The Fateful Seven and the Mystic Number Folklore
Nora Hopper surveys the recurring power of seven in folklore and religion. From creation to biblical miracles, seven marks sacred time, numbers, and myths across cultures. She traces seven days, seven planets, seven metals, and tales like Friar Rush and Cap o’ Rushes, noting rituals, superstitions, and warnings tied to the seventh span.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Noah
Abraham
Sodom
Jacob
Joseph
Egypt
House of Bondage
Israe
Pericho
Bolomon
Nasman
Jordan
Venus
Friar Rush
Charming
Nora Hopper
Illustrated London: News
Back and Bac in Pittsburg Chronicle Word Play
In a playful Pittsburg Chronicle item a Wann loves big words yet misuses them. A neighbor complains of back pain and the user of grand terms suggests consulting Dr. Peljeta, an expert described as the Anast eteriologiat, as the care source.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Pittsburg
Aph
Peljeta
Ventilation and Ironclads Cure Ironclad Fever in Battle Turrets
The Monitor and Merrimac clash revealed air shortages in turrets and suffocating gunpowder fumes. A rotary steam blower, meriting early adoption, introduced ventilation that reduced fatal effects. Later ironclads adjusted air flow, with some using downdraft or armored cylinders. Ironclad fever faded as ventilators spread.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cassier
Shooting in Scotland Reveals Vast Spending on Game
A Cham bera Journal excerpt estimates Scotland’s shooting economy, citing 46 shoots in Perthshire with about £150 000 yearly from most shoots and £35 000 from the top ones. It notes 4,000 shoots nationwide, employing keepers, gillies, and pony men, plus deer forests and grouse grounds with multiple staff and horses.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Scotland
Perthshire
Gillie
Chambera
Dead Letter Curios in Postoffice Transcripts
Curiosities in dead letter office files include envelopes marked Return if not delivered or If not called for in five days, return to sender, with no state or town data. Names like Hermann Kemper appear without location. Letters addressed to workers and foreigners show clerks credited with clairvoyance, urging swift delivery.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Hermann Kemper
Ritchie Bros. & , Co
Appeals to Fear and Retribution in Human Nature
A North American Review excerpt argues that fear of evil and punishment underpins moral development. It asserts that even if material hell is denied, the doctrine of retribution remains inherent to human nature, guiding conduct and the sense that sin brings suffering.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
North American Review
Gregory
Scribner's
Wigwag Dwellers Celebrate Carpet Arrival
A brief comic exchange from the Philadelphia Record portrays Mr Wigwag rejoicing over a new carpet arriving intact Mrs Wigwag confirms it and Mr Wigwag jokes about staying unpacked revealing a lighthearted domestic scene from the era
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Wigwag
Mr. Wigwag
Mrs. Wigwag
Philadelphia Record
Winter Scenes and Banking Faith Remarks
A rugged winter description recalls arctic woods and snowfall, contrasting lone travelers with the calm white forest and a tobacco glow. The piece then shifts to warn that faith underpins banking, noting how dishonest bookkeepers can elude checks, even for years, as bank examiners struggle to detect subtle fraud.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Wong
Joe
Nansen
Witter Forest
Frederic Remington
Harper's
The Pleasing Guachos and the Two Savage Duel
A fragment from Saturday Review depicts a tense room scene with two armed adversaries, ponchos wrapped, knives poised, as a peppery crowd watches. The Bulpero guards the door with pistol and bottle while a word battle erupts, leading to blood on the mud floor and the crowd praising the victor as valiente.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Bulpero
Parajo
Guapeton
Saturday Review
Women with fertile minds and wartime promises
A fragmented relic of humor features Dixmyth describing his wife sewing covers for a piano and linen protecting the plush. A Chicago News quip praises women’s wit while a separate tale has Snoh declaring a vow that if he ever becomes president he will ship battleships christened with water, followed by Algernon’s impulsive pledge.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Dixmyth
Horax
Chicago News
United States
Snoh
Algernon
Cornhill Magazine Essay on Speech Habits and Phrases
The passage notes how readers imagine formal replies when addressing others and cites a humorous example of a laborer responding to praise of a pig with rustic grumbling. It laments overreliance on pretentious phrases and envisions more natural speech.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cornhill
Dido’s Bride Cards Wall in Fine Providence Play
A fragmented Providence Journal item notes Andren and Dido in a stage scene. The mock courtship ends with She playing her cards, reflecting a witty heroine. Copyrighted text appears garbled but suggests a theatrical context and character interplay.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Andren
Dido
Providence Journal
Mountain of alum in China described as wealth source
A Chinese alum mountain stands at least ten miles around its base and rises about 1,940 feet. Alum is mined by heating stone blocks then boiling water in vats, crystallizing a six inch layer which is broken into ten pound blocks. The item also includes a literary aside and a travel anecdote followed by a divorce notice involving Star Swan and Donnell Swan with family connections.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
China
Liow-Chek
Paris
Mr. Dumros
Mra
Swan
Donnell Swan
Balthmore
Laura
Miss Swan
Providence
Mrs. Swan
Hia
Jack Aator
Hamilton
Fred Webster
Francis I
Mr. Dyer
Bradley Martin
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Danking
Thomas L. Jones
Lincoln National Bank
New York
Iowa Falls
Carstens
Legant