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100 years ago

july 6, 1905

When ever anything is advertised to be "pulled off" in Marion you can rely upon its being a success. Therefore the celebration Tuesday was but a repetition of those of previous years. All day the streets and our beautiful park were thronged with a jolly, good-natured people bent upon having a good time. There were between three and four thousand people present.

It was a perfect day, and from long before daylight until almost midnight the small boy, assisted by some of the older ones, kept up an incessant racket with the innumerable variety of explosives that have been invented to assist in giving vent to the patriotism of all Americans on such occasions. We believe in point of noise it never had its equal in Marion before.

Prof. Henry Wheelock slid his slide on the high wire.

Prof. Ellis made his dive in the seething, raging torrent of the Muddy.

Miss Lesher read the Declaration of Independence with as much pride and enthusiasm as if she had been the author of the glorious document.

Rev. Berkeley plucked the feathers from the eagle in grand style and when he got through the old bird looked like it was ready for cold storage.

The foot races were racy.

The daylight fireworks were dazzling.

The whole program including the music and everything else not mentioned above was all that could be desired. And when the veil spread there was a "hot time in the old town."

There was plenty of ice water, lemonade and other soft drinks, and yet the town was dry so dry, that those who are usually on the "inside" found "nothing doing."

Not an arrest was made.

Not an accident happened and the little boys returned home with their limbs intact and without a scar.

But we are glad it will be a whole year before there is another Fourth.

The stork is making so many calls around in this "neck o' the woods" lately that we sometimes unintentionally omit to mention his visit. This was the case at S.E. Pierce's last week, at whose home a nice little girl was left.

Another old and highly esteemed citizen has passed to the great beyond, in the person of Captain Charles Brooker, whose death occurred at his home in East Branch township at three o'clock on the morning of July 3d. Captain Brooker was born in Germany and came with his parents to the United States when an infant. He was a tanner by trade and was foreman of a tannery for several years in Kentucky and also of a tan yard near Portsmouth, Ohio, which belong to relatives of General Grant. He came to Marion County thirty-four years ago and settled on a homestead in East Branch township. It was one of Captain Brooker's boasts that he never went in debt for anything in his life. He served in both the Mexican and Civil wars. He was an indulgent father, a kind husband and a generous neighbor. He was 71 years of age, and until recently enjoyed good health, having gone through both the wars mentioned without injury. The RECORD regrets the death of this old friend and extends its deepest sympathy to the family.

A picnic party at Chingawassa Spring, today, included Misses Gertrude Sheets, Vinnie Wible, Margaret Saggau, and Messrs. Leslie Bryan, Charles Vaughn and Wells Vaughn.

Mrs. Claude Ball, who was Miss Ethel Dean, has just received a belated wedding gift from across the Atlantic. It was two beautiful pieces of handiwork of her former school mate, Miss Lizzie Apel, daughter of Mr. Bernhard Apel, of this city. The pieces are perfect specimens of art embroidery and lace making. Miss Apel has been educated in Germany and a German education embodies the training of the hand and eye to work in unison with the brain.

We are sorry to learn of the total destruction of the Ramona school house last Friday night. The building was struck by lightning and set on fire. It was almost new having been built only about two years ago.

Jerry Forney has been in Kansas City this week investigating automobiles. He expects to buy one, and with his wife start on an automobile trip to the Pacific coast, taking in the Lewis-Clark Exposition during their journey.

There was one old fashioned woman in town on the Fourth. In speaking of the park, she referred to it as the "grove."

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