Greetings from The Daily Morning Astorian, Dec. 25, 1883:

• Several hundred thousand cranberry vines have been received at the O. R. & N. dock from Yarmouth, Mass., for Robert Chabot’s cranberry farm in Pacific county.

Note: Robert was the nephew of Anthony Chabot, who incorporated the Pacific Cranberry Co. in June 1883, located near the corner of Sandridge and Cranberry Roads on Washington’s Long Beach Peninsula. This farm is believed to have produced the first successful planting of domestic cranberries on the Pacific Coast. (bit.ly/LBcrans)

• Nothing has been heard for so long from the American ship Minnie M. Watts that it is feared she hns gone down with all on board. She was a Thomaston, Me., built vessel of 1023 tons … and sailed for the Columbia river from New York consigned to C. H. Prescott, on the 12th of May, 1883.

Note: No records could be found about the merchant sailing vessel Minnie M. Watts after mid-1883, so this report may unfortunately be true.

• A Seattle widow has received $12,500 from the different orders to which her husband belonged. Dear ladies, in the face of all this, can you persist in talking at a high rate of speed to your husbands when important work in the skyfugle degree keeps them late at lodge? Give this matter a little serious thought.

About 7 o’clock last evening the shrill

note of a police whistle at Mr. C. Boelling’s residence attracted the attention of Officer Beasley, who rushed up to find that the old gentleman had swooned and it was feared was dying. Messengers were dispatched for a physician, and for the younger members of the family who wore at the Grace Church Christmas tree: to the relief of all it was found that it was simply a fainting fit, and that there was no material danger. Later in the evening Mr. Boelling had quite recovered.

New Steamboat. As our marine reporter sped along the city front yesterday in search of items relative to those who go down to the sea in ships, his attention was attracted by the graceful lines and line appearance of a handsome, new steamboat, the handiwock of Capt.

Raphael of Deep River, who has put in his spare time to good advantage in giving our Wahkiakum county friends of that section facilities in the transiortation line. The name of tho new boat is the Gleaner. Capt. Raphael brought her over last Sunday afternoon and is well pleased with her in erery respect. She is 45 feet long, 12 feet beam, and cost $3,200. She will run from Astoria to Deep River and back once a week, and will, no doubt, establish a lucrative business.

Christmas eve at thee Churches: The hearts of numerous little ones were

gladdened last evening at the various churches, which were handsomely decorated and brilliantly illuminated.

Our reporter visited every church in the city, and in each found the same scene being enacted. The sacred edifices were most elaborately draped and festooned with evergreens, appropriate mottoes being conspicuous, and glittering Christmas trees laden with presents.

At the Congregational church the usual style was varied by the appearance of a huge ship, full-rigged and with swelling sails, which rounded gracefully into port and began discharging cargo. It consisted of innumerable toys, drums, jewelry, books, tea sets, embroideries, fancy articles, in great profusion.

At the Baptist church Santa Claus with his elk team arrived promptly on lime and with a sleigh load af beautiful presents for all.

A noticeable feature of the Christmas trees in every church in the city last evening was that every member of every Sunday school was handsomely remembered. No one went empty handed away, and the glistening eyes of the little folks showed how well they appreciated the armfuls of good things that were so abundantly distributed.

Hanged himself last OCTOBER.

The Miserable Death of Auton Kleps.

About the 15th of last Soptember a cabinet maker named Anton Kleps, aged 35 years, came from Portland, and procured work at Chas. Heilborn’s furniture establishment. After a short time he quit and afterward went to work for Ed. Curtis. From his actions and language

it was supposed that he was tired of life, and when he disappeared, about the 1st of Octobor, it whs generally thought he had made away with himself.

Yesterday morning as Peter Patterson was looking for some Christmas trees, just beyond the cut on the southern extension of Main street and on the other side of the ridge, ho found the body of a man who had evidently been hanging where found for a considerable time.

From a small limb of a tree, about six feet from the ground, the body swung suspended by a small loop of baling rope, which was caught up by a knot under the left ear of the defunct.” The bones of the neck had broken, and the body had drawn down, the feet resting on the ground, thus presenting a most horrible appearance. The features were unrecognizable, the clothes were partially gone, and the dried flesh hung in strips from various portions of the body. Patterson immediately notified Coroner Franklin, who held an inquest on the body where

found. What served to identify the deceased most strongly was a peculiarly constructed key which was found in his pocket, and which unlocked a chest of tools that he had left at Ed. Curits’s last

September; the lock and key both being of unique construction. No doubt remains that it was the body of the unfortunato Kleps, who, in a fit of despondency deliberately sought out that lonely spot sometime during the first week of last October, and there hanged himself.

The remains will bp given decent interment to-day.

A Stabbing Affray.

At a few minutes before 1 o’clock this morning the citizens in the neighborhood of Main and Chemamus streets were startled by the sharp and clear reports of four shots fired in rapid succession. An Astorian reporter immediately started to the scene of war to ascertain the cause of such an unusual occurrence in this generally quiet neighborhood. Upon reaching the spot his sharp eyes detected the athletic form of Officer Beasley with a yet smoking revolver in his hand giving

chase down Squemoqua in the direction of Benton street in hot pursuit of a prisoner who had broke from his grasp, and at whom he had fired the above-notedshots. The prisoner fell while attempting to turn the corner of the last-named street and was gathered in by the officer.

The cause leading to the arrest as near as can be ascertained is as follows: A party had been carousing during the evening among the many saloons on Concomly street and toward 12 o’clock had strolled into the saloon in the Vincent building. The party becoming noisy and it approaching the hour to close, the barkeeper ordered them out. They then hung around the door and espying an alley which separates the lower story of thr building, bolted in and rushing against a door at tho farther end broke it in. This action aroused the sleeping inmates, consisting of two men, in a room into which the door opened. One of the

men jumped from his bed and inquired what was wanted, whereupon one of the marauders drew a knife and plunged it to the handle in his questioner’s hip, and this he twice repeated, the last stab being given in the chest at the lower end of the sternum. By this time tho party

had become so noisu as to attract the attention of Officers Beasley and Steabb, who arrived upon the scene just in time to arrest whom they supposed to be three of the principals and safely lodged in jail.

The man who received the stabs is named John Brinkman, and in addition to those given him last night was an ugly-looking one across his throat, given him on Saturday night. The wounds are ugly and painful, but not considered dangerous.

What shall I give ray husband?

What shall I give to my wife?

Are the questions that puzzle the people

And worry their peaceful life.

Give to your husband a meerschaum.

Give to your wife a gown;

And put some crape on the door-knob

When the bills for both come down.