Since Christmas Day mechanical work of all kinds has been at a standstill in Milton. The few warm days that have seasoned the cold blast have been ushered in under conditions that have made it almost impossible to resume suspended jobs. Nature’s embargo has been recognized, willingly or unwillingly; and our dearest resolves, we have been compelled to subordinate to her stern decrees. With the snow and the cold was added a sleet on Thursday morning. It commenced to rain on Wednesday afternoon and in the evening it began to get slippery, as several can affirm who were out on that evening, and went home with slight bruises and cuts. And on Thursday morning the streets were at most impassable until about noon when it began to thaw.

On Saturday, two weeks since the snow storm, we were out in the woods walking. On this morning the snow was two feet deep to places at the country end of Lavinia Street. The snow would bear a person and it was fine walking on top of it. Beyond Lavinia bridge and opposite the wood numerous young pine and cedar trees are broken off and a part of the road is almost impassable. Levin Vaughn is the overseer of this road, and we are sure he will clean away these obstructions to travel when he becomes aware they exist. The storm has played havoc with young timber, and the woods and thickets in their present condition are a sight to behold, looking almost as though they had been mowed by artillery.

The lime “bully” Rambo may have met her fate. She was essentially a lime “bully” and suited to no other business. And no one but an Irishman is fir to command a lime “bully.” When Captain Rogers was skipper of the Rambo he made money for himself and the rest of the vessel’s owners; but since his death the Rambo has fallen into disrepute, got into debt, been several timed libeled by the United States Marshall, and finally was sold. She was bought by the Lofland Brothers, to put into the brick trade. During the recent storm the vessel was loaded with clay and bound for Philadelphia. The weather being unpropitious the vessel was made fast near the jetty, and the captain and crew went to their homes. During the storm that followed she broke loose and sank; and “like shooting stars never to rise again.” Subsequently the cargo being removed the old vessel was towed to near Green Island and left for the barnacles.

There is a small lot in north Milton, that was tiled the past year by someone, and the fodder is yet in the field in shocks, as it was put when gathered. Now the writer doesn’t know much about farming, and he doesn’t think the man who tilled that ground does either.

An elderly woman entered a drug store and asked for five cents worth of matrimony. The druggist laughed, said he couldn’t help it. And the others in the store laughed also. But she hot what she came for—spirits of ammonia.

Squire Collins has completed the new building on his farm near town.

The small fire that occurred a week or more ago in the interior of a first class residence on Federal Street, was unnoticed by us because the owner and occupant wished nothing said about it. Thus we were informed. But why should anyone wish such a matter be kept secret? A fire occurring in a building does not necessarily prove negligence on the part of the occupants. And if the fire had assumed a serious nature, doubtless the occupant would have help to extinguish it. Then what is the good of secrecy?

The S. S. T. T. & D. Co. Bank has new curtains to its windows, or a very becoming style.

John C. Ellingsworth who has been confined to his home for several weeks is now able to be on the street again.

A few mornings ago we noticed Brittingham’s engine stationed on Broad Street, with steam up, and pulling away with no one near it. We could not tell what the object was. If it was to awaken the people thus early in the morning (8 o’clock), it should have been stationed farther down, and on Union Street.

[…] conversation with a friend on some unimportant subject he remarked, “It’s no use for you to try to reform the world, you can’t do it.” And this man contributes his money to the support of the ministry, and to all courses for the amelioration of the condition of mankind; eleemosynary and others. And yet says “It’s no use to try to reform the world.” I asked him what for he desist using the language of the foreign.

On Wednesday evening the young ladies of the M. E. Church held a “Tag Party” at the residence of Mrs. Carrie Johnson, on Federal Street.

The Delaware Telephone Company has installed the exchange station in one of the upper rooms of C. A. Conner’s new building on Front and Union Streets. The remaining upper room will be occupied by C. G. Waples as a private office and E. K. Collins Justice of the Peace and Notary public.

Workmen have commenced to remove the old building, lately purchased by David Dutton, on the corner of Mulberry and Lavinia Street. The building will be removed farther down Lavinia Street, and a new one will be built where it formerly stood.

On account of the prospect of a continuance of bad weather, the extra services that were to have commenced at the M. P. Church on last Sunday evening have been held over until further notice.

William Warren, who has {C. A.] Conner’s Hall rented for the year for a Moving Picture Show, gave a dance hall on Friday evening; and the owner of the […] was pretty wrothy over it. The Hall was not rented for a “drinking room,” a “gambling room” not a “dance hall.” Waiving the critical question of the dance, we are authorized to state there will be no more held in that Hall.

On Sunday when an unmarried man entered the M. E. Church at the morning service and was about to take his place in the pew, he took off [his] overcoat, when a lady’s long glove dropped from his pocket. A lady behind him picked it up and handed it to him. When this was related to me, said I, “Where did he get the glove?””—“O, he hung his coat up at his boarding house, and the glove was put into jis pocket by mistake.”—“O, yes, I see.”

Stephen Pulmore, aged nearly 75 years, and a veteran of the Civil War, was admitted into the Soldiers’ Home at Hampton, Va., last October. He is now back in Milton on a sixty day furlough, looking extremely well. Steve likes the place.

William Morris of near town is confined to his home with pneumonia.

The aged sick of town are all improving, or holding their own.

The ice harvesters have their houses all filled.

Mr. Stevenson of Smyrna, a representative of the I. O. H. Organization[i], visited Milton Council No. 44 on Tuesday evening.

Edwin P. Johnson left on Wednesday to do a job of railroading at Havre de Grace, Md.

The remains of Dr. Joseph A. McFerran, who died at Laurel on Friday, were brought to Milton on the noon train of Tuesday, and after the reading of the burial services of the M. P. Church, deposited in the M. E. Cemetery. Dr. McFerran removed from Philadelphia to Milton a few years ago and after residing here for about a year, removed to Laurel. Deceased was 86 years of age.

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[i] International Order of Heptasophs