Harrigan Calms New Orleans Crowd With Yankee Appeal
Edward Harrigan faced a hostile New Orleans audience while performing The Blue and the Gray. He stepped forward and urged the crowd to “give the Yankee a hand.” The crowd’s hostility turned to applause as his gesture bridged old war tensions. The piece contrasts with scientific notes on digestion by Sir Ray Lankester on table manners and appetite.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Edward Harrigan
New Orleans
Tony Hart
Louisiana Tigers
Harrigan
Ray Lankester
London Telegraph
Rule of the Road Abroad and Here by the Gun Tale
A hotel lobby discussion recounts why Europeans kept left with swords while American settlers kept right to ready firearms. A Philadelphia Times anecdote explains road rules tied to weapon carry, noting left-handed sword use and right-side gun defense.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
America
Philadelphia Times
Romance of a Shadow and the Origins of Time
The piece argues that shadows from a gnomon sparked astronomy geometry and geography. It traces ancient time keeping from Egyptian measurements to Egyptian hours for a water wheel. It describes a thurra stalk gnomon used to mark sunrise and sunset, noting shadows as primitive chronometers.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Upper
Egypt
London T. P
Training Seals and Tricks from Dexterous Animals
A New York World report explains how trainers use a seal s natural habits to teach tricks. By starting with fish on a string then introducing cones and balls, seals learn to balance and retrieve, each step built on instinct and reward.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New York World
Life in Iceland Farmhouses Built of Turf and Earth Floors
The Springfield Republican describes Icelandic turf farmhouses with earthen floors and thatched roofs. It notes a dim corridor maze, a central fire pit for smoking meat and fish, a badstofa sleeping and living area, and bunks built into walls with seaweed or feathers.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Brattleboro
Springfield Republican
TOLD IN PANTOMIME The Worth of a Chinese Gift to Li Hung Chang
A humorous tale recounts Li Hung Chang after the Shimonoseki treaty receiving a cloth bag with a heavy ceramic vase. His secretary Pethick pretends warmth to signal the vase is a fresh Parisian reproduction, leaving Li heartbroken at the ruse.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Li Hung Chang
China
Shimonoseki
Pethick
Paris
Food and Digestion Reflects on Taste and Nutrition
The passage argues that robust people rely on their uncultivated tastes and dismiss food fancies as trivial, while feeding in civilized life is more complex than mere consumption. It emphasizes real importance beyond simple appetite.
Bibles in the World
A New York Herald piece outlines seven Bibles across cultures. It lists the Koran, Eddas, Tripitaka, Five Kings of China, Three Vedas, Zendavesta, and Christian Scriptures with notes on origin dates and ethical content.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
The
World
Christ
Zoroaster
New York Herald
The Gentleman and the Statute of Limitations
A Kansas banker recounts a tale of a southern gentleman who lent money long ago and claimed the statute of limitations never runs against a gentleman. The banker admits the lender’s gentlemanly trust, and the money is eventually repaid through formal channels, underscoring moral obligation.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Kansas
Kansas City Journal
He Got the Raise
Quote showing an employee who earned three years for $11 a month and ascends to owner while contrasting with a boss who treated staff poorly and lost the business, as reported by the Chicago Record-Herald.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Chicago Record-Herald
Nice Selection Play Request From Boston Tran Script
A dialogue fragment presents a choice of music to play. He suggests Whiet or dominos as options. The line appears in a Boston Tran script excerpt.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Boston Transcript
Antiquity of the Dog in Ancient Civilizations
The text traces dog domestication hints to 3500 B C in Egyptian monuments and notes dogs as valued companions in ancient society. It cites Argus the dog recognizing Ulysses 3000 years ago, Plutarch on Alcibades and his dog, Myron’s marble image of a dog, Roman use as pets and aides, and Alexander the Great owning a lion-taming veteran dog.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Ulysses
Argus
Plutarch
Alcibades
Myron
Alexander the Great
Riding the Buzzard Free Ride for Ricebirds
A New York Tribune observation notes tiny ricebirds alighting on buzzards to hitch a free ride across Carolina rice flats. The birds cling to the buzzard’s back, grab a few feathers, and depart unharmed, seemingly enjoying the unusual parasitic spectacle.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Carolinas
New York Tribune
Indian Death Customs of Hopi and Navajo Described
The Hopi bury the deceased in a sitting grave facing the Grand Canyon with a pole and string guiding the soul to its eternal home after four days. The Navajo avoid reoccupying a hogan after a death, believing an evil spirit lingers and endangers others.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Grand Canyon
Canyon
East Facing Entrance and North Cut Hogan Symbolism
A fragment discusses Navajo hogans with entrances facing east and a death signified by a north side opening, then shifts to quotes on equality, genius, and social class by Dillon Wallace and Victor Hugo. The piece links ritual signs to death and reflects on human worth and the supremacy of genius.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Dillon Wallace
Saving as a Path to Peace of Mind
The excerpt urges saving as a shield during misfortune. It emphasizes resolve and will power as essential, advising regular deposits of a portion of weekly or monthly income, and setting aside extra or unexpected receipts to build financial security.
