davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Milford chronicle., 1936-12-25
SOUVENIR HUNTERS

Many souvenir hunters have been
visiting at Blue Ridge Summit, Pa.
the birthplace of Mrs. Wallis Simp-
son, whose love affair with former
King Edward has stirred the world.
Some of these curiosity seekers.
finding nothing better available, car
ried away twigs from the yard.
What possible satisfaction can any,
one get from some bit of wood or
stone from the home of some noted
person? Such a question is even
more pertinent when people carry
off relics from the scene of some
terrible accident. The best kind of
souvenir is a truthful story of an
event, as found in some newspaper
or magazine, and intelligent COM
ment on its meaning. One has only
10 buy the home town newspaper to
get that most valuable kind of mo-
mentO.
Milford chronicle., 1936-12-25
PLAYING THE LONE HAND

In old time business. most every
body played a lone hand. 1t was
Me against the world, Everyone
for himself, and the devil take the
hindmost". That style of business
did not get far. Cities could not
agree to do the things that needed
to be done.
If the business people of a town
under such conditions asked any
kind of favor from their state gov
ernments, railroad or utility COM
panies, or anybody else, the request
was usually made by a few individ-
uals, and did not carry much weight.
In a we'll organized town, such re-
quests are made by some powerful
association like a Chamber of Com
merce or other group of people.
Such requests receive careful at
tention. No interest likes to disre-
gard the desires of a well organized
body representing its home town.
Milford chronicle., 1936-12-25
CALENDARS

There was a time when Christmas
and New Years brought a flood OF
calendars. Countless business houses
distributed artistic creations with
reproductions of famous pictures.
Today not much of value is given
away. lie we want an artistic caIen-
dar, we may have to depend on our
loving friends at Christmas.
Lovers of literature like calendars
with verse of poetry or wise
thought for every day. If people
would carry out the inspiring
thoughas thus communicated to them
daily, they should produce an earthly
paradise. A nice calendar is a re-
minder that if the fates wish us well,
we are to be the rich possessers Of
S65. days in the new year, on each
one of which we can learn, love, and
labor for all good things.
Milford chronicle., 1936-12-25
THE INsIDTOTs MONOyIDE

Death due to carbon monoxide".
How often one reads that news item
as the cold weather comes on. The
nfOtorist runs his engine in a closed
garage, and suddenly falls asleep, as
the little space fills with the stealthy
fumes.
The speed with which this vapor
works is appalling. In a two car
garage. it may produce collapse in
five to ten minutes, which would
come much sooner in little one car
space. Our modern inventions make
the world Of mechanical power our
servant. But when we create a new
power. we create new perils which
must be watched. Better open that
door wide before touching the start
er, Mr.. Motorist!
Milford chronicle., 1936-12-25
OPENING THE NEW YEAR DOOR

The start upon new year is often
compared to the opening of a new
door. What lies behind those closed
panels? Is it joy or sorrow, sue
cess or failure?
There should be something of op-
timism in human nature, that ex-
poets the future to offer better
things than the past. Some disil-
lusioned people of course say that
the new period of time will bring
the same old troubles and irrita-
tions. That is not an attitude that
conquers any difficulties.
Young people have a better out
look. They look at new year as
a wonderful period of IL months
that is likely to bring much good
fortune. When people have that ex-
pectation, the good fortune is more
likely to come. If you expect good
things, you acquire a happy and
confident manner. Those who have /
that manner attract friends and |
make a favorable impression, and
good fortune is apt to follow them
naturally.
People complain of the "jinxes"
that followed them in 1896. This
tendency to bad luck, so-caIled. will
continue to follow many of us in
1887. 1t is usually caused, not by
any malicious exterior influence. but
by traits of incidence, neglect, and
mistaken conduct of which people
themselves are guilty. Habits and !
manners that deprecated the yalue
II peoples work in the past will t
continue to do so. s
Some people have always felt that
he way to shake those miserable
labits, is to make New Year resolu-
ions to quit them. So many of them o
1ill forget all about these resolu- y
ions in a fortnight, that the plan D
not wholly effective. The truth o
that everybody ought to make new d
every day. The folks
no enter the door of 1887 in that "
pirit are going to get somewhere p
efore another December. "
Milford chronicle., 1936-12-25

