100 years ago
APRIL 17, 1903 — From the Emporia Gazette we learn that John Madden and family will soon move to Colorado. John Madden grew to manhood, from tow-headed boyhood, in this county. He got his "schooling" in this county. Here he rose from obscurity to enviable prominence. Here he taught school and finally superintended the schools of the county. Here he was admitted to the bar and began his brilliant career as a lawyer and politician. Here, also, he contracted the poetic habit and going from bad to worse after this fashion, finally landed in the Pop party. We believe he has largely recovered from those two lapses, however. Anyhow, we've always been proud of John Madden, in spite of his poetry and Popism, and we shall be sorry to see him leave the State he has adorned with his genius and geniality and splendid manhood. John, old fellow, if you must go, here's hoping the mountains may lavish their wealth upon you!
J.H. Ogden, the photographer, has purchased the residence property where Mr. Richardson and family have been living.
Marion people were considerably surprised by the news which "leaked out" recently of the marriage of Avery Dickerson and Miss Nona Turner, which took place on the 24th day of last December. The two families of the contracting parties had succeeded in keeping the secret for them until a week or so ago. But while the announcement comes as a complete surprise to many of the friends of these young people it is certainly a pleasant one. Being among the "kin," the editor can not well say all that he would like to say, but he will say this much anyhow. Both bride and groom have grown up in Marion county and are admired by all who know them. They are in every sense splendid young people. They will make their home near Rush Springs, I.T., where the groom owns a fine quarter section of land and where he has been for the past year making improvements upon it. The bride will finish a successful term of school next week at the Whipple school house and will leave at once for the new home. The best wishes of their many friends here go with them.
The people are watching the pastures to see if they can turn their stock out. Although there is plenty of feed, people are getting tired of feeding.
The members of Mrs. W.B. Hall's Sunday school class gave a very pleasant "surprise" on her at her home last Monday evening. They brought a lot of good things to eat along and a pleasant evening was enjoyed by all. They presented to Mrs. Hall a beautiful picture as a token of esteem.
Sterling, about the size of Marion, has about ten miles of brick sidewalk. The little town of Lindsborg has many miles of brick walk. McPherson, Concordia, and Clay Center, indeed nearly every town we know of has ordinances requiring either brick or stone or cement walks, and will not allow wooden walks put down. Peabody the same. But Marion, the dear old town that is beautiful by nature and neat in every other way, still persists in allowing people to construct wooden walks to the jeopardy of limb and law suits. Besides they are the most expensive walks of all in the long run. How long will this town trot along in this slow pokey way?
The ball game between the Marion and Herington nines which was played on the Marion diamond yesterday afternoon resulted in a victory for the Marion boys by a score of 14 to 11. Oh, it was so easy!
Things are mighty uneven in this world. We wore a brand new hat to church last Sunday — Easter Sunday — and had to take it off at the door and put it under the pew, while the ladies — heaven bless 'em — kept theirs on. Talk about "lords of creation," "king man," "boss of the ranch," etc. It's all bosh. Man is a mighty small potato, and watery at that.
The only ladies whose heads were uncovered at the Methodist church last Sunday morning were two who had not invested in Easter hats, and before taking to the woods we may say, confidentially, that one of 'em was our wife.
Did you ever see the like? Every body cleaning up and fixing up! The old town is going to look mighty nice this summer.
(Copied by Joan Meyer from the 1903 microfilm files of the Marion Record.)
