January 4, 1907

Christmas is over, and the transient visitors who have graced Milton with their presence during the holidays have returned to their homes. Watch meeting was held at both the M. E. And M. P. Churches on Monday night, and the New Year was ushered in by the ringing of bells, and the firing of guns. The day dawned bright and pretty. The morning sun was glorious, the air was balmy, and all nature appeared to indicate another bustling year in life’s history. Services were held at the M. E. Church, in the morning, afternoon and evening. The day was without incident, and everything passed pleasantly. The old year is behind this, and now a matter of memory. The New Year is before us with its bright anticipations, and brighter resolves. We are now turning over “new leaves” and consigning to the tomb of the capulets[i] the old ones.

During the interim between the adjournment of the Christian Endeavor meeting and preaching service, on Sunday evening, Miss Laura Martin and Alfred Lee Smith were united in marriage by the Rev. G. B. McCready.

Mrs. Margaret Prettyman is quite ill, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Charles G. Waples, on Union Street, north.

There has been lots of moving this New Year. Several residents of town have changed places. William Morris has removed his family and store goods to Milford. Mrs. John reed has removed from the country into the property of Fred Welch, on the corner of Union and Magnolia Streets.

Mrs. James Davis and son, of Philadelphia, spent Christmas with her parents, Justice-of-the-Peace Eli L. Collins, and wife.

G. M. Fowler, of Felton, is the guest of the poet, J. B. Welch.

John Abbott living about 1 mile from town had his hen house rock to one night recently, by three men, of about a dozen late corn chickens. One man stood guard at the door of the dwelling, while the others tide the fowls. Mr. At that hearing the noise sat Gail out th th, when the mammoth th on guard shot over the top of the door. He retreated, and left them to carry off their splendor. Th

John McMullen and wife, vice Miss Viola Megee[ii], of Philadelphia, have been visiting the latter’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Megee.

Last week the personal property of Edward Reynolds was sold by Sheriff Lynch, under execution process. The dwelling house on Broad Street was purchased by James H. Palmer for $465.

Isaac W. Nailor, of Philadelphia, has been a Milton visitor during the holidays.

On Wednesday and Thursday of last week, the young people of both sexes had a fine time skating on Lake Fanganzyki. The change in the temperature on Thursday night destroyed the anticipated pleasure for the next day.

Mrs. Julian Robinson has a bad looking forearm, produced by the scratch of a chicken rooster. Blood poison is feared.

On New Year’s morning Mrs. Ralph Coursey was hit near the eye by a flying stick, and severely wounded. Dr. Hopkins rendered medical aid.

Extra meetings will begin at the M. P. Church on Sunday evening, under the charge of Rev. G. R. McCready.

The revival services at the M. E. Church continue with vigor. A collection was taken on Sunday evening for Evangelist Taylor, and $67 realized.

W. W. Conwell, secretary of the Milton Board of Trade, has sold to Messrs. Winters & Prophet, of Mount Morris, N. J., their portion of Captain James Scull’s property, lying between Front Street and the river, to the northeast of town, and familiarly known as “Mount Ararat.” This company is reported to be extensively engaged in the packing business and will erect brick buildings at this, and engage in canning all kinds of fruits, vegetables, etc. The work will begin immediately. The plant here will be operated by Goodwin Brothers & Conwell, who advertise to contract for 500 acres of tomatoes, beginning on Wednesday, January 2nd. Captain Scull will remove his buildings to the other side of the street, which portion of the property he has reserved.

A comedy “Dot the Miner’s Daughter”[iii] was rendered by local talent at school hall on New Year’s evening. The proceeds went to the M. P. Church.

The shirt and overall factory will reopen next Monday.

Rev. Mr. Dixon, of Honeybrook, Pa., a friend of the Rev. R. T. Coursey for many years, is visiting that gentleman, and preached at the M. E. Church, on New Year’s afternoon. Mr. Dixon stated to the writer, with the request to publish, that he and Mr. Coursey retired to bed on Monday night, or rather Tuesday morning, at between one and two o’clock, and Mr. Coursey went to sleep and snored so loudly that he did not get but about 1 hour of sleep. “Publish it” said Mr. Coursey, “I guess it is so.”

Rev. M. W. Conwell, of Salem, Md., is visiting in Milton.

General George H. Hall, of Milford, was a Milton visitor on Tuesday.

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[i] The Capulets are one of the two feuding families of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The tomb of the Capulets is where the double suicide of the star-crossed lovers takes place.

[ii] This is the first reference we have in the local press concerning Viola Megee’s marriage to the young Philadelphia stockbroker. Viola was one of the Sunday School girls in Fannie Leonard’s class.

[iii] The play Dot, the Miner’s Daughter: Or, One Glass of Wine, a drama in four acts, was written by Lizzie May Elwyn and published in 1888 in Issue 254 of the Ames’ series of standard and minor drama. The play had a strong Temperance theme, as did most of Lizzie Elwyn’s published plays, and was performed frequently by amateur theater groups around the country. Little is known about the author; she may have been born around 1862 and lived in Ulster County, N. Y. as a child.