Mrs. Charles D. Palmer has been spending a few days in Boston.

Mrs. Arthur G. Sanborn is spending a few weeks in South Weymouth, Mass.

The Republican caucus to nominate town officers to be supported at the annual town meeting, March 10, will be held in the town hall next Monday evening March 2, the item last week giving the date as last Monday was wrong.

The Mothers' Circle will meet next Wednesday evening, March 4, at the Centre school.

Mrs. George W. Towle recently had the misfortune to fall and break a leg between the hip and knee. She has the sympathy of the community in this second accident of a similar nature.

Mr. and Mrs. Harold Meserve and daughter Evelyn, and Miss Elsie Jefferson, all of Cliftondale, Mass., spent Washington's birthday, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. William Gilpatrick.

On Monday afternoon the officers of the County Christian Endeavor Union, met at the home of Miss Helen Gilpatrick to make plans for the Fast Day convention.

The next meeting of the Grange will be held Friday evening, March 6th.

Mr. Austin F. Remick has been appointed acting keeper at the Life Guard Station. After six month's service in this capacity he will become keeper. Mr. Remick is well known by being a native of Rye, and having served as number one man at the Hampton station, from June until August of last summer. During his eleven years in the service he has been stationed in six different stations in this vicinity.

A movement has been started to have the town cause the removal of the twenty-three unsightly bath houses at the North Beach. The growing popularity of this beach for picnic and bathing parties has brought about a condition of affairs that would seem to demand that a public bath house be erected at this point. Whether the bath house should be built and run by the town, or by private parties under control of the town is a question to be settled by the voters.

The West End club surprised Miss Francis Towle February 18th, it being her 86th birthday, she received a sum of money, and other useful presents. The regular program was reading of Lincoln and George Washington. A very pleasant afternoon was enjoyed after which refreshments were served by the club.

Little Harold Sleeper, grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Towle, is very low in the Cottage Hospital, Portsmouth. Lots of sympathy for parents and grandparents is extended.

The Busy Bee class of the Congregational church, will hold a food sale at Cole's periodical store, Friday, February 27th, from 2 to 4 o'clock. Home-made candy, cake, doughnuts and rolls will be on sale.

Herman W. Lane of Hampton is spending a few days in North Hampton, with his cousin Curtis Marston.

Mrs. Coombs sang last Sunday at the Bellville Congregational church, Newburyport. She has been tendered a very flattering invitation to sing there the coming year, but her many friends in town are hoping she will remain here.

Dear Friends: --

We've been requested to repeat the entertainment we gave last Saturday, at the Methodist church vestry. Next Saturday, February the 28th, at the Hampton Centre school hall. Are you game to come? There will be tableaux, scenic reading, comic songs as well as music medleys, fancy dancing, etc. Practically every number is costumed. We've added several new numbers. Don't miss seeing Bill Elliot impersonate the Jew in "Levi's Troubles." He's a scream.

-- Methodist Church Choir.

Miss Mabel Perkins is spending a week's vacation at home.

A silver tea and get together social will be held by the Ladies' Aid, in the Congregational Chapel from three to five-thirty, Wednesday afternoon, March eleventh. The ladies in town are cordially invited to bring their work and enjoy the social with us. A short entertainment will be held, and a silver collection taken. A special invitation is extended to the ladies of our sister churches.

Ladies' Aid sale to be held in Congregational Chapel on Wednesday afternoon, March 25th. Aprons, food, candy and mystery packages will be on sale. There will also be a gift table.

Miss Elsie Paulsen went to Manchester, Sunday afternoon, to spend her vacation with her sister Mrs. Cecil Morse, who is teaching in the Auburn Schools.

Mrs. Russell Leavitt and her two little sons went to her mother's home in Wollaston, on Wednesday. Mr. Leavitt joined her on Friday to spend part of the vacation.

Mrs. Everett Nudd and her young son "Bobbie" are enjoying a vacation at Mrs. Nudd's parental home in Merrimac.

Mr. Harry L. Moore is spending the week in Cincinnati, the school boards of this district, having sent him as a delegate to the National Education Association Conferences which are being held there.

Mrs. Forest E. Pratt with her son Master Hugh and daughter Miss Adeline were guests of her sister, Mrs. Chester Marston, this week end.

