Milford chronicle., 1925-04-17


solution had taken place, and instead
of bottle of worms, I had bottle
of oil.
It was near the hour when wife
and 1 generally retired when
looked at the bottle, and said to her
Il think 1 will give the oil a trial
tonight" and she said, very well'
and started to leave the room. said
''hOld on a minute let's see how the
stuff smells" 1 got the bottle and
cut the string which held in the
cork, when the stopper flew out
and, of all the smells you ever heard
of came out of that bottle of oil.
My wife clapped both hands to her
nose and rushed from the room,
stopping long enough in the door
way to. say to me, IF you are goin'
to use that stuff, you can't come into
the bed room where we both Sleep"
We compromised by my agreeing to
sleep on the settee in the kitchen,
while she occupied the bed room
furthest away from the remedy
which l was going to use. Her part
ing shot was, IF that smell becomes
any worse in the house, you will
have to go out and sleep in the
barn"
To make a long story short, 1 used
that oil as directed and you behold
the result. He then said, Il won't
say any more this evening, (as Avery
one of his cOmpaniOns) is to have
the floor"
Avery said he had just a few men,
cries of his early life, in that period
before he left the shelter of the old
home roof of his father, and he
bowed to me with a smile, started
his story by saying: you must rem
member that the events which
shall speak of, happened before the
days of any railroad, telegraph or
telephones lines were muse in Sus-
sex County-eXcepting the one tele-
graph line that followed the water
courses from Philadelphia to Lewes,
Delaware. l think this wire was put
in the year 1852, or 1858. A man
named William Morrow had charge
Of the Office and the native people of
Sussex marveled at this wonderful
invention, and regarded it with some
superstition. Superstition was more
1r less generally prevalent in those
lays. Many ways were suggested as
% how the news got through on a
single wire. One fellow said that |
he wire was hollow, and argued |
rom the standpoint, that if it was |
lot hollow, how could the news get |
through? Very little was known |
bout electricity in Southern Della
ware then. The only communication
icing by mail by way of train and
tage coach.
Avery recalled that the election
conducted before and dur
ng the Civil War between the Wing,
Democratic and Republican Parties.
we're long and drawn out contests,
1hich commenced before the Tit
lie Election, which was held in Oc-
ober to chose Assessors and Inspec-
)rs for the county and general cleo
ion in November. There was no
etup in the battle until the polls
lOsed at the "bigf" election in Nov
mber, when national, state and /
Ounty officers were voted for.
Meetings were held both day and
night in all tow ms and at all cross
pads in Delaware, by all political u
artles. Very little argument was {
sed and abuse was the principal +
eapOn in VOgueL Many contrOver- {
es were settled by force, and theil {
an who went through a campaign {
18th a cut head Or black eye was not t
'nsldered much Of politician. f
ach party had Its strong men from l
physical stand point, who went v
ON place to place with the speak
s in their res pective districts, to b
'otect them fir pm attacks by their t
DpOnents, who often resorted to t
'ry stale eggs in their efforts to a
eak up politi cal meetings. Such t.
actlces ended in free for all fist il
mt, with man y black eyes and v
uised faces. Il
One strong fHature in all cam hi
lgns in the districts, was, which h
rty could seizure the services of fl
e rainier Boys, John, Elzey and Il
oolsey, who composed a fife and o
UNI trio, (b1ass bands were not h
own IN those days.. Woolsey play W
the life and John and Elzey beat u
drum. 1t WAS a noted fact that te
party thai had this music al Il
-ys had the ig crowd. They went tt
from the q bunty Seat each morn W
8 using fol- conveyance, a large pt
m wagon Y, 18th four horses. This Ii
.gon usually carried a large Am III
can Flag, while the men and 10
rses were decorated with small al
IS and Wpeatbs of evergreens. al
netlme that night the outfit would W
urn, and as they rounded the pub he
square, their old time tunes with til
rlotlc martial swing were in
ring that if in any way, I as WI
boy &C d squeeze unnoticed into by
wagon With the musicians, but
10 snow llyself to my playmates m,
en- 81 mere my cup of joy was full, m,
lhaL even General Washington at mi
TOP OF his glory, felt no more ele- tn
ed IMAM did. Oh the glamour hu
youth and its happinessI I
urnlng towards his three COM fri
lons' Avery said: "dol you know thu
sometimes in my quie hours of tol
lItatlon over the pasti I think I the
near thel rumble of tn lat wagon ST.
scream of the fife a nd the roll the
nat DRUM as those old men came ter
Town. pI Saying that long ago tune dis
of
retty Billy Martin, tiptoe, tiptoe, ant
retty Billy Martin, tiptoe, tiptoe, of
Ote buying was in ifs infancy in str
early sixties. No one but drink tod
; and M en- of very low character
light of selling theil. vote This Ole
S was generally coEralled a week VIII
en- days before the general eIec- frif
day aid confined in some So
, place; some times even in the
, of a pf ominent politician. where
were given whiskey and kept
drunk until the general election
when Ithey were loaded in