July 15, 1904

Why is it that some people antagonize everything that is undertaken for public or private good of for the amusement of the boys and girls, is inexplicable. There are a few chronic grumblers in this town, who are masters of their trade. Nothing pleases them and they please nobody. They are opposed to everything that is undertaken for the community, merely for the sake of being contrary. Ad it is not only matters of public interest that they oppose, but they even stoop to censure the little boys and girls for playing on the streets, forgetting, perhaps, their own little escapades when they were young. Surely, their approval or disapproval are matters of perfect indifference to the community, as they are known to speak favorably of nothing, or no one. Part of these may be attributed to their senility and dotage, the rest to inexcusable cussedness brought on by practice. They have a morbid disposition, super adduced by moroseness that leads them to even insult ladies, as well as gentlemen.

Their surliness would lead one to believe they are in a moribund condition and would like to prolong life by invectives on the public, and by black guarding private individuals. Now does the reader think we’re out of our bearings in writing the above? Certainly the people of Milton understand us although we may not be so explicit, as though we addressing “the wayfaring man though a fool.”[i]

The dispositions we speak of are certainly courted, as observation proves and thought and observation combining lead us to believe this disease is cumulative, and where no effort is made on the part of the diseased to overcome it, it becomes chronic, and the only pleasure of the victims sees is in maligning something or someone.

The number of kittens and half grown cats seen around town these mornings is causing Town Council to seriously consider the advisability of placing a sentinel on guard at night, at each of the highways entering town, to search all teams for cats and prevent the country people from unloading kittens in Milton.

Two Sundays ago a lad was playing with a young lady who had a bottle of ink in her hand. By some mishap the stopper came out and the ink was spilled all over the breast and front of a fine white dress made expressly for camp meeting purposes, ruining it completely. The lady has the sincere condolences of the community in this her sad bereavement.

It is really dangerous for ladies—and we may add gentlemen—to go on excursion on the Queen Anne’s railroad to Rehoboth. Only last week there was a Negro riot on the return train, and a gentleman from Milton was compelled to take his wife and himself into the baggage car for safety. Many other ladies had to seek the same shelter, and the […] was burst open.

Misses Mayme and Laura Conner are visiting friends in Frederica.

A part of Lavinia’s camp meeting came down on the steamer last week.

Captain John Coverdale and wife are visiting the former’s father and sister.

Miss Mary Fisher of Philadelphia is the guest of friends in town.

[…] is quite ill at his home on Union Street, north.

It would hardly be expected a respectable company doing business through the state would invade a town and commence its business without first obtaining a franchise from the town; yet the Diamond State Telephone Company sent its employees to Milton last week who began at the extreme limit of Union, north, to excavate for the settlement of its poles. Town council stopped the work pending the meeting of the board to be held that evening and notified the workmen to fill up the holes already dug. The council met and decided to tax the company 20¢ for each pole and give the privilege of putting the polls on the sidewalks next to the curbing, provided the property-holder consented. The terms were agreed to and agreements signed on Monday evening, and the work was resumed on Tuesday.

An infant child of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Robinson died on Monday evening and was interred at Milford on Tuesday morning.

Miss Bertha Wagamon of Dagsboro is the guest of her uncle and aunt.

A reunion of the members of the New Market Church will take place next Sunday the 17th inst. Preaching both morning and afternoon.

Mr. R. W. Ellicott, of Philadelphia, came to Milton on Saturday with his pretty naphtha launch. She is a fine looking little boat, nicely fitted up for pleasure and enjoyment along the water courses, at a cost of $3.000. On Sunday Mr. Ellicott took ex-State Treasurer C. H. Atkins and wife to the sunny sphere of the Broadkiln, and on Monday, bade adieu to Milton for a time.

Postmaster Black was taken quite ill on Thursday evening and was unable to attend to his official duties the remainder of the week. He is now convalescing and able to be in his office. During his illness the office was in charge of his daughter, Mrs. Lydia.

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[i] Paraphrasing of Old Testament, Isaiah 35:8, “And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.”