Mrs. Addie Brown has returned from Kensington, to stay a few days with her sister, Mrs. Lucy Marston. Miss Adeline Marston has gone to Boston, to visit few days with her niece, Mrs. Leonora Wing and her cousin Mrs. Martha Chipman in Somerville, Mass.

Six of Mrs. John Cumming's friends of Dorchester, Mass., spent a delightful holiday week end at the Congregational parsonage.

Thursday evening, Mr. Harry Noyes's home was the scene of a very merry party when Mrs. Eldridge, and Miss Dexter were hostesses for a fare-well party tendered Miss Cutts. Sixteen young people were guests and the evening was happily spent playing cards and dancing.

The Monday Club will meet next Monday afternoon, March 2nd, at 3 o'clock in the Centre school. Mrs. E. Henry Thompson and Mrs. John Wingate are hostesses for the meeting.

Tuesday afternoon the Ladies' Aid was entertained by Mrs. Ernest Cole. Work on aprons and fancy articles progressed rapidly and plans were made for a silver tea, March 11th, and a sale March 25th.

"Mr. James Leavitt Esq. was Hampton's first postmaster, the first appointed for Hampton by the United States Government about the year 1812. The Hampton post office was in the front hall or entry of the old General Moulton mansion. Previously to his appointment -- Exeter and Portsmouth were Hampton's nearest post offices. After Mr. Leavitt's appointment the mail stage-coaches passed through our town both ways, east and west, daily, within a few feet of the post office door. Mr. Leavitt died in the late thirties, (1839), having been Hampton's postmaster more than 25 years consecutively.

Our next postmaster was Edmund Toppan, Esq. He retained the office quite a number of years in the dwelling house, then his home, now the home of his grandson, Mr. Christopher G. Toppan. The office proper was partitioned off in one corner of the large room in the North-Westerly corner of his dwelling house.

During Mr. Toppan's administration as postmaster, the four hour stage-coach, as mail carrier for Hampton, was retired, being replaced by the steam cars. The mail bags previous to this change, much of the time were all but empty, nothing for the post master to deliver. The bags arrived on time daily, were unlocked and shaken. If there was no mail to be delivered the office door would be locked and the post master gone.

The writing paper of early times was of very coarse quality and the goose quill was the only pen. With no postage stamps, and no prepared self-sealing envelopes, the letters and mail bundles were often found in shape and manner of being done up as diversified and unique as were Uncle Elisha's bundles of groceries. The price of postage was determined and placed on the letter by the postmaster as part of his service. In the old days it took 3 days to send a letter to Boston, and get a return answer; to New York nearly two weeks. It cost 6 ¼ cents to send to the nearest town, 12 ½ cents to Boston, 18 ¾ cents to New York and 25 cents to Washington. The letter was usually its own envelope and if the letter was on two separate pieces of paper an extra charge was made."

The above was gleaned from a clipping in a scrap book kindly loaned by Mr. Frank Leavitt. It was printed in the Exeter News Letter of 1902, under a heading "Hampton Reminiscences" and signed E. P. Young.

No doubt the descendents of our early postmasters have some interesting "Reminiscences" to pass on too.

The Hampton Square and Compass Club held its second annual banquet and ladies' night at the Hotel Echo, on Monday evening, with about 75 present. The dining room was appropriately decorated with American flags, mottoes and a large portrait of Washington. At 8:30 the guests sat down at the tables where mine host Jacobson served a banquet of many courses prepared by the skillful hands of Charles Bowie of Exeter. The enjoyment which came from partaking of the well-cooked and well-served dishes was supplemented by excellent orchestral music rendered by three young people from the Portsmouth High school, the Gardner trio, and by vocal selections by Miss Mary A. Chase of Hampton Falls.

After the inner man had been satisfied the president of the club, Mr. Ernest G. Cole, called the members to order and spoke of establishing a more permanent organization, and also appointed a nominating committee. John W. R. Brooks, secretary, in a few well chosen words presented Rev. I. S. Jones, founder of the club, with a bouquet of beautiful roses, and Mr. Jones, much moved, thanked the club for the gift.

President Cole, then introduced Rev. James W. Bixler of Exeter, who gave an eloquent, timely and patriotic address on Washington, which was listened to with interest and heartily applauded at the end.

The nominating committee reported the following list of officers, and the report was accepted and adopted:

After the conclusion of the literary exercises and the business the floor was cleared for dancing and the members and their wives enjoyed themselves until low twelve when the merry company broke up, unanimous in their decision that they had passed a most delightful evening.