Silver Lake – Many here are enjoying the good sleighing. The jingle of the bells makes Christmas music.

Clifford – Glenn Bennett and wife leave on Thursday of this week for New York, where the Professor has a lucrative position in an old established private school for boys.

Bridgewater Twp. – Chandler Stephens, aged 85 years, died at his home near Williams’ Pond, Dec. 27, 1914.  The deceased was a member of Co. D, 50th Regt., Pennsylvania Volunteers, during the Civil War. The survivors are two daughters, Miss Jennie, who resided with him, and Mrs. M. F. Bissell, of Binghamton, also three grandchildren, Mrs. Roy W. Devine and Miss Christine Bissell, of Binghamton, and Floyd Bissell, of Rochester.  Funeral was held at the home Wednesday afternoon with burial in Williams’ Pond cemetery. A delegation from Capt. H. F. Beardsley Camp, Sons of Veterans, attended the funeral and acted as bearers. Those attending were: C. L. VanScoten, B. W. Rifenbury, Arthur Freeman, G. D. Ayres, W. W. Nash, H. M. Melhuish and Daniel Searle.

Factoryville, Wyoming Co. – Charles Cox, formerly of Montrose, but now Mayor of Factoryville, is one of the regular commuters on the Lackawanna or Northern Electric.  Charlie, who is employed on the Scrantonian [newspaper], comes down every day to the Scrantonian but returns home at night.  He prefers Factoryville to Scranton as a dwelling place because it reminds him of Montrose when the blizzards roar in winter time.

Montrose – Ice, a foot in thickness, is being harvested on Lake Montrose. It is exceptionally clear in quality and free from slush formation.  ALSO Miss Murial Dunlap, while coasting on Nash’s hill at the end of South Main street, last Saturday evening, was quite seriously injured, receiving a badly cut knee and several other bruises. The party—Miss Hazel and Dorothy Ayres, Mary Chase, Mary DeWees, Marion Corfield, and Messers Robert Wood and Frank Felker, were coasting on Foundry hill with Miss Dunlap steering, then later went on Nash’s hill. It was the first ride down when the accident happened.  Miss Dunlap says the front sleds struck a rut in the road and she lost control and, in striking the bank, she and Mr. Felker were violently hurled headlong. The other members of the party escaped uninjured.  Dr. Preston is in attendance.

Hallstead – Warren F. Simrell, who retires as postmaster as soon as the Senate confirms the nomination of Daniel E. Hanrahan to the position, has been post-master for twelve years. Needless to say to those who know the faithful official, he has given patrons of the office an exceptionally able and business-like administration.

Auburn Corners – I. S. Cogswell has been appointed a mail carrier on the rural free delivery route from Forest City. Mr. Cogswell, through the medium of handbills, advertises a public sale on his farm, one mile southeast of Auburn Corners, on Thursday, Jan 7th, commencing at 10 o’clock a.m. High-grade cows, horses, turkeys, chickens and many farming implements will be disposed of at this big sale.

Uniondale – The fishermen are having much sport catching pickerel on Lewis Lake. Since the lake froze over, 140 pounds have been taken.

Heart Lake – The creamery ice house here is now being filled and the lake is being cleared of snow preparatory to filling the large company ice house at that place.

South Gibson – C. W. Lewis’s new hotel building is nearly completed and he expects to occupy it January 1.  The building is a fine one, furnished with all the latest, modern improvements.

Great Bend – Mrs. Charles Emerson, on her way to Scranton last Wednesday, to spend the holidays with her son, had a narrow escape from death at the Erie crossing.  Her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Von Bergen, were taking her in a sleigh to Hallstead, to the D.L.&W. station, when the gates closed down on them at the Erie crossing here and a freight train coming from the east struck the horse and killed it. The occupants of the sleigh jumped clear of the train, but were shaken up and badly frightened.

A Tribute to the Cow- Of all the animal creation the best friend to man is the homely cow.  As a food producer she is our mainstay and dependence.  From the new born babe to the aged invalid we are all more or less dependent on her for our very existence. Her produce commands the highest price in all the best markets of the world. Without her we would be deprived of many of the luxuries of life and not a few of its bare necessities. Without her the infant would cry in vain for sustenance while the nations of the earth, deprived of her life sustaining products, would become impoverished and disappear. In prosperity and in adversity the cow is ever man’s best friend. She can be depended upon to do her share in lifting the mortgage from the old homestead.  She piles the tables of the rich with rare and costly viands. She paves the way for many a poor farm boy to enter the high school and the agricultural college. She tides the farmer over the hard times and helps boost him into prosperity.  When he has fallen into a rut and “a friend in need is a friend indeed” she can be relied upon to come to the rescue and with her produce set him on his feet again. Indeed, it may be truly said that of all the animals that contribute to the support of mankind none rewards us to promptly and so liberally for kindness and food and care as the homely cow.

Told The Truth for Once – An Illinois editor who became tired of wielding the whitewash in the matter of obituaries decided to reform and tell the truth just once. He commented as follows upon the death of a well-known citizen: Died—Aged fifty-six years, six months and thirteen days. Deceased was a mild-mannered pirate with a mouth for whiskey and an eye for booty.  He came here in the night with another man’s wife and joined the church at first chance.  He owes us several dollars for the paper, a large meat bill, and you could hear him pray six blocks. He died singing: “Jesus Paid it All” and we think he is right; he never paid anything himself. He was buried in an asbestos casket, and his many friends threw palm leaf fans in his grave, as he may need them. His tombstone will be a favorite resting place for hoot owls.

News Briefs:  The mercury was reported to register 22 below zero at Rush on Saturday morning and 15 to 18 below in Binghamton. In Montrose the thermometers only pulled down a record of 6 to 8 below. While not liking the old town to fall behind, in these instances there is not much cause for lament. ALSO The scarcity of water is a real menace to farmers all through the county. Many of the creeks and springs are dry and stock in many cases has to be driven long distances to be “watered.”  The slight thaw of Tuesday, however, afforded considerable relief. A remarkable fact is that the ground is not frozen, although we have had lots of zero weather and have fourteen inches of ice on the lakes.