The Civic League put on a mirth-provoking entertainment at the school auditorium on Saturday last. It was a slow train, but fast fun and was certainly a scream from start to finish, and there was a vast crowd there to hear it with every seat and some extra chairs being filled. The show was given to raise funds for furnishing the room in the building assigned to the use of this society. The large receipts of that evening evidently gave the ladies a big start on their enterprise. The stage was arranged to show one side of a railroad car, which arrived on its imaginary journey with a lot of queer passengers, who succeeded in keeping the audience tickled all the time with their ridiculous rants. There was not a dull moment in the whole play—if such it may be called with the slightest threat of a plot. Those who had a part in giving our citizens one of the most enjoyable evenings of the season were Mrs. George Bigge, Mrs. C. W. Coolbaugh, Mrs. J. E. Farrish; Misses Edna Barr, Juliette Hansen, Verda Case, Leona Case, Grace Foltz, Verna Bloom, Lola Gartrell, Freda Clark, Eulalie Harbaugh, Estella Riffel, Dolores Kincaid; Messrs. R. W. Dunahugh, J. Earl Farrish, R. M. Burlin, C. C. Randall, Everett Van Horn, E. R. Long, Dr. Swigart, and Earl Garber. Solos and a duet were given by Miss Leona Case, Dr. Swigart and Miss Verda Case. Specialty songs were by Jessie Hammond, Hilma Dahleron, Krysten Cooper and Merle Allen; and by the boys’ quartet, Lyman Cadoret, Paul Marshall, Howard Fisher and Lloyd Turnbull. Professor Osborn’s orchestra furnished a number of real musical breaks during the evening.

James Bird Low was born on March 8th, 1861 and departed this life on January 26th, 1923. On January 20 he was feeling in excellent spirits and health and going about his work as usual. In the evening of the same day while about the evening chores he became overexerted wile he and Grace were trying to drive a contrary heifer into the barn. Grace returned to the house leaving him to finish the chores, not knowing anything was wrong with him until he came to the house a short time later utterly exhausted and in great pain. Dr. Nelson of Phillipsburg was called and pronounced the trouble a leakage of the heart, from which he never recovered.

Shortly before noon on Sunday, Mrs. Simpson, living next door, discovered smoke issuing from the roof of the E. F. Vallette residence. The alarm was given and the fire whistle blew at five minutes to 12:00. Mrs. and Mrs. Vallette were at home—the former had been endeavoring to clean the flue of soot so it would draw. Some defect in the chimney passed through the attic and set fire to the roof. The fire department was promptly on the scene and made heroic efforts to put out the blaze with the chemical engine. For a while it looked as though the house was doomed, but finally, when a stream of water was thrown into the attic, the fire was quickly extinguished. Every effort was made to prevent damage by water and the boys succeeded in keeping it from injuring anything on the lower floor. Plastering fell in the upper rooms, but not very great damage was done to the contents. Everything is covered by insurance and all the repairs to the building have been completed. That the loss to the beautiful Vallette home was not far greater is due to the splendid service given by the members of the fire department. In most cases a fire so difficult to handle would have resulted in a complete wreck.

Fred Westhusin went out to get his car ready to take his mother to town earlier in the week and as he did not return for some time, she went out to see what was wrong. She found him hanging between the bows of the top of the car, which was a touring car. Mr. Westhusin was a bachelor living with his mother a few miles east of Plainville. The supposition is he slipped from the running board of the car while working on something in the back seat.

The latest rumor regarding a hospital for Stockton is that such an enterprise will be headed by Dr. Colby, now of Woodston, and a Kansas City surgeon. Dr. Colby has a large practice and does considerable surgical work. Stockton needs a hospital and we trust the rumor is well founded and will soon develop into a first class institution.

This week the firm of Snyder Brothers is dissolved, Roy Snyder purchasing the interest of his brother Harold. Some three years ago the boys purchased the Rexall Store of O. S. Ellvin, and have since conducted a very successful and profitable business Harold Snyder retires because he prefers some other line of work and may eventually go into the clothing trade. The store was closed Tuesday while invoicing was going on. Both the boys are very competent and very popular young men and their many friends wish them abundant success in their several callings.

Home for Christmas: Delbert Crowell, who is enlisted in the Navy, is home on furlough from Honolulu. Walter Brown and Duffie Hindman, who are attending Washburn College, are spending Christmas vacation at home. George Price, who is attending college at Manhattan, spent Christmas vacation with his uncle F. M. Streeter and family. Harold Butler, who is attending school at Salina, is spending Christmas holidays with Stockton relatives and friends. Miss Marie Dahlgren, who is working in Topeka, is home on her Christmas vacation. Mr. Maurice Stroup of Salina is spending the Christmas holidays with her parents. Pat Joyce and Frank Tarbell came home on Saturday from Goodland where they are working. Pat returned on Monday evening and Frank will return after New Year’s. Frank and Leonard Schruben were down from Sheridan County for the holidays. Frank is at the present time, helping Leonard get out his corn. Leonard moves on to the Dan Kelly place in the spring. Miss Flossie Bats of Alton spent Christmas with her sister, Mrs. R. M. Prizer. Mr. and Mrs. Scotty Muir spent Christmas with Mrs. Downie Jackson of Downs. D. H. Scott is conductor on the passenger train while Walhezier is enjoying his Christmas vacation. Ray Grimsley came down from Colby to spend the Christmas holidays with the home folks. Mr. Ralph Nobel, who is attending school at Hays, and who is also employed in the Ellis County News office, came over last Friday afternoon to help out the Record office force this week during the Christmas vacation.

(The following article is taken from the December 14th, 1922 edition of the Rooks County Record) Removing Landmarks Old Academy building to be razed/Stockton’s first house to stay The meeting that was called for Friday afternoon at the school auditorium for the purpose of disposing of the old Academy building and the McNulty log cabin, was rather poorly attended. However the keenest interest was shown in the matters presented by the board and a considerable part of the audience participated in the discussion of what to do with the tall building on the hill was first discussed.

Roy Wyant told the barber shop the other evening how he was able to capture a mysterious egg thief, who had for some time taken all the eggs from two hens’ nests. He had made a nest egg of magnesia rock and the nocturnal marauder, a big bull snake, swallowed it whole as he had been wanting to do with the eggs. When he tried to crawl into his hole, it sat very hard on his stomach and he could not crush it, neither could he get into the hole, and when discovered, he paid with his life for his greediness.

We were at the new school building on Monday afternoon and visited the auditorium. Here we found workmen installing the new moving picture apparatus and iron booth. The object of our visit was to see paintings executed by Rev. T. S. Hunter, who is an accomplished artist and decorator, as well as a profound pulpit orator. Mr. Hunter is adept at free hand drawing and never a copiest. His view of landscapes are from memory of the places he has been. He has painted two scenes of the river Jordan—one for the Baptistry of the Christian Church and the other for the Odd Fellow Lodge. We found him on the stage at the school auditorium commencing on a large interior scene. The drop curtain is on a grand scale, showing a lofty range of mountains, shrouded in mists, with lesser eminences near, and a river and woods in the foreground. The colorings and perspectives are natural. This is entirely his own conception. A street scene is painted from memory. It shows a short stretch of St. Charles Street, New Orleans, with an old French cathedral in the center. He is working now on a fine parlor scene and soon will paint an outdoor garden scene. When completed Stockton will have the finest stage settings to be found in any auditorium. All the curtains roll from the top and present a flat surface while ascending.