It’s once again time to revisit the past with another look at The Baldwin Times of yesteryear.

   This week in 1895 remains consistent with the past few, as actual news is scarce. An example of that, or perhaps an example of the mentality of the Gilded Age, is that the second installment of the serial, “Won at Last,” by Bernard Bigsby, again covers the publication’s front page.

   This week’s installment thickens the plot with chapter three, “The Great Night School of Oreton.” The chapter tells about the formation of a night school for adults wishing to get an education and better themselves in the English town of Oreton.

   It seems the school was started by Pettigrew Wixon with 15 members and a lot of jokes from the well off in the area. However, the student body soon grew to 100, which didn’t go over well with the previously mentioned upper class, who felt the less than educated should remember their place in society. Thus, the well-to-do formed a plot to shut the learning facility down.

   That leads to chapter four, “Wise Men in Council.” This chapter opens on the male tutor introduced last week. It turns out that his name is Frank Grey, and he is the young schoolmaster in Oreton.

   It seems that a number of students are infatuated with Frank. However, being a professional and a gentleman, he politely ignores them all.

  However, Susan Green is one student who doesn’t take rejection well. Instead, she has developed an open hatred for her teacher that manifests itself in disrespect that often results in discipline.

   Not all students are as bitter about Frank’s integrity, though. Elsie, who was also introduced in last week’s installment, keeps her crush to herself. But she doesn’t hide her concern and high regard for Frank.

   It’s this kindness and Frank’s attention to her education that provide an opening for the aforementioned plot to shut down the night school, at which Frank also teaches. With the help of false witnessess, such as the bitter Susan Green, accusations of inappropriate behavior are made against Frank. The installment ends with the case going to a hearing and Susan lying under oath.

   The weathered publication does actually contains some news. An example is an article announcing the results of elections held the previous Tuesday. According to the report, New York, Ohio, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Massachusets, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Utah, Mississippi and Virginia all seemed to vote mostly Democrat.

   “In Kentucky, the gold standard Democrats voted with the Republicans,” the article states. “But enough Democrats have been elected to the Legislature to ensure the return of gallant Joe Blackburn, a free silver man, to the U.S. Senate.”

   On the local front, a report announces that after a year without a preacher, the Baptist church in Daphne held a service the previous Sunday with the Rev. H.P. Hanson speaking.

   “He offers to preach at the church regularly for the small salary of $8 per month,” the article states.

   This Victorian-era publication also reports on the actions of the Baldwin County Commission, which had met the previous Monday-Wednesday. According to the article, the commission “appointed viewers of a public road from Bay Minette to Styx River Bridge and from Perdido to Bay Minette via Hall Fork and Dyas Creek and a road from Battles to Marlow.”

   In addition, the article also announced that the commission established a road to Numas.

   That same story also reported that the commission elected W.D. McKinsty of Mobile as its legal adviser, with the other applicant being Oscar Hall.

   “The race was not a very exciting one, as the candidates did not, either of them, give their views on the currency question,” the article states. “But Mr. McKinsty is known to be a free silver man, and perhaps this had something to do with his running so well.”

   Also in the newspaper is an article announcing that Judge Chas. Hall received checks for wounded Confederate veterans and their widows, with $17.05 distributed to each one and the blind receiving an extra $21.48 each.

   The four-page newspaper is also filled with plenty of commentary. One piece is from Big Jim.

   “How can we complain of hard times when tater diggin’ times and ‘possum gravy is right on hand?” he writes. “Why land sakes alive! What is better, and just think how plentiful they are. Sweet potatoes are selling for 50 cents a bushel in Pensacola, and pork at 7 cents per pound.”

   Check back next week for another glimpse into what made the news in The Baldwin Times of yesteryear.