NEW DRAFT IS DELAYED.

Country’s Man Power to Be Left Undisturbed as Long as Possible — Estimates Place the Time Between March 1 and June 1.

According to a statement authorized on Wednesday by Secretary of War Baker, no date has been selected for the beginning of the second call of drafted men. Various estimates have placed the time between March 1 and June 1. These are declared to be entirely guesses.

One of the factors entering into the situation is the government’s disposition not to disturb the labor situation, particularly on farms at the planting season.

FARM HOUSE BURNS.

The residence of Bert Pitcher, located south of Thompson’s lake near the Hiram Schermerhorn farm, caught fire and burned to the ground last Thursday night. Mr. and Mrs. Pitcher and other members of the family, including some thresher men, had retired for the night. About midnight Mr. Pitcher was awakened by the strange actions of his dog, which gave the alarm.

The occupants of the house scarcely had time to escape with their lives, as the roof fell in immediately afterward. Nothing was saved except the clothing that was worn by each person when leaving the house.

The family is now living in the Schermerhorn house temporarily. Already donations of food and clothing have been sent to them, but considerable more is needed to carry them through the winter.

Arthur Schermerhorn, a neighbor boy, was in the house at the time and he is also a loser, as a good fur coat belonging to him was destroyed.

NEW SALEM.

A severe blizzard struck this section last Sunday. It was quite evident that winter was not quite over yet, and that it will be some time before spring.

CLARKSVILLE.

Charles Crookes filled his ice house this week with 26-inch ice he cut from Lawson’s Lake. Mr. Crookes is the first one from this village to cut ice from the lake.

SLINGERLANDS.

At the last meeting of the Parent Teachers’ association of Slingerlands, held in the schoolhouse Feb. 13, the members present inspected the school rooms and basement, and were so pleased at the cleanliness of the rooms and the sanitary condition of the basement that we voted to publicly congratulate our teachers and more especially our worthy janitor, Mr. Van Wie. We, as mothers, know how next to impossible it is to keep lavatories clean where there are small fingers, even one or two. Therefore, we appreciate more fully the effort made and are proud of the conditions found in the cellar, as Mr. Van Wie had no inkling of what was going on.

— The Parent Teachers Association, Mrs. Milton Cochrane, Secretary.

UNION CHURCH.

The person who picked up the milk can in front of Anthony Pangburn’s recently is requested to return it immediately if he wishes to avoid trouble.