(Kathy's notes: The influezna pandemic is in full swing at this time as will be seen in this issue. There are 16 deaths reported in this single weeks paper. As I read each one, the true meaning of what it must have been like to live under in this plague filled time, hit home. This flu wasn't discriminatory. It took the young, the old, the strong healthy young adults as well. It is a sobering read.) Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--Chas. Hardin has sold his farm near Renick to James Slaughter for $5,000 the transfer of the property being made last week. This is a well improved farm and Mr. Slaughter has bought a piece of property well worth the money.--Clark Chronicle. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--A LETTER FROM JODIE DOUGLAS--Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Douglas of near Rucker, received the following letter this week from their son, Jodie, under date of November 6th, which we are permitted to copy: "Dear Parents: I have not had any mail for a month, but suppose it has been delayed. I wrote you a letter two weeks ago and told you I was in the hospital. I was slightly gassed while I was in battle and also drank some poisoned water the Huns had fixed for us at the front. I have fully recovered from all of it now, but am still at the hospital. I am having a rest and a change of scenery, which suits me much better than shellfire. Before I left for several days I was in the midst of all the frightfulness that warfare produces. Had some wonderful experiences and some very narrow escapes, but I am all OK now and never felt better in my life. I visited a nearby city the other day and stopped at a hotel and had something good to eat. Don't know when I will go back to my company. I am several hundred miles from them now. I am sending you a check in this letter for 50 francs--between $9 and $10 in American money. I may not be able to send you any other Christmas present, but the way it looks now we will be all finished up and ready to come home before that time. Address as usual. I have written for my mail to be forwarded." Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--Wm. Whitmore who is suffering from cancer of the face, and who went to Kansas City last week to consult a specialist, returned to the city Monday, the cancer causing him so much pain, and will likely submit to an operation, which will necessitate the removal of his right eye. He was accompanied by his son, James. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--Wm. Whitmire, who has been critically ill for the past ten days from pneumonia following influenza, was thought to be some better yesterday. A week ago it was said he had but one chance in a thousand, and he has been reported dead three different times. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--Josh and John Lynch who were called home from Camp Pike the latter part of last week by the death of their sister, Miss Anna, returned yesterday. Now that peace is in sight they expect their discharge soon, but each is sorely disappointed at not being able to go to France. Having had so few deaths, so far, from the flue, we asked John, who is connected with the medical staff at the base hospital, if he thought the disease was the same here as it was there and he stated that it undoubtedly was, and that the death rate was probably no higher there than here, only appearing so from the fact that the camp, when the disease was at its worst, contained 87,000 men. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--Mrs. F. C. Bottoms and daughter, Mrs. Frank Sanderson, returned Tuesday from a visit with relatives in Kansas City. They report one experience they are not anxious to have repeated, that of being held up. While making some purchases one night in a grocery store two robbers entered and robbed the cash register compelling them and the proprietor to put up their hands at the point of revolvers. Mrs. Bottoms says she had always thought she knew what fear was, but that experience opened her eyes to the fact that she was never scared before in her life. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--Jas. Young returned home Tuesday from Camp Funston to remain, having received his discharge. He spent something over a year at the camp, but was unable to go to France with the other Higbee boys on account of sickness. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--BABY DAUGHTER DEAD--Cleda, the 2-year-old baby daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Roberts Sr., died at the family home just west of town Friday last from membranous croup. Short funeral services were held at the home Sunday and interment made in the city cemetery. The bereaved parents have the deepest sympathy of all. (Note: I have a photo of this headstone. It is a tiny grave completely lined in concrete, sort of like a crib, and the tiny headstone has a lamb lying down on the top) Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--Mr. and Mrs. Joe Burton were called to Sturgeon Saturday by the death of C. C. Woods, an old friend and one of Sturgeon's prominent business men. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--H. C. Boyd was called to Centralia Tuesday by the death of his aunt, Mrs. Alice Prather. She was 60 years old and was the last, but one, of a family of ten children. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--Gabriel Lynch, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Lynch, who has been in the navy for some time, returned home Tuesday to remain, having been honorably discharged. He states, we learn, that his ship, the "Minnesota," was struck by a torpedo and that he thought his time had come. No lives were lost, however, and the ship was able to make port. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--An iron coal wedge was recovered last week from the E. Z. Ross company strip mine east of town that was lost by Lee Hairl and his father in 1879, and which Mr. Hairl now has on exhibition at his jewelry store. The Hairls were living on the farm in those days and stripped the coal for their own use. The wedge was left driven in the coal after work one day and that night a big rain came flooding the place and it had to be abandoned. Mr. Hairl thought no more about the wedge until its recovery last week after a period of almost 40 years. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--Miss Stacia Gorman returned to her home in St. Louis Sunday after a visit with her sister, Mrs. Geo. McGill. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--Mr. and Mrs. M. T. Griffith and children left Sunday for Denver, Colo., where they will make their future home. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--MISS ANNA LYNCH DEAD--Miss Anna Lynch, aged 22 years died at the home of her parents in Moberly Thursday, Nov 28, 1918, following a week's illness from pneumonia. