January 22, 1909

There has been talk during the past week about closing the stores earlier while the extra meetings are in progress at the two Methodist Churches. This is all good if the proprietors of the stores agree to it and we believe it would be an advantage to the merchants financially, otherwise to close their stores early, not only during the “[…] meetings” but all of the time. The hotels are out of the way as loafing places at night, and if the stores would close at 6 o’clock the men would be compelled to stay at home with their families, go to church or walk the streets. Some of the merchants are closing their stores already but the masses will use their option about going to church whether the stores are, or are not closed earlier in the evening,. There were two men, both of them engaged in the same business, both members of the same church and both esteemed citizens. One of these men placarded his show window in long primer (written of course) that he would close his store early until further notice, and, presumably, this advertiser attended church every evening, and Sunday too. If there was a person sick or in want of anything and sent to this man for it, if he did not send the money he seldom got it. The other merchant also attended church on Sundays but was not an enthusiast for night meetings. He did not advertise to close his store on evenings “until further notice.” If there was a poor person, sick and in want, in the town and sent to this man for help, he got it, money or no money. This man believed “He that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord.”[i] This man’s books showed the amount of business he did in that time. Now reader, the above resembles a parable; but it is not, neither is it all analogy nor a metaphor. Which of these two men, think ye, more nearly represents the Christianity of Christ? “Not everyone that saith unto me Lord! Lord! shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven!”[ii]

Through the columns of the Chronicle, Mrs. John Conoway desires to thank the citizens of Milton and the farmers of the surrounding country for their kindness and help to removing her and her paralytic husband, from the country into their town property during the holidays.

“Billy” Robinson has been cutting some of the cypress along Lavinia branch for poets and in doing this it has developed the fact that a cypress tree standing where it is a part of the time in the water and a part of the time out of it, is likely, when it becomes of any size to, also become rotten hearted.

The larger sized boys of the colored schools are adepts in aping the boys of the white schools. In the morning they may be seen with a load of books under their arms, their hats cocked to one side, and a cigarette in their mouths, going to school. They feel bug! Certainly! Don’t the white boys do so?

It is not likely that the M. E. Church will become a cold storage this winter; thanks to the new heating apparatus that has lately been inducted therein.

John Bailey has bought a small house of J. C. Clendaniel on Puddie Hill and will remove to a lot at Sculltown.

Willard Ellingsworth had his left leg injured somewhat last week hauling wood, near town.

Schooners […] and John A. Lingo are carrying stone from Wilmington to the jetty, at the mouth of the Broadkiln and freighting sand back to Wilmington.

H. R. Draper has the foundation for his cannery at the railroad station laid. It is east of the public street, and north of the railroad track.

The gypsies that are encamped near Ingrams Branch are paying their respects to Milton, and making a good living off the fools who are still in town. Indeed, there are persons who make some pretentions to common sense who patronize these humbugs; and many girls and young ladies who are veritable believers in their nonsense […] are not all dead in Milton!

The Royal Packing Company shipped a cargo of canned goods last week to Philadelphia, by the steamer Marie Thomas, which vessel completed her cargo with pine wood.

Samuel Bethards of Frederica has been visiting Milton and vicinity and renewing the acquaintances of former years.

The inside of the Curtis Reed property on Front Street has been nicely renovated, painted and papered, and is being used as a pool room.

By jumping the track last Thursday the eastbound mail train was considerably late. If a person gets no mail, nor expects to get any, it appears he cannot get straightened in an afternoon until the mail is changed; and he sees what he does see.

The M. D. & V. R. R. Company is evidently getting ready for more repairs to the road. There is quite a number of ties disposed from Milton station to the trestle west, and, also a lot of telephone material.

The extra meetings at the M. E. Church started on Sunday evening, These meetings to the outside world have been of little effect to the community; but we cannot tell what “good seed may have been sown” that may in the future, bring forth forty, sixty, or even a hundred fold. The meetings at the M. P. continue; and thus far but little spiritual success has attended them.

William H. Stephens has contracted with the gypsies to build them a wagon for the gypsy trade, Mr. Stephens demanded pay for the wagon before he commenced it. And they have paid him in advance.

On Monday evening Edward Bacon received intelligence of the death of his brother, S. Frank Bacon, of Philadelphia. Mr. Bacon was prominent a few years ago in exposing the fraud and graft of the Levy Court, and the chicanery of the Court House ring of Sussex County. His remains were transmitted to Laurel on Wednesday, where the interment was made.

The “protracted meeting” that has been lagging for two weeks at the A. M. E. Church, north Milton, took a spirited turn on Sunday evening when four penitents went to the altar.

On Tuesday morning there was not one person from Milton for Dover; and how the inauguration of the new governor was conducted we do not know. Mrs. C. H. Atkins went to Dover on Monday and is the guest of her daughter Mrs. Alma Richardson.

Caleb Draper, colored, died at the home of Mrs. Henry Boyce in Slaughter Neck, of paralysis on Saturday, aged 65 years, Funeral at later residence, and interment at “Hickory,” Slaughter Neck, by S. J. Wilson & Son.

S. J. Wilson is having part of a new lower level put into his warehouse, corner Front and Federal Street.

There does not appear to be such a demand for houses in Milton as formerly. There are now three vacant houses on Federal Street within a radius of less than fifty yards.

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[i] Quotation from Proverbs 9:17, Old Testament, King James version

[ii] Quotation from Matthew 7:21-23, New Testament, King James version