Local

Spring bon-fires scent the balmy air, The St. James is being put under a new tin roof. Howard & Thomas have sold out to Howard Granger. The bicycle club have ordered grey uniforms and will assist at the exercises of Field day, May 12th. Rev. W. George will hold a Memorial service of the late Dr. Cocker, at Dexter II. E. Church on Sunday next. About a hundred students and young townspeople went to Ypsilanti, Saturday ïiight to see "Iolanthe" played. Carpenters are busy all about town repaliing old houses and building new ones Quite a number of our citizens are erecting residences. Workmen are busy putting up a broader fiight of stairs leading from the County Clerk's office in the Court House to the ante-room of the court room above. The old Sondheitn store has been bought by Joe T. Jacobs and is now being fitted up for a new store tobe opened for confectionery, fruit and cigars, by Mrs. E. S. Lee who comes here from Bloomington, Illinois. The town of Ann Arbor at its last election decided to have an iron bridge built across the river on the Whitmore Lake road. It has now bought a wrought iron one for $2,100 which will soon be constructed. August Frank.formerly of Ann Arbor, was married in Detroit to Miss Ida Spiese, Wednesday evening. The Beethoven boys presented him with a large photograph of the society, of which he was a member. By the report of Chief Engineer Seabolt of the Fire Department during the last two years there has been property destroyed by fire in the city, to the amount f $15,200, and on this amount $13,300 insurance has been collected. A fire had got to running in the grass near the Observatory, Wednesday noon, until it endangered a barn and dwelling house, when the fire department was called out. The buildings were saved, however, by ploughing around them. Now is the time to go on the war-path after woodchucks. Boys, buy an f 18. 00 shot gun, fifty cents worth of powder and shot, and go out and earn some money by killing woodchucks. Mr. Lorenzo Davis is gathering a collection of their skins and will give you ten cents a piece for them. By the courtesy of the New York Life Insurance Company, we have received a large and handsome plate entitled "OriRtn of the Stars and Stripes." It is an interesting collection of facts concerning the genealogy of Washington as relating. to the origin of our National flag, and showing that the idea of the stars and stripea came from Washington's family coat of arras. At the next semi-annual meeting of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society to be held in Morenci the 24th and 25th inst., Ann Arbor will be represented by Rev. R. B. Pope, who leads the devotions Tuesday evening; Mrs. Mary J. Johnson, who responds to the address of welcome; Miss Fannie Storms reads a paper on " Bareilly Orphanage," and Miss R. M. Hendrickson on "How to interest children in Missionaiy work." The services at the Methodist church Sunday morning were in memory of the late Dr. Cocker, and after the sermón Rev. George Duffield of Lansing, was called upon for some remarks which were given with strong feeling. When he preached "i tlie evening a special interest was given tlie service by the singing of that familiar 'iy urn, "Stand up, stand up for Jesuu," the words of which were composed by Regent Dufflekl himself. Ann Arbor merchants will obtain a benefit from the "Special American Express t'iiin carrying the company 's express matter exclusively and no passengere," which "as just been put on the N. Y. Central, and öudson River road to make fast time from ew York to the west. It leaves New 1 ork city at 8:20 p. ra., daily, and one can et express matter through here the next Wht, by way of Toledo, at 8:20, after twenty-four hours on the road. A imintí srvlc will be lield Ín Unlreralty Hall la meraory of the late Dr. Cocker. The date and speakers are not vet decided upon. The Washtenaw Post this weck says Peter Cooper was 29 years oíd when he illed. Who would have thought he coukl have lived so long and jet been only29? _____ The appointments for the Commencement exercises of the High School were read Tuesday morning, and are as follows: Kittie E. Barnes, Charles P. Beckwith, Mabel R. Beal, Frank E Beenian, Win. A. Clark, Charles Y. Dixon, Ellen C. Frueauff, Satia J. Hyde, Frank D. Jenks, Louise L. Loving, Myron W. Mills, Roben W. Moore, Nellle A. Platt, Ada L. Upson, Gustave W. Schlotterbeck. The house which greeled Eiutna Abbott Friday night, was not one of the largest of the season.but it was one