December 8, 1905

Thanksgiving Day has come and gone, but it Milton history, though short, has not been written. I have lived in Milton for nearly 28 years, and have never, during these years, seen so much religious fervor developed, and any one time, nor so many meetings held, on Thanksgiving Day, as they were on Thursday. Years ago it was the custom to hold preaching services during the morning, but of late years, that custom had become obsolete, until revived on last Thursday. In the morning the two Methodist congregations met in the M. E. Church, when the Rev. Hooker preached from the text: “Praise the Lord, O, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” The church was well filled with an intelligent and attentive people such as Milton produces. In the afternoon “An old fashioned love feast, and experience meeting” was held. At this fervid [and] enjoyable meeting, a collection was taken for Miers Roach, indigent cripple, and $8.00 raised. The evening services were a continuation of the Union Revival which has been in progress for three weeks. With closed business places and the deserted streets, the day resembled Sunday, and was passed by [the] whole town, more as a day of devotion, than a day of sport.

On Sunday morning the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was observed at the M. E. Church, and participated in by the congregations of both Methodist churches.

On Sunday afternoon the M. P. Sunday school held its first session in Firemen Hall; after which it adjourned, and met the M. E. Sunday school at 3.30 o’clock in the auditorium of that church, and held a union prayer meeting.

The union revival services still continue at the M. E. Church. The auditorium has been, and generally, filled every evening during the past week. Several have professed a change of heart; and startling developments were made last week.

Edgar Welch, nine year old son of J. B. Welch, was left asleep in the M. E. Church one night last week. His parents waited until after 11 o’clock for his return home, and he not coming an older brother went to look for him. Naturally he went to church, with some company he had found on the way, and after searching through it, was about to leave, when he heard the boy snoring on “Buzzards Road” and took him home. It is not too much to say that boys of his age should be kept at home at night, unless accompanied by their parents.

The windy weather of the past week has prevented the engineers from doing much surveying on Broadkiln Bar.

William Clements, who was lately hurt at the railroad station, is able to resume his duties.

William Smith and son have repainted the property that Dr. R. B. .Hopkins, on Chestnut Street, occupied by Josiah Culver.

Edward Calhoun has removed from the property of J. W. Lank, on Walnut Street to that of Mrs. Jane Lekites on Chestnut Street.

While going up Federal Street, early on Saturday evening, the writer was near a lady when she slipped into the gutter and fell sprawling on the pavement near the M. E. Church. “You liked to have been down,” said I. She was laughing heartily as she answered “Yes.” While it is no disgrace to fall, by mishap, on the pavement, I’ll not tell the lady’s name.

C. H. Atkins & Co.’s steam yacht was launched Friday, and Saturday was steaming on the Broadkiln. Her name is Virginia T. Atkins in honor of Mr. Atkins wife. The boat carries an eight horsepower engine, and is nicely fitted up. Her dimensions have heretofore been given.

This seems to be a fatality attending the yacht Ralph Welch. She was sunk again last Saturday and Sunday.

William Collins, of near town is shipping boxwood, for holiday ornament, to the city market. Holly is scarce in this locality.

Dr. Joseph McFerran, late of Philadelphia, has removed to Milton and occupies rooms, at present, with his sister, Mrs. Margaret Prettyman, on Chestnut Street. Dr. McFerran has an office fitted up in the room below the Odd Fellows Hall, on the corner of Chestnut and Atlantic streets.

Billy Robinson says, “someone hast all one entry from Lavinia as woods.” “Billy” says, “That tree was sawed down and hauled off the ground, body, and branches together.” He has a chip, and a piece of Bart in his possession which – – he says some parts of the tree, and by these mute witness he expects to discover the culprit. He is going, if he has not already been, to the many saw mills hereabouts, and compare the chips and barks he has with the logs in the MIL yards. He is certain he can detect the saw mill into door similarity between the three, and recover the log. “Billy” [is] a genius.

Millard Walls has removed from the corner of Federal Street and Manship Avenue into the Walls property on Chestnut Street.

Captain J. Carey Palmer has removed from the end of Milton lane into the property belonging to the errors of A. H. Manship, deceased, on Chestnut Street.

On thanksgiving morning the Rev. Coursey announced there would be no collection taken. He said, in substance, he was aware this was something new in a Methodist church, and wished the congregation to understand it (the church) had not fallen away from its time honored tradition.

Miss Bessie Shockley was united in marriage with William Ott on Saturday evening. The nuptial knot was tied at the M. P. parsonage by the Rev. Hooker. Both parties reside near Milton.

The change of weather has taken place, last Sunday morning one was ushered in with wind and rain, and until the afternoon, the day was dark somber. The evening, though cool it can, was clear and very favorable for the country lasses of laddies to attend extra meetings now being held in town. The suburban districts so well represented at these meetings, and doubtless, the people have benefited by their attendance.

There are some lads, who are big enough to know better, who start for school and put themselves into a corner of someone’s store and sit there, until after school time. How is this to be remedied? The proprietors [do] not like to drive them out, and evidently their parents to not care whether the boys go to school, or whether school keeps or not.

Bateman Shockley is again bookkeeper in Jim Palmer’s stable yard.

Nathaniel Lank, and daughter Lizzie, of Frederica, are the guests of Dr. James A. Hopkins and wife.