February 28, 1908

It appears to the writer that the folly of today amongst parents is to shield their children from physical labor, and put them in counting houses or in the professions. Twenty years ago a western editor wrote: “If every woman learns her daughter to trum a piano, and every man teaches his son to be a bookkeeper, in twenty years potatoes will be four dollars a bushel.” Half of that time has elapsed now. Parents, as a rule, mean well toward their children; and, in this day, many of them break down all the barriers of precedents, and no matter what their lives have been, want to make their children ladies and gentlemen. Can we blame them? Nay: Verily! Yet; it appears to the writer there are matters to be studied, in assimilation if you please. For instance: adaptation. We can recall, yea; how we know young men whose parents were of the yeoman life—and by this term we mean no aspersion to the yeoman, but we use it to designate from mechanic, etc.—given a good send-off educationally. They are in good positions and come home periodically to see pater and mater familias. But what are they? Making money! Broken in health! Good natured fellows! But weak, emaciated, and when they walk, they walk like men, or rather boys, who have the rickets. Boys and girls aspire to an easy life, Parental control while considered by many only nominal, reach far beyond. The world rises by the mental caliber of its populace, but physical caliber is necessary, or we shall become a nation of […].

The S. S. T. T. & D. Co., of this town, have been appointed guardians for the […] children of George Abbott, deceased,

The ladies will hold a festival in Masonic Hall on Saturday evening, March 5th, to raise funds to organize a brass band. All the delicacies of the season will be served.

Wilmer Hunter, rural mail carrier from Harbeson, recently had a horse to fall on the ice and break a leg.

H. T. Davidson has secured the contract previously mentioned, to build two large scows, for Philadelphia parties. The boats will be eighty feet long and most of the lumber will be sent from Philadelphia. It is expected to be on the dock in sixty days.

The Anderson Cannery, that was purchased last year by B. Frank Walls, for the Royal Packing Company, will not be moved as was intended; Anderson & Co. will conduct it this coming season as heretofore.

The canners are now ready to contract for tomatoes at 12 cents a basket.

Wagamon Brothers have just completed putting in new and up-to-date flour improvements in their mill, situated on Lake Fanganzyki from which it is intended soon to harness the power that lights Milton by electricity. Wagamon Brothers have always made a superior grade of flour and the new improvements introduced put this mill on an equality with any city mill.

Washington’s Birthday passed off similarly with other days. Only the banks were closed.

A cat that was hors du combat around one of the stores in town was given the Osler remedy[i]. It was efficacious.

Miss Mary Welch, after an absence of two months, returned to resume her position as sales lady at Wanamaker’s on Monday.

We note, from the Frederica letter that Col. J. C. Darby has celebrated another birthday. The Colonel, as well as D. A. C., is “getting there,” and someday the Frederica correspondent will chronicle a different fate.

John Crouch, shoe and harness maker, et all, went fishing in the Broadkiln on Monday morning; he and “Frankie,” they got the revolver. Frankie brought it up with a boat hook and Mr. Crouch took the revolver from the boat hook. Of course Mr. Crouch didn’t know where the revolver came from.

Mr. Vincent Walls and Miss Nellie Hitchens were married at Georgetown on Sunday evening. They will reside in Milton.

Mrs. Zopher Johnson is reported to have had a stroke of paralysis.

A quartet of young desperadoes were arraigned before Squire Collins on Monday for stealing eggs. They were variously disposed of. One has left the state, one was discharged, a third was bailed for court and the fourth is under temporary bail, pending arrival of Mr. Stout, of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, when he will be disposed of. It is said these boys all had pistols and the one found in the river on Monday morning by John Crouch is supposed to have been thrown there by one of them.

The Times office has a new desk, and things have been rearranged internally, and look better,

The new instruments for the brass band have arrived and an organization will be effected tonight.

Captain Frank Lacey arrived in New York on Saturday and is expected home as soon as he can fix up the business pertaining to the lost vessel.[ii]

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[i] Sir William Osler, (1849 –1919) was a Canadian physician and one of the four founding professors of Johns Hopkins Hospital. Osler created the first residency program for specialty training of physicians, and he was the first to bring medical students out of the lecture hall for bedside clinical training. He has frequently been described as the “Father of Modern Medicine”. What is meant by “Osler’s remedy” in this case is not known. Source: Wikipedia

[ii] The lost vessel is the schooner Edward J. Berwind; the story of the loss of the ship and the rescue of the crew can be read in the February 21, 1908 issue of the Milton News letter.