farm situation and, IN emereoncia-
such as the drought Of 1894 or fbie
year, they perform this service twies
month.
These reporters. the Bureau saws
have shown a fine cooperative spirif
and a loyalty TO the service over 4
long period Of years. 1t Is not my
usual for a crop reporter to serve
fifty years or more. Often son
takes up the work when his fatber
retires. They receive no compenss.
tion for such devotion other thsn
copies of the reports they helm n
make possible. The following letter
to the Bureau from ID. Y. Henrv
crop reporter at Brookneal. Va q
typical OF many Of these men writes.
Il am 6S years old, residing on the
farm where was born, being land
handed down to my forefathers from
my great-grandfather Patrick Hen
ry. My father made these reports
when could first remember ana
for the past thirty years have fol-
lowed in his steps.
Conditions have undergone manv
changes since then. The OK earls
ind wagons have gone, as well AZ
most of the impossible roads. beine
replaced with cars and trucks NOV
ng swiftly over smooth, beautifnl
'oads lined with many gorgeous mic.
ures that natures hands here made
immortal, and keeping pace with
his advancement the farms ana
armers have improved . Rota-
ion OF crops and soil improvements
re making many of our barren feIds
'lossom and those having flocks NJ
etter grade cattle and ,purs-bred
ogs are but the beginning Of marked
improvements in store for ns
hanks to the efforts of the ARrienI-
iral Department, and especially N
ou and your Office. . ."
Milford chronicle., 1936-12-25
OFT OF STEP

A favorite pastime of some Ameri-
can prophets is to point at other
countries as examples of progressive
economic thinking. Implied in their
remarks is a denunciation of the past
in America and a warning to this
country to do on about-face. The
past, they tell us, is dead. Look at
these other countries for a hint of
what the future holds.
In substance, this means that the
United States is out of step with
England, France, Germany, Spain,
Italy, Russia, China and the Fiji
Islands. In word it means that
anything peculiar to the United
States in the dead past such as the
worlds highest standard of living,
such as an automobile to every four
families. such as three radios to
every four families-anything so pc
culiar to the American past as this
is to be condemned.
There can be no doubt that these
are absolutely right in one
point. Politically, socially and in
the field of economics, the United
States has been out of step with the
rest of the world, all right.
What's more. the United States
mas been out of step with the rest
II the world for a hundred and fifty +
'ears. We must be something apart
BECAUSE we have fed upon a brand
'f fodder not grown beyond our bor-
lers.
Out of step with the rest of the {
world! What American will not I
roudly admit this fact! And yet, s
it perhaps be a bit nearer c
he truth to phrase it this way: "The G
est of the world is out of step with Il
ne United Staes"? +
Milford chronicle., 1936-12-25
VIZ M ELECToRAL C0LLEaEl

y - = ~ AaAAAtAA WAAAA AUAluAENE
The electors Of the As states, who
were elected November 3 to perform
the task Of choosing President and
Vice-President, have met and per-
formed their official duty.
II the original intention Of the
constitution were carried out, these
electors would not necessarily have
to vote for the candidates chosen
by the people at the recent election.
They could vote for anyone they
wished, but as they are invariably
pledged when nominated TO vote only
for the candidates of their party, fu-
ture electors viii no doubt fulfill
this promise.
Some people ask, why maintain an
electoral college. when these Of
ficials perform a merely clerical
task? Perhaps some day the people
will vote directly for President and
instead of for such
electors. If that was done, some
Jtates with loose election laws might
produce a greatly inflated vote for |
heir candidates. The present sys-
EN- registers the popular will fairly
veil.
Milford chronicle., 1936-12-25
DISPLAY OF BUSINESS HONOR

The Reconstruction Finance Cor
poratiOn, formed to promote indus
trial recovery, has loaned $685.
S71 ,4O7. OF that amount about IS
per cent has been repaid. 1t is pre-
dicted that when its books are closed.
it will not have lost a dollar.
If crookedness was general among
business enterprises, many compan-
les would have taken advantage of
the government. and the money
loaned them would have disappeared.
Probably the great majority of COM
panies that failed during the depres-
sion were honest in their methods
and were simply swept under by a
tide they could not foresee. It is
somewhat popular to represent that
the country is full of fraud. The
above figures do not confirm that
depressing idea.
Milford chronicle., 1936-12-25
HOMES WITHOUT SHRUBS
LIKE UNFRAMED PICTURES

