The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-12-28
Local BreVities.
Did YOU have a merry Christmas?

New Year.
Be careful in writing dates. twill be 1877
after next Tuesday.
The icy roads has made the current week
harvest for the horseshoers.
The tin horn nuisance has broken out witt
great virulence in Westminster.
The merry Jingle of the sleigh bell greeted
the ear throughout the current week.
Have you paid your insurance? Ii not, dc
so at once, as delays are dangerous.
Partridge shooting time expired on Tues
day, the 23d instant.
Feed the birds. Now that the ground is
all covered with snow their supplies are very
| scant.
Many persons have been filling their ice.
houses this week. The ice was six and
seven inches thick.
j. H. Byers, near this city, has killed the
champion hog of the county. 1t weighed 636
pounds. g.,
declared dividend of Al per cent. for the
| last six months.
Christmas was generally observed in West
minister by a suspension OF business ana ser
vice in nearly all the Churches.
Mrs. DIR. Butler, of this city, returned home
on Saturday evening after visit of five weeks
to relatives in ST. Louis and Mexico, Mo.
"Humpty Dumpty got fall, - says the old
nursery rhymes. There were many Humpty-
Du1aptys the past week, owing to the ice and
sleet.
The farmers congratulate themselves that
the snow affords thorough covering and
protection to their wheat fields this severely
cold weather.
The festival of st. John the Evangelist was
celebrated in St. Johns Church, this city.
Rev. VIM. E. Starr, of the Cathedral, Balti-
more, delivered the panegyric.
A gentleman at Taneytown was offered
81. 90 per hundred for his pork. He refused
the offer and sent it to Baltimore. Freight
and commission deducted 1t netted him just
500 per hundred.
When people nearly had their noses, ears,
hands and feet frozen, during the cold snap
this week, every one they met, informed them
that it was ''cold day." just as if they did
not know it.
The merry maskers have had jolly good
time, this week, save and except that the
biting frost of Christmas night, was little
too sharp even for youthful blood, and they
beat an early retreat to comfortable quarters
More remembrances have come in to the
ADVOCATE office the past week. Our friends
truly believe it is ''more blessed to give than
to receive" We knoU it is good to receive.
Good luck to them all.
Friction matches were first made in the
United States in the village of. Mechanics
town, Frederick county, Nd. in the year 1881.
This is fact not generally known. The first
sales were twenty-five cents per box, then
down to ten cents.
Rough your horses; many valuable animal
has been injured by slipping and straining
his legs, over the icy roads, from neglect OF
being rough shod. Franklin said:-"For the
want of nail the shoe was lost, and for the
want of a shoe the horse was lost.
Mr. George w. Stoner, Jr. ofStonersvllle, is
in Baltimore, under the treatment OF DIR. Al
len R. Smith, for gravel. Several operations
have been made and we are pleased to state
that Mr. Stoner has experienced great relief
and will soon be fully restored 10 health:
A number of ladies Of the Methodist Prot
estant congregation, at Unlontown, accom-
panied by Messrs. George II. Brown, K; o.
Pastor, Rev. G. II. Littleton, very
handsome donation on the evening of the 23d
instant.
About this time the young lady learns,
through series of deep, dark plottings, that
her young man wears number four boots. The
same young man will be sorry that he prevar-
icated, when he tries to thrust his number
seven feet into a beautifully worked pair of
Christmas slippers.
Although the days just preceding Christmas
are the shortest of the year, they are the
longest to children A little four-year old
girl, who had some little presents for her
brothers and sisters, said on Sunday, Christ
mas comes so slow; for cent L would give
them to them tonight
Shedding has been a popular pastime with
the children this week. One little fellow
whose local sledding-place did not quite suit
fhn frnS tv of NH nrl
and poured twenty buckets of water upon the
snow to make it smoother. That boy will
make his way in the world when he comes to
mans estate.
The snow on Saturday last was general
throughout the North and West, and as far
South as Washington, ranging in depth from
two inches at the latter place to three feet IN
the Northern States. There were about three
inches in Westminster, followed by rain,
which, freezing, made very good sleighing for
several days.
There was a large attendance at st. PauFs
Reformed Church on Christmas night, the
occasion being the distribution of Christmas
presents. There were two large trees laden
with gifts, which were presented to the chill
dren, according to their attendance during
the year. Rev. John G. Moss and Mr.. VIM.
B. Thomas made short addresses appropriate
to the occasion.
The Western Maryland Railroad Beneficial
Association, through Mr.. Isaac Bell, one OF
its members, presented Mr.. E. j. c. A. Hull,
president of the association and train master
of the road, with handsome engraved gold
watch and chain, at their hall on North Gay
street, on Christmas morning, Mr.. Hull re-
sponded to the presentation speech, and en-
tertained the association at his residence.
New Windsor has fre-hooks and ladders.
Westminster has nothing of the Sort hook
and ladder company ought to be organized
here, with power to protect personal property
when removed from burning houses, and to
organize direct and control the efforts OF those
assisting to suppress the fire. This organiza-
ton would contribute to prevent confusion at
fires, and guard property holders against loss.
Monday morning at sunrise the thermome-
ter registered Ice, and on Tuesday morning
it was down to 120 in sheltered places. In
bleak, exposed localities, it was no doubt but
| little if any above zero. Sturdy farmers, in
ured to outdoors life, and hardy teamsters,
muffled themselves to the ears to ward against
the nipping atmosphere. Christmas was the
coolest day, the thermometer ranging from
40 to 14o.
During this intensely cold weather our
readers should be very careful with their fires.
More houses are burned during the winter
than at any other season OF the year. WOOD
ashes should not come in contact with boxes
or barrels, as they retain their heat for long
time and are frequently the cause of disas-
trous confagrations. Friction matches, pipes
and cigars are also the cause of fires which
are often attributed to incendiarism.
The Baltimore Daily Nescs says:-We are
glad to know that there is prospect of the
Taylor Manufacturing Company, of Westmin-
ster, resuming business. The failure of this
large industry was heavy blow to Westmin
ster, and the prospect of renewal of the for
mer impetus given the town by the extensive
operations of the Taylor company is hailed
with satisfaction by the citizens of Westmin-
ster as well as by the people of the whole
State.
ORPHANS CoURT.-Monday, Dec. %
Estate of Alexander Macintosh, deceased,
list of sales of personal property returned.
Sarah NJ. Crout, executrix of Elijah f.
Crout, deceased, late executor of Alexander
Macintosh, deceased, settled first and final
account for deceased executor.
Tuesday, Dec. 24.-Charles I. Reitsnider,
administrator D. B. N. c. I. A. of Alexan.
der Macintosh, deceased, settled first and
final account.
David D. Myers, acting executor of Lewis
Mvars daceased settled first account.