“Trust no future howe’er pleasant
Let the dead past bury its dead
Act, act in the living present
Heart within and God o’er head.”[i]
There is a class of people who always live in the future, demonstrating the oft repeated adage “Man never is but always to be blest.” This class of individuals might be tolerated but for their flippancy; which, by the way, is only equaled by their ignorance and imbecility. If anything of a character is to be done, they are to the front, to advise and dictate but never a cent to put into it. It is repeated that Napoleon once said “God is on the side of the strongest battalions.” (We don’t believe Napoleon ever said so.) And this is the way these flippant persons pose; they want to be “on the side of the strongest battalions.” If their brain were commensurate with their desire for prominence then indeed would they stand above their fellow morons. Mont Blanc, or the Matterhorn towers above the lesser peaks of the Alps. But having no prestige, and devoid of brain enough to form any for themselves according to all the logic of events, they must necessarily slip into the oblivion from which they came. Off in positions which by nature and education they are incompetent to fit, they pander to the diction of others then for favoritism, receiving as compensation that help they cannot furnish in genius, and by the means are enabled to continue in office, or power or position, where they may slur their superiors, and tirade them with impunity. We do not have to judge man by his exogenous appearances; it is the mental acumen that counts.
“Pigmies are pigmies yet, though perched on Alps,
And pyramids are pyramids in vales,
Time is its own level, builds itself.
Virtue alone outbuilds the pyramids,
Her ornaments shall stand, when Egypt’s fall.”[ii]
And so with the persons whose mental perspicacity is so obtuse, that if an idea were to flash across their brains—if they have any—it would crack their skull as though it were a cap on a pistol. Pigmies will be pigmies; and Billingsgate is Billingsgate[iii]; the patois of the low and ignorant and the nomenclature of the gamins of the street.
Since the establishment of new business places in town, Chestnut Street has in a measure taken the place that Federal Street before occupied in travel, by the people of the town. This is brought about in the wise: The post office is on the corner of Wharton and Chestnut Streets; C. H. Atkins’ large store is on a corner of Mill and Chestnut Streets, and C. A. Conner’s and Black & Lingo’s stores are at the foot of Chestnut Street. And in going to the post office, and these business places, this is the street that must be traveled.
Mrs. A. G. Raught, and son Roland are visiting in New York.
On the excursion train and regular noon and evening trains over two hundred passengers went to Lewes on Wednesday to witness the unveiling of the Devries monument. Many more went down the Broadkiln in boats of various descriptions.
Richard Reynolds of Chincoteague has been the guest of J. B. Welch and Prof. Fearing and family. He returned to his home on Saturday.
George Watson has made an improvement to his home at Sleepy Valley.
An arc light has been put at the corner of Front and Federal Streets.
William Maull has bought out the blacksmith business of William Faulkner; and William Stephens has purchased the wheelwright business of James Wright. Both of these men who were victims of the late fire took possession of their purchases and went to work on Monday, at the corner of Chestnut and Atlantic Streets, south Milton.
James Palmer has removed with his family into the property vacated by Lemuel Hartman on Broad Street.
The president of the Maryland Annual Conference will preach at the M. P. Church on Sunday October 10th.
District Superintendent Rev. W. K. Lord representing the Delaware Branch of the Children’s Home Society of New Jersey preached in the interest of his work, at the M. P. Church on Sunday morning and at the M. E. Church on Sunday evening.
Damer Reynolds one of the Milton barbers left on Monday to take charge of a business in Dover. John Magee will continue the business is Mr. Reynolds place.
B. F. Gray has sold to James J. Carey a 50 acre farm near Weigand Chapel, and has bought of Louis J. Carey a tract of land in Cave Neck containing 250 acres and known as the “Paynter Farm,” for $4500 cash.
Supervisor of the streets Mustard has been making some repairs to north Union Street this week.
Fred Welch of Philadelphia has sold his property on North Union Street, near the bridge, to Mrs. Mary Fields for $800.00.
Captain C. F. Lacey has put a metallic roof on his property on Federal Street.
Near the suburbs of town there is plenty of good corn, upon which the fodder is yet green. In the old peach orchard on the farm of W. H. Chandler, where the stumps were pulled up last winter, the corn and fodder appear to be extraordinary; but we don’t wonder at this, as Thomas Spencer is bossing things around that form.
Ground has been broken on Chestnut Street for the building of a residence for Edward Calhoun; on a lot recently purchased by the Misses Nora and Edith Calhoun.
Tomatoes, while not reaching the height of a glut, have been plentiful during the past week, and the work was such that all the canneries were cleaned up on Saturday night. On Monday at noon they were obliged to commence again, and on Monday afternoon there was as much or more of a rush at the Goodwin cannery than there has been during the season. This is partly due to the quantity that is coming to this cannery from about Nassau, Five Points and other places in Rehoboth, the nearest market since the burning of the Nassau cannery.
The Milton colored schools will open on Monday October 4th, with Miss Jennie Raer or Wrightsville, Pa., as principal. The assistant has not been engaged at this time.
C. R. Megee of Georgetown Hundred has moved into the property of Captain G. E. Megee on Walnut Street.
The typhoid has been eliminated without any fatal results and the general health of the town is good, so say the physicians.
In the Milton Times of last week Mayor Jones states the position of Town Council in regard to its action of revising the “building ordinances.” In this article Mayor Jones uses language concise and mediocre[iv], and shows himself to be a gentleman, confirming our preconceived opinion of the man personally. Let the rebuilding of the burnt district be done! Build it of brick, concrete or stone, if you can; but build it! And hold the business population of our town, at least until the taking of the next census. It really looks now as though something were going to be done. It is stated that James Palmer has the plans and specifications drawn for a block of buildings to contain five stores and a bank. William Mears is reported to be asking for bids for a dwelling and a store house. The above are rumors only, to the writer. S. J. Wilson & Son will build on their burnt corner a building fronting on Front Street 40 ft. and on Federal Street 54 ft. The parties have not yet decided whether they will build two or three stories. This is official; and the building is to be used as an undertaking and furniture emporium. James Ponder, Esq. of Wilmington was in town on Monday and gave seven feet of his land which extends from the bridge along Union Street nearly to Front Street, and is within the burnt district, to the town for the purpose of widening the former street. He also sold to C. A. Conner a piece of ground 41 feet fronting on Union Street, and extending back 68 feet on a part of which one of Mr. Conner’s stores was located. Consideration $1500.00. Mr. Conner will build a storehouse on this piece of land 44 ft. front by 60 ft., back and commence the work as soon as he can make a contract. He expects to have the building completed and ready for occupancy by Christmas. This is official. As we are not dealing in futures, we cannot say how these buildings will look “when completed.” But should we still be here when they are completed—and we hope we may—we will tell the distant reader then how they look. That will be time enough, won’t it.
Sarah J. Welch, relict of Nathaniel Welch, died at the home of her son-in-law, at Lincoln on Friday, aged 76 years. Funeral was held at her late residence on Sunday afternoon, by the Rev. Cockran and interment made in the Lincoln Cemetery by S. J. Wilson & Son.
—————————————
[i] Quotation from Verse 6, A Psalm of Life, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
[ii] From The Complaint, Night VI, by Dr. Edward Young (1683 – 1765); this long poem made the author famous, but his reputation suffered from a perception that he lacked sincerity, and he became obscure by the 19th century.
[iii] Foul, abusive, vulgar language; derived from a London fish market notorious for its bad smell
[iv] This is an odd choice of wording, as mediocre has a negative connotation and Conner is generally lauding Mayor Jones.