November 10, 1911

William Howard Taft with his daughter.jpg
Helen Taft and father, President William Howard Taft, January 1, 1908 (Library of Congress)

“Women’s World” for October, contains an article written by James Hay, Jr., and purports to be the result of an interview with President Taft, and entitled: “An Exclusive Interview for ‘Women’s World.’ ” The subject matter is concerning “girls marrying.” We do not propose to discuss the subject, remarking, however, that if the President is quoted correctly, in the interview he discourages girls marrying until they are independent, and able to take care of themselves: and inferentially his view on the family subject are diametrically in conflict with the views of his predecessor. Col. Roosevelt. President Taft is quoted to have said amongst other matter: “To my two sons I shall leave only a good character, a good education, and a pride in themselves; but for my daugh1er I intend to scrape together as much as I can give her, and to train her in such a manner that she shall take in the great fact, that for the sake of her own happiness, she shall marry only when she chooses, and not because of circumstances.” Certainly, Miss Helen Taft with the small sum that President Taft may be able “to scrape together for my daughter,” may be enough to secure Miss Helen a Duke, a Count, or some other effeminate foreigner. But perhaps Miss Taft has as much good common sense as had Miss Alice Roosevelt, and will marry a man of her own country.[i] But why exclude the girl who is not dependent, from marrying? Now we suggest, if the President goes before the people in 1912 for re-election, he hold more interviews with magazine writers, on the subject of “girls marrying.” We also suggest that there be no plank incorporated in the Republican Platform of 1912, bearing on this subject. It would be dangerous, particularly in the States where women have the suffrage.

The happenings from which we make local news, are much like some person’s experience in a Methodist class meeting. “I have been trying to serve the Lord for a long time, off and on, but most of the time off,” etc. So with local news; it is “off and on,” sometimes plenty and sometimes not so plenty. Last week we were surfeited, and on the day our letter was mailed, and after, other incidents occurred which we will now take up seriatim.

Hallowe’en was observed in Milton with decency and becoming respect to the rights of others. Hilarity and grotesque costumes were the characteristics. Many of the girl’s costumes were short. But “gaby” there was a hot time in the old town that night.

On November 1st, the three milk venders who deliver milk to consumers in town, raised the price of that luxury from six to eight cents a quart. Previous notice was given that this would be done on the date stated; and several of the patrons quit on or before the date. And those who quit taking the milk because the milk was “too high” are the persons supposed to have the most money, and the best able to buy milk or anything else. And that is the way to keep money—deprive yourself of all luxuries, live on two meals a day, and spend nothing. Many are doing this.

Fred Johnson, who formerly lived near town, has sold off all of his stock and farming implements, and removed to Philadelphia.

On Wednesday morning, November 1st, John H. Walls, of Mulberry Street, was mustered in the silent majority and has joined the eternal bivouac. Mr. Walls was 85 years, 1 month and 23 days old, and a pensioner of the Civil War at $20 per month. He had been in comparatively good health up to a few weeks ago, when a complication of ailments developed, dementia being one of them and the end soon came. Funeral services were held at Reynold’s M. P. Church on Friday afternoon by the Rev. Frank Holland, and the remains inhumed in the adjacent cemetery by J B. Atkins.

G. A. Wilson has opened a nice and cozy grocery store at the end of Milton Lane, or North Union Street, near Stevensonville.

Miss Hettie Reed has built an annex to her property on North Union Street.

Joseph Carey lost one of his valuable horses last week from an unknown cause.

The Christian Endeavor Society of the M. P. Church held a social in Masonic Temple on Hallowe’en evening, and realized about $18.

We beard on Saturday two men complimenting the weather of the past month, as being delightful for their work. This is a most unusual thing and deserves notice.

On Friday and Saturday mornings of last week there was ice, the first of the season.

Mrs. William Ingraham has sold her farm in Indian River district, and bought of James P. Pettyjohn a lot of ground just outside of the town limits and near the railroad station, and commenced to build a dwelling house, 16×30 ft. James C. Reed has also bought of the same party and near the same place, a building lot and will erect a dwelling thereon.

The lot on the corner of Federal and Front streets, a part of the Palmer Block, has been cleansed of the unsightly rubbish and other debris, which has so long been an eye-sore to the populace, and now presents a decent appearance. The two other corners should be served likewise.

In the store window of George Waples’ hardware store in the Palmer Block, is a mammoth pumpkin weighing 112 pounds and grown by Burton Reynolds, of Broadklin. It’s a whopper.

During the part thirty years I have written many items, and it is hardly to be expected I should remember all of them. In the republication in the Chronicle of week before last, appeared an item written by myself twenty years ago, on the subject of “Ghosts.” This I had forgotten, but when a friend who remembered the circumstance that gave rise the writing of the item, related to the occurrence, my memory was vividly refreshed. Yes. D. A. C. remembers the “’ghost argument.”

The sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was administered at both of the Methodist Churches on Sunday mornings.

“Rally Day” was observed at the M. P. Church on Sunday afternoon and evening. The chancel and alcove of the church [were] trimmed with dogwood, hickory and the leaves of the oak, beside genuses of the dahlia flower. Children acquitted themselves nobly in dialogues, recitations and the famous drill.

On Sunday James Martin, in charge of Jester’s team, was found in a semi-unconscious condition on the road from Milton to Ellendale. He was brought to his home and soon relieved of his trouble, which proved to be kidney colic, a disease to which he is subject.

A dredging machine from the Rickards Dredging Company, of Philadelphia, the firm that have the contract to deepen the Broadkiln, arrived at Milton dock on Friday night, and began dredging near the bridge on Monday.

The “Men’s Meeting” was organized in the Jr. O. U. A. M Hall on Sunday afternoon. Beside the local talent present, the meeting was addressed by Government Inspector Deakyne, of Wilmington, and Captain Robert Rickards, of the dredging machine.

Another carload of charcoal has been shipped from Lavinia Switch this week.

Rev. C. A. Behringer, who has purchased the “Milton Times” plant, will on the first of January remove it into a building belonging to S. J. Wilson on the same street, on which it is now located. This building was occupied by the “Times” a part of the time, it was owned by Henry Wilkinson.

Isaiah Young has bought of G. W. Atkins his tent on Lavinia Camp Ground, and in preparing to move it into town. North Mulberry Street, where he will fit it for a residence.

Some excitement was created on Monday afternoon amongst the family of Constable King, when their chimney caught fire. The weather was favorable for this work, it being raining, and everything wet; hence there was no damage done. The chimney, however, was burnt out, which was badly needed.

Captain George Hunter has built a porch to the back building of his residence on Chestnut Street.

“The Mysterious Vail Co.” consisting of three men, two women and a dog, arrived in town on Sunday afternoon from Ellendale, and propose to stay three days. They gave their first performance on Monday evening, consisting of tricks in [legerdemain] etc., which was much extoled bf the audience. The company appear to be traveling on the “square” as the head man paid their hotel bill for the time being they expect to stay, in advance.


[i] Helen Taft did have good sense; she got a Bachelor’s degree in history from Bryn Mawr College in 1915, and became Dean of that school at the age of 26, in 1917. She married Frederick Johnson Manning, like her a professor of history, in 1920, and moved with him to Swarthmore College. She was awarded a doctorate in history from Yale University, then moved back to Bryn Mawr in 1925 where she taught history until her retirement in 1941. She was the mother of two daughters, and a suffragist before her marriage.