140 years ago

june 3, 1881

Decoration day was generally observed throughout the country last Monday. A beautiful custom, this, of strewing the graves of the Nation’s dead heroes every year with floral tributes of the love and remembrance of their living countrymen. May the American people never cease to cherish in grateful hearts the memory of the brave boys who went forth to do and dare and die, that their country might live.

The handsome new Methodist church is being finished.

Mr. C.R. Roberts informs us that he never saw as large a swarm of bees as came out of one of his stands the other day. He says it was three or four times as large as the average swarm, and that alighting on a young peach tree, they came near crushing it to the ground. By the way, M. Roberts, and also Mr. A.D. Billings, another extensive apiarist, inform us that bees are doing splendidly this Spring.

Married in Florence May 22nd, 1881, by Rev. J.W. Hancher, Mr. Frank Edrington to Miss Rosa F. Jones, both of Marion County.

Few people yet realize that Marion Centre has first class marble works. A visit to Mr. Bramley’s establishment, on Main street, will surprise you, reader. Quietly but industriously Mr. Bramley has been chiseling away during the few weeks since he “opened out,” and now many exceedingly handsome tomb stones, of beautiful design and various qualities and colors of marble, stand there, monument to the skill and taste of Mr. Bramley.

Some skeptical folks doubt the success of strawberry culture in this part of Kansas, but Mr. Merrill, of Peabody, has raised about six hundred gallons this year, all the same.

Mrs. Brickley has broken ground for a fine two story brick business building on the corner west of the Record building. It will be 25 x 80, and when done Mr. B. will remove his hardware store into it.