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Yob emu TT TT y O W iH .Be ) i ) 0 J ' i' -, , v pT- ' , SO? Fmully Kfiiiilou The Christmas party civen bv Mr. and Mrs. Eli Hanks in honor of Mr. Hanks' mother, who has reached the age of 88 years, was a pronounced success. At her ace few people are as vigorous as Grandma Hanks, and all present wished that she mitjht be spared to preside over 11 many more such gatherings. It is not often that four generations of a single family are brought together under such happy circumstances. The first guests to arrive were Mr. and Mrs. Orrin Hanks of Ronald, who, after driving ten miles, reached Oak Grove at 9 a. m. Among the visitors from a dis tance were Sherman Hulbert of Ionia and Mark Miller. Mr. Hulbert's appearance was a genuine surprise, as all believed him cozily stowed away in a northern lumber camp, until his call for "bunk room" at midnight of the 24th apprised his friends that he was headed for Ionia to pass the festal day. His genial nature added much to the jollity of the party. Various forms of amusement were in dulged in cards, storytelling, good na tured banter and recitation of thrilling or novel experiences dating back to the times before the war filled in the hours until dinner was announced. After dinner the phonograph was brought into play and was much enjoyed. As the company be gan to segregate for the afternoon enter- tainment a surprise was announced in the form of a Japanese novelty flower garden and all were invited to witness a rapid horticultural achievement in the sowing of a few prepared plants in water and watching them develop into beautiful flowers in less than fifteen minutes. The dinner was both substantial and elaborate, chicken and roast beef easily holding first place. Delicious fruit salad, spiced cake, pumpkin pie, nuts and candies were also provided. Other than those mentioned above in the company were Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Curtis and three grandchildren, Charles ' Brink, Truman Currie, Chris Choate and their wives, Mr. and Mrs. Percy Hanks and baby, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Johnson and three children. Miss Margaret Siscc, Lee Sisco, George and Earl Farthing, James Kilbourne. Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Benton and seven children and Daniel Benton. BELDING MARKETS Corrected each week on morning at 10 o'clock. Wheat-reu Whcat-'.7hite Corn ... Oats. Flour, per cwt ...... Beans Hay, baled per ton Potatoea, Butter Ktrgs Apples, per bushel Chlckcns-live Dressed Chickens Cattle-live .... Cattle-dressed Hogs-allvc Ilojfs-drewscd Illdea Thursday !)'. (;." 2 oo 1 IK) 8 r,o 7,)M 00 Q7(,t 08 11 2'i0$4 00 (i o0(" W 4 00 0 CO 03 At the Prices We are making on GOATS,. If yon are in need of a Coat in Ladies' or 'Children's, get onr prices on them. JENSEN & WHEELER During January and February our store will close at 6:00 P. MM with the exception of Pay Nights, 8th, 9th, 10th, 22nd, 24tfi and 25th, and Saturday nights. If you will arrange to do your buying before 6:00 P. M., it will be greatly appreciated by both ourselves and our clerks. JENSEN & WHEELER CUPIDS FINE WORKS Several Wedding This Week aro The Kesidt Popular 'Yfuiiir l'eoplo Iteuln Life's Vojhi is Five Couple nt Mnrrlujje Altar The WlngHr-Lowe Nuptial On Thursday evening, December 24. at the home of G M. and Charlotte Win gar, was solemnized the marriage of their son Edwin to Tekla Gertrude Lowe of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Rev. Lewis Cameron Fletcher of Orleans, Michigan, officiating. MV. Elmer Wingar, brother of the groom, of Greenville, Mich , was best man Miss Christel Krueger of Grand Rrapids, was bridesmaid. The bride was very daintily and becomingly gowned in white; wore a long bridal veil of net and carried bride roses. The bridesmaid wore a gown of pale blue and carried bride roses. The bridesmaid wore a gown of pale blue and carried white carnation. The gentlemen wore the conventional black. The ceremony took place at 9 p. m when to the strains of an original wedding march by the groom's sister the bridal party took their places beneath a canopy of net and holly, after which followed an informal reception, when the bridal couple received many congratulations. The parlors were prettily decorated with ferns, holly and rose geraniums Mr. Elmer Wingar acted as master of ceremonies of the evening. Mrs. Jennie Grove, an aunt of the groom, of Sand Lake, was mistress of ceremonies. At ten o'clock p. m the guests repaired to the dining room where a sumptuous four course dinner was served, The groom, who was something of an ama teur at carving created no end of merri ment by his efforts to carve a huge tur key and a fruit cake. The dining room was very prettily deco.ated with white carnations and holly and the tables with candles having old mission shades in red and black. The out of town guests were Mrs. Emil Fosner, sister of the bride with her little daughter Mabel