The first snow of the season came on Tuesday evening of last week, when about 10 o’clock, it is said to have snowed most prettily. On Thursday morning it was quite cool, and ice had formed the night previous; and on going down the street the extraordinary spectacle of a closed hotel presented itself. The shutters and doors of the reading and bar rooms of the Ponder House were closed the night before. Both hotels and now “dry;” they have discharged their boarders and will take no others, either transient or otherwise. Private boarding houses are, however, catering to the wants of the traveler and the drummer and also to the permanent boarder. We do not see that any one is hurt yet. Two bartenders are thrown out of employment. They have had an easy time, and have our sympathy. Two hotel keepers are out of commission. They have had an imperial sway and a good time lording it over the poor drunken wretches. They have had their day and have used it, and the people have now said: “come down from your lofty pinnacle and give the drunken wretches, you have so long debauched, a chance. And they have “comed.”

The gunning season opened on Friday and a prettier nor lovelier day was ever seen at this season in this latitude. The printer left his fonts, the clerk his desk, the mechanic his half completed job and the loafer his trysting place, to engage in the chase of the doomed “bunny.” As early as sunrise the yelping of dogs and the crack of the breech loader was heard, almost within the town limits. Over 100 rabbits were killed on the first day by the gunners of Milton. Such havoc proves the curse of the “game law.” Rabbits were plenty at the beginning but partridges are said to be scarce.

Extra meetings commenced on Sunday evening at Zion M. E. Church under the conduct of the Rev. R. T. Coursey.

We were attracted by a notice in a daily, last week, stating that J. Frank Allen, a former United States senator from Delaware, had called at the “White House” and proffered to the president a Delaware delegation for a third term nomination. Heavens! We thought that fellow was dead! Be furnish a delegation! O, my, that is good.

J. B. Welch has had his drug store completely renovated and scrubbed out, and the goods nicely rearranged. Three women and several sons have been several days at the job. Of course J. B. exercised an attentive neutrality over the whole business.

The members of St. John P. E. Church will hold a bazaar in the lower room of the Masonic Hall, on Thanksgiving Day.

The crew of the steam and three mast sail vessel Marie Thomas quit en masse on Saturday morning. The vessel is partly loaded with canned goods from the Goodwin Co. Captain G. E. Megee, the owner, telegraphed for a licensed captain and on the Saturday evening train one came. On Monday a new crew were shipped and the vessel finished loading with piling and left on Tuesday evening after having been tied at the dock since Friday night.

Extra meetings are in progress at the Cave Neck M. E. Church under the supervision of the Rev. Ketel.

Ex United States Marshal J. Cannon Short was the guest of his nephew, Mr. Stewart Short, of lower Broadkiln, on Saturday and Sunday and also of his many Milton friends.

I am not an ascetic, and neither do I profess to be a casuist[i]. I am willing for each and every one to resolve his own cases of conscience. But when taking a Sunday morning walk, I do not like to see people cutting wood, neither do I like to hear them shelling corn on Sunday morning, presumably to feed their hogs or other stock for the day. I was never used to that kind of business; hence my dislike of it.

D. M. Conwell has been suffering for some weeks with a troublesome excrescence on the right hand. It is better now.

John T. Fitzgerald died near Ellendale on Thursday of last week, of cancer of the throat, aged 58 years, 11 months and 1 day. Funeral services were held at his late residence on Saturday afternoon and burial made in the Union Cemetery at Milford. Rev. John Kelso conducted the funeral and S. J. .Wilson & Son interred the body.

Miss Ida V. Moore and Mr. Luther P. Warren, both of near Ellendale, were joined in the bonds of matrimony on Sunday evening at the M. P. Parsonage, by the Rev. G. R. McCready.

Oscar Warrington had another mishap on Sunday evening. While coming from Zion Church toward Milton he ran on some piling laying near the road and demolished one wheel completely, throwing two ladies and himself out but hurting neither. It is possible the young man may learn something after a good while.

John Clifton is building a commodious stable and barn on the property recently purchased by himself.

Anton Neibert has again abandoned the cobbling business and retired to his farm near town.

Joseph Black has again quit selling tobacco and cigars.

James A. Betts has completed the annex to James Palmer’s property on Broad Street, and James Mason has moved from Union Street therein.

John Crouch has removed from Broad Street into the property of Thomas Douglass on Union Street, north, lately occupied by John Magee, whose family has moved to Philadelphia.

On Saturday evening at the Milton Literary and Debating Society the question, “Resolved: that women should have the right on suffrage,” will be argued.[ii]

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[i] There are two contradictory meanings for “casuist” or “casuistry,” and it is debatable which one Conner was intending to present to his readers. In one interpretation, a casuist can use reasoning that is acceptable, such as the use of precedents in a legal proceeding. Under a different interpretation, casuistry is equated to the use of clever but basically unsound reasoning (sophistry).

[ii] This was the first time the issue of women’s suffrage was raised in the Milton News letter. It would not be the last.