, this spring, 2,000 evergreens on his farm in Fairplay township.

A new mail arrangement goes into effect tomorrow after which Marion will be favored with two mails each way daily—from the east on the 6:30 a.m. and 6:18 p.m. train, and from the west on the 8:30 a.m. and 9:15 p.m. train.

Wilson township is fortunate in the recent addition to its citizenship of such a man as Mr. Robert Brown, who arrived last week from the east with his family and a lot of fine Clydesdale colts, shorthorn cattle, etc. He is said to be a fine man.

A good many of the school folks picnicked in Central Park last Tuesday.

Tom Smith of the Marion Lumber Yards says he will get that new suit. His “boss,” Toll, you remember, was to present Tom with a new suit of clothes if they sold nine thousand dollars worth of lumber during the month of April, and Tom says they sold over ten thousand dollars worth.

Mr. A.W. Brewerton has purchased a fine $1,700 Clydesdale horse.

Mrs. M.A. Cross has recently erected a good barn at her nice home place on the hill. Mrs. Cross, by the way, deserves a good deal of credit for improving her home under difficulties, putting to shame a good many big able-bodied men who never try to have a foot of ground they can call their own, or, if they happened to own a plat of ground, are too shiftless to ever improve it.

A lot of Gypsy “fortune tellers” have been around town this week, fleecing the superstitious and making fun for the boys.