Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1908-12-24

A Happy and Prosperous New
I ear to our readers.
No paper next week.
Landlord F. w. Gallagher has
been quite i'll for the past week.
George A. Shoemaker and son
Frank are spending the holidays
with w. P. Shoemaker at this
place.
What we call little things are really
big ones, when the facts concerning
them are known. For instance, take
Christmas trees-things small in
themselves, while to the average
person, they are not so extensively
used as to cause any alarm. But it
is said that their use is both so
general and so great, that it is fear
ed the custom is resulting in the
denundation Lf the forests in some
states-particularly the state of
Maine.
A Christmas with no family tree,
may appear to be shorn of one of its
chief attractions, and its absence
cause the little folks some unhappi-
ness. But when the tree is set aside
a fitting substitute will be found
which after year or two, will read
lily take its place, and make Christ
mas as enjoyable as in the days
when the evergreen embellished the
hearth-stone, and the fruit hanging
on it made merry the hearts of the
boys and girls of the household.
In view of the possibility of ma
terially affecting our forests, by their
increasing demand for trees, n It
few churches in the city will use
none this Christmas, thus setting
good example for the Pensioners
and others to follow.
The guarding of the area of forests,
which have escaped the ravage of
the ruthless ak of the woodsman, is
becoming an important national
question-One, the solution of which
is occupying the attension of not on
~ philanthropists, but of governors
and statesmen sc wall
While playing "butchering"
Wednesday morning, Herold. the
iive-year-old son of Mr.. and Mrs.
pecival Brouse near Selinsgrove,
shot and intantly killed hsi little sis
ter Catharine, aged two years.
The incidents of the tragedy are
pitiful in the extreme. Early in the
morning the Brouse's butchered
several large porkers, one of the
men first shooting the hogs with
# calibre rifle. The two little ones
witnessed the exciting performance
and when left alone in the kitchen
after breakfast, decided to repeat it
as form of amusement. The little
boy was to be the eXecutiOner and
his sister one of the swine. Getting
the rifle which had been stood be-
hind the door loaded with several
cartridges, the boy commanded his
sister to crawl around on the floor on
her hands and kneess and he would
chase after her as the man had done
with the hogs. This game was con-
tinued about three or four minutes,
then the little girl crawled behind
the stove; the boy then laid down
on the floor and pointing the rifle at
her pulled the trigger, causing one
of the cartridges to explode, send
ing bullel crashing through her
left temple, killing her instantly.
After fireing the ill fated shot the
boy did not realize what he had done,
and ran out into the yard telling his
parents that sister would not play
with him any more and when they
went into the house to see what was
wrong they found her lifeless, bleed
ing form behind the stove.
The Muncy Valley grange will
hold their third annual banquet on
Saturday evening, Dec. 26. All men,
bers are invited to attend.
Notice 10 LapOrte township tax
payers:-I will be at Nordmont |