Wm. Smith & Sons have completed painting the property of D. M. Conwell on Federal Street.
From the report of Philadelphia papers there must be plenty of robbers and highwaymen around Georgetown. The strangest part of the news is, they never catch any of the marauders. They are generally scared off by a woman, or “Seen jumping across a field in the dark,” or in some other less heroic escapades. Does such news really enhance the business, social, moral, intellectual, or religious standing of Georgetown?
The bitter fruit of the wanton waste of finance that characterized the town administration of last year is being reaped by the Mayor and Council of this. Last year there was most of the time a gang of men—and we use the word “gang” in no disrespectful term toward the men employed—at work on the streets, removing trees in many instances, and digging up the roots thereof, said trees of no disadvantage to anyone, except for the blessed summer shade they gave to the weary limbs of many. And if any remonstrance was made to the needless expenditure, the would-be conservator of finance was met with “Say, go to!“ “Let the galled jade wince,”[i] “Billy pays the freight”[ii] or similar expressions. And it’s all over that far! And the Mayor and Town Council of […] face a deficit, in a large amount in the town treasure; and what are you going to do about it? We have always contended and yet maintain that incompetent men should never be put at the head of public business, or any other business, good nice fellows as well, but their early education was neglected, and their business status is off. We sympathize with our present officers, because they cannot present to us the betide splendor of their predecessors, but when they shall have retired from office we hope their record will show a better summing up of common sense; a qualification that Goethe says “is bigger than all philosophy.”
Rev. C. A. Behringer of Swedesboro, N. J., after a short visit to Milton friends, returned to his home on Thursday. On Wednesday previous Mr. Behringer took a sailboat ride on Lake Fanganzyki and getting into a shallow place the boat ran on a stump beneath the water and stuck. The navigator, not being proficient in handling the craft, remained in his uncomfortable position for an hour waiting for the tide to rise. (The tide don’t rise and fall in Lake Fanganzyki). However, he got home after a while.
Schooner James A. Carey is again a Milton Dock, being overhauled.
The First Quarterly Conference of this conference year will be held at the M. E. Church on next Saturday morning the 29 inst.
James H. Prettyman is building a commodious stable on his lot on Chestnut Street.
C. E. Bacon has his new building about ready for the plastering.
In some parts of our town the birds are in the habit of roosting in the shade trees overnight and the next morning the front pavements and porch steps present a sight enough to tempt the anathemas of even a Christian housewife.
The folly of our people and the writer included is always demonstrated when an automobile comes to town. When a strange one comes, which was the case last week, and stops, in five minutes twenty-five or more people are congregated around it and the chauffeur, in curiosity and the other fellows think the Milton people never saw the like before. “’Tis ever thus.” There are automobiles in Milton. The people know what they are. Then why–?
Some of our colored populations, under the bosship of John Wesley Derrickson, have gone to Bridgeville to pick strawberries.
Captain George Hunter and wife Greenwood visitors on Thursday, and Milford visitors on Friday.
Rev. Mr. McGilton preached a special sermon to the veterans of the Civil War on Sunday at the M. E. Church.
Mrs. Josephine Wilson, widow of the late Wingate Wilson, died at the home of her son, James W. Wilson, near Robbins Station, of general debility on Wednesday, May 19th, 1909, aged 79 years 9 months and 18 days. Funeral at McColley’s Chapel at ten o’clock Saturday morning. Interment in the cemetery adjoining the church. Rev. Johnson of Lewes officiating, Samuel J. Wilson & Son funeral directors.
Mrs. Laura C. Harrison, wife of James Harrison, daughter of the late George W. Williams, died at her home in Philadelphia on Friday May 21st, 1909, aged [..]. Funeral at Lincoln City at 12 o’clock on Tuesday. Interment in the Lincoln Cemetery. Rev. James Carroll officiating. S. J. Wilson & Son funeral directors.
Mrs. Sara L. Matthews, wife of James Matthews, died at her home near Georgetown on Thursday May 20th, 1909 of heart disease, aged 38 years. Funeral at Cokesbury M. E. Church at 11 o’clock on Sunday, interment at the Mies T. Messick Cemetery, near Bridgeville. Rev. G S. Thomas of Georgetown officiating. S. J. Wilson & Son funeral directors.
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[i] Quotation from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 2; in modern terms, this would be interpreted as “Let the guilty wince.”
[ii] This may be a corruption of a popular catch phrase of the 19th century: “Jones, he pays the freight.” The expression is attributed to the Jones of Binghamton Corporation, a manufacturer of scales, and appeared on their advertising starting around 1877. The phrase was intended to convey the message that any quoted price for one of the company’s products was all-inclusive, and there were no hidden charges.