April 16, 1909

Ice and rain were plainly visible on Saturday morning last and during the day several snow squalls occurred. Easter dawned clear and cool, with the wind north east and though the sun shone brightly through the day, the atmosphere was decidedly uncomfortable. In commemoration of a risen Saviour appropriate services were held in all the churches, and the congregations were abnormally large. Some disappointment was manifest at so few Easter hats being present, but this was forgotten in the general éclat of the surroundings. The Chancel of the M. E. Church was beautifully decorated with exotics, and not flowers, and the music was superb, a violinist being added to the orchestra for the occasion. Rev. McGilton preached a fine sermon on the resurrection; and not an old stereotyped one trying to prove the accepted fact that Christ is “risen indeed,” but one of verity, and consolation which was a comfort to many believing hearts. At the evening service an Easter program was rendered by the Sunday School children.

The little bull terrier that W. W. Conwell paid $10 for, for his son “Clark,” was shot by bailiff Mustard on Wednesday of last week. The dog acted funny and was supposed to be developing rabies. Mr. Conwell was not at home at the time but he does not care for the loss of the amount paid for the pup when weighed in the balance of possibilities, results, and possibly human life.

Tax Collector Mustard advertises he will attend at the National Bank on certain days to receive town taxes. This will be nice Johnny but some tax collectors have had trouble in collecting town taxes by calling on the people. The people calling on the town collector will be something new and may be all right.

The Milton Public Schools were closed on Good Friday, and also on Easter Monday. The principal went to his home at Delmar on Saturday and returned on Monday.

Mrs. Ellie Lambert of New York, representing the W. C. T. U., will lecture on Monday evening the 19th, at the M. E. Church. Those who like to hear a woman on the lecture platform may have their intellectual taste gratified by attending. Mrs. Lambert is one of the finest woman speakers we ever heard, and we are by no means partial to platform orators in skirts.

The hearts of all of the intelligence of Milton are in unison in their sympathy with the afflicted Milton family whose parental sorrow is almost unbearable and beyond human aid; yet there is an alleviation in the happy consciousness of unintentional wrong, which must go far to cheer the parents hearts, and lead them to the knowledge that there are things that occur in this existence over which they, or we (the parents) can possibly have no control.

At a meeting of Town Council, last week, it was voted that three more electric lights shall be put in town, viz: One at the south end of Chestnut Street, near the R. R. station; one on Federal south; and the other on Union Street, north. Indeed we don’t know how many lights we have in town, but we will collude and colligate with the new mayor, and let our distant friends know “pretty soon.”

Peter P. Welch, who with Mrs. Welch has been spending the winter at Montclair, N. Jl., is home for a time. Mr. Welch is undecided whether to remain in Milton during the summer or to return to Montclair.

Josiah Culver, who has been in Jefferson Hospital for treatment, returned home last week. Mr. Culver is yet in feeble health.

John J. Morris, corner Mulberry and Broad Streets, has taken away his front fence and run a brick curbing in lieu thereof; a parterre will ornament the enclosure.

The Manship property on Chestnut Street has had some repairs, and a new curbing in front of the yard.

Martin Chandler’s bean poles are of an extraordinary height. It will be necessary to use a high step ladder to gather the bean; if there should be one.

The drama Under the Laurels will be rendered by local talent in School Hall, on Thursday evening the 22nd inst. Proceeds for the benefit of the M. P. Church.

We are glad to note that U. S. Senator Richardson was not at Georgetown last week, but was represented by his secretary. We are also glad to believe we are not mistaken in thinking Senator Richardson has too much good sense to put himself on public exhibition for political purposes.

Some young men, representatives of both of the Methodist Churches, were engaged in religious services on the streets on Thursday evening, and propose to keep it up each Thursday evening when the weather is favorable indefinitely—a kind of Salvation Army, in miniature.

The much expected debate on the consolidation of rural schools took place in School Hall on Friday evening. The debaters were Prof. John Brooks, affirmative; G., W. Jones, negative. The judges were Rev. A. C. McGilton, Captain Frank Lacey and N. W. White. The question was decided affirmatively. An admission of ten cents was charged, and nineteen dollars was realized.

In justice to the many who have expressed their opinion to us, we must say, the decision of the question was not satisfactory to anyone whom we have heard express an opinion, Had Mr. Jones thought as many do, he should have […] from the decision of the judges and put a vote for the decision before the house.

On last Friday the pear orchard of Thomas Spencer was nearly in full bloom, looking much like a field of cotton with its bolls bursted. On Monday this same orchard looked, at a distance, as though a fire had run through it and seared the pretty prospects of two days ago.

Charles H. Atkins, who came home from Lewes last week, suffering from pneumonia, is convalescing at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. D. T. Atkins.

Miss Edith Wilson, of Philadelphia, is spending Easter with her mother.

A small single story house, near the southern suburb of town, was burned to the ground about midnight of Saturday. It was owned by Wm. Mason, and occupied by one Oscar, a colored man. Nothing is known of the origin of the fire. Oscar said, “I waked up and it was too warm and I got out.

The Milton colored schools will close on Thursday the 15th.

Bill B. Carey, who has been afflicted with paralysis, […] continues to grow worse and his death may be expected at any time.

Rev. Martin Damer has been appointed by Bishop […], rector of St. George’s Church, in Indian River Hundred.

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…consider that while a newspaper correspondent is considered religious, there are three churches in our town and it is impossible for us to be in attendance at all, at the same time. Therefore we are obliged in order to get up a newsy letter to depend on information received from other sources, rather than by observation. And sometime our information may be incorrect; or in a different manner than we would have seen it, had we been there.

At an official meeting of the members of the P. E. Church held on Monday evening it was resolved to reduce the vestry from nine members to seven: T. H. Douglass was elected Senior Warden and John Ponder, Junior Warden. The other vestry men are Thomas Wilson, Peter P. Welch, Robert Vaughan, C. E. Bacon, and Dr. J. A. Hopkins. By a unanimous vote of the newly elected vestry the Rev., J, L. McKim of Milford was invited to become rector of the parish of St. John Baptist.

Robert C. Hazzard died in Lewes on Monday morning, of general disability, aged 75 years, Funeral at late residence on Thursday afternoon and buried at M. E. Cemetery in Lewes. Rev. Mosby performed the funeral obsequies, and S. J. Wilson & Son inhumed the body.