The love of home is inherent in the human breast. It has been made immortal in song by the verses of John Howard Payne entitled : “Home, Sweet Home!” It is a characteristic of every race, of every nationality, of every tribe. The Norwegian fisherman will sing his whaling song while his boat is being tossed on the billows of a distant sea, and in danger every moment of being dashed to pieces by an enraged sea monster. The Swiss mountaineer will trust himself upon the highest peaks of his native mountains; supported only by a slight birch twig, in search of a lean chamois goat, at the fearful risk of being precipitated below thousands of feet on the rocks of his loved Switzerland. It is said that Amyotis, the mountain bride of Nebuchadnezzar, was so enamored of the sylvan beauty of her native land, that she could scarcely endure the land of Shinar, and, although queen of a realm whose court was the most gorgeous of any of the ancient Asiatic or Chaldean monarchies, she was disconsolate, and Nebuchadnezzar was constrained to build that wonder of the world, the “Hanging Gardens of Babylon” to please her. All nations have their peculiar love of country and of home.
“lt hath led the freeman forth to stand
in the native battles of his land :
lt hath brought the wanderer o’er’ the seas
To die on the hills of his own fresh breeze.
And back to the gates of his father’s hall,
It hath won the weeping prodigal,
By the sleepy ripple or the stream,
That hath lulled him into many a dream;
By every sound of his native shade
Stronger and stronger the spell is made..”[i]
There are other cases in written history, and many more in unwritten history, that proclaim the truth of the above.
Nehemiah Roach, a section hand on the D. M. & V. railroad, while at Bennum’s Station on Wednesday, was knocked down by a shifting car and fell with his feet on the rail, while another car passed over them mashing one foot and cutting three toes from the other. He was taken to Georgetown, where the right foot was amputated. It is thought the other can be saved.
Dr. James A. Hopkins has sold his cottage on Broadkiln Beach to Mr. Andrew Simpler, of Camden, N. J.
Mr. William Wharton, of Philadelphia, is visiting friends in Milton.
Mrs. Virgie Mason is quite ill at her home in North Milton with gastritis.
Rev. W. J. Johnson, M. P. minister, returned to Milton on Friday after a vacation of two weeks.
On Saturday, S, J. Wilson, administrator of Matilda Wharton, deceased, sold the building on Union Street, near the corner of Magnolia Street, at public auction. It was purchased by Mr. Fred Welch for $325. Two acres of meadow, lying on both sides of Magnolia Street, was bid off by William Wharton.
There is quite a lot of undeveloped musical talent in Milton, as anyone who has occasion on certain evenings to pass near or over the bridge can testify. Ten or a dozen lads may be seen perched on the bridge railing and heard making melody in their hearts and edifying the many passers-by. They do well, can run every note in the gamut, and are acquainted with much of the up-to-date” music. With a little instruction, which it is proposed to give them, it is believed they will be able to perfect an organization by the winter that will be second to none in the State.
Mr. William H. Fox, of Oak Ridge, Vt., is visiting S. J. Wilson and family. Lydia, the little eight-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fox, who has been ill with typhoid fever for some time at Mr. Wilson’s, is now convalescing.
Captain Wm. Lank, of Philadelphia, is the guest of his mother.
Captain Frank Lacey is home with his family.
Captain James Conwell is visiting his family.
Messrs. Coverdale & Outten are painting the building of the Lacey Brothers on Federal Street, and in tenure of Mrs. Edwin Johnson.
Mr. William Chandler, of Scranton, Pa., is here on a business trip.
Mr. Lewis B. Chandler, son of L. B. Chandler, has returned from the Philippines, where he has been serving as a soldier in the U. S. Army.
Isaac W. Nailor has twelve men at work in Lewes, most of them from Milton. He has the large building of Mr. Thomas Carpenter enclosed, and the plumbers and electricians are doing their work. The foundation of Mr. Mclntyre’s building is also laid and the frame raised.
On Sunday there were four schooners lying at Scull’s docks awaiting their cargoes.
Everything appears to be in readiness for Lavinia’s camp; the cottages—many of them—-have been painted, the pine knots and light-wood have been distributed around the fire-stands, and the many who are expecting to see pleasure, have fun, or make money, are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the 17th of the present month.
‘’0, it is distressingly healthy l” is a phraseology often heard. We can but think it a misnomer; yet a gentleman in North Milton has volunteered a definition. He says it means “awful hungry, and nothing to eat, and can’t get anything; the case we are in over here this morning.” We don’t like this exegesis of the exclamation, but will accept it until something better is offered.
The steamer Massapequa is now running between Milton and Lewes, carrying what freight may be shipped. The freight is transferred at Lewes to the steamer Dumont for Philadelphia, necessitating a second handling, exactly what should not be, in the case of fruit. But in water transit Milton has to accept what it can get. On Thursday the steamer carried a party of excursionists to the beach, getting aground she was detained, and did not return to Milton until three o’clock on Friday morning.
A few peaches have been shipped from here; the average price paid is about fifty cents a basket.
Mr. George L. Megee, who is engaged on a trolley line in Philadelphia, is visiting his family recently removed to Milton.
The aged colored man, Joseph Oliver, who has been a citizen of Milton for 92 years, died at his home on Federal Street on Tuesday of last week. The old man has been quite decrepit for the past few years, and spent the most of his time within doors. When the railroad was talked of being builded, he expressed an earnest desire to live to see it reach Milton, and his desire was gratified. When he was in active life, he was one of the staunch supporters of the A. M. E. Church, South, and it may be said, its greatest friend financially. He leaves a small property near the Q. A. R. R. station, which might be made quite valuable. His remains were inhumed in Union Cemetery on Thursday afternoon.
Mrs. Sallie J. Morgan, wife of Burton Morgan, died at her home in Slaughter Neck on Friday of typhoid fever, aged 41 years, 6 months and 11 days. Funeral services were held at Slaughter Neck Church on Monday afternoon, the Rev. V. E. Hills officiating, and the remains interred in the adjoining cemetery. S. J. Wilson funeral director.
Misses Annie Manship, and Hattie and Elizabeth Conner spent the first of the week at Rehoboth.
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[i] Extract from the poem “The Spells of Home” by Felicia Hemans, one of David A. Conner’s most often quoted poets.