HEAVY SNOW STORM.

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Most Severe of Any Ever Known at Present Time of Year — 11 to 14 inches fell

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The snow storm of last Thursday and Friday goes down in history as the greatest snow storm that ever came in November and further than that it takes front rank with the greatest storms ever recorded. The total fall as recorded by the U.S. Weather Bureau, in Albany, was 11.7 inches. The storm approaching nearest to the present one came November 9, 1900, when there was recorded 10 inches.

The sleighing throughout the country and in the city of Albany as well, is excellent. The wind which came up late Friday afternoon with the change of conditions got into the heavy fall of snow and drifted the country roads, some of them to a depth of two or three feet.

The temperature since Sunday has hovered around 16 degrees above zero, making the air very bracing and invigorating, and giving us a foretaste of what we can expect as the winter advances.

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THE KNOCKER’S PRAYER

“Lord, please don’t let this town grow. I’ve been here for thirty years, and during that time I’ve fought every public improvement. I’ve knocked everything and everybody, no firm or individual has established a business here without my doing all I could to put them out of business. I’ve lied about them, and would have stolen from them if I had the courage. I have done all I could to keep the town from growing and never have spoken a good word for it. I’ve knocked hard and often. I’ve put ashes on the children’s slide and I’ve made the chief of police stop the boys playing ball on my vacant lot. Whenever I saw anyone prospering or enjoying themselves, I’ve started a reform to kill the business or spoil the fun. I don’t want the young folks to stay in this town and will do all I can by law, rule and ordinance to drive them away. It pains me, O Lord, to see that in spite of my knocking it is beginning to grow. Some day I fear I will be called upon to put down sidewalks in front of my property, and who knows but what I shall have to help keep up the streets that run by my premises? This, Lord, would be more than I could bear. It would cost me money, though all I have was made right here in this town. Then, too, more people might come if the town begins to grow, which would cause me to lose some of my pull. I ask, therefore, to keep this town at a standstill, that I may continue to be the chief. Amen.”

Are YOU the knocker?

ITEMS OF INTEREST

One of the largest hares ever shot in the eastern part of New York state was bagged by Thomas Barrett of Troy at Glass lake on Monday. The hare weighed fourteen pounds.

The open season for mink, skunk, and muskrat opened November 10th. Mink and muskrat may be taken until February 10th. Hunting licenses must be taken out to do trapping, except by minors under the age of sixteen years.

Ezra Smith, a farmer living near Shavertown, reports that his entire dairy of cows were made drunk by eating apples that had been overlooked. Four of the animals died from their debauch and the rest had to be drawn to the barn on a stone-boat.

There is no life in the Schoharie hop market at present. Growers and buyers alike prefer to remain on the defensive, with not much business in sight. There is a tendency toward prices ruling much lower than those earlier in the season, about 30 cent a pound or under that figure.

NEW MILK REGULATIONS

A new law became effective Nov. 16, which compels all who sell milk to have their barns scored by the proper officer, the report properly filled, and all milk receptacles properly tagged.

The law will apply to one who sells one quart of milk a day to a neighbor as well as to regular milkmen.

If you desire to sell milk you must ask the town, village or city health officer to come and inspect your barn. He will give you a rating according to the following:

If your barn scores 70 points on the official list and your cattle are given the tuberculin test once a year you will be marked A.

If your barn scores between 60 and 70 and the cattle are given a physical examination at least once a year, you will be marked B.

Milk not complying with the above conditions will be marked grade C.

Each pail or can must bear the name of the producer and the grade A or B or C. If the milk is sold in bottles this information must be printed on the cap on the top of the bottle. The tags for different grades must be in different colors.

This law applies to retail dealers only, and dairymen who sell their milk wholesale to creameries, etc., will not be affected by the new law.

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The Old-Fashioned Mothers

Thank God some of us have an old-fashioned mother. Not a woman of the period, painted and enameled, with all her society manners and fine dresses, white jeweled hands that never felt the clasp of baby fingers, but a dear, old-fashioned mother with a sweet voice, eyes into whose clear depth the love light shone, and brown hair just threaded with silver, lying smooth upon her faded cheek. The hands, worn with toil, gently guided our steps in childhood and smoothed our cheeks in sickness, ever reaching out to us in yearning tenderness. Blessed is the memory of an old-fashioned mother. It floats to us like the beautiful perfume of some wood blossoms. The music of other voices may be lost, but the enchanting memory of hers will echo in our soul forever. — anon.