The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-08-02
HARTFORD LOCALS.

from Our OWN correspondent
We have but few items to record this week.
as everything is very quiet at this busy season.
However. the hitching rail, plows and cult
vators in front OF the hardware store hare
groaned louder than ever under the oppressive
weight OF masculine humanity which gathers
there to rest Its weary bones day after day.
Nice blackberres are being marketed.
Clark Sampson is rushing his new house.
Mrs Humphrey, our lady druggist, Is doing
we'll and making many friends.
Many Of our folks intend to lay dull care
away and visit Fruitport and Grand Haven
when the excursion train comes along.
The event OF the week to be recorded is the
advent OF the McGibney family family Of
concert singers and actors. Mr. McGbney is
the guest and brother OF Mrs. c. H. Engle. He
brings with him wife and nine children. all
singers, the Oldest sixteen years Of age. The
parents are musicians and all through their
married life have travelled and given musical
entertainments, every year or two adding an
other merry voice to their already merry troupe.
They have just returned from tour in Cali
fornia by way OF Oregon, where they met with
wonderful success. They gave concert here
in the NJ. E. church last Saturday night to a
large and select audience-an audience which
seemed to drink in and feast upon each new
song as better than the last and could but
think that If having our efforts and ability APP
preciated and receiving expression Of the same,
yields insplraton-and believe it does-lt was
no wonder they could do so well. 1t is useless
to bestow encomiums upon any particular song
when all were so good. Last Sunday evening
they gave gospel song service on the lawn in
front OF Esq. Engle's residence. The crowd
was 30 great that the fences door yards and
streets for blocks away were literally filled, and
all as still as mice. AS Mrs. Nc. sung the solos
to several pieces her voice foated out on the
evening air sweet and clear and full OF touch
ing melody, moving the hearts OF many-who
happily joined in the chorus-with purer, ten
derer feelings than had swayed them for many
Jooiss Auch VIZ. IuC. gave Us Wudt ne Cdllcu
little talk about his travels; but as he spoke OF
the variety scenes through which they had
passed and tbSaeffect that music and kind words
had had upon the hardest OF hearts and the
most depraved outcasts as they had sung in
prisons and penitentlaries, and Of the good we
all might do if We would generously bestow Of
the one talent given US, and by at all times
standing up for the right and kindly condemn
ing the wrong it became evident to me. at
least, that whether they would or no the crowd
were drinking IN sermon on works ss we'll as
faith, purity as well as charty,-a sermon
which must needs call out and elevate their
better natures. The meeting was concluded by
singing "Sweet By and By" a song which, as
he said, has become so familiar nova DAYS it
is sung in our saloons by the lowest and most
degraded men, and yet has lost none of its
sweet, ennoblng influence. The throng. which
numbered fully one thousand, moved quietly
away, all feeling they had bsen made better
and happier by the evenings entertainment