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Lynch, who recently moved to Moberly from south of town. Besides her parents, she is survived by three sisters and four brothers, viz: Mrs. Vada Pemberton, of Blanchard, Iowa; Mrs. Bettie Cleeton, Moberly and Mrs. Pearl Lockhart, Peoria, Ill.; Caleb Lynch, Higbee, Joshua and John Lynch of Camp Pike, Ark., and Gabriel Lynch, who is in the navy. She also leaves a half brother, C. H. Lynch, of Harrisonville. Deceased as a devout Christian and dutiful daughter and loving sister, and besides her immediate family is mourned by a wide circle of friends. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. J. H. Bradley at Mt. Hebron, three miles south of Higbee, Saturday afternoon, where interment was made. The sympathy of all goes out to the bereaved ones. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--MRS. W. K. PALMATARY DEAD--Mrs. W. K. Palmatary, formerly of this vicinity, died at her home in Paris on the 2nd from influenza. The body was brought to Higbee Tuesday and interment made at New Hope, Howard county. Deceased was about 32 years old and is survived by two children. Her husband, it will be remembered, was killed in a mine accident at Huntsville early last year. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Van Comstock of south of town and was the oldest of eleven children and was the first to die. The sympathy of all goes out to the bereft. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--MRS. PAT CARSON DEAD--Mrs. Eunice Carson, beloved wife of Patrick Carson, died at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Warford, in the south part of town, Monday night, December 2, from a short illness from pneumonia, following influenza. She is survived by her husband and two children, a daughter 2 years old and a baby boy aged 6 weeks, her parents, one brother and one sister. Interment was made at New Hope, Howard county. The bereaved have the deepest sympathy of all. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--ELMER DENNIS DEAD--The community was greatly shocked when word came to town late Wednesday that Elmer Dennis, a highly respected farmer, and one of the best of men and citizens, had died at his home five miles south of town, death occurring from influenza, from which he suffered but a few days, at 5 o'clock that afternoon. He was 32 years old and is survived by his wife, three children, mother, three brothers and two sisters. Interment was made at 2 o'clock yesterday at Log Chapel. The deepest sympathy of all goes out to his loved ones. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--MRS. JAS. PALMATARY DEAD--Mrs. Jas. Palmatary died at her ho me south of town Wednesday night, December 4, from influenza and pneumonia. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Marion Hern, and was about 30 years of age. She is survived by two children. Her husband died early in the summer. She was a sister-in-law of Mrs. W. K. Palmatary, who was buried Tuesday. Interment was made at New Hope yesterday. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--REED GRAVES DEAD--Reed Graves, a well known farmer residing near Burton died Sunday morning from pneumonia. He had been suffering from the flu, we understand, but thought it safe to get out, and drove to Fayette Saturday. Pneumonia developed on his return home and death followed a few hours later. He was about 40 years old and is survived by his wife. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--MOTHER AND SON DEAD--Harry Scott, one of Burton's best known citizens, died at his home in that place Wednesday of influenza, after an illness of less than a week. He was about 30 years old and is survived by his wife. His mother, widow of the late James Scott, who had also been suffering from the disease, died Wednesday evening, her death following a few hours after that of Mr. Scott. She was about 70 years old. We could learn nothing as to the funeral or place of interment. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--MRS. PAGE DENNIS DEAD--Mrs. Mary Ann Dennis, widow of the late Page Dennis, died at her home southeast of town Sunday from general debility, aged 77 years. She is survived by a step-son and daughter, John Dennis of this place and Mrs. Chas. Meredith of Shelby county, and an adopted daughter, Mrs. Wm. Floyd. Interment was made at Mt. Hebron, south of town. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--MOTHER AND CHILD DIED--Mrs. Mary Gussie Barger, wife of Frank Barger and their little eight year old daughter, Gussie Lucile, died Sunday night at their country home east of town, both having influenza. Mrs. Barger was thirty-three years of age.--Huntsville Herald. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--JAKE VINCENT DEAD--The many Higbee friends of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Vincent formerly of this place, will be pained to learn of the death of their son, Jake, which occurred at their home in Lafayette, Colo, on November 18, from influenza. He was 21 years old. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--BABY DAUGHTER DEAD--The 3-month-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Fainter died yesterday from influenza. Interment will be made today in the city cemetery. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--LYNCH-BLAISE--Mr. Roy Lynch and Miss Ruth Blaise both of Howard County were united in the holy bonds of matrimony Wednesday Dec 4, 1918, at the residence of Rev. E. M. Richmond of Moberly. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Lynch of near Armstrong. He is an intelligent, energetic and prosperous young farmer and one who holds the esteem and respect of his many friends and acquaintances. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Blaise of near Higbee and is a lovable, intelligent and successful young school teacher whose loss as an educator will be keenly felt in school circles, she having taught in the public schools for the past seven years. She is a young lady who is and has been held in the highest esteem by her many friends and acquaintances for her sterling worth, excellent qualities and true womanly attainments. The bride and groom left immediately after the ceremony for a short trip to sweet Springs to visit the groom's sister. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--Mrs. G. B. Baker and little son, Montana, left Monday for Waureka, Ok., after a visit of several weeks with Higbee relatives and friends. After the first of the year they will make their home in Oklahoma City where Mr. Baker has a good position with a big drug firm. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--THE LID ON TIGHTER THAN EVER--The public school did not open Monday, as was announced in the NEWS of last week, the flu being on the increase to such an extent that the Board of Health resided its order. At a meeting of the city council Monday night the lid was screwed down still tighter and then soldered by an order closing drug stores, the only places of business that had been allowed to remain open after six o'clock being ordered to close at that hour. Friday, 6 Dec., 1918, Vol 32, No 34--Emmett Dulaney this week installed an electric sausage and bone grinder in his meat market, and in speaking of its merits, W. A. Seymour, known far and wide as "Sicky," said it could run so fast it could take all taste out of meat, and that it could make red sausage out of ears. Kathy Bowlin, Additions, corrections, comments welcome.