A picture without frame is for
lOrn. A farm home without trees.
shrubbery, lawns. and flowers is
even more abandoned to a friend
less atmosphere.
The farm home and the farm bus
iness are so closely related that the
success of the latter is reflected in
the former, says F. L Mulford, hor-
ticulturist of the Bureau of Plant In
dustry. For this reason he recon-
mends a definite plan for roads and
walks; the home vegetable, fruit,
and flower gardens; lawns and or
namental shrubs and trees.
All are necessary parts which may
be united into pleasing, homelike
with trees not only used
as windbreaks, but as a frame or
background for buildings. Shrubs
are needed to partially hide fOunda-
tion lines and knit buildings to the
surroundings, define boundaries, and
screen unsightly objects. Lawns
should be spacious and pleasing, but
not so large as to make their care
In carrying out lawn, shrub, and
,ree planting program, MulfOrd eau
ions, only native plants and those
lnoWn by trial to thrive in the local
ty should be used.
Identification of the farmstead
nay be undertaken in. the fall, as it
during this season that many ev-
rgreens and shrubs can be trans
lanted. An outline of planting plans
lay be obtained in Farmers Bulle-
IN No. 1887 entitled, "Beautifying
le Farmstead." This is for sale at
cents a copy by the Superintend-
ut Of Documents, Washington. D. C.
Milford chronicle., 1936-12-25
TAKES MORE THAN GOOD
PEOPLE

If often happens that confidence in
the future of town is expressed. be-
cause so many good people live
there. That is a fine reputation for
any town. But those good people
have got to do something more than
sit down and admire their own good
ness. Many towns inhabited by such
folks go stale. These good people
aren't good hustlers.
Sometimes when people have
achieved about all they had hoped
to, they lose their ambition, and they
just plug along in the same rut
There should be always something
better farther on. The people
should not be satisfied with their
personal achievements, or the ad
7antages their home town offers.
They should always be trying to Gre
lte more business and produce more
'ivic advantages.
Milford chronicle., 1936-12-25
IS NE DEPRESSION OYER

The period beginning Ocober 1928
will long be remembered as the time
of the most severe industrial depres-
sion ever encountered. Is that de-
preston over? The National City
Bank of New York, in its December
circular letter, says that "the word
depression no longer applies to the
general business situation. Many
business authorities say the same
thing.
Yet the above bank letter says it
must be used in connection with un-
employment and in a few of the in
dustries. The continuance of un-
employment, at a time when business
as a whole seems prosperous, and
when industrial production is about
normal, is a strange feature of the
situation.
In a country where business is so
active, it is a deplorable thing that
there is not work enough for every
body, and that it is particularly diff !
icult for many of the young folks, !
also for many elderly people. to find
The employment for which they are
we'll qualified.
Even in previous boom times, a
rood many were out of work. The
explanation commonly given, is that
machinery is being introduced so
asst, that it throws people out faster
han they can find jobs. But ma
hinery makes production so much
heaper that it lowers prices. so
eople can buy more goods, making
0bs for many workers.
The country needs some plan to
nd work for those still idle. who =
robably number 100000 or more. E
Luch is said about a shortage of d
killed workers. Many concerns are G
sported to be training young men =
n such jobs. and it seems a wise 9
olicy. 1t looks as if a period of
'eat industrial activity was COM "
G. The concerns that spend money 4
Nv in getting ready for it will get 81
e richest fruits out of such ac- y
1ity. y,
Milford chronicle., 1936-12-25
PEACE PLAN FOR AMERICA

The American republics, including
the United States. have signed a
plan for preservation of peace on
the American continent, as drafted
by the conference at Buenos Aires.
These countries agree to consult
with each other about what to do in
case of war, and they agree not to
interview with each others affairs.
Under this plan, it will not ap-
parently be possible for the United
States to send armed forces into the
tropical republics to maintain order
when they are disturbed by revolu-
tions, as has been done many times
in past years. Conditions in those
peppery little republics may become
bad if they are not threatened by
Uncle Sans big stick. But when
our country thus attempts to regu- !
late these countries, much i'll feeling
is created.
II such agreements can maintain
permanent peace in America, one
would think the nations of fighting
Europe would be ashamed of the in
;essant turmoil their quarrels create.
Milford chronicle., 1936-12-25
CHAPLAIN'S CHAPEL

