November 3, 1905

To him who in the love of Nature holds
Communion with her visible forms, she speaks
A various language.[i]

“Look at us now!” so say the grasses, the trees, and the dying verdure in their last throes of dissolution! In the spring time we have watched the buds swelling and bursting into life, we have seen the little petals shoot forth from their corollas and evolve into their destined element; we have watched these in all their delightful phantasmagoria, until they have faded and died. It is the same with the sturdy trees of the forest, as with the shrubbery of the garden. They all alike are now going and one cannot but exclaim as he views their dying grandeur: “how beautiful! How beautiful!” The trees are shedding their leaves, the “squirrel eyes the chestnut browning, “and the acorns and the nuts are falling in the forest nearby. “All seasons have their own,” and Mrs. Hemans aptly says, “Leaves have their time to fall.” And they are falling now, and have been for some time, much to the disgust of the busy housewife who has to sweep her front pavement many times a day, and then cannot keep it clean of the insulting leaves. Yet, it appears we are not generous. We have at the mired the beauty of the leaves when they were young; we have enjoyed it cooled shade during the hot days of summer, and can we not when they have become old and useless give them a decent resting place either by cremation or otherwise ? After we have enjoyed all they can give, we grumble because they have become old and are in the way. A fit emblem of humanity. In the majority of cases that children use their parents only “as steppingstones to hire thanks. “And when they have reached the pinnacle of their desires, or the parent has become of no more used to that, they kick him down his day would a ladder by which they have reached their acme. They have no more use for him, and in many cases their chief desire is to get rid of him as soon as possible. This is the way of the world, and those who lived long enough find it true, to their sorrow.

At the late Sunday school convention held in Milton, less than one-half of those who reported for entertainment[ii] attended; and several families who had made preparation for visitors were disappointed. This is not right. When a person notifies an officer that he or she will attend a certain meeting, and asks to be remembered on the entertainment list, they rest satisfied that they will be attended to, and if they cannot come themselves they should send representatives.

Mrs. Wallace Smith left on Saturday for West Point, Va., where she will spend the winter with her husband Captain Smith.

Rev. R. T. Coursey made a hurried trip to Baltimore on Friday, returning on Saturday.

Warren Savage, formerly of near Milton, died in Philadelphia on Thursday. The remains were brought to Ellendale on Saturday and there met by S. J. Wilson and carried to Oakley, where the funeral services were held in the M. P. Church, and the body deposited in the cemetery nearby.

The remains of Harry E., the thirteen-months-old son of Dr. W. H. And Mary C. Dashiell, who was interred in the M. E. Cemetery in 1881, were exhumed this week by S. J. Wilson & Son and shipped to Quantico, Md., for re-interment.

Miss Mary Fisher, of Philadelphia, is the guest of Mrs. L. B. Chandler and other friends.

Cornelius M. Waples has returned from a visit to South Western Iowa.

C. C. Davidson has resumed work on the yacht he has under construction.

Schooner Golden Rule, laden with piling, is sunk near scolds landing.

Lemuel Hartman and wife made a visit to Baltimore and Shrewsboro, Pa., last week.

Charles Davidson has rented the meat market lately occupied by Joseph Fields, deceased, and is engaged in selling beef. There’s plenty of beef now for sale in Milton, and people need not starve for want of something to eat, provided, they have the money to buy it.

Conductor John T. Covell and wife–father and mother of Mrs. R. T. Coursey–are visiting the Rev. R. T. and Mrs. Coursey.

J. M. Lank, trust officer of the S. S. T. T. and D. Co., has purchased of Mrs. Samuel Fowler, her property on Walnut Street.

Mr. Rogers, wife and son, of Frederica, were the guests of ex-State Treasurer and Mrs. Atkins on Sunday.

The next quarterly conference of the M. E. Church will be held on Friday evening, the 16th inst. Presiding Elder Morgan will preach on Sunday evening the 12th inst. A collection was taken on Sunday to purchase the new hymnals recommended by the “powers that be” at the M. E. Church, and amounted to about $25.00. It is the intention of the minister to purchase 100 books at a cost of $50.00. The books are not to be taken from the church but to be used by the congregation in the church.

Robert Vaughn, of Philadelphia, has bought of Mrs. Elwood Goodes, her property near the end of Milton lane. Consideration $450. Mr. Vaughn will remove to Milton than a few weeks, and Mrs. Elle good will remove to Quantico, Maryland.

Miss Fannie Leonard entertained a party of friends on Monday evening.

A “pie social” was held in the lower room of the Masonic hall on Halloween. Proceeds for the benefit of the M. P. Church.

The platform has been put in the P. E. Church for the benefit of the lately organized choir.

W. D. Derrickson, livery man, has removed into the property lately vacated by Fred Welch, on the corner of Union and Magnolia.

The protracted meeting at Zion is developing much spiritual interest. On Sunday evening the grandest time ever witnessed in the history of this church was seen. The altar was crowded with penitents. The meeting will continue through the present week.

No one appears to know just now how the case of the steamer Mary M. Vinyard stands. It develops that there are but few shares taken in Milton.

On Monday evening Mr. Wm. H. Draper, of Philadelphia, and Mrs. Effa J. Reed, were united in matrimony. The ceremony was performed at the M. E. parsonage by the Rev. R. T. Coursey.

The entertainment held on Monday evening by the Rev. C. A. Behringer and the young Misses of the P. E. Church was a social success. The music and dancing were tip-top; the games were delightful; and those who were present speak in glowing terms of the tout ensemble.

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[i] Quotation from the first three lines of the poem Thanatopsis, by William Cullen Bryant (1794 – 1878)

[ii] While it is rarely used in that sense today, entertainment here is equivalent to being provided with food and drink as a guest.