May 3, 1901

“Mynheer, do you know what for I call my boy Hans?” “No.” “You don’t know what for I call my boy Hans?” “No, why do you?” “Because dat ish his name.”[i]

And that is why we call this weather Spring, because “dat ish his name.” But it is a sorry spring. Old people who have lived to see plants germinate and decay for many years, are heard to say, “We never saw such a spring as this.” It is natural for the last of anything to be the best, or the worst; and we are often led, by circumstances, to magnify the subject or lessen it, as a result of over-action or over-production. It must be confessed, however, that between the isotherms that bound this zone, we have had a superabundance of wet, cold, and stormy weather. We know that some meek, mild, over-officious persons will say, “The Lord knows what kind of weather we want, and he is giving us such as we need.” We don’t believe in any such stuff as that; perhaps it may be as a man facetiously observed some time since.

“When God Almighty had charge of the weather, we could make some calculation on it, but since it has got into the hands of Probabilities we can’t most hardly, make anything out of it.” Doubtless the past unpropitiousness is due to climate causes; the breaking up of the monsoons in the torrid zones, the shifting of the “trade winds” and other causes lending a helping hand. It is hoped that we have had, for a time at least, a sufficiency of damp, dark, cloudy, disagreeable weather, and that when we write our next communication, we may do it beneath more balmy skies, attended by gentle southern zephyrs.

Superstition is by no means dead in Milton. This was witnessed last week when we noticed women out in the rain planting their beans, because “the sign was right.” This superstition is not confined to the women alone, the men are also impregnated with the belief – thought they are not willing to acknowledge it. Ask one something about it, and he will tell you, “O, I don’t believe in sins, the moon, or the wind; I always plant when I get the ground ready.” Notice this man and you will find that he always has “the ground ready” when the moon and the sign are right, and the wind at any other point than eastward.

Mr. J. H. Davidson, after a visit of several weeks in Wilmington, returned home on Saturday.

Mrs. William Prettyman, who has been absent in Philadelphia since the death of her husband, returned to Milton last week.

Captain Henry Hudson and Mr. Elihu M. Lynch have been summoned by Sheriff Hart to appear before a Board of Inquisitors that will sit at Georgetown, on May the 7th, to give evidence in regard to a certain tract of land, situated in Broadkiln hundred; the amount it will rent for, less the taxes, and necessary improvement and repairs; the land being the property of Mr. Alexander Pullen; and D. A. Conner has been summed before the same Board, and on the same day, to give evidence in regard to the property pf the late William H. Batson, whether it will rent for […] in seven years to pay certain bills that are against it, clear of taxed and necessary repairs.

Mr. William Lacey, druggist of Philadelphia, visited his brother’s family and other Milton friends last week.

Some vandal took one of the street lamps from its position one night last week, and threw it on the concrete wall in front of Captain James Conwell’s residence, breaking the chimney and otherwise injuring the lamp. As far as we know, no effort has been made to find who the guilty party is.

The colored school of Milton gave an entertainment in the colored church in South Milton on Friday evening, and closed it term on Monday.

Mr. Joseph L. Black has the necessary lumber on the ground to build and addition to his store on Union Street.

Since his advent among us, the Rev. L. P. Corkran has been a busy man; most of his time during the week, and when the weather has been fit, has been spent in making calls upon the members, and friends of his church; in this duty he has been accompanied by Mrs. Corkran, a lively, genial and prepossessing lady. We are inclined to think Mr. Corkran will suit Milton, and it is hoped Milton may suit Mr. Corkran.

Sheriff Hart has sold the hotel property in Milton known as the “Hart House,” to Mrs. Louise Russell, of No. 32, North 57th Street, West Philadelphia. Consideration, $2,500. Mrs. Russell has been trying to negotiate for the purchase of the good-will and fixtures of the hostelry of Mr. Lynch, the present proprietor, but thus far without success.

From present indications it looks as though Mr. Isaac W. Nailor would be a busy man this year. He now has a dwelling to build in Lewes for Mr. J. Frank Mackintyre; one in the same town for Mr. Thomas, a carpenter of Philadelphia; one in Milton for Captain Charles Cannon; and he has contracted with Captain H. P. Burton, of this town, to remove the dwelling he now occupies on Federal Street to the Gothard lot on the same street, and to erect a fine building in its place. He is now laying the foundation for an addition to the residence of Captain Charles Magee’s mother, and on Monday, with a gang of workmen, commenced on the station house for the Q. A. R. R. Co., at Whitesville and Overbrook. These are all good jobs to be done in first class style, and it will require some time to complete them.

Mr. John Smith and David Dutton have bought the schooner John A. Lingo and will engage in freighting piling. Consideration, $500.
J.B. Welch, Conoway, J. M. Robbins and J. H. Davidson, represented Council No. 14, O. U. A. M., at its annual meeting in Wilmington last week. Mr. Davidson was formerly vice-Councilor for the State. The next annual meeting will be held at Blades, this county.

Mrs. Jennie Walls, wife of William Walls, died at her residence near Jefferson’s Cross Roads, on Friday last of peritonitis, aged 36 years, 1 month, 14 days. Funeral services were held at Reynolds M. P. Church on Sunday, the Rev. Frank Holland officiating, and the remains were inhumed in the adjacent cemetery. S. J. Wilson conducted the funeral.

 

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[i] The use of Mynheer as a form of address identifies this as an ethnic joke at the expense of the Dutch. Despite the much earlier settlement of the Dutch in America, dating back to New Amsterdam and the Hudson Valley, many more ethic jokes were made about German, Irish, and Italian immigrants. The popularity of the Hans Brinker story may also have brought some Dutch language forms into the light.