Fosner, Miss Christel Krueger and Anthony Fuetterer all of Grand Rapids. Mr. Elmer Wingar and Miss Bessie Hendry of Greenville, Mrs. Jennie Grove of Sand Lake, Rev. L. C Fletcher and Gertrude Fletcher of Or leans. The wedding gifts wero costly, numer ous and beautiful. The bride is a most estimable young lady for many years a resident of Grand Rapids. The groom, who is a well known and highly respected young man, is a special deputy for the Home Guards cf America. After spend ing the holidays, he, with his bride, wil travel for that company. Hall-Marh The home of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Beach was the scene of a very pretty wedding Thursday afternoon at 4 o'clcck, when their only daughter, Ida Belle, was united in marriage to Louis A. Hall, by Rev. Maxwell of Belding. The bride was gowned in white net trimmed with lace and insertion and carried bride roses. They were unattended and received their own guests. Mrs. Charles Hill sang "Oh Promise Me" and at the conclusion the happy couple stepped out under a beauti ful arch of green and white. Awaiting them on the right stood the groom's father and mother, and on the left the parents of the bride. Little Mildred Flanagan carried the wedding ring in the heart'of a rose. Mrs. Hill continued to play softly during the entire ceremony. After congratula tions Miss Susie Richardson sang "An Evening Love Song,'' following which delicious refreshments were served by the Misses Susie and Belle Richardson in the dining room, which was decorated in red an J green, carnations and holly There were many presents, beautiful and useful. The bride has resided in Orleans all her life and is a most estimable young lady. She has been a teacher for the past six years, three of which were spent in the city schools of Belding The groom is a prominent young man, who is at present interested in the fruit growing industry. They left immediately for a home which had already been prepared for them on the L. E Hall farm near Ionia, where they wilt be at home to their friends. Among the guests from away were Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hall of Chicago and Mrs. Lute Morse of Battle Creek. Uriel-Km in on a At the home of the bride's father, Ray Emmons, on Wednesday, Dec 30, at 10 a, m occurred the marriage of Miss Mag gie Emmons to Albert Urtel. Rey. C E Maxfield spoke the solemn words that meant so much to both and now they are receiving the congratulations of their friends. Both Mr. and Mrs. Urtel are well and favorably known in this city and have a host of friends who will join with the' Banner in wishing them joyunabating through all their years together. After the ceremony Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Peck gave them a fine three course dinner, the table and room being tastily decorated for the occasion. A miniature Christmas tree with lighted candles adorned the center of the table and red and green decorations hung in graceful festoons from the ceiling. Mr. and Mrs. Urtel left on the afternoon train for their home near Hart, where they will soon be at home to their friends on a farm not far from that village, I.ulrk-McCracken At the home of the pastor, Rev. 0. W. Winter, on Monday evening, Dec. 28, oc curred the ceremony which united in holy bonds Milo M. Luick and Miss Caroline McCracken, both of this city. Mr. Luick is the junior member of the firm of F. J. Luick & Son, publishers of the Belding News, and Miss McCracken is a popular Belding young lady, the daughter of Mr and Mrs. Elmer McCracken, who served a fine wedding supper after the ceremony. Mr. and Mrs. Luick left Tuesday morning for a ten days' visit with friends and rela tives at Lansing and St Johns, after which they will be at home to their many friends here. Terwey -Laren The marriage of Mr. Niel E. Jersey of Boyne City, a former Belding boy, and Miss Minnie Larsen of this city took place at the residence of W. A. Link in Greenville Saturday, Dec 26. The house was prettily decorated with carnations and smilax. Rev. D. E. Hills performed the ceremony and the wedding march was played by Miss Case. Many wedding gifts were received by the happy couple and after refreshments Mr. and Mrs. Jersey left for Boyne City, where they will reside. The bride and groom have many friends in this city who extend congratulations. FLED FROM THREATENED WRATH Conscience Must Have Worried Who Eavesdropped. Men Two boys were out picking nuts, and they wanted to divide them equally between them, so they went ovr the fence Into the cemetery and sat down among tho tombstones to count out the nut3. While going over the fence they dropped two nuts, but didn't stop to pick them up. A man came along and heard them and stopped to listen and heard them say ing: "One for you and one for me." "One for you and one for me," and he became badly frightened and ran away down the road, and met another man, who said: "What's the matter?" The first man said: "The devil and the Lord are up