Forest Lake – One of the most heart-rendering occurrences it has been our duty to report in many a day occurred Feb. 17th, when Kenneth, the 2 l/2 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Hollenbeck died as the result of accidental poisoning. Mr. Hollenbeck had occasion to visit Hallstead that morning and made a change of clothes.  In one of his pockets were some strychnine heart tablets and these he laid out upon a table, but forgot to pick them up before starting away. These, the little fellow found, and ate some of them before being discovered. He was soon taken very ill and Dr. Wilson, of Montrose, was called, but before he could reach the Hollenbeck home the little life was despaired of, living only a few minutes after the physician arrived.

Choconut Valley – Bells are ringing continually and the sleighing is ideal. The Choconut Inn entertains many sleigh loads from Binghamton. ALSO Misses Mary Donnelly, Marie McManus, Messrs. Linus and Raymond Donnelly, James McCormack, Edward O’Connell and Capt. Charles Brown attended the dance at Laurel Lake.  All report a bang-up time.

Jackson – It is time to renew your membership in the Jackson Library as the year begins Feb. 1st.

Silver Lake – The Don’t Worry Club has not met recently on account of the illness of several members. ALSO M. J. Kane, of Richmond Hill, has purchased the Jerome Stone farm. He contemplates moving there in early spring.

South Ararat – Sam Entrot and William Starbird have filled their ice houses from the pure waters of Fiddle Lake.

New Milford – Eugene Whitney removed from Heart Lake to New Milford about 8 years ago and since that time has been engaged in the berry and small fruit business on an extensive scale. Two years ago he marketed, approximately, 120 bushels of strawberries. He is also a grower of vegetables and sold much cabbage last season—the price being specially attractive, owing to the loss caused by the high water on the flats near Binghamton last summer.

Susquehanna – Constable N. H. Smithers brought Lawrence Fry and Norman Twilling to the county jail Friday, charged with breaking in and entering a D & H box car. The young men claim they live in Chicago and say they are innocent. ALSO Paul Conrad, impersonator and entertainer, will give an entertainment in the North Jackson M. E. Church on Feb. 29th.

Friendsville – H. C. Foran and Thos. Hickey are drawing ice from Carmalt Lake.

Rush – The Grammar room of the High School is closed on account of the illness of the teacher, Agnes E. Brotzman, who has been confined to her home for the past three weeks. Students and teachers of the High School presented her with a sunshine box.

Forest City – Ignatz Novak and Louisa Skubitc have applied for a marriage license.

Glenwood – Sidney Marcy has his new blacksmith shop nearly ready for roofing, and those parties that found a roll of roofing near Stephens’ watering trough, at Nicholson, one day last week, would be so kind as to leave it at N. B. Marcey’s, he would consider a reward.

South Harford – Philander Harding, aged 94, and his wife, a little younger, walked from their home to the Harding cemetery and back home a few days ago. They called on Elijah Harding the same day. They are our youngest old couple in town.

Uniondale – John W. Davis is a successful hunter of foxes and they have come to know it. During this winter he has killed eight reynards [Reynards] and will lay claim to a bounty of $16. The pelts are worth from $6 to $8 a piece, so John has got the money back expended for ammunition and his chase has been profitable.

Middletown – Leo Conboy has been real busy, the last few days, breaking colts.

Herrick Center – The building occupied by W. H. Fletcher, as a general store for the past 26 years, with its contents, was totally destroyed by fire Monday afternoon. The neighbors responded to telephone calls very quickly but could only apply their efforts to the saving of adjoining properties. Mr. Fletcher’s residence, separated from the store only by the creek, was saved by the efforts of a bucket brigade. Dr. Craft’s building, on the east side, recently remodeled, which he expects to open as a hospital in the spring, was in danger at one time, but was kept wet with water and saved. The uninsured building was owned by Mrs. Emily Miller. The disaster has cast a gloom over the entire community.  The store was an old landmark, having existed since the early tannery days.

Dimock – When you come after new books at the Dimock Free Library, be sure and bring all old, over-due ones. We ask for the return of the following, to be sent in as soon as convenient: Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Poppea of the Postoffice, The Southerner, Girl of the Limberlost.

Montrose – The Montrose High School has installed a new wireless receiving station as an aid to the students who are interested in the study of wireless telegraphy.

Elk Lake – Richard Arnold died at his late home, Feb. 17, 1916, aged 85 years, from the infirmities of age. For more than 40 years the deceased had lived at Elk Lake, and during all that long period of time had always taken a prominent part in community affairs. The deceased was affectionately cared for in his last days by his daughter, Miss Julia, a trained nurse, who gave him every possible attention and comfort. His wife died about 4 years ago. He is survived by 4 sons and 4 daughters: Miss Mary, Mrs. L. M. McDermott and Miss Julia, of Elk Lake; Mrs. Vreeland, of New York city; John, James, Frank and Richard, all of Elk Lake.  Miss Hester Vreeland, a teacher in the Montrose High school, is a grand-daughter of the deceased.

Lathrop – There will be a box social at the tenant house of W. H. Johnson, on Tuesday evening, Feb. 29.  The gentlemen are requested to bring the boxes.

200 Years Ago-“Freak Weather” The year 1816 is forgotten today but for decades it was remembered as “the year without a summer.” Frost occurred in every month of 1816. Ice formed half an inch thick in May; snow fell to the depth of three inches in the interior of New York and also in Massachusetts in June; ice was formed to the thickness of common window glass throughout New York State on the 5th of July.  Indian corn was so frozen that the greater part was cut down and dried for fodder in August, and farmers supplied themselves from the corn produce in 1815 for the seed of the spring of 1817. About 40 years earlier, during the Revolution, came the winter that was so cold as to freeze upper New York bay for weeks into a mass of ice. So solid was this great sheet of ice that the British harnessed teams of horses to their cannon and crossed on the ice with them from the Battery to Staten Island. Long afterward came the famous “winterless year,” the year when women in New York had to carry parasols in January to protect themselves from sunstroke and when in midwinter the St. Lawrence was wholly free from ice. And yet we talk about the freakishness of modern weather.