The 13th annual commencement of the Emmitsburg High School has occupied the attention of the people for the past week. Twenty four students received diplomas. On Tuesday evening the junior class gave the reception to the graduates at the Hotel Slagle. Mrs. Slagle was especially bountiful in the supply of good things for the banquet which followed the reception.

Memorial Day was most fittingly celebrated on Monday morning by the citizens and veterans of Emmitsburg. The parade was one of the best in recent years notwithstanding the fact that time has thinned the ranks of the local Grand Army of the Republic post. The march was let off by the Emmitsburg Cornet Band, followed by the veterans, the Vigilant Hose Company and children of local schools.

The march continued down Main Street, across to Green Street, down Gettysburg Street to the Square and then to the Lutheran Cemetery where the services followed the Grand Army ritual. The depleted ranks of the local post, the age of those left and their appearance in the line of march, clad in the familiar blue uniform, gave a certain solemnity to the scene though the background was gay with a red white and blue. All along the line of march between the decorated houses and crowded sidewalks, this feeling was apparent. The thought that in a few years the soldiers of the Civil War would be gone forever was utmost in many minds. Memorial Day, 1910 will go down in the tablets of memory as one of the best since 1868.

A horse driven by Mr. John Clutz took fright Thursday morning on Main Street, when the backing strap broke, and ran off. Mr. Clutz stayed in the vehicle and succeeded in stopping the animal in front of Mr. Stewart Annan's home near town.

The town collected five dollars this week from young men with speedy horses and $2.50 from another source. At this rate the taxes may be lowered for the coming year.

On Saturday evening, Mr. Vernon Lantz, riding on a bicycle, collided with a buggy a short distance this side of the Pike Bridge over Toms Creek. Mr. Lantz was coming at a rapid pace and when the team and bicycle met the latter was badly wrecked and Mr. Lantz was hurt but not seriously.

Mrs. Emma Shellman was robbed of some 60 chickens by thieves. They not only took the chickens but destroyed some of the crops. Mrs. Shellman recovered five of the older chickens and will have the thieves prosecuted, being certain of their identity.

Weekly meetings of the Vigilant Hose Company are being held in preparation for the grand picnic on the fourth. The committees have been named and everything is being done to make this outing the best in the history of the company. Firemen's park is being prepared and the affair is widely advertised.

The town has granted a franchise to Mr. Kirschner to construct, maintain and operate an electric power plant and distribution system for furnishing electric light, heat and power services in Emmitsburg and its vicinity.

June 14 was generally observed in Emmitsburg, houses and stores were decorated with the Stars & Stripes. 84 flags and banners were in evidence on Main Street. This is the 133rd anniversary of the adoption of our flag and in that time some changes have been made. The original flag, showing 13 stripes and 13 stars was adopted by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777 with a provision that one stripe and one star should be added for each new state. This was changed, however, by the action of Congress in 1818, whereby it was ordered that the flag should show 13 stripes for the original colonies in one star each for everyone of the state's composing the Union.

Another name is added to the long list of departed heroes of the Civil War. Samuel Gamble died on Tuesday evening after a long illness, at the home of Mr. John Agnew. Mr. Gamble was 76 years, four months and ten days old. During the Civil War he enlisted with the 25th Missouri volunteers. In 1864 he married Miss Emma Danner and in 1870 moved to Emmitsburg where he spent the rest of his life.

During a severe storm yesterday evening lightning struck the residence of Mr. Clarence McCarron on Gettysburg Street, and demolished the cornice and tore a number of shingles from the roof. There was no trace of fire on the demolished parts of the building. Several persons in the house of the time were dazed, but fortunately, no one was injured.

Beginning last Friday afternoon and continuing until Sunday the automobiles taking part in the from-Atlanta-to-New York run instituted by the New York Herald and the Atlanta Journal passed through Emmitsburg. The run was in the interest of good roads, the effort being to establish a first-class national highway from north to south.

Several improvements have been made recently that have added to the aesthetics of the appearance of the town. The corner pillar supporting the balcony at Annan's Store has been removed. The posts stood in the middle of the sidewalk and interfered much with traffic there. New and very attractive signs in large gold letters had been put on the glass fronts of the business establishments of Mr. Harry Hopp and Mr. Troxell. Two large double windows had been placed in the front of the residence of Miss Virginia Gillelan. The exterior of the home of Mr. Michael Houck has been painted. And lastly, a beautiful ornamental gas lamp has been placed in their recently finished portico in front of St. Joseph's Catholic Church.

Mr. James Koontz has just plucked from his garden a lemon weighing a pound and a half, and measuring in circumference 12 and 14 inches respectively. The fruit was bright yellow and fully matured. Mr. John Matthews harvested a magnificent head of lettuce from his garden which weighed two and a half pounds.

Read Prior '100 Years Ago this Month'