In the cemetery dividing up the people," and the second man said: "Oh, no, that couldn't be!" The first man says: "Yes, they are; I heard them." The two men went back to the fence to listen and heard them saying: "One for you and one for me." "One for you and one for me; now that's all;" and the other boy says: -Except the two at the fence, and that will be one for you and one for me. The two men ran away as fast as they could. The News. A New Year at ...By... Frank H. Sweet. EVERY one who Is familiar with the customs of the creolos nnd Acndlans of Louisiana knows that New Year's Is the most jagerly anticipated nnd the most im portant of their festivals. A religious significance Is attached ilso to the New Year's anniversary, rhey believe that from day dawn to lark an angel, "1'ange de palx," broods ver each household, striving to de itroy hatred, malice nnd all uneharlta Dleness In the heart and to substitute tove and forgiveness. If his prompt ings are obeyed, enemies forglvon and the hand opened wide In charity, that man's sins are wiped off the record, ind he starts on a new year with a rlean conscience. For n week before New Year's day :he preparations of the "habitans" be rln. The house undergoes a thorough icrubblng and cleaning from garret to casement nnd is whitewashed Inside ind out. I have hn idea the Acadian aousekeeper fancies that 'Tange de palx" is going to make a close scrutiny Into all her dust corners and hidden receptacles and would be disgusted with a rusty pot or dirty pan. The hunters go out on a grand "bat rue" to provide game. If a new dress Is possible during the year. It is ccr Uiln to be made up and worn then. Put in two houses in Cote IUanche ;hese cheerful notes of preparation tvere unheard. To look at them you would not be likely to perceive a con nection between the largest and most romfortable farmhouse In Cote Blanche, the property of rich old lacques IiCfebvre, nnd the miserable ind daubed cabin which stood at the Nlge of Laverne woods a cabin with dirt floor and unglazed windows, a home of poverty nnd illness, where the father and breadwinner, a helpless in valid, watched his pale wife and three children with despairing eyes. " 'L'ANGE DE PAIX' He knew that bread was lacking that New Year's eve, and there seemed no means short of begging It. Six years before that Harry Wood, a handsome young fellow and a skilled mechanic, had come to Cote Blanche. He easily found work on the large plantations lu the neighborhood and seemed to have a career of prosperity before him when he formed an at tachment for pretty Laure Lcfebvre, ::V.'. V- 4T r Cote Blanche Copyright, 1003, by Amerl can Press Association. Iho only daughter or the old farmer. lut when he asked the father's con sent a territic storm was raised In that household. "Aha!" cried the old man furiously. "You fink I give my Laure to you you, a stranger, u 'vaurien American, no farm, no cattle, no money, no not' Iu'? You want to niak' a I'rotestant of her, heln? You want her 'dot.' her land, her cattle, and, you get dem, den you run nvay and leave her. Maybe you got two wlfes where you come from. Nou, monsieur: you touch not ze money of ole Jacques Lelebvre. Lauro ishall splk to you no more." Hut Laure. being a willful, spoiled young damsel, did see him and speak to him again aud refused positively to give him up. Had her father been kind in his re fusal it is probable the child, for she was only sixteen, would have been obedient. But he was harsh and abusive nnd from having been foolish ly Indulgent became so stern that her home was not a pleasant one. The poor mother, weary of standing be tween the two, one day aft.r an. out burst said to her daughter: "Laure, he is getting worse and worse. I think he is going crazy, and you must either give up Ilarry or marry him and go off." Taking that for a word of consent. Laure left her father's house on New Year's eve and became Ilarry Wood's wife the next day. For the first four years an went wm with the young couple. Wood had plenty of work, and their home was full of comfort, besides a snug little sum laid up, the nucleus of the fortune he fully expected to accumulate. Ther he fell from a scaffold. Injured his spine and became what tills New Year's eve found him a helpless invalid. Their money had all been spent, and at last the day arrived when they had to give up their comfortable home aud 1 It , ! p 'fu -y-v HAS CONQUERED 1 " move to a cabin at the edre of the woods. Laure eked out a precarious subsist ence by spinning and weaving cotton ade nnd raising poultry for the New Orleans market, but this had been a bad year. She had been too sick to work much, and the poultry had the cholera among them. 8he had not seen her father or mother since her marriage. She knew her mother too well not. to rJ rfe3 srzi jrfejL Roller King Flour PURE, CLEAN, WHOLESOME AND THOROIK ROLLER KING is the result of years of care ful and honest milling. You can make no mistake-1-Once a user, always