Fred Wyatt of this community
passed away on Friday night, De-
cember 1S, at the home of his SIS
ter, Mrs. Annie Short. He had been
in poor health for some time. Flu
neral services were held on Tuesday
at ] p. m. at Carey's Funeral Par
lor in Georgetown. He leaves one
daughter, Catherane Wyatt, one bro
ther and several sisters and other
relatives to mourn their loss.
Mr.. and Mrs. orville Webb and
Elsie and Beatrice Feyerabend spent
the weekend with their sister, Mrs.
Dorothy Laughhead at Chester.
Miss Esther Peterson returned
home on Sunday after spending
some time with friends in Philadel-
phia.
Loretta Passwaters is on the sick
list at this writing.
Lillian LanlIford is suffering from
a boil on her face.
Lawrence Harris is suffering from
Willard Harris injured his eye
WN~h hC Aal ~ WIN q bLush Wnlle
working In the woods on Monday
Mr.. and Mrs. Hilton Penuel and
family were Milford visitors on
Monday evening.
Mrs. Elizabeth Carpenter has re-
ceived word Of her son Matthews
recent death. He lived in one of the
southern states.
We were sorry to hear of the
ieath Of Mrs. Addie Tatman, wife Of
Ray Tatman Of near here who pass
ID away at her home on Thursday,
December II. She had been a great
iunerer for some time. Funeral SER
ices were held at her late home on
Sunday at / D. m. Interment in st.
.ohnstown cemetery.
Services at chaplains next Sum
lay as follows Sunday school at 2
}. m. Preaching at 3 D. N. Let's All
~ TO attend the services during
nis Christmas season.
Milford chronicle., 1936-12-25
TRINITY

Rev. and Mrs. Robert E. Green and
son Bobby of Magnolia, were dinner
guests Of Mr.. and Mrs. Clarence
Nelson on Saturday.
Miss Elizabeth SlOcum spent the
weekend with Elizabeth and Mar
garet Steen.
Mr.. and Mrs. Leon Wheatley and
Mr.. and Mrs. Elmer Nelson were
Dover visitors on Friday and VIII
mlngton visitors on Monday.
Ernest Warrington has presented
his wife with a new SilvertOne radio
for Christmas.
w. F. Hastings has been confined
to the house again for the past two
weeks threatened with pneumonia.
Miss Hannah Conoway spent Sun
day in Philadelphia.
Mrs. Hattie Sylvia of Bridgeyille
spent Monday with her aunt. Mrs.
Ernest Warrington.
Mr.. and Mrs. John Williams and
daughter, Nancy, of fredericksburg,
spent Sunday with their parents.
Mrs. Joshua West and daughter
Jean and Mrs. Harvey Warrington
have been i'll with colds this week.
The Diamond State Telephone
Company has removed all the old
poles and wire from the "A and as
ines. This makes the highway much
'etter looking. The new under
'rOund system which has now been
n use for the past three months is
cry satisfactory. Several other lines
n this section will go on the new
ystem the first of the year.
Miss Louise Nelson of Philadel-
hia spent the weekend with her
arents and attended the junior-sen-
Or prom at Bridgeville on Friday
vening.
Laurence and Franklin Nelson at (
ended the farewell party given for /
liss Kathaleen Nichols in Bridge
ille on Monday evening before her
eparture for Wilmington where she
nd her mother will make their fu- {
Ire home.
The writer wishes all her readers
very Merry Christmas" and z
Prosperous and Glad New Year"
Milford chronicle., 1936-12-25
THREE CENT POSTAGE

Postmaster-General Farley thinks
II will be necessary to maintain three
cent postage on first class mail dur
ing 1887, but he holds out hopes that
the country can get back to the two
cent letter in 1888.
The three cent stamp is an un-
pleasant souvenir and memento of
depression. The American people
may get used to it in a way, but il
is a tax of which they are conscious
every time they mail a letter. Il
reminds them too vividIy of recent
troubles. 1t discourages business
development, as it makes it more
costly to solicit trade. The American
people will give three cheers, when
they see the good old red stamp on
all letters again.
Milford chronicle., 1936-12-25
STREETS LIKE WAR TRENCHES

