March 21, 1902

“A commonplace life” we say and we sigh,
And why should we sigh as we say:
The commonplace sun in the commonplace sky,
Makes up the commonplace day.”[i]

Thoughts will have their course and trend, though we may use our utmost endeavors to keep them in check. During the pas winter we have at times been amused at the loquacity of our old men, and at other times we have had feelings of melancholy creep over us, as we have thought on the career which many of these men have made and now notice their conditions. We have many aged many in our town. Some of them have, during a long life, accumulated a competency to enable them to live easy the remainder of their lives; others are in meagre circumstances; and yet others are dependent on their children and relatives for support, or are sharing the munificence the government. We have particularly noticed these aged people sitting around the fire of some store, and gazing into vacancy; their thoughts busy with the dim past, “fighting their battles of life over again, in memory. The most of our aged men are sound of memory, and can recant with correctness the scenes of their early years. It is really interesting to hear them. However, age has its many drawbacks, and when the hair begins to whiten those of younger age think the older ones are “played out.” This may be true on some particular individuals, but there are many who are as good at sixty as they were at thirty—some better. But many of them have performed their parts on the arena of life, and are aware of the fact and are only waiting for the “extra” that shall take them over. Treat them gently and kindly while they may remain with you, in consideration of what they have done. Remember as age advances a sensitiveness develops that is more marked than in earlier life. Be kind to the aged.

Edwin P. Johnson left town last week to engage in the building of the railroad from Queenstown to Centreville.

A heavy rainstorm visited Milton on Sunday night.

On Sunday morning at the M. E. Church there will be prayer service held by Mr. Asa F. Conwell. Meeting in the evening held by the Epworth League. The pastor will not be present.

Rev. L. P. Corkran left on Tuesday to attend the M. E. Conference, to convene at Easton, Md., this week.

At the annual election of officers of the M. P. Church, held on Wednesday evening, the following gentlemen were chosen: Trustees, B. R. Johnson, John Coulter, Prof. W. G. Fearing, N. W. White, J. B. Barker, George Davidson, Joseph Morris, John Conoway and Joseph Warrington; Stewards, Mrs. Lucy Atkins, George Davidson, Joseph Morris, John Conoway. The reports of the various organizations were read and accepted. It was decided to hold the camp meeting at Lavinia’s Woods, beginning it on August 2nd.[ii]

Delegates to the Maryland annual conference, which meets at Centreville on August 2nd, is Prof. W. G. Fearing; alternate, Editor Crouch of the “Milton Times.”

An adjourned meeting of the Quarterly conference of the M. P. Church will be held on the last day of the present month.

Last Saturday evening Eli L. Collins resigned his position as one of the members of the Town Board, to accept the Mayoralty. Mr. E. W. Warren was appointed by the Board to fill the position made vacant by the resignation of Mr. Collins. A the same time David Dickerson was appointed lamp lighter, collector of town taxes, town bailiff, and supervisor of the streets, at a salary of $295 per year.

Wheat is looking fairly well near our suburbs.

James Ponder, Esq., and wife are visiting Mr. Ponder’s mother.

On Saturday night the ice broke loose below the Falls of Lake Fanganzyki and carried down the Broadkiln the lumber that some of our citizens had collected from the bay and brought to this port.

The engine house is about completed.

Mr. William Fisher, druggist, of Philadelphia, is visiting his father, Capt. John Fisher, his aunt and tow sister on Federal Street.

Messrs. Mason & Morris, who have commenced business In the Burton Block, have opened in earnest.

Pauline Lawson, wife of Henry Lawson, died at her home in Millsboro on Sunday of consumption, aged 33 years and 23 days. Funeral services at Zoar on Wednesday. Obsequies solemnized by the Rev, N, W, Conoway, and interment made in the Brotherhood Cemetery at Millsboro. S. J. Wilson funeral director.

Peter Wilson, a well-known and former resident of this town, but late of Camden, N. J., died in that city at the residence of James Donohoo, No. 523 Pin Street, on Monday, of a complication of diseases. The remains were brought to Harbeson on the noon train on Wednesday. The body was met at that village by S. J., Wilson, funeral director; from whence the funeral cortege proceeded to Beaver Dam M. P. Church, where the solemn obsequies were performed by the Rev. Frank Holland, and the remains were deposited in the cemetery nearby.

S. J. Wilson & Son have opened their mammoth carriage bazaar and harness emporium, and have on display the largest collection of their goods that can be found in his or any other town in the county. See adver elsewhere.

Isaac W. Nailor, one of the directors of the Sussex Safe, Title and Deposit Company, made a business trip to Philadelphia the first of the week.

Clarence Welch, principal of the firm of J. H., Seligman (the big store) has removed with his lately married sweet heart to the property lately occupied by Henry Messick—its owner—who with his son and son’s wife, “these three and nothing more,” have moved to Camden, N. J.

A social meeting of the W. C. T. U. was held at the residence of Mrs. Lydia Conwell on Tuesday evening. An elaborate program was promised, and no doubt rendered, but as the event came off too late for this issue of the paper, we cannot particularize nor elaborate. The following delegates have been elected from Milton to attend the Sussex County Convention, of this Order to be held at Georgetown on April 3rd: Mrs. Hannah Wiltbank, Mrs. Lettie Black, Mrs. L. F. Corkran; Delegate-at-large, Mrs. Mamie Brockington.

S. W. Darby, Jr., with a friend from Frederica, passed through Milton on Tuesday en route for Angoin, or Long Neck, on a business trip.

James Palmer, proprietor of the Ponder House, has a cat that struts up and down the porch, and through the reading room, smoking a cigar as quietly as any other man. The cat appears to enjoy the smoking.

Beardsley & Lofland have bough of Peter Dutton, the Peter Dughton farm in Cave Neck for caleying purposes, of for the manufacture of brick, porcelain and other matters desired, or manufactured, from the production of clay. Beardsley & Lofland are experts in the manufacture of bricks, and will do an immense business in this line. They have opened negotiations with Atlantic City, and as their bricks are superior to those made at Haverstraw, it is supposed their work will supersede that of the latter mentioned city.

Joseph M. Lank, cashier of the Sussex Trust, Title, and Deposit Company’s Bank at Milton, has been elected director of the National Electric Appliances Company, for the district of Delaware. It will be remembered that John R. Lank is general manager of this company with an office in Philadelphia.

George W. Atkins left […] for a business trip in the upper […]. On account of the lameness of his horse, he was obliged to take the afternoon train for Townsend, from where he will continue his route by private conveyance.

St. Patrick behaved himself […] a gentleman, while Shelah kicked up her heels like a wild Kangaroo.

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[i] Excerpt from a poem by Susan Coolidge; this was the pen name of Sarah Chauncey Woolsey (1835 – 1905) an American children’s author)

[ii] Barker, Coulter, Fearing, Johnson, Morris, and White would all continue to be trustees through 1906, and all presented windows to the M. P. Church. They would have to be considered the driving force behind the remodeling project. Two other figures – Lucy Atkins, elected steward of the M. P. Church, and her husband George W. Atkins, mentioned near the end of the piece, would also present a window for their deceased daughter Mary E. M. Atkins.