• With the closing of the schools of the city for the holidays, the Christmas spirit was manifest. Throughout the buildings, parents were invited to programs of songs, recitations and other entertainments pertaining to the day. Many of the rooms had been busy for some time preparing little gifts which were placed upon decorated trees and were features of several grades in the different schools.
• Mrs. Charles Box, aged 38, died at her home in Kingsley yesterday afternoon after only a brief illness. She leaves a husband and two daughters, Bessie, aged 5 and Lenna, aged 12. Mrs. Box was a woman of beautiful character and it is probable that there was not a woman in the village who was better liked, her death causing an unusual amount of sorrow.
• Bill Edwards, a resident of East Bay, has the job of getting out the rest of the timber on the Traverse City Manufacturing Company's swamp eighty. Aril Stites has taken a job to help Bill out.
• Miss Bertha Thiel returned to her home in Solon last Thursday after visiting her cousins, the Misses Rose and Florence Clees at East Acme for a few days. Rose returned home with her.
• The most beautiful needlework ever on display in this city is arranged in the fancy work window of the Mercantile Company store, the pieces having been designed and worked out by Mrs. Delphine Paulus Miller, wife of Leo Miller of Leland. The one that is attracting the most attention is a piece of the finest battenberg, the center of which is an American eagle, surrounded by two American flags.
• Julian Duprron, of Provemont, brought a stone to the city today that, if the date on it is correct, was left in one of his fields six years after the country was discovered. The stone is of common kind along the beach of Lake Michigan and shows that it has been wave-washed for some time. On it is carved a crude portrait of a man and above the head are the letters, "J. A. T.” while below it is the date, "1498”.
• A pleasant day was spent Christmas at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John B. Ries, 539 East Eighth Street. A family reunion was held in which four generations were represented. The guest of honor were Mrs. Catherine of Chicago, sister of Mrs. Ries, and daughter, Miss Walsh, also of Chicago. Mrs. Ries played Santa Claus and distributed the presents from the Christmas tree.
• An unsuccessful attempt to burn the Antrim county jail was made Christmas night. Other prisoners accuse William Hines. He denies it. The incendiary while outside his cell corridor, concealed some kindling. At night he reached through the iron lattice and set it on fire. Another prisoner sounded the alarm.
• Mrs. George Pray received a postal card yesterday which had been two years and six months on its way here from Mackinac City. Just where it has spent all this time is a mystery. There was no date stamped at all during the year 1906, but in 1907 it had passed through the post offices of Central Lake, Torch Lake and Mabel.
• Wencil Bartak, one of the pioneers of Traverse City, suffered a stroke of paralysis yesterday afternoon while returning to the home of his daughter, Mrs. Frank Votruba, 409 Sixth Street. He was carried into the house and medical aid was summoned at once, but his whole right side was found to be paralyzed and he was speechless.
• Glen Doyle, the 13-year-old son of A. J. Doyle, left for Chicago today. Some time ago, Glen was unfortunate enough to have to have his leg removed and that naturally prevented him from having as much fun as other boys. He has now reached an age where an artificial limb is practical and when he returns from Chicago, he will be equipped with one.
• Floyd Dennis of Webster Street, was taken to the sanitarium Friday, seriously ill with typhoid fever. The young man is about 16 years of age and is the only son of Mrs. A. B. Dennis. Floyd has been working unusually hard this winter at his studies and the strain has been so great that the is suffering a complete breakdown.
• Advice on deportment. White kid gloves should be worn at a ball and only be taken off at supper time.
• Medical advice of a century ago. To treat pruritus (an itching of the skin without any eruption), lotions of borax, half an ounce to the pint is useful.
• Best buy of the week. End Of Everything Sale - All Remants, Odds and Ends, Broken Lots at J. W. Milliken.