well satislied. The opera of "Martha" gave the strong chorus a good opportunity to present a volume of sound truly pleasing. Miss Abbott herself was in good voice and received several encores, the rendition of the "Last Rose of Summer" being especially pretty. She was ably supported by Miss Annandale,as well as the rest of the company. The cosy little opera house at Ypsilanti had so many Ann Arbor people in it last Satimlay night, that it seeraed quite like our own "Grand." The occasion was the rendering of " Iolanthe '' by the Abbott company, and the company which is 8oon to give t here went in a body, that is, with a few exceptions, to hear it and get some " points." Enough others went down on the cars and in carriages to swell the number to about a hundred. Many ot' the costumes used were elegant, and efforts are being made to secure them for the representation here. The audience which the Princeton college boys sang before, Wednesday evening, was an unusually enthusiastic one, for a congregation of Ann Arbor students and citizens. Nearly all their songs were encored and some receired two and three recalls. Their voices harmonized well, and we are only sorry we could not have heard them in something heavier and more classic, although "The Ant and the Grasshopper " of Gounod gave them something of a chance. The warbling ot Mr. G. B. French, who, by the way, is a relative of Pres. Arthur, was something novel to maDy in the hall, and was quite pleasing. At a regular meeting of the fire department held Saturday evening. April 14th, the following persons were elected to the several offices naraed Chief engineer, Moses Seabolt; Ist asst., R. F. Sunford; 2d asst, Wm. Jacobus; treas., C. II. Worden; secy. N.D.Gates; steward, Jacob Hauser. Fire wardens : Ist ward, F red. Schmid, Caspar Rinsey ; 2d tvard, Win. Herz, Ed. Graf; 3tl waril,.rohn Dow, Ed. Walker; 4th ward, M. Clark, D. Loomis; 5th ward, G. H. Rhodes, W. Porter; Ctti A. F. Martin, and P. D. Woodruff. A vote of thanks was tendered the coiiiinoi: council for the many favors froin them during the past two years. A little Incident happened on our streets the other day wliieli argues strongly for compulsory educatlon. One of the newsboys in selling liis papers was crying out "All about the fire in Ypsilanti," when he was stopped by a merchant who asked him about it. The boy with a wise look took a paper and pretended to be reading the account. The gentleman noticed however, that he held the paper upside down and asked him if he was left-handed. It then came out that the boy, although nine years old, had never been to school, and not only did not know any of the letters, but that he could not teil wliich was the right side up. Here is a chance for some missionary work right at home. An interesting little incident conneetcd with the life and burial of the late Dr. Cocker, was related at his funeral : " One night while an attendant was watching him the Doctor told the story of a shawl which he loved to have about him. He had made it himself when a boy in England; he had carried it with him to Australia, to Tahiti and to Fiji; it had been around him when he broke through the ranks of the cannibals and escaped in a boat; to Peru, to Panama, to Chicago i t had gone with its owner, and when he arrived in Adrián, penniless and friendless, it was wrapped about the body of the dead boy in his arms. On his subsequent trips to 'Old England' the Doctor had always taken it, and before he dicd he asked that it might be buried with him. So before burial it was wrapped around the beloved fonn it had so long protected. Entertainment. We are informed by the opera house manager that the last strong attraction in the legitimate drama now booked for this season, will be the performance by Miss Jeffrey8 Lewis in La Belle Russe, next Thursday evening, April 26th. This is the same eompany that played in Detroit with such unexceptional success earlier in the season, and they have the honor of being selected to give the grand benefit performance to C. A. Shaw, the genial and popular manager of the Detroit opera house, April 25th., which protuises to be one of the most brilliant engagements 8een in Detroit this season. This company plays here the following night, and the many admirers of this talented and beautiful lady will not fail to give her a warm reception. She is supported by J. Newton Gotthold and other well-known artists, and, altogether, the engagement here will be one of rare excellence which will be duly appreciated.