May 17, 1901

In the good old days before it became fashionable to worship God by machinery, and when the microbes and bacteria of music were infinitesimal, a minister in a backwoods town on a Sunday morning […] the hymn commencing: “With hyssop purge my soul, O, Lord,[i]” and […] leader of the singing—for they had […] choir—made three unsuccessful attempts to raise the tune, but failing after […] nor father than “With hyss”—[…] an old lady in the congregation […] had better try some [….].

Mr. E. W. Manship, of Denton, has been visiting his brother A. W. Manship.

Farmers are planting corn.

Why the town authorities hire dearborn wagons to haul dirt, when working on the streets, is a mystery too deep for our comprehension. The dirt can be tilted out of a cart, when it must be shoveled out of a wagon, thereby taking as much again time. But “Jones pays the freight.”

Ed. Mears is a very proficient barber, as connoisseurs in that line of business testify. Mr. Mears served his time with his father in this town, and subsequently taken a further course in Baltimore.

Mr. Isaac W. Nailor has completed the station house at Whitesboro and Overbrook, and has the addition to Mrs. Megee’s house in town about finished.

Mr. D. T. Atkins is painting and papering the interior of Captain Fisher’s beautiful residence.

Mr. W. W. Conwell, cashier of the Milton National Bank, is in Orange, N. J.

Mr. Wm. Conwell, general manager for the Greenwood hostelry, is paying Milton a visit.

We are informed by Mr. D. M. Conwell, president of the School Board of Milton, that Prof. Jones, late principal, and Miss Zadia Beardsley, teacher in the second intermediate department, have tendered their resignations as presumptive further teachers in these schools. The former to perform his duties in the office to which he has been lately elected – Clerk of the Peace of Sussex County—and the latter to engage in a more conducive position.

A telegram was received in Milton on Sunday morning, announcing the death of Mr. John W. Fox at Yancey Mills, Va. Mr. S. J. Wilson left town on Monday morning to take charge of the funeral arrangements. The remains will be interred at Leipsic, Del., on Wednesday. Mr. Fox was 73 year, 8 months, and 14 days old. He was formerly a resident of Milton, and together with his brother, Mr. Jonathan Fox, lately deceased, did a flourishing business. He had engaged in many businesses, but for a few tears, or since his removal to Virginia, the write has lost sight of him. Our reminiscence, however, with Mr. Fox are clustered with pleasant memories, and our heartfelt sympathies are tendered to the bereaved family.

James T. Watson, of near Elllendale, died at the residence of his son on Saturday, very suddenly. Deceased was 70 years, 4 months, and 26 days old. Funeral services were held at the late home of the deceased on Tuesday and sepulture made in the Alfred Clendaniel Cemetery. Mr. John Wilson, funeral director.

R. Frank Gray sold four horses last week, and is now nearly out of that kind of flesh. Frank is a “daisy on wheels,” but everybody likes him.

Rev. L. P, and Mrs. Corkran gave a social to the “members of his church” on Tuesday evening. It is said the affair was recherché and all were edified.

The twelfth anniversary of the Epworth League will be held in the M. E. Church on next Sunday evening.

Mrs. Lillie May Conner has been spending the past week with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Pettyjohn, near Georgetown.

Persons going along the streets can hear the “tack, tack” of the hammers in almost every residence; and the inference is the good people of Milton are getting ready to entertain the many visitors who will be here to attend the Bible Convention that will be held on Thursday.

Captain Steelman, whom we knew long before he removed from New Jersey to Delaware, was in town on Tuesday. Captain Steelman is doing, and has been doing, a large charcoal business in Sussex for several years. He engages a large number of men in his trade, and Milton receives a large percentage of his trade. Captain Steelman is a fine man.

Casually we dropped into the big store on Tuesday and were surprised at the beautiful display of artificial flowers so artistically displayed in the case near the door. As I am a great lover of the beautiful, these could not fail to attract my eye. The fine combination is due to the skill of Miss Carrie Johnson, than whom no there could be her superior in this line. I often think that Eve did not tempt Adam to eat the forbidden fruit with an apple, but with roses, and if such should be the fact, and she made such a pretty display as is made in the “Big Store,” I don’t blame Adam for going trysting on the Edemic hills with Eve-new pronunciation.

 

———————

[i] The text of this hymn refers to Psalms 51:7, “Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”