The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-12-25


These long winter evenings induce man
kind to sociabily. 1t makes no difference
| il it is cold without - VIC will stir up tn,
frc,put on il respectable chunk, and as tn,
heat radiites, enlarge the circle and have s
jolly good time. In song and jest, ant
amusement, tempered with good intcllcctu
al reading, we will pass the hours happily
| profitablv. The circle cannot well be bro
ken up, however, until batch of finely
cracked hickory nuts have been served
| around, and this reminds us that II. u
Corey has just received from Illinois a large
amount of hickories, which are going of
like hot cakes, on the good principle, first
come, first served. u. There is to be New
Years party at Concert Hall, McGrcgor,
on New Years night. o. Burdck and
Geo. Church are Floor Managers, and
wash will get up the supper, as the
same ought to be. Nobody will question
| this We were made the victim of a con
spiracy on Saturday night last. The cir
cumstances were these: Happening into
T.a,npson & Powers fruit and confectionery
store, one Of tho proprictors insisted upon
our taking glass Of cider--wc consented,
and while in the act of drinking the other
slipped can Of splendid oysters and a
quantity Of picnic crackers into our basket,
and insisted upon our taking it home. 1t
is drc truth to say that we did not expos.
tulate long with them. The bivalvcs got
into stew over the affair the next day,
but now all is quiet again. l.. & p. have a
large stock Of this shell fruit on hand for
the holidays, and numerous confcctions-
the largest and best variety ever exposed
to view in these regions. We have re-
ccivcd an invitation to a Masonic festival at
Elkad>r on the eth ult., St. Johns Day.
Great preparations arc being made for a
pleasant affair, and il is hardly possible
that those VIVA are unable to attend will
fail to have good time. Wa should like
very much to meet the craft at Elkadcr,
but fear the pressure of business will pre-
vent. .. On Friday, the weather became
rather arctic, and friend Sherwin conclud-
ed, for the second time, that navigation
was closed. We should not b. surprised
at any time to sec the river opened ; tho
winter having every appearance Of being
an open one. -. Teams crossed the ice,
Sunday night, but we do not regard it as
safe by any means ..On Friday morning,
the Pennsylvania House, on Main street,
between First and Second streets, caugh,
firc from candle which had been careless.
ly left near door by one Of the boardcrs
The alarm of fire soon called out two OF
three hundred citizens, who, with praise.
worthy alacrity, soon succeeded in quelling
the fire. 4 few moments later, and it
would have dciicd all efforts at CONTROL
The zeal Of the people in getting at the
fire pretty nearly ruined that portion SO that
McMullcn has resolved to build two stories
in the rear, without delay instead Of re-
pairing the damages. This job he informs
us, was in contemplation fer next season
but the accident Of the fire has obliged him
! to anticipate. 1t is stated that Keokuk
| county has sent 500 men to the war. II
so, she has done molly. -. The public
schools Of this place closed OH Friday for
their regular vacation of two weeks. Will
commence again the first Monday in Janu.
ary. The apple crop Of DIS Moines coun.
ty for the present year is 10000 bushels
more profitable than wheat or corn
.... Geo. Church, Of this town; returned
from California, OF the 18th, looking so
his friends say--like the same old sixpencc
little brighter, if anything. Hsk was
heartily welcomed by all Of his old &c.
quaintances. .. Capt. j. &. Parrott, Of
Keokuk, has been appointed Lieut.. Colo
mel Of the 9TH in place of the lamentcd
Wentz -. We have received the initial
number Of the Loyalist, a new daily just
started in Prairie du Chi"n--publishcd
Simultaneous in Prairie du Chen and
McGregor. Predmorc Brothers arc the
publishers, and r. Tompkins, the editor
the whole enterprise, VIC judge from the
salutatory-being joint stock one. Eve
~ one in the office excepting the devil is
stated to be interested in the maintenance
Of the paper The house Of Mr.. Gill
man, at Gcrmanvil'c, jefferson county, in
this state recently burned up and daugh-
ter Of Mr.. G. persisted in the flames. :.
The banks Of the town will he closed on
Christmas and New Years Days. This is
essentially right. Our holidays should he
made as free from cares of business as pos
sible. +. L. Bradley & Co. have sold their
stock Of general merchandise TO E. L. Nor
ton, of New York City, who will continue
the business at the old stand. .. Rev. Mr..
Clinton delivered very excellent lecture
on Thursday evening last, at the Baptist
Church-suhject, 1.-THE Silent Revolution. !"
This lecture was noted for the strength Of
its logic as we'll as the beauty Of its rhc.
toric Many of the best ideas were, how
ever, seriously marrcd by the rapidity Of
his uttcrancc. The "Silent Revolution
| which has been and now is, the speaker
stated to be caused by Steam and Electri.
city-agents which have brought minds IN
contact and wrought a wondrous labor
whereby the world has emerged from thu
dim light Of the modern ages TO the almost
| perfect light Of to-day. The dawn and
progress Of this Revolution" was ably
handled, and an infercntial conclusion was
arrived at that this Revolution would ulti
mately tend to bring the nations Of the
l would in arcord The theme WAC work ad