17 May 1899
Page 1
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Newspaper
Ackley World
Location
Ackley, Iowa, United States of America
Date
May 17, 1899
Page
1
A London Times report details a Parisian dealer who manufactured counterfeit eggs for collectors. He copied shells or used gypsum, applying costly paints to mimic rare species like nightingales. The process is painstaking and most buyers remain unaware of the fakery.
The Imperial Gazette of Peking reports two Shang-Fang swords presented to princes Tsai Lieu and Isa Tachi. Each sword grants the bearer the right to behead any offender without the emperor’s word or record, serving as treason safeguard and mark of esteem. Only one other historic grant exists, to Mongol General Sni-Shang-ah by Emperor Asien-Feeng during the Taiping era.
Malta's Valletta hosts an invasion of flat houses as investors seek American fittings for elevators, plumbing, and door hardware after discussions with U S consul John M Grout Jr They request illustrated catalogs and price lists for interior fittings and house hardware. Separate items discuss why cats hiss in play and in anger with Dr Louis Robinson noting instinctive mimicry and a protective aim against eagles. Also reported a nine foot white tiger shot in Dibrugarh Assam with taxidermist comments on its rarity after 48 years.
The sign of the boot decorates shoemaker storefronts and comes in wood, copper, chalk, or iron. Wooden boots are cheapest, copper most expensive, with gilded and colored finishes common. Dealers in emblem signs, leather, and shoemaking supplies offer these signs, and occasionally giant sheet metal boots four to six feet tall are custom made for display.
A Norristown mill worker who served nine years with carding, spinning, and weaving was recently married. To honor her fidelity, the mill overseers presented her three handkerchiefs woven of thistledown. The delicate fabric shimmers silver gray and would crush to a small ball, reflecting months of effort and perseverance.
Washington Post reports a remarkable luncheon anecdote about a renowned eccentric visiting the capital. The guest asked for a finger bowl, the maid brought two bowls of water, and the guest added antiseptic from a bottle, cleaning utensils afterward to avoid touching silver with unsterilized lips. The hostess reacted with a calm smile saying, What a very excellent idea.
An 1898 newspaper note discusses a handshake-like beckon learned by soldiers returning from new U S territories after the Spanish War. It contrasts regional meanings and notes the gesture’s adoption abroad, while urging awareness of unfamiliar signals among diverse peoples. In a second tale, Vermont maple camp workers recover almost 200 pounds of sugar hidden by a bear in a cave, the bear carrying sugar on hind feet and fleeing when discovered.
The premier baron of England Lord de Ros marks his seventy second birthday as the oldest De Ros holder. Created in 1204 by Henry III, the barony is the oldest of its grade with the current peer as the 24th holder. The present lord, aged 47 at succession, once served as equerry and lord in waiting to the queen and prince consort.
A London statistician notes Americans spend over 10 million dollars each season there with most funds from long term residents rather than short visitors. He says American entertainments enrich the season and shopkeepers report more liberal dealings from wealthy Americans. About 20,000 live permanently, with comparable numbers in summer, mainly from the Midwest, and New Yorkers are few among them.
The piece argues wooden hotels spread across the country rely on proprietor and guest vigilance, noting fatal conflagrations are more common in old city hotels. It contrasts urban versus rural hotels, explaining stone or brick exteriors mask fire hazards from wooden floors and partitions, while Windsor tragedy and summer hotels show safety depends on occupants' caution.
The New York Press recounts the fall of Teddy, a former Roosevelts mascot in the Rough Riders, as he is outmatched by two new bald eagle rivals and later outshined by a third pair. Teddy now rests on a rock while rivals dominate the cage above him. A separate item notes a Chinese private school teacher earning about one cent daily per pupil.
A Washington letter in the Chicago Record reports a new army lieutenant's wife influencing his dress. She requests four gold braids like Admiral Schley and silver bird shoulder insignia, despite regulations against naval or colonel insignia on a second lieutenant. The tailor cautions, but she insists on the custom.
A collage of prairie wedding customs from the past, noting simple ceremonies at the bride’s home with goldenrod decorations and few attendants. The piece adds light jokes and cartoon captions about everyday life, marriage quirks, and social scenes of the era.
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