Rush - The weather which up to the evening of the 3rd was hot, dry and dusty, suddenly changed, a storm of rain, hail and lightning cooled the atmosphere, laid the dust, and was a welcome forerunner of the Ever Glorious Fourth of July, The Nation’s birthday, which was celebrated in Rush by the assembled multitudes who came pouring in by the scores and hundreds to enjoy the program promised by the Rush Cornet Band for their entertainment. The weather clerk had no finer day in his calendar than this last Fourth – an ideal day, and was of itself a day of gladness, wooing everybody to come out and enjoy its freshness and beauty. Rush had never welcomed a bigger or a better-behaved crowd than the one that thronged it on Tuesday. It had been variously estimated at not less than from 1,800 to 2,500 – the later nearest the mark. The crowds of youth and beauty interspersed with those of maturer years, the happy children, the gay dresses of the ladies, the glittering turnouts of the beaus was a lively scene and full of enjoyment to all observers. The ball game of the morning between the Athletics of Fairdale and the lively boys of Middletown, was an appetizer for dinner, which was followed by the parade fantastical, which proved to be as funny as the funniest, and caused great merriment. The uniforms of the band being not the least of the funniest and absurd. The junior burlesque band and band wagon being a good second to their seniors. The cowboys and noble Kick-a-poos, the ebony skinned, the hayseeds in their best rigs and extravagant acts, the donkey and its rider, were all mirth-provoking and were gallantly marshaled by that old cavalry veteran of a hundred fights, Asa Hickok; Dr. Warner in his surrey, accompanied by Miss Mary Hickok, with the dandified coachman, John Reynolds, gave a dignity to the profession. The Rush house served 500 meals and a great crowd had to stay out.

Heart Lake - The steamboat which was run on Heart Lake last summer has been taken to a lake in Wayne County.

Hallstead - Albert Sloat killed a rattlesnake on the hill east of Hallstead with 16 rattles on, several having been broken off. Also James Millard and Thomas Owens Killed one on the rocks, and saw another one in the same place, but could not get it. ANDWhen in town don’t forget to take in YMCA building, as it is worth a trip here to see what the management of the DL&W has done for the boys. One thing more is wanted in connection, and that is, the reading rooms out to be open Sundays; more especially as many would like to go in and read. It would keep them from going to the hotels and saloons to sit and chat away their leisure time. Let us have them open on Sunday, bath rooms open until 11 a.m. too. RR boys ask for this; you will get it.

Harford - Dr. Brundage addressed the members of Harvey Rice Post last Sabbath. He showed the necessity of government and declared ours to be the highest, the most nearly perfect, in the earth. Suffrage, he believed, must be given to woman; then the liquor question would be settled. He deprecated the unreasonableness of Chinese legislation; showed the unfairness of trusts and monopolies; and thought our civilization was not tending to a generation of grit and stamina in the future. The M.E. Church was well filled.

Dundaff - Thomas Jones of Scranton is building a cottage with a Japanese roof on the Johnson plantation. It is the first of its kind ever built at Crystal Lake. AND The addition that is being built to Fern Hall will be finished in about a week.

Susquehanna County - There are more young men in the penitentiaries in this country, learning trades, than there are outside of them. The principal cause of this is that parents are educating their sons for idle gentlemen, trying to make layers, preachers, doctors and clerks out of material that is needed for blacksmiths, carpenters, mechanics, and other “honest hewers of wood and drawers of water.” It is a mistake and a big one, to teach boys and girls that labor is disgraceful, and that to do nothing for a living is more honorable that honest toil. AND The cost of getting up the World’s Fair was $34 million.

Great Bend - A Great Bend man, who heretofore had little faith in “Signs,” hung a horseshoe over his door. The very next day his mother-in-law died, since which event he has nailed a shoe over every door of his house and barn.