There are a great many beautiful things in and around Milton that people do not see, or seeing do not appreciate. Possibly, this want of admiration may be explained on the ground that the people have grown up with the surroundings, and whatever natural beauty they may possess has come tame by association. On several mornings of last week, while walking along Chestnut Street, we were attracted by the pretty trees that are growing around our public school building. Be it remembered that Milton has one of the nicest school buildings in Sussex County. It adjoins the M. E. Cemetery, and is situated between Chestnut and Walnut Streets—it fronts on Chestnut and backs on Walnut, with entrance from either street. On one of these mornings we diagrammed the surroundings with the following results: Along the walk leading from the front of the building to Chestnut Street there are two trees on either side and laterally from these are four other trees, all maples. Thus in front we have eight trees—five of good size and four of them along and parallel with Chestnut Street. On the back of fronting on Walnut Street the walk leading from the building to the street has two trees on either side, and laterally from these are two others fronting on and parallel with walnut street. Laterally from the two trees near as the building are the water [chestnuts]. These trees are all thrifty and show what a phenomenal growth even the maple tree may make under favorable conditions. This is now a pretty yard–we cannot call it a lawn neither a parterre, but it might be made one–and it will require but a few years more even by nature to make these yards around the school building the most beautiful in town. Milton people who have any literary accomplishments, are justly proud of their schoolhouse, and many of them think it so attractive a building should be occupied by as good talent as we have in this state or elsewhere.
Milton reader thinkest thou thus.
Mr. Vincent, near the end of Milton lane, has his front porch enveloped with mosquito netting, and it is believed to answer the purpose intended.
The hedge in front of the Odd Fellows Cemetery on Union Street is being cut off.
Mrs. Maggie McIlvain of Camden, N. J., is visiting her parents Mr. and Mrs. T. R. .Ingram.
James ponder, Esq., attorney-at-law of Wilmington, visited his mother and sister last week.
The town authorities were again digging on Union Street, north, last week. The bailiff made a hole in the center of the road and left it without cover. Dr. Wilson came along and his horse stepped into this whole and fell injuring itself considerably. If town council does not pay the damage done to the horse without a suit, there will, probably, be one instituted.
Repairing tents and building new ones is now the occupation on Lavinia Camp ground. Lavinia Avenue leading from Mulberry Street to the ground has been cleared of the taller weeds. We suggest that the committee employ some men with hoes to cut off the smaller grass, so a road may be made to the camp that ladies may travel without trailing their pretty Victoria dresses through the wet grass.
It is rather a deplorable sight to see many farmers who have neither pasture nor food for their stock and are compelled to buy at this season of the year.
Mrs. Wm. Chandler and son, of Scranton, Pa., are visiting Mrs. L. B. Chandler.
Wm. Wharton of Philadelphia, paid a visit to Milton on Saturday, by steamer, returning on Monday.
The passenger traffic on the steamer Mary M. Vinyard is increasing. On Saturday there were 44 and a part of them were from below Gumboro, and were met on the arrival of the boat by friends.
Schooner yacht S. Emma Reed filled with water, while lying in the stream, near the dock, on Saturday. Four bags of sand on board as ballast did not float away, as some have said. Captain Welch soon had the boat all right.
Young men are making boxes at the station cannery.
G. B. Atkins has completed the painting of Mrs. Ida Hughes’ residence, it now presents quite an attractive appearance.
Miss Emma Clendaniel is sojourning for a time in the country.
The colored camp at Hazzard’s Woods commenced on Saturday.
Owing to the rain on Sunday few people from Milton attended the Sand Hill camp.
J. M. Lank returned from a visit to Philadelphia on Wednesday.
Mrs. Susie B. Davidson, of Philadelphia, is visiting her brothers and sisters.
On account of the rain there were no services at either of the churches on Sunday morning.
But few peaches have been shipped from Milton yet. It is thought there will be 10,000 to 15,000 baskets in the jurisdiction of Milton.
Lydia R. Argo died in North Milton on Sunday, aged 57 years, 10 months, and 23 days. Funeral services were held at Slaughter Neck Church on Wednesday afternoon by the Revs. Corkran and Gray, and the remains were deposited in the adjoining cemetery by S. J. Wilson and son.
A Milton businessmen says the new clerk at C. H. Atkins’ store must have the bump of inquisitiveness[i] fully developed. He further says every time he goes to the store to use the phone, the young man will drop whenever he may have on hand and come near to hear what he is saying. Last week when this gentleman when to use this phone this young man was out at the front of the store, but he could not stand it, and went in and back where he could hear. The gentleman got nearly mad and liked to have told the fellow what he thought of him; and if the conduct is repeated, he probably may.
The central office of the Milton telephone system will be on the corner of Federal and union streets.
Miss Letitia black has returned from the Dover summer school.
Mrs. Myers Reynolds and daughter Hulda, of Washington, D. C., are visiting the former’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. B. M. Robinson, at their farm near town. Before returning to their city home, they will visit Mrs. J. B. Dorman at Georgetown, and Mrs. George Reynolds at Milford.
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[i] The “bump of inquisitiveness” and other variants such as “bump of acquisition” were in common usage in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but are rarely seen in writing today. The origin of the expression is not known.