May 12, 1911

On the morning following the writing of our last communication, in which we, to a certain extent, eulogized the beauties of spring, there was ice plenty and frost galore. About three o’clock on that morning, the heaters in the Chandler peach orchard were fired, and burned until after day. The orchard at present is supposed to be in good condition. The trees are in leaf, and the voting peaches are making their appearance. The weather has again moderated to a spring temperature, and it is hoped there may be no further occasion to fear danger to the fruit crop. Notwithstanding the cool temperature, the past week has developed a phenomenal change in all things around us. The apple blossoms are particularly lovely; their clusters would challenge the pencil of an Apelles[i] to paint their beauty. In the lovely springtime the apple blossoms recall to me a reminiscence that may not be pertinent to myself alone.

“The apple blossoms kissed her hair
The daisies prayed her wreathe them;
Ah, me! The blossoms still are there,
But she lies deep beneath them.

Yet when the white-robed priest speaks low
And bids me think of heaven:
I always hear the breezes blow
The apple trees at even.”[ii]

The ploughing season is at its height, and possibly may be over during the present week.

Thomas Nelson Page - Wikipedia
Thomas Nelson Page, undated photo )Wikipedia)

Miss Lillian Cade is having her property on North Union Street repainted by the Smith Brothers. The color of the body of the building is a deep orange with trimmings suitably matched; and reflects much credit on the artistic taste of the designer.

A portion of North Front Street was repaired last week, by the town supervisor and his men. At the farthest end of Lavinia Street drivers of teams are cutting the sidewalks ail to pieces by driving thereon. They have just as much right to drive on the sidewalks of Federal, Chestnut, any other street within the incorporate limits of town, as upon Lavinia Street. Town Connell should see to this matter immediately

C. E. Thackery has a large contract for plumbing in Millsboro; consisting in putting up tanks, driving pumps, piping, etc.

Joseph 8. King has been reappointed constable for this district.

The season for hunting turtle eggs opened last week. We believe the legislature didn’t pass any law prohibitive of this industry last winter. Yet we have not heard of any very large finds being made.

Mrs. Elizabeth Fowler and daughter, of Philadelphia, are the guests of their parents. Constable and Mrs. King.

H. K. Wagamon, miller, received a car load of wheat from the middle west last week.

Mrs. John H. Fisher and Miss Eunice Morgan, of Philadelphia, are visiting their father, B P. Morgan, who is partly convalescing from an attack of paralysis, received two weeks since.

In consequence of the increased acreage in peas contracted for, the Royal Packing Company is putting in another huller, in anticipation of a big crop.

A Washington vaudeville company entertained at School Hall on Thursday evening to a small audience.

Postmaster Black has received instructions from the post office department, to count and classify all mail matter received and dispatched from the office during the month of May. Another grumble has already gone up from the patrons of the office, on account of the time they have to wait for their mail. A good plan is not to go and hanker around the office, but to stay at home until you think the mail is changed, then go and get it.

An adjourned Quarterly Conference of the M. P. Church is called for Saturday evening, the 13th. Amongst other business to be transacted, is a decision to be made whether or not a camp meeting shall be held at Lavinia this summer. Come out.

Lots of shad, herring and trout last week.

Children’s Day services will be held at the M. P. Church the last Sunday in June.

Next Sunday, the 14th, will be “Mothers Day,” when a white carnation should be worn.

English sparrows are playing havoc with the young pea vines. “Raus mit dem!”[iii]

J. T. Davidson has the boart he has contracted to build for Captain Potter, of Lewes, “laid down,” and is now at work on the moulds.

W. W. Conwell has commenced to build a front building on his farm near town, 16×24 feet. He has moved the present one back; dug a cellar under it —this is correct—and has the foundation laid for the front building, including front bay window. Joseph Wiltbank is the architect. Mr. Conwell has the pole in the ground for a telephone line, connecting his building with the main line at the end of Milton Lane. In process of time Mr. Conwell expects to have a trolley track connecting his office with his home.

On Thursday the Milton Fishing Company shipped nine barrels of fine trout to Baltimore, and on Saturday twenty barrels more. The fish were caught from the beach in boats, barreled at the dock, and shipped from the depot by train.

The Milton colored schools closed Tuesday, the 2nd inst., and the white schools will close June 2nd.

Fred Welch, of Philadelphia, was a Milton visitor last week.

Dogwoods are in flower, and their white blossoms shining through the wood, relieve a monotony that is often apparent earlier in the season.

The funeral of James K. P. Jefferson on Friday, was largely attended from Milton to Reynold’s Church, where the obsequies were solemnized and the remains inhumed. There were twenty carriages in the cortege.

The Corn Cob Trust appears to have “absquatulated.”[iv] We see a man on Saturday carrying his on his shoulder.

The young people are enthusiastic over their organ fund. The proposed pipe organ, it is said, will cost $2,000. Half of the fund is already subscribed. There are 1038 persons in Milton—men, women and children, black and white—so make your calculation how much this will be per capita, and go “pony” up at once if you like.

There are repairs being made around the Pennewill property on Broad Street.

Miss Elsie King, having finished teaching school at Rehoboth City, has returned to Milton, her home.

On Friday evening Elmer Dickerson, had burnt the remaining brush, etc, from the tract of land just across Lake Fanganzyki, opposite town; the principal wood from which has been burnt into charcoal. It was a free fire, let loose; and burnt all over the tract at once; and although dangerous, it presented a picturesque scene from the town, from where its grandeur was viewed with awe.

The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was administered at both of the Methodist churches on Sunday morning.

The wheat fields near town are looking splendid, in the judgment of admirers of natural beauty.

Captain George A. Goodwin made a business trip to New York this week.

The pastor of the M. E. Church has organized a “Teachers Training Class” which will meet on Tuesday evening of each week in the church.

Mabel Bernice Bell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Bell, colored, died on Sunday morning of typhoid, aged 6 months and 12 days. Funeral services were held on Tuesday afternoon at the A. M. E. Church, in North Milton, by the Rev. Blackston, and interment made in Bethel Cemetery, near town, by J. R Atkins,

C. G. Waples has had trimmed the beautiful shade trees in front of his residence—the late ex-Gov. Ponder Mansion—on Federal street.

Another of the promoters of the proposed steamboat line between this place and Philadelphia, came to town on Monday evening to look over the situation. He returned on the Tuesday noon train. Mr.  Reichman thinks conditions are favorable for the proposed line; and a final decision whether we shall have the boat may be made at the next meeting of the Philadelphia Company, which takes place on next Friday evening.


[i] Apelles of Kos (370 – 306 BCE), a renowned painter of ancient Greece.

[ii] These are the 5th and 7th verses of the poem The Apple Trees at Even from the collection The Novels, Stories, Sketches and Poems of Thomas Nelson Page published by Scribners in 1908. Page was an American lawyer and writer who popularized a style of writing called “plantation genre.” He also served as U. S. ambassador to Italy from 1913 to 1919.

[iii] German, loosely translating to “Get rid of them [the English sparrows]!”

[iv] Left abruptly