Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-04-25
NEWS FROM NEAR BY
Daily Doings of Some of Ottumwa's
Close Neighbors.
Personal. SOCIAL and POLITICAL
Everything From Joyous Births to
the Philosophical Observation of
sages, Are chronicled by The cour'
iar's Special Correspondents.
Charlton.

Charlton.
Charlton, April 22.-Mrs. E. ]. Sim
mons has returned from weeks visit
with relatives and friends in Center
vile.
81 Harry Johnson, the young man who
was taken suddenly i'll while at work
in the broom factory a few weeks ago,
has completely recovered and was
able to resume his duties on Monday.
Stephen Davis of near Russell has
rented the old Sellers farm in Cedar
township and will work it this sum
mer.
Bun Graves has left for Martin,
Texas, where he has secured employ
sment and will remain during the sum-
mer.
s Mrs. j. w. Ragsdale, wife of the
United States consul to Tsien
3Tsin, China, during the re-
cent unpleasantness, stopped ov-
ser in Charlton Friday evening and
visited friends. while on her way from
Humeston to her old home in Santa
Rosa, Cal. While here she was the
guest of her friends, the Mccormick
bloISio. wi huESudlS vii UC
bered in Charlton, where she spent
most of her girlhood as Eff1e Hines.
The Mccormick sisters invited in a
number of old friends and school
mates to spend the evening with Mrs.
Ragsdale. She was entertained by ac-
counts of the doings of her school
mates since last they met, while in
turn she entertained them by very
vivid and stirring recital of some of
the difficulties and horrors of the
siege of that city by the Chinese Box
ers. Mrs. Ragsdale and family from
their important position played very
prominent part in that siege. Her
son, after having made hero of him
self by relieving the garrison by an
overland trip that no one else could
take, died of pneumonia contracted on
the trip. All of her friends
present were Mortified and in
terested by her graphic account and
were doubly glad to see her once
more after her dangerous experiences
RUDE Houston and wife of Russell
drove UP Friday and spent the day
with Charlton friends
The street commissioner, realizing
the terrible condition of the streets
around Charlton. was out with force
OF men and the road grader putting
them in shape on Saturday. They
were somewhat muddy and hard to
work but at the end of the day they
were in much better shape in many
places from the work on them. He
expects to be able to put them all in
good shape this week if the weather
stays good.
Harry Timmons has returned to his
home in Charlton for a few weeks
visit after twelve months absence,
during which time he has been en-
ployed in Red Oak and Des Moines.
Rev. A. c. Ormand and j. w. Clapp,
of the Presbyterian church, of this
place, were in Newton last week at
tending a meeting of the Presbytery
They returned Friday and Rev. Or
mand filled his accustomed place in
the pulpit Sunday.
Alonzo Williams and granddaughter
Elvessa Newcome, have returned from
few days visit with relatives and
friends in Derby.
Miss May McMasters, who has been
teaching school near Derby, spent
Sunday with her mother, Mrs. Clara
McMasters, of this place.
Mrs. Myra Mcfarland has returned
from weeks visit with friends al
Omaha and Council Bluffs.
o. S. Hatcher, assistant agent OF
freight depot, was the victim of 81
pleasant surprise on Saturday night.
He is a member of the Presbyterian
Sunday school and has charge of a
class of about fifteen young ladies
who planned and successfully carried
out the surprise. Nearly the entire
class was present and all brought re-
freshments which were served during
the course of the evening. The time
was passed most pleasantly and quick
~ I'M games, music and social CONVEX
sation and all went away feeling that
the relation of teacher and pupil had
been more closely cemented by the
affair.
q Geo. M. James has opened up his
fancy candy and stationery store in
the old postoffice building on the
south side of the square and Miss
Cleo Bryan is assisting him in the
store
Mrs. Ben Baxter and children, of
Liberty township near Oakley, have
departed for Colorado Springs, Col,
where they go to join Mr.. Baxter who
preceded them several weeks and
where they will make their future
home.
The little town of Deby, south of
this place, reports over dozen cases
of scarlet fever, mostly in mild form
and among the children. This city re-
Gently underwent seige of this dis
ease but no fatalities were reported
AT present the children of Charlton
are suffering from severe epidemic
of whooping cough, there being now
reported about fifty cases and one
death from the effects of the disease.
Charlton, April 23.-All the church
,es of the city had a little extra talk
Sunday besides the regular services.
Brother Thompson representing the
Sunday School Union was in the city
and gave each congregation short
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