Smyrna times., 1877-03-28

JOHN L. HARDY, q painter of this town,
firm of Hardy & Wilkinson) died suddenly
last Thursday night. He was prostrated
that morning by fainting and severe pain
in the left side, and died in little over
twelve hours. 1t seems that his joints be-
came rigid and his jaws stiffened, very much
like Hamilton's, the negro man who died
two days previous, and both were reported
to have died from lockjaw, but Mr.. Hardy's
ailment appears to have been heart disease,
to which he was subject. The two cases,
both sudden, both mysterious, have caused
some little excitement, and wild reports
about an epidemic of cerebro-spinel-men
ingitis, lockjaw, &C., have been circulated.
Hamilton had Inflammation OF the spine,
produced by cold.
ANOLD Folks CONCERT night
-Thursday-a number of ladies and gen.
tlemen of Dover, who gave an "old folks
concert " in that town last week, will repeat
the entertainment in this town, at the
earnest solicitation Of the Smyrna Library
Association. They have chartered the
Smyrna Branch train, and the party, about
twenty in number, will come, dressed in
"old folks" costumes, headed by the Dover
Cornet Band. They will arrive about :
o'clock and proceed at once to the hall. 1t
promises to be an entertainment of more
absorbing interest than any we have had
here since the old folks concert of eight
year ago. Miss Ida Pennington is to take
the part of Aunt Polly Bassett, and run the
"Singinge Schoole,' and Mr. Philip Burnett
is the musical director. Miss Mollie Cannon
will sing "Within Mile of Edenborough
Town" and Mrs. Thos. j. Stevenson and
others of the company will render choice
hoIloIc y DiohocJco,, hoe fol
to give his celebrated whistling duet-piano
accompaniment. BY nine o'clock this
morning sixteen reserved seats were en-
gagged by parties in this town. Quite a
company from Dover expect to attend the
entertainment. They will accompany the
party on the train. The entertainment
will commence at a quarter to o'clock
admission, % cts; reserved seats, 35 cts.
The reserved seat tickets will be sold by
a. P. Griffith, at Mancha's real estate office.
All the proceeds, after paying necessary
expenses, will be donated to the Library.
The Library Association highly appreciate
the kindness and good fellowship thus
manifested by the Dover party, and it will
! be only tame mark of that appreciation
on the part Of our citizens to pack the hall.
A JEW IN TEOUBLE.-Last Saturday, Alex.
| Wilson, liveryman of this town, overhauled
German spectacle peddler for trying to
sneak off without paying for the use of a
| team. 1t seems that several weeks ago two
brothers, |. d j. Abrahams, traders in eye
| glasses, came here and each hired teams
from Mr.. w. and returned them all right
Then they came and hired them IL second
time, and one, Isaac Abrahams, after an
absence of eleven days, wrote to Mr.. w.
last week, from Philadelphia that his team
was in Wilmington. Mr. w. had to &c
there after it, and got no pay for the clever
days hire-$22. The other peddler, Jacob
with his team, passed through town last
Saturday by back street, going towards
Middletown. The team was recognized
and Mr.. Wilson informed. Pursuit followed
and the peddler was intercepted about hall
way to Blackbird. A negro lad was in the
carriage with him. He was brought back
to town, and waived hearing before Squire
Colt by agreeing to abide by the decision
of three referees. The negro lad stated t.
the referees that he was offered so cts t.
ride to Townsend with the peddler anC
bring the team back. Mr.. Wilson alsC
stated that this peddler was the party who
had hired both teams, and that the brother
were partners, both in selling spectacle
and cheating in carriage hire. The peddle
at first denied this, but finally acceded t.
all but the last proposition. So the referee
decided that Abrahams should pay for tn
use of both teams, $50. He paid SIS, al
he had he said, and left his valse of spec
for security for the balance. He said tn
valise is worth 5000. lie then took tn
train for New York, where he intended t
60 if he had reached Townsend