I 1---@<1AD AAAAA van AALNOMAH
Judge Musmanno. Of Pittsburgh,
Pa, had a good idea on a recent
Sunday, when he preached a sermon
about careless automobile driving to
a large number of drivers who had
been convicted of drinking liquor.
The talk was given at the funeral
of penniless victim. The Judge
pointed out that in America, the
highways are in many ways as dan
gerous as a no mans land in case
of war.
A war in which $4,000 were killed
and 100000 wounded, would stir
the nation to its foundations, and
fill the land with sorrow for all this
tragedy and loss of working power.
Yet this thing is happening each
year as the result of automobile ac-
cidents, and people do not get great
ly stirred about it. Its just too
bad, they say. They do not demand |
drestic action to stop it.
The pedestrian trying to cross the
streets in crowded cities and towns
must often think he is about like a
soldier going over the top in the
war trenches. AS the unseen shell
from an enemy cannon may wipe
put the soldiers life without an in
slant of preparation, so the pedes-
rian trying to cross streets in an
unprotected place may be laid low
" some car whose swift approach
le had not seen.
The pedestrian is often forced TO
Ook four ways in a single instant.
ie must look to the right and the
eft, and then see whether some car
coming around one or two cor
ers. By the time he has looked in
lree or four directions, a car may
ave sped up from the point to which
e looked first. a
The American people seem to like u
live dangerously, as a famous D
once said. That is, they II
'efer to take many risks rather a
an let their desires for speed and u
her things go unsatisfed. Will W
ey ever acquire a more prudent
ution? gC
Milford chronicle., 1936-12-25

The innkeeper rubbed his hands
and began to close the door.
But we are looking for the Christ;
we have seen His angel" said one
Of the younger shepherds boldly
Has no one come this way?"
"No-go away-you1l disturb -
"The angel said we would find the
child in a manger."
I'm manger hmmm :" the
innkeeper unused. why" he said
remembering. there were two peo-
pie here earlier in the evning. A
man and girl. The girl was on
an ass.
"Yes, had forgotten. The man
asked for room. But 1 told him
what I'm telling you there is
no room. remember he nearly
cried. The girl seemed very tired.
but l didn't see her face. Yes, /
remember them. 1 felt sorry for
them, but there was no room. told
them they could go into the stable.
But they had no child.
Nov will you go. It's cold out
here"
The innkeeper looked at the shep-
herds and chuckled. "The Christ
no e. no :" He closed the
door.
Again the night was very still.
Stars shOne brightly on Bethlehem,
and it was cold.
For moment the shepherds were
lfraid.
Maybe" suggested one of them,
we have been wrong"
Don't say that. Remember there
vas the angel =. and the sign given
IS. Let's go to the stable" i
They jostled themselves in their
agerness. :
Softly they entered. h
There was a candle stuck in the h
rude wall, and it cast feeble glow.
Beneath its fiickering light they :,
~ Mary and Joseph of Nazareth, n
I'd then, drawing nearer, they saw n
e Child, wrapped in swaddling II
Othes and laid in the manger, as NJ
e angel had told them. n
1t was quiet. The world was "a
shed.
The clang of the swords of Rome
] far, far away, and the shout of
tax collector and the laugh of
innkeeper were lost and forgit- pc
/. trl
It was so quiet that the shepherds o.
lid head the breath of the beasts, pc
1tly drawn, and could see it like ui' W
mist in the cold light of the candle. d"
And they knelt, there in the stable,
sworshipped. ou
Milford chronicle., 1936-12-25
ARMY OF FARM VOLUNTEERS
GIVES FREE CROP SERVICE

More than $4,000 selected volunteer
workers, most of them farmers, help
the Bureau Of Agricultural Econom-
les every month with the crop re-
ports.
The list swells to more than 3OO,-
600 when those are included who re-
port only on seasonal crops at speci-
fed times Of the year. The 10000
unsalaried reporters furnish infor-
nation once month on the local
Milford chronicle., 1936-12-25
WINTER COVER CROPS MORE
THAN RUGS FOR THE SOU

Farmers cooperating with the Soil
! Conservation Service seeded mora
acres to cover crops this fall than
ever before.
Cover crops, say agronomists of
the Service, are more than rugs for
rainWorn soils. Wherever cover
crops can be seeded on clean cuIti-
waited land they reduce run-off and
check soil erosion. But cover crops
do even mOre-they tend to increase
the yields of regular farm crops.
Agronomists in the Bureau of Plant
Industry found that winter cover
crops, such as field peas, vetch, Grim
son clover, and rye, planted on cot
ton land, increased cotton Yields
about One-third and corn Yields
about three-fOurths.
Credit this to cover crops also.
They help to keep soluble nitrogen
and other plant food in the soil from
teaching out and going to waste.
They also protect new terraces and
terrace outlet channels during the
fall and winter when the soil be-
tween terraces ordinarily would be
bare.
In addition to supplying fall, win
Ter, and early spring pasture, coyer
crops plOwed under add humus to
he soil, increasing its fertility and
to hold moisture.
Cotton growers usually turn un-
Ter the cover crops about 3 weeks
.efore planting, while corn growers
ordinarily turn them under about 2
weeks before seeding time.n