Milford chronicle., 1925-04-24
MEMOIRS OF YESTERDAY

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Mr.. Editor:-
The writer is not an old man, "a
Their in the late youth of old age, bu
1 desire to add to and correct one Of
two points in the fine article vol
printed last week, under the cap
ton of "Old Farmers At A Country
Store"
1 was interested intensely in read
ing the story of "Old Farmers At A
Country Store" OF the story about
the long drawn out campaigns by pO-
litical parties in the Civil War times
and of the Farmers Return Days"
1t was vivid picture of the hap
penings of those days. Thousands at
tended on Return Day" and there
was entertainment for all, while eV-
erybody was happy in their particu-
lar way, for nothing was left unpro-
vided, for some took to whiskey as
a duck takes to water; others took
to fighting as an amusement, as
boys of today take to football.
The story carries me back and in
memory I see vast surging crowds,
with plenty of soldiers astride their
horses and the milling, restlessness
of the crowds, is picture difficult to
describe.
That part of the story as printed
last week, in which avery" told of
Henry Hudson and his pacing mare,
Mary-"Mary Beanie" as Henry call
ed her, thrilled me. avery need
not inquire of persons now living,
why Henry Hudson was designated
to take the vote of Little Creek Dis
trict to Georgetown. My guess is,
that Hudson drove MARY" because
in those days, no other horse could
stand the strain of that drive.
MARY" was speedy, sound and with
good lungs, so it was "Mary Beanie"
selected to carry the re-
turns to Georgetown, with its ex-
element and turmoil.
The mare was reputed to be quiet
and intelligent. A story is related of
the horse and owner, which said,
that Henry tarried too long on one
occasion, when tanglefoot liquor
could be had in liberal quantities to
suit the purchaser. He finally start
ed driving the mare, Mary, at her ac-
customed pace, but after a time
dropped off the buggy on the frozen
ground. Mary was sober and stop !
ped; waiting for her master to re-
gain the reins.
MARY" left several colts from |
which much was expected for speed;
out, training failed to develop them
% the swiftness of Mary.
The Old Farmer avery" is just a
lit off in his memory, when he said,
hat the Republicans made clean
sweep of Delaware, when soldiers
we're at the polls during the Civil
Var election. The Republicans elect
ID their Governor that year, by
cry small majority, while the Dem
,crats elected a Congressman and
he State Legislature.
When Congressman Temple who
las then elected, died, his successor
yas Mr.. Smithers, who was elected
7ithOut opposition at a special cleo
on. The Democrats refused to walk
etWeen the lines Of soldiers at that
me.
1 wonder if this is a secret, viz:
While the soldiers were sleeping the
light before the general election, a
eeper Of the men, "hoaters" as they !
re known today, was touched" as =
by magic, and the result of that
ouch" was seen in the marked bal =.
It's, when the ballots were counted
1T on election night following the 7
That election was very \
ose.
avery" said, that money was not
sed freely until Addicks shamed .
I'd disgraced the State. As 1 look e
lck in memory at the drunken, :
citing, boisterous, fiddling and -
lncing crowds Of those return days =
as sample of the citizenship of :,
elaware and other states, it is :
nazing that our Republic has v
own to its splendid proportions Of y
day. L L
1t has been said-that what you .
Ould like to see in the nations "
e, should be put into the schools. =.
Teachers of the public schools in :,
ose long gone by days, received =
It little pay in cash, but they had
ry little to qualify them for the II
sition, except their ability to lick" u
e largest pupil in his school. The
plicant for a teachers position M
nerally started early to solicit and 81
? his plans for the place. He gain
consent Of two of the three COM S;
ssioners, by pledging them sepa- W
tely that he could lick the big
Us and do the Sums"
Sometimes the teacher failed in
both of these pledges; in
It it was through and by the
ckings" that there was even
TOOL being conducted in the dis 9 15
It. III
Women then were not employed to pa
Oh any but the smaller children, ia
ich was usually for about a w.
nth in the summer; they could WI
control the big boys who attend AZ
in the winter season.
len teachers in those days Of yes &c
lay, did not take the W. C. T. U. he
dye, while some of them did not Ia
by it. Wis
ask the reader to compare the Br
sent shcOols and habits of the Ru
pie with that of the past. Say not att
j, that former days were better
q these; for thou dost not en- mes
20 wisely oOnoerniD0 +baea inc