Newark post., 1915-02-10


This distribution Of the mail was
one of Newark s most characteristic
functions. The American flag over
hung the sidewalk from the front
of the post office, and 1, as a loyal
little Rebel, went out into the mud
or dust of the street to avoid walk
ing under the emblem of nation
ality.
Hosea Riddle was another pic
turesque character Of that period,
and one that lasted well into a much
later phase Of Newark's develop
ment. He was ruddy man with
a stubble of white beard which dis
appeared on Sunday to leave him
smooth for a few hours, and ruddier
than ever. His business was that
of teamster, and his beasts were
magnificent oxen of a kind now
rarely seen. Hosea's voice was
stentorian. Sometimes one heard
a rumble as Of thunder coming
from one Of the hills over in Mary
land, and seeing a cloud Of dust on
the highway climbing the hill, knew
that the noise was but the voice of
Hosea Riddle urging his oxen up
the steep. Everybody know and
liked Hosea, and he probably never
willingly did any human being a
wrong in all his life, but he had
notion that he was a rather bad
man. Meeting my father on the
street one day, he said: "Mr. Val
landigham, l know better than l
do"
Henry Miller, the German bar
Der, who preceded our old friend
McPike, now, alas, gone, was one
Of the most interesting and versa
tile characters that Newark ever
had. Henry had a vivacity and
humor rather French than German,
and he added to his business of bar
bering the community a variety of
other occupations. He was an ad-
mirable gardener, and his peas and
beans and spinach were the earliest
in town. Henry was also a bird
fancier, and he always had Gagged
in his shop, canaries, blackbirds,
cardinal birds, mocking birds, and
others. Besides all these things, he
carried on the business of making
rush bottoms and cane bottoms for
chairs. We boys learned these arts,
and I've no doubt that our aid was
of real advantage to Henry. He
was great gossip, a practical
joker, and a friend Of the whole
community. His son, Joseph, as
sound a man as you'll find in a
days journey, l rediscovered not
long since in Philadelphia after
more than forty years.
When the wounds of the Civil
War had begun to heal rumors were
heard that the College was soon tc
be reopened. My impression is that
when the Tooth anniversary OF
Newark Academy was celebrated
in the summer of 1869, the occa
sion was seized also to celebrate the
approaching opening of the Col
lege. The anniversary was cele
brated by an open-air feast in the
college campus, and the people o.
the town were asked to contribute
material for the occasion. There
must have been speeches, though J
do not recall them. | do recall
however, long tables set with white
cloths ON the campus just west o.
the linden avenue. The picture o.
that scene comes back to me with
singular clearness, and I am per
suaded that the day Of that cele
bration must have been one Of tn,
most delicious ever known to living
men. How green was the grass
, beside the snowy tables How dens'
, was the shade of our local Unte1
, den Linden! How sweet were tn,
vagrant airs that blew beneath tn,
trees, and swept across the grass
/ How sweet was the hum of bee
mixed with the song of birds TIL
: townsfollS, too, were merry. TIL
| older ones of that time are now fo
/ the most part sleeping in one O
, another Of the churchyards, ant
, the younger adults, if still surviv
: ing, are we'll within the border o
, old age, while even the boys anC
: girls have passed middle life, bu
all of them live in my mental vision
as they were upon that deliciou
day in the summer of 1869.
/ Newark of that decade 1S60-7t
; was small, slow, and intensely pro
: vincial. Wages before the Civi
War were shockingly low, and the,
rose rather slowly as the purchas
ing power Of the paper dollar fell
: Persons dependent upon salaries