a user. Batchelor BELDING'S LEADING GROCERS understand that it was the imperious will of the rid man wiilch kept her away. lie ha 1 never mentioned hi? daughter". uar.:e since the night she left his ;o i, :i :d woe be to the one who lnndvM it"l! did so. The only sign he gave of his remem brance of her wns'to keep the anniver sary of her flight as a solemn fast. There were no flibe dinners at the Le febvre farm New Year's day, no vis its to and from old friends, but from morning till night the old man sat moodily within, his only companion the faithful wife. The two sons, Henri and Claude, took themselves off to plensanter In teriors, and decidedly 'Tange de palx" must have had a weary time wrestling with the evil spirit of that household. "What a New Year's eve!" sighed poor Laure as she sat by the Are with her youngest child In her arms. She had put the other two early to bed, for her husband, had fallen asleeD ot last after a day of pain, and she was afraid the noise of the children would disturb him. As she gazed In the fire you saw that, though only twenty-two years old, Laure looked thirty, so deep were the lines that care and grief bad traced on her pale, thin face. She heard a slight noise nt the door and turned to see a figure muflled In clonk and shawls entering It. She thought It was one of her neighbors and raised her hand warnlngly. "Hush!" she whispered. "He has Just fallen asleep. Ah!" as the wrappings of the visitor fell off and she saw her mother. "Mamma, mamma T' And in a moment she was in her mother's arms, weeping, sobbing and holding her In a convulsive embrace. "Ah, my own mamma. Is It really you?" she sobbed, holding her off at arms' length with such a pitiful smile on her wan face that the mother wept to see It "Yes, cherle; I could stand it no longer. He may curse me if he will, but I cannot help It. To sit there all New Year's day with closed doors and a face as If you were In your grave ah. It made me mad! I felt as If yon were really dead, and I had to come and see if you were living. "Mamma, my own dear mamma!' was all the daughter could say In the fullness of her content, kissing the face and hands of the mother. "Yes; I slipped away ahd made black (Jeorge bring me In his buggy. But I can stay only a minute. I heard he was ill," with a glance toward the sleeping man, "and there's some wine and other things out there In the bug gy for you. liut, stay! I have come to lay something else. Yesterday for tho flrst jime Injafl "tnese" years"Iho men- rs r, rsiLsrS Bread Biscuits Buns Rolls Pastry and Cake Makes the Very Best 1IILY RELIABLE 5 FLOUR F & Curtis tfoifetT your "name. "TTe said: n Laure will leave that vnurlen of a husband, -ho can no longer work for her, I will take ber back, she and her children, though they are his. Let him go to a hospital and stay there till be dies.' " "Leave my husband!" Laure said, with an incredulous look. "Oh, no! He cannot think I could do that! I will kneel at his feet and ask bis pardon. Now that I am a mother I know how I have sinned against him. Hut desert my husband mamma, he cannot mean that!" "Yes; he means It, my poor child! And you, my Laure, you who were so pretty and bright, you are an old wom an, and you are weak and sick, and soon you cannot help him, and then you will both die. Come back to us. j my daughter! Oh, I am so wretched wunout your Laure rose to her feet, her black eyes sparkling and a bright red spot on her thin cheeks. "Mamma, look there," she said. "There he lies, helpless, who worked for me nnd loves me and to whom I am necessary. I will star with him to starve nnd die perhaps who knows? but happier so than to desert him and live in comfort in my father's house. I'.ut you have not seen my chil dren. Come and look at them. That is Jacques, that is Helene, and this little one at the foot of the bed Is Aimee.' "You named the two eldest after your father and me?" tho grandmother said, with a stifled sob. "Yes. Are they not handsome? And po bright! Jacques is beginning to read, nnd Tere Joseph tenches him when his father Is tro ill, and they say he Is going to be a great scholar. The grandmother pressed a kiss on each round cheek and stood looking at them, lost in thought. 'If he could only see them! she murmured. "Ho loves children so much, even now!" 'I must go now, Laure, she said at last, "but I will come back again be fore long. I have a thought. I will talk It over with Tere Joseph tonight as I go home. Whatever he tells you to do tomorrow, you must obey him. The next morning Tere Joseph en tered tho room where old Lefebvre was sitting, leading two children. No one, not even that moody man, thought of barring out the good cure who had lived from youth to old age among his people at Cote Itlanche. J "Happy New Year!" ho called out cheerily. "Aha, in the sulks still, mon ami! Six years in the sulks! Too long, too long, for a-man over sixty, who hasn't many more New Years to be sorry or glad In.. I'm afraid Tango ) 1 i