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This newspaper page contains 18 articles. Subscribers can read the full text of each article.
Newspaper
Birtle Observer
Location
Birtle, Manitoba, Canada
Date
Jan 02, 1885
Page
2
The readable fragments mention a ceremony or event with children and a local place, plus names indistinct. It hints at a service or gathering with a countdown or time mark, though specific dates, people, and places are not clearly legible.
The piece surveys Christmas folk tales across Norway Germany and Russia detailing how fairies Nisse and water spirits figure in yuletide superstition. It recounts fairy offerings to appease spirits a magic quern tale the sea fogs a tale of the man in the moon and the Wild Huntsman. It notes fairy banquets curses and the dangers of mischief during Christmas Eve and describes ritual acts to ward off malevolent beings.
A fragment from a wider discussion notes that space prevents extending a series of Christmas tales, but the quoted pieces illustrate their general nature and tone. The reference hints at cultural or regional storytelling practices linked to Christmas season motifs.
The article details the Zuni ritual of making baking stones used for hard bread. Senior women, chosen keepers of the craft, undergo four days of fasting and ceremonial chants in seclusion. A Badger clan-priest leads the tempering, with strict silence to preserve the stones’ sanctity and power.
The piece outlines common Sicilian death omens and funeral practices. It notes midnight and morning hours as typical times of death and details rituals such as laments, head coverings, bed placement, lighting, and the role of women in mourning. It mentions last rites, indulgences, and the use of wedding dresses as shrouds in some places.
The excerpt portrays Pliny the Younger praising his wife for her affection and support. He notes her quick interest in his books and writings, her practice of memorizing his compositions, and her practiced enthusiasm as he pleads a case. She helps by keeping his praise private and sharing his verses with only her lyre.
A detailed look at winter life in Ontario and the Dominion, focusing on tobogganing and coasting. Describes toboggan construction, riding technique, attire, and dangers, with scenes from Rideau Hall and the broader Canadian boy’s love of snow and ice rooted in tradition. Includes contrast with American practices and notes on equipment and torchtlight gatherings.
The piece surveys snowshoeing and skating in Canada, describing gear and technique for neophytes, then celebrates Canadian ice sports. It highlights snowshoe use, moonlit processions, skating carnivals, and dramatic ice boating with speeds often reaching 50 to 100 miles per hour and frequent regattas, noting hazards and thrills.
A sequence of playful skating poses and flirty phrases portrays awkward romance. Characters perform innovative positions from one skate in the mouth to a final humorous knee fold, ending with a whispered invitation to dance next to music.
The Swedish Cremation Society reports approval for a Stockholm crematorium to be built on a high rocky plain north of the city. A large crematorium plot will be laid out as a public park near the town, offering a broad view as cremations are conducted.
A recently delivered sermon marked the opening of a Methodist Church revival service. The preacher addressed community faith, urging unity and support for church activities and outreach in the town.
Reports cover a Toulouse goose at 34 pounds from England, a church partition in Heidelberg, efforts by the Elector Palatine in 1719, railway-driven Midlands to ports, giant trees near Mount Etna and the Mariposa Grove, details of the Yangtze Kiang river, New Zealand mutton imports to London, and a statistical Society discussion debunking claims that first cousin marriages cause insanity or poor health.
In July 1856 a mariner reports searching for the legendary Maelstrom near the Lofoten islands. He learns from the captain that English sources alone describe it, locals deny its peril, and currents between Lefutoden and Mosken are a tidally driven channel. The piece questions the modern existence of a famous vortex.
A medical breakthrough attributed to Dr. Delthil is described as a new diphtheria treatment. Reports claim testing on fowl prevented infection and ended outbreaks, using turpentine and tar burned in roosting houses to generate smoke. Further trials on humans and animals are anticipated.
An Oil City youth claims a remarkable catch after a black bass allegedly leapt from the water, pursued him, and was secured to a tree with a fish line. The boy was found and the incident headed toward a curious local report.
A writer recalls a young married woman who fell ill in New Hampshire and, while largely normal mentally, developed genuine clairvoyance. She predicted deaths and named distant relatives and events, including a funeral as a party. Her family sought various doctors. no autopsy was allowed.
The Blue Stocking name originated with a literary society formed in Venice in 1400 and lasting to 159. It spread to Paris and other places where noblewomen supported it. The badge of blue stockings marked members, and a later French branch emerged in 1780 started by Mrs. in 1780. Mrs Monckton, later Countess of Cork, was the last survivor and died in 1840, after which the society became extinct.
The Yonkers Statesman notes it is not strange a woman died intestate as she had little will left to exercise in life. The piece wryly reflects on the absence of a will having defined her final days and legacy.
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