Parrot’s Profanity Triggers Quip From Washington Herald
A Washington Herald quip compares a parrot’s profanity to a lawn mower imitation, noting the bird learned the noisy habit last summer and offering a sharp wit about the bird’s misbehavior.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington Herald
A Bibulous Goose Baffles Time in Britain
A letter recalls a venerable goose in Westmoreland aged many years and fond of beer and gin. An acquaintance described a goose kept for over four decades near Milnthorpe and Arnside, while Rev James Hall notes a Stirlingshire goose that died after living eighty years in the same place.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Westmoreland
Milnthorpe
Arnside
Ganaside
James Hall
Stirlingshire
Scotland
London Field
Skating on a Tennis Court as Winter Rink
An 1890s note suggests converting a tennis court into a skating rink by digging 6 to 12 inches deeper than the surrounding ground and flooding the court with a hose after saturating the soil. A 25 foot buffer around the lines yields over 11 000 square feet for spectators.
Deafness in Blue Eyed White Cats Cited
The article notes that not all white cats are deaf but most blue eyed white cats are. It claims there is no known cause for this tendency and that yellow or green eyed white cats have not been deaf unless by accident, citing St. Nicholas.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
St. Nicholas
Duty and Will to Hear Her Voice Open Guest in Time
A short reflective quote assesses duty as near and clear. It emphasizes readiness to welcome guidance to those willing to listen. Francis Peabody frames duty as a near, simple obligation awaiting in each person.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Francis Peabody
How to Become as I Am and the Hundred Dollar Tale
An eminent man of wealth recalls his first hundred dollars in a speech. A weary audience member interrupts, saying if he cannot forget it, perhaps others deserve a chance to hear the rest. The quip echoes a Chicago Post tone of humorous caution.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Chicago Post
A Friendly Tip Exchange Dialogue
A short back and forth about marriage advice between Hammersley and Lapleigh. Hammersley notes a beautiful girl could do better while a sensible girl would know better, implying no suitable match for the speaker.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Hammersley
Lapleigh
All They Could Find Whist With Forty Seven Cards
A humorous item from the Louisville Courier Journal notes a household scene where a wife and three friends attempt whist using only forty seven cards, sparking amused chatter about improvised play.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Louisville Courier-Journal
Business Over Romance In Courtroom Exchange
A dramatic exchange unfolds as a father scolds a suitor for breach of promise while the arranged engagement is framed as a business matter. The daughter’s suit tests family honor against practical considerations.
Quotations on Affliction and Comfort by Sterne
A reflective aphorism notes that consolation arrives too soon before hardship and too late after it, yet a subtle balance exists as a fine mark for a comforter to target. The line emphasizes timing and sympathy in endurance.
Talk is cheap but reputations can cost a man
A Philadelphia Record quotation notes that talk is cheap but warns that words may damage a man’s reputation, contrasting a wise saying with a blunt reply from a simple observer.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Philadelphia Record
Average person wastes time telling others what they ignore
The remark notes that many people spend time sharing information that others do not want to hear, highlighting a common inefficiency in communication. It implies a need to tailor messages to audience interest and to seek concise, relevant exchanges.
First theaters to adopt incandescent lighting in Chicago
The Academy of Music on Halstead Street first used incandescent lamps installed by Western Edison Light. The auditorium wired for 150 sixteen candle power lamps, stage left unlit. Opening night actors resisted gaslight makeup and endured glare to finish the act. The Haverly Theater on Monroe Street was the first to be fully lit, with two dynamos powering 637 lamps. Curtain rise lit all lamps, causing astonishment and long applause. McVicker's and the Chicago Opera House soon followed with similar systems.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Academy of Music
Halstead Street
Chicago
Western Edison Light Company
Haverly Theater
Monroe Street
Inter Ocean
McVicker’s Theater
Chicago Opera House
W. ©. Jenkins
National Magazine
Lions Hunt in Pairs African Style
The article describes coordinated lion hunting in Africa. A lioness lures livestock from a kraal while the male guards and the pair share the meal after the kill. They often return for leftovers on subsequent nights. Zebras, quaggas, and wild asses are their preferred meats.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Africa
English Clay Pipes in Fleet Street Chophouse History
The clay pipe, once the sole English smoking variety, appeared in late sixteenth century England. A French author notes the English invented baked clay pipes. Broseley in Staffordshire and later Newton Abbot and Kingsteignton in Devon supplied the clay used for pipes sent nationwide and worldwide.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Fleet Street
England
Broseley
Staffordshire
Elizabeth
W. A. Penn
Newton Abbot
Kingsteignton
Devonshire
London Spectator
Boy defeats banking rule with dollar and a half deposit
In Cleveland a boy tries to deposit a half dollar but is refused under the one dollar minimum. He waits, then returns with a dollar to make a one dollar and a half deposit, cleverly defeating the bank’s policy and causing extra bookkeeping.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cleveland Bank
