Susquehanna - Henry Blackburn of "Roanoke, Va. is the guest of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. V. Blackburn. He made the trip awheel, in ten days. AND The 41st annual commencement exercises of that famous old seat of learning-Laurel Hill Academy, was held and very largely attended in Hogan Opera House on Monday and Tuesday evenings. Many out-of-town people, including several Sisters of the Immaculate Heart, were present. It was one of the very best entertainments ever held under the auspices of the school, and this is saying a great deal. At the close of the exercises Rev. Fr. P.F. Brodrick, the able pastor of St. John's Church, in eloquent words, presented the diplomas to 23 pupils.

Silver Lake - Arthur Hayes' time on the mail route between Mud Lake and Binghamton, expires this week. He will continue to bring passengers and freight from Binghamton as usual. A Mr. Meeker and son take the place of rural delivery agents, to be paid $600 a year. Mr. Hayes only received $400 a year for carrying the mail but made a good sum in the summer by carrying passengers and goods.

Brookdale - Mrs. Robert Boren had a quilting, June 19, in honor of her daughter's 18th birthday, and a dance in the evening.

Harford - Harry Miller has bought the Aunt Polly Guile's house on the corner, and occupies the same.

Hallstead - Three rattlesnakes were killed here last week, one measuring over six feet.

Lawsville - The Liberty School Board will hire teachers Monday at 2 o'clock at creamery hall. Teachers desiring schools should send in their application or apply in person on that day. AND Negotiations have been made with Mr. Chaffee for a lot on which to erect a Catholic church.

Springville - Emma Avery is reported as having sixty pupils to whom she is giving music lessons. AND The Episcopals have this week had a very nice baptismal font and chandelier placed in their church.

Auburn - Mrs. J. Carlin, of Carlin's Mills, is one of the best preserved of our county's oldest residents. She attained the grand old age of 90 years on the 26th of November last, and bears proudly the record of having been a constant reader of the Independent Republican and its immediate predecessors for the period of 60 years. We congratulate Mrs. Carlin upon her old age and upon her equally fine discrimination in reading matters.

Great Bend - Editor Psalmuel More of the Great Bend Plaindealer offers to run a foot race, for a short distance, with a "good fat strawberry short cake" as the prize, with Editor B.F. Pride, of the Susquehanna Journal, this spectacular event to take place in connection with the big celebration at Susquehanna on July 4th.

Montrose - A gang of about 40 men will soon be at work on the Montrose branch of the Lehigh Valley laying heavier rails and putting in longer and larger ties, straightening curves, and in fact, improving the track as much as possible. This is regarded by many as being the first real step toward abolishing the narrow gauge track and instituting the long wished for broad gauge in the near future.

Rush - The horse traders camping here the last two weeks pretended they were strikers from Scranton, but those who traded with them say they are professional horse sharks.

Forest City - Mrs. George Maxey, an aged resident, passed away peacefully from earth last Thursday, June 26, after many weeks of suffering. She was 80 years of age and about six months ago suffered a stroke of paralysis, since which time she has been unable to talk. Mrs. Maxey's maiden name was Daniels. She had resided here about 11 years, coming from South Gibson, but her early-married life was spent in Olyphant, where she was well known. Her husband died a few month's ago. Four sons survive her: Hon. William Maxey, of South Gibson; Benjamin, George E. and John Maxey, of Forest City.

Glenwood - The Grangers had a jubilee day, Saturday. Ice cream and cake were served in great plenty. This Grange is the largest in the county and is on a sound financial basis.

Uniondale - What naughty boys, to take Mr. Cable's hand cart one night last week, and run through the street towards the bridge that had been taken up to put in new stringers on, and the boys shouting "whoa, whoa," every jump, and Mr. Ed Morgan, kind hearted fellow, rushing out, with a lantern in hand after, as he supposed, a runaway team, and expecting to find some poor unfortunate person struggling in the water, and meaning to help. But, he not seeing anyone that needed his assistance, returned from whence he came, while the boys were chuckling in the brush over what they had done. Mr. Morgan, no doubt, has forgiven the boys for the first offence, but don't do it again.

Ararat - A dispatch to the Binghamton Republican says, "Seven years ago, Simon Eustace, of Ararat, PA, left home one morning to obtain a beefsteak. He did not return and his wife finally gave him up for dead, and, after three years of weary waiting and weeping, she remarried. A year ago she became a widow. Last Sunday morning Simon suddenly returned with the beefsteak. "He says his mind has been a blank until a year ago, when he found himself peddling washing machines at Fort Wayne, Indiana." From paper in his possession it is shown that he has been all over the United States and Canada. The beefsteak was cooked, and the angel of love once more spread her wings over they snow-capped hills of lofty Ararat. [The article is titled Fiction is Stranger Than Truth. We have no idea if the above is truth or fiction].

News Brief - The [mine] strike makes trouble in many ways. One of the most curious was at Pittston, where James a. Donnelly was compelled to quit work as a mine pump runner before he could hire a carriage to take himself and his bride to church. The wedding was to have taken place more than a week ago, but every liveryman in the city had been notified to refuse him a carriage. Sooner than lose his bride, Donnelly quit work and was married June 25th.