Progressive Batavian Batavia, Genesee County, New York State September 10-1875 -cont'd.- Elba.- Mrs. LEONETTO, the Indian doctress, is doing quite a thriving business here. Many diseases of long standing are readily yielding to her medicine. H. HOFFMAN, the great apple merchant in this section, is again going the rounds in search of fruit. He has already purchased several orchards of fine fruit. Rev. E.A. WHEAT and family are at present stopping in the southern counties of the State, attending to conferences and other business. The barrel trade is again reviving. Messrs.J.A. STAPLES & Co. are now employing four men manufacturing the same. The firm of FRENCH & RUGG are also pushing the same business with vigor. Russell CROSBY has moved into the house recently occupied by Mrs. D. BARTHOLOMEW. Miss E.K. BUELL has resigned her position as teacher in our school, to accept a like position in the Union School of Batavia. The farmers about here are busily engaged in sowing their winter wheat, of which the acreage is about as large as usual. Mr. Wm. RITTER, of the firm of Brockway & Ritter, has been quite sick of late, but is now on the improve. Mr. J.H. YATES, of Batavia, addressed the congregation of the Presbyterian society on Sabbath last, in the absence of the pastor. *** Corfu.- Now the voice of the festive hop picker is heard in the land. Duck shooting is now in order. To the front, ye sportive Nimrods. Miss Katie PORTER has gone to Middletown to attend school. Curtis WHITTLESEY has the tastiest residence in town. Mr. J.H. YATES of your place preached to an appreciative audience last Sunday, vice Rev. DODD, absent. Mr. YATES preaches here again on Sunday next, 12th inst. School closed on Friday last. Miss FINN in the higher department, and Cora BURNHAM in the primary, have given good satisfaction. The Stars of E. Pembroke played a match game with a scrub nine here on Wednesday last, and "scooped 'em." The batting of the Corfu boys was weak and their fielding poor. Not having made a match this season, they were all of practice. The catching of WINANS and fielding of McCORMICK was good. Only 7 innings were played. Score 42 to 11 in favor of Stars. The picnic has come and gone and yet we are not happy. Expectation had been wrought up to a high pitch, but it failed to "pan out." It was given out that there would be a union picnic, and at an early hour on Wednesday morning the pleasure seekers began to assemble. At 10 o'clock, headed by a "chin band," (the brass band came up subsequently in a wagon,) the procession marched to the grove of Mrs. REID. Arriving here, it was plain to the most casual observer that an "irrepressible conflict": was raging. Doubtless they believed, and endeavored to illustrate by example, that "distance lends enchantment," for instead of uniting they seemed bent on getting as far remote from each other as possible. It was an exemplification of the old proverb, that "too many cooks spoil the broth," and although Rev. PETERS directed his people to move their tables into closer proximity to their Methodist brethren, it was at best only a mixture and not a union. Would it not be better if, in spirit, they were more like Him who said: "Yet another commandment give I unto you, that ye love one another?" *** Darien.-Since my last epistle all nature seems to have undergone a change. The hot, parching atmosphere has given place to cool, refreshing breezes, and frequent showers have blessed the dry earth and stimulated vegetation. The spirit of enterprise has not left us. Mr. A. HOLMES is making extensive repairs on his house, and when completed there will be a few more pleasant residences in town. Warren SAWTELL has had his house remodeled and repainted, to the great improvement of its appearance and convenience. Geo. STRONG has re-arranged his old barn, and is making preparations to build a new one in addition. Henry VANDEBOGART, our popular grocer, has found it necessary, because of his increasing business, to enlarge his store. *** Great Robbery at Hermitage, Wyoming County. On Friday night last, a daring and successful robbery was perpetrated at Hermitage, Wyoming county. The victim of this robbery is Mr. James L. BLODGETT, Postmaster at Hermitage. He is a bachelor, and only his aged mother, a woman of some 80 years, resides in the house with him. He is a wealthy man and a money lender, and it was generally known he usually kept considerable money in his safe. On Friday night he had retired to bed, as usual, and the first intimation he had of anything wrong was the flashing of a light in his face, and a voice exclaiming "here he is." Immediately two powerful men rushed upon him and seized him before he could rise up, much less reach his pistols. He struggled fiercely to release himself, and in so doing tore the covering from the face of one of the robbers, so that he caught a sight of the man's features, by which he thinks he would be able to recognize him. Finally they got a sheet around his neck and choked him to a condition of insensibility. Then they gagged him with a piece of wood, handling him so roughly as to knock out two of his teeth, and procuring a clothes line from the yard, bound him fast to the bedstead. The desperadoes numbered three, inside the house, and Mrs. BLODGETT< who was up and saw the whole performance of breaking and rifling the safe, says she saw, also, another one outside keeping watch. The rascals said to Mrs. BLODGETT, with a pistol exhibition by way of emphasis, "Mother, we don't want to hurt you, but you must keep quiet," and she dared not do otherwise. After securing Mr. BLODGETT, two of them stood guard while the other broke open the safe with a sledge and abstracted therefrom $10,000 or $12,000 in currency. None of the bonds which the safe contained were taken. After completing their work of rifling the safe they asked Mrs. BLODGETT for something to eat, and she directed them to the pantry, from which they obtained a hearty lunch. They then ordered Mrs. B. into her bedroom, and getting a long scantling, they braced it against the door so as effectually to fasten her in, and then took their departure. Going to the barn of Rev. Mr. HORTON a Baptist minister, residing not far distant, they appropriated his horse and buggy to aid them in their escape. After driving about five miles the vehicle broke down, and they abandoned it. After considerable difficulty Mr. BLODGETT loosed himself, and he then lost no time in calling out the neighbors, but the thieves had made good their escape in the darkness. He offers a thousand dollars reward for their capture, and we understand Mr. H. BLODGETT, of Pike, Wyoming county, a brother of James, and who is partner in the loss, offers another thousand for the same purpose. *** submitted by Linda C. Schmidt *********************************************