February 9, 1906

We do not wish to give an uncertain sound by accidental blowing, but we are credibly informed, That Captain George E. Megee and others, will build a steam and sail barge, of the following dimensions: Length 93 feet, Breadth of beam 23½ feet, depth of hold 6 feet. Captain Megee now has men in the woods cutting the frame, and the -work in the yard will begin at and early day. The vessel will be built at Scull’s landing, or as Capt. Scull calls the knoll “Mount Ararat.” Capt. Scull is having the premises cleared of the accumulation of debris, of many months, in order to give room for the lumber. The mold loft of C. C. Davidson was cleaned out last week, and all other preparations are being -made to lay the keel.

C. C. Davidson and others are putting new stanchions, gunwales, and otherwise repairing the upper works of the schooner William J. Simpson at the Mount Ararat docks.

The Fourth Quarterly Conference of the M. E. Church, was held on Friday afternoon. After the general routine business, that body unanimously asked for the return of the Rev. R. F. Coursey to this charge, for another year. On Sunday morning after reading the rules of the church, and announcing the committees appointed by the conference, Mr. Coursey accepted the invitation, subject to the approval of “powers that be.”

Capt. E. N. Lofland has taken the cabin and upper works from his yacht, and will replace them with others.

We were compelled to smile when we read the “Times” account of the “Mother’s Meeting” or as the reporter called it “a very Unique Social” held at the home of Dr. R. F. Wilson, under the auspices of the W. C. T. U., last week. We have no doubt the affair was grand, for the ladies of Milton are connoisseurs in such things. And the war on the “deadly cigarette” was timely, always is, and always will be. If we were compelled to smile when we began to read the account of the meeting, when we got to the question for discussion “Is Child Study Worthy of our Best Thoughts?” we were compelled to laugh outright. This discussion was doubtless like a man trying to teach metaphysics; talking about something he knows nothing about, but, we suppose the ladies had a grand success with their social; they deserve to have had. But was not the name a misnomer? “Mothers Meeting.”

The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was administered at the M. E. Church on Sunday morning.

Prof. John G. Robinson preached on Sunday evening, at the M. E. Church, an interesting, practical, and “old-fashioned Sermon.”

The Teachers Institute held here on Saturday afternoon, and evening, was well attended, by town, as well as country people.

A change in the weather from Florida to Alaska, occurred early Friday morning. On Saturday morning the river and lake were nearly frozen over; and the countenance of Handy Prettyman, the ice dealer, wore a peculiar smile. On Sunday morning, the lake was covered with ice one inch thick, and Handy’s smile expanded; but on that day, the temperature began to rise, and Handy’s hopes were blasted, for on Monday morning the ice was gone.

S. L. Black has removed from the dwelling he has been temporarily occupying, since the first of January, into a new, and up-to-date residence he had built on Union Street.

William W. Conner, recently married, moved into his new home, on Federal Street, last Friday; and on that evening calithumpians gave him and his bride some of their delicious music.

Bailiff Dickerson has painted the street lamps during the past week.

Thomas Johnson, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. John Johnson, died at their home in Philadelphia, Saturday Feb. 3rd, aged 6 months. The remains were brought to Harbeson on Tuesday and taken to Connelly Chapel where the funeral was held and interment made. The obsequies were conducted by Rev. N. T. Compton and funeral directed by S. J. Wilson & Son.

All is dark within our dwelling,
In this home of ours today,
For one that we dearly loved,
Has forever passed away.
Our first in heaven.[i]

[…] Roland Ennis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Ennis, died at their home near Harbeson, on Saturday, of membranous croup, aged 1 year, 6 months, and 10 days.

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[i] This is a “remembrance poem,” one of many that were commonly used in funeral cards and related literature, even to this day. The author is unknown. The death notices at the end of the current Milton Letter remind us that infant mortality was high in the early twentieth century.