Cleveland Plain Dealer
History Debate Between Salvador and Landeau
Joseph Salvador the French historian and Jules Landeau the novelist argued at a public reception over each others roles in letters. The novelist said history needs sugar coating to be palatable while the historian claimed coating hides nothing and cures. They proposed dividing honors to reflect their contributions.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Joseph Salvador
Jules Landeau
Landeau
Tolstoy’s Intensity Captures Russian Writer’s View
A Russian writer asserts Tolstoy’s character reaches titanic proportions in all traits. He notes Tolstoy’s intense nature extends to drinking and other aspects, reflecting a larger range of forceful personal traits.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Tolstoy
Notable figure praised for bravery and wit at Sevastopol
The text lauds a man described as generous with liquor, fearless at gambling, and bold in battle. It notes his cheerful advance to bastion four at Sevastopol where he eased dying men with witty sayings. It highlights his prodigious activity in sport and literature.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Sevastopol
Lincoln on agriculture and subsistence from small land
The remark extols agriculture as the broadest field for profitable work and thoughtful labor. Lincoln predicts that the most valuable art will be deriving a comfortable subsistence from the smallest area of land.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Abraham Lincoln
Harvard Student Answers With Flame Not Fuel
A brief Life magazine quotation shows a Harvard student replying to a question about going to a dance with humor. He says he has a flame but no fuel, reflecting a witty take on teenage romance.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Harold
Harvard
Grateful Dog Outshines Unthankful Man in Adage
The saying by Saadi notes a dog’s gratitude surpasses a man’s ingratitude. It contrasts loyalty with disloyalty and offers a concise moral about appreciation and character.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Saadi
Essay on Joseph Pulitzer and a witty family moment
A Washington Dost recounts a slice of the Pulitzer family. It recalls Joseph Pulitzer's relentless work ethic and his refusal to take holidays while noting a playful exchange with his son Ralph. Mrs. Pulitzer asks if he ever acted for pleasure, and the son quips about his marriage.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Joseph Pulitzer
Ralph
The Tiny Shoes She Wanted
A shopper asks for the smallest shoes, the clerk presents tiny slippers, and the buyer quips that her baby will see with those on her feet as other customers sniff. This anecdote appears in the Buffalo Express.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Buffalo Express
Exclusive Lassie Plays With Brownstone Front Girl
A Chicago News item quotes a grandmother gently prompting a child to play with a neighbor child. The youngster declines, preferring to play only with a girl from a brownstone home, described as a frame house regard.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Nettie
Chicago News
Hotel capacity questioned by Browning's Magazine
A hotel proprietor confirms the establishment can accommodate 200 persons, clarifying that their facility does not exceed this capacity. Browning's Magazine records the exchange.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Browning’s
Sharp Wit in Illustrated Bits Cartoon Exchange
A brief humorous exchange from Illustrated Bits features a playful dialogue between a man and a girl. The fellow asks about the jolliest thing he knows, and the girl responds with a witty self reference.
Glance Before Employing a Fine Word
A compact reflection on taking a careful look before choosing a refined term. The thought urges prudence in language to avoid errors and misinterpretation, suggesting restraint and clarity in diction.
His Way of Getting Even
A Cleveland Plain Dealer anecdote features Jim McGroarty known for chest thumps and taunts. The narrator plans vengeance by replacing a vest pocket cigar with a stick of dynamite, aiming to provoke a dramatic confrontation.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Jim McGroarty
Jim
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Picture of Egyptian women's seclusion in eastern lands
Excerpt from Lord Cromer cited by Helen Barrett Montgomery describes the deprivation of Egyptian women. Seclusion confines women's interests to a narrow horizon, stunting intellect and mental growth in Moslem societies. An English visitor recalls an Egyptian woman saying she sits on a sofa and crosses to the other.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Lord Cromer
Helen Barrett Montgomery
Wit Not Appreciated in Dark Kitchen Stumble
A New York American item describes Stubbs groping to the kitchen stove in blackout darkness and tripping on a coal scuttle. Mrs Stubbs quips about a range finder as a joke, and Stubbs comments on a woman's wit.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Stubbs
John
A Crazy Spell at the Opera Trovatore
The scene notes Sophronia Czechlinskiwicz as the prima donna in the opera Trovatore. A basso vows the lovers by singing a binding spell as the performer replies with a sinewy lyric line.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Trovatore
Sophronia Czechlinskiwicz
Opera bag marked down to three eighty eight
Customer asks to exchange a five dollar opera bag for a five dollar chafing dish. Clerk replies the opera bags are reduced to three ninety eight. Washington Herald records the playful shopping exchange.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington Herald
Also Mentioned on This Page
Ned Harrigan
Romance of
Iceland
Food and Digestion
Bibles IN the World
Victor Hugo
Agriculture
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