Middletown transcript., 1876-12-16
SATURDAY MORNING, DEC. ls, 1876.
LOCAL AND STATE AFFAIRS.

LOCAL AND STATE AFFAIRS
Having spent its winter fury, on Saturda
and Sunday, the weather greatly moderate
on Monday and has since been pretty respec
able.
Levels lady wouldn't go to bed last Sur
day night because it was so cold the nigh
before. She just wrapped blanket aroun
her and sat by the fire all night.
Christmas is only nine days off from to-day
Our merchants and confectioners have beel
laying in their stocks Of holiday goods, an,
the stores present an attractive appearance.
Rev. J. NJ P. Otis, of the West Presby teriar
Church, Wilmington, preached sermon OF
the political crisis on Sunday morning, taking
for his text, blessed are the Peacemakers, =
an example worthy Of invitation.
At the rate we have been going lately those
s'twenty-six SHOWS" that are to bless this
winter win be used up pretty rapidly. Some
half-dozen, or more, of them have come al
ready, and the FIRST winter month only half
gone.
The Burned Actor.
Mr.. H. s. Hitchcock, the comedian, who
lost his life in the recent burning of the
Brooklyn theatre, was son of Professor
Hitchcock, once the principal of Middlstown
Academy. Mr.. b. was better known to the
public by his theatrical name a. s. Murdock
He was a nephew of the eminent tragedian,
James E Murdock, his mothers brother. He
was about 80 years of age.
Town improvements.
Col. Clay new house is about finished
the frame of DR.. Patton's has been raised Mr..
F. Eliason is getting ready to build on the lot
adjoining the residence of his brother, on
Main street Mr.. A. g. Cox contemplates put
ting up a dwelling for himself in the spring
-on Green street it is said-and one or two
other parties are talking Of building soon.
Pardon OF DIR. Nolen.
DR.. VIM. D Nolen, the ex-U. s. Customs
Collector, who was recently convicted of hav-
ing embezzled nearly $4,000 of Government
funds, and for which be was sentenced to re-
imburse the Government in the amount stolen |
and to serve term of six months in the county |
prison, was, on Monday, pardoned by Presi-
dent Grant. He should now be placed Oh a
Southern Returning Board
Ice Gathering.
The polar wave which swept over the coun-
try last Saturday struck US about hard enough
to form ice from four to Eve inches thick, and
on Monday morning the owners of ice houses,
mindful OF the ice famine Of last winter, hasied
to make sure Of this 6rst chance and at once
began the work Of filing their houses. All
day, Monday and Tuesday, wagons were kept
continually running to and from Drummonds 8
lake with their cold loads of summer luxury.
Getting Ready for Christmas.
A large drove Of turkeys and geese num-
bering hundreds, were driven through Mid
dletown yesterday morning. They were
brought up the railroad on the cars and were ,
then driven from the depot out to Mr.. J. T.
Shallcross' to whom they belonged In going i,
down the street some of the turkeys became i.
obstreperous or frightened and few up into
the trees and some sixteen of them had to be
shot before they could be gotten down.
seraons ON Tempe,ance. c
Rev. rennell Combe, the well-known tenn Il
perance advocate, will preach in the Presby- Il
terian Church, this town, tomorrow Sunday II
morning at halfpast ten o. clock, on the SUBJ
ject of temperance, and in the Methodist 81
Church in the evening on the same subject. q
This will afford an opportunity to the people G
of this vicinity to hear this important and in
tsrssting subject discussed by one of its most in
earnest and eloquent as well as able and emf nj
nent advocates, and we hope he will have
full houses on both occasions. ia
Fair and Festival. n
The Young Peoples Association connected r
with the Presbyterian Church Of St Georges, :,
are going to hold fair and festival for the =,
purpose of trying to raise some funds to aid =,
in paying of their church debt, on Wednes-
day, Thursday and Friday next, December n
10, 20 and 81. Extensive preparations are :,
being made to make the occasion pleasant
and interesting-and it is to be hoped profit :;
able-one, and general good time is antici- n,
pated. Everybody, apd his wife. is invited,
cordially and earnestly to come over and help D
them.
Lamp Accident.
Conductor Hawkins, of the Delaware Rail- Nj
road, came near having serious calamity at ar
bis house, in Wilmington, last Sunday even fl
ing. By some mishap lighted lamp, filled di
With ocean oil, by which daughter of Mr..
as was reading, got knocked off the mantle, ca
md fell into the young lady's lap, setting her in
clothes on FIRE. Mr.. q. in endeavoring to tear
be burning clothes OF his daughter had his at
lands SO severely burned that he was unable W
o attend 10 his duties, on the railroad, on co
donday morning. Miss H. does not seem to Cl
ave sustained any serious injury-beyond gr
be loss of her dress. lei
tern Winters Icy Breath. ~
Last Saturday was the coldest day expert =. -
need in this latitude for at least the past six
months, and the soldest inhabitant' was =:
ush in his declarations that be never knew -
be weather to be SO cold so early in the sea- u.
on since-the last time. No matter whether
has been as cold, or colder, before or not, y.
was cold enough in all conscience last Sat- ~.
rday night, and on Sunday morning every
ody rendered the same verdict-that they j,
,uld not sleep, for the cold, the night before.
ut for all it was so cold, the mercury in the
only fell as far as to ten above
,ro and that in places where the wind struck
in it's full strength. This may be explained -.
the theory Of "never mind the weather SO
% wind don't blow" The mercury was
FUSED up in nice tight little tubes where the
ind couldn't get at it and so it didn't feel /,
Ifsll effect, while we, poor living wretches, gle
ho hadn't any nice little air-tight tubes to Col