Grass Lake News Pickings

Eugene Dodge's hens are camping out near the saud knoll, soutü of the postoffice, 'Gene having put up nice tents there for their special accommodation. We doubt whether, in all Michigan, canvas tents have thus been placed at the disposal of auy other human's flock of "biddies." A squirrel was observed eating cherries in a tree not far frorn the residence of Cyrus B. Raymond, on South Union street, in this village. After getting its fill it took to earth, crossed the street and springing npon a robin that was hopping through the grass, killed it. This occurrence is authenticated by one of our best citizens. TheGrass Lake News editor is an original news gatherer. Here are a few samples gleaned from his last paper. A chump named Palmer, who is said to live south of Napoleon, caiiie to this village last Saturday carrying a jag and bent on cleaning out the town. He first paid his disagreeable attentions to one Waukenhut, of Chelsea, but soon after tackled a Grass Lake man, who banged his head up and down on the floor and then mopped the earth with him. When tie comes to this town again he will probably behave himself. The churches of Jackson, with their laces and furbelows, and silk hats and patent leather shoes go down iuto their lockets f or rnoney with which to spread ;he gospel in hearhen lands while every Sunday the "devil is to pay" at both Michigan Centre and Vandercook'slake. [f the pagans of the Oriënt should h int to the Jackson christians that it might not be amiss for them to work for the conversión of gropers in darkness at ;héir own doors before turning their attention to the benighted elsewhere,what would the J. c. say? The Holy Sabbath is shaiuef ully desecrated at the resorts named. The kid-gloved chris;iauity of Jacksou should wake up. Of coürse, the observing man or woman will notice the tumultuous jlushes which flash over our iily cheek. Do you know what causes that crirnson phenonienon? Why, its Dingley of the Kalamazoo Telegraph, confound hini, who in his last issue falls to discussing garters. He says: "The custom of having bride's garters as a finishing touch to her toilet has come down throngh six centuries. The girl friend who has the honor of slipping thern into place is supposed to have the best possible chance of wedding happily before twelve months have passed. She who makes this article of toilet is conceded to have a prospect of near and happy matrimony. White silk elastic covered with embroidered white satin with pretty clasps are very unique. The garters of Marie Antoinette were pretty silk bands elaborately embroidered on the upper half in tiny jewels and gold thread." Last Sabbath morning one of the good preachers in this village spoke in praise of the vocation of the farmer, omphasizing its independence, healthfulness and other advantages. "But, " he added, "there is a good deal of hard work to be done by the tiller of the soil. " It occurred to us that the reverend gentlemen had never chanced to see the way 'Squire Brower, Delle Dwelle, John Irwin,Mort Raymond,Jeff Lemm, and other lords of the soil run things, or he would have said less about the "hard work" of farming. Those fellows climb on their reapers or mowers or hay tedders or carriage cultivators, as the case may be, under a canopy and there ride at their work, half the time asleep and snoring loud enough to be heard on the next farm. Talk about farming ,being hard work! The latter day farmer has soft hands, and by far the easiest place in the great arena of labor is on the farm. Of course, years ago when we f armed it, the calling was killing to both man and beast; our hands were callonsed to the thickness of an inch, and at night after cradling our four and flvo acres a day, we would seek our pallet of straw and lie down in such fatigue as to not turn over till morning. That was farming ! and you can bet that in those days the farmer earned his money. But these times he siniply trains his horses to walk between the rows of corn, while he languishes in a spring seat, riding along so listless and drowsy that he hardly hears the dinner bell. However, as umch as we dislike au indolent life, we would not be adverse to trading the News for a good farm !