The Journal Leon, Iowa July 26, 1883 Mrs. ELLIS who is visiting her mother, Mrs. MATHER, has been quite sick, but is now some better. Mr. PEASLEY is off to Burlington and Des Moines to make further arrangements about the trip to the mountains over the Union Pacific. HENRY MERCER caught a twenty-five pound catfish in the river near here last Monday. It was about 42 inches long. FRANK RICHARDS was in town a short time on Tuesday. J.R. NEEDLES, an Albany printer, was also in town the same day. We catch the circus this year; or the circus catches us. J.N. SYLVESTER is having a cyclone retreat constructed. J.E. TEALE's new home is well under way; a part of the roof is on. It is to be the finest dwelling in Iowa when completed. ED CURRY and J. LEW YOUNG, of Leon, were here to install the officers of the Odd Fellows lodge on Tuesday night. J.M. SHEPHERD and Dr. HORNER attended a special meeting of the Masonic lodge at Leon on Tuesday night. The circus which is to be here next Tuesday was here three years ago and had with it several swindling games. The manager says nothing of the kind will be allowed now, but there is a vast difference in the various opinions as to what constitutes a swindle, so it would be well to shun everything but a straight business. Nobody will give something for nothing. Our newspaper seems to be a thing entirely of the past, BARTRUFF, the man who bought the office, talked some of reviving the paper, but I guess it will not be done as he is not offered a very cordial support. Before an enterprise of that sort will pay here again we will be obliged to import a few business men who understand how to make use of printer's ink. FRANK MCKEEHAN, who has been well known in the county for the past eight years, has sold his store to C.W. SUTHERLIN. The latter is not a "business man" in the sense in which that term is generally understood, but is lately off a farm and if his money holds out he may become a business man in a year or two. Many a man has made the mistake of believing that anybody can sell goods; a mistake that is generally expensive if a man has money. Birthday dinner parties seem to be quite popular here now; only last week Mrs. HORNER gave a dinner to several of the doctor's friends in honor of his thirty-fourth birthday; and on Monday about sixteen of J.E. TEALE's friends were seated at his table for dinner before he knew of their presence. It was a complete surprise, but was apparently appreciated by him as well as by those who were so fortunate as to be present. A.H. TEALE and wife, of Kellerton, were all the relatives participating. Mr. TEALE received several valuable presents. He was 45 years old. A.G. SCOTT & Son, who have been engaged in the grocery business here for some time, have packed their goods and started to Dakota. ANDREW took his family and household goods with him. ------------------------------------------------------- Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert January 1, 2010 [email protected]