China's Cresus in Canton Aims for Gould Wealth and Foot Customs
Frank G Carpenter sketches How Qua a wealthy Cantonese magnate tied to the Chinese minister in Washington. He owns acres of houses and tea gardens and supports hundreds of relatives. his wealth attracts gifts and mirrors the era's opulent lifestyle. The visit describes his grand residence, tea, and family life including the practice of foot binding and a Canton dog and cat restaurant.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Frank G. Carpenter
Canton
China
Vanderbilt
Washington
England
Europe
Jay Gould
Seymour
Pearl River
Babel
Howna
Hong Kong
Formosa
Peinie
Yabeva
Werperaiesson
Life in Canton and Shanghai Aboard a River City
The narrative paints Canton as a bustling waterborne metropolis with hundreds of boats and floating families living on the river. It notes brutal foot binding among Chinese women, harsh child-rearing practices, infanticide, and the selling of girls for wives or concubines, with incidents including a Canton hospital displaying a bound foot cast and a woman in Canton who froze her feet. The account includes markets selling living fish, dried delicacies, and scenes of daily life, consuls, charities, and a Shanghai port experience with trials in a mixed court.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mary Biles
Counrr
Canton
America
North
England
Denby
Peking
China
Jesuit Children’s Asylum
Shanghai
Foo How
Jadee
Horace Nelson the Maine horseman who trained fast trotters
Horace Nelson of Waterville Maine, owner of Sunnyside stock farm, recalls driving and breeding horses that beat 2.30. He discusses Dictator Chief, Aubine, Susie Owen, and Hero Light, his health battles, and the aim to put three horses into the 2.0 circle while detailing his honesty, racing prowess, and racing philosophy.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Charles Horace Nelson
Waterville
Sunnyside
Hod Nelson
G.lonk
Mr. Nelson
Gretchen
Gideon
Beacon
Nelson
Dutase
Florida
California
Maine
Colonel West
Kentucky
Elson
Chief
Susie Owen
Aubine
Dictator Chief
Heirolight
Jewel
Herolight
Lewiston
Mr. Morgan
New York
Iid
Waterville Stock Owners and Nelsons Lottery Prizes
The piece notes owners of stock and Mr Nelson have won multiple lottery prizes. It mentions a recent addition of a Fairfield farm and his residence at Elmwood in Waterville. It highlights his trotting views, noting long foregone running and trotting instincts, and compares New England prospects to Kentucky and California for young trotters.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Nelson
Fairfield
Elmwood
Waterville
Kentucky
California
Elson
Sai Jor
Moss
Bill Nye at Porkopolis and the Western Whist Memoir
Edgar Nye records his Chicago visit lampooning Eastern refinement and Western frankness. He notes Armour works, the grim Alabama of hog processing, and a comic clash of manners from New York to Chicago. Nye contrasts Fox hunting ruses, economy schemes, and social pretensions.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Edgar W. Nye
Curcaco
New York
Chicago
The Great Footed Ladies and Canton’s Striking oddities
The account describes Chinese beauty standards with extremely small feet called Golden Lilies and mentions Canton as a center of gastronomy with bird nest soup and a dried rat delicacy. It recounts sights of Canton including blind beggars from the local asylum, and a traveller observing shops selling cat and dog meat, and a brutal market for human trafficking in a historical context.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Canton
Paris
New York
Clover Club
Lsaw
Allenak
Mr Jinks Close Call Turns Into Mock Medical Quackery
A Philadelphia Record item shows Mr Jinks returning from work with a rough day, bumping his head and racing to the depot. Mrs Jinks teases his aches as symptoms spark a humorous quack diagnosis from Dr Quack's almanac urging a dozen bottles from the drug store.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mr. Jinks
Philadelphia Record
Grain Bin Mystery Solved at St Paul Grain Firm
St Paul grain men faced a puzzling bin question when five distinct wheats were layered and barley placed on top. Upon opening the spout, barley emerged first, revealing the actual order of discharge and solving the practical problem observed by W A Van Slyke and others.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
St. Paul
W. A. van Slyke
Origin of the phrase My Uncle and pawn broker hooks
Notes and Queries explain the term uncle in pawnbroking as a pun on uncus meaning hook. Pawn brokers used a hook before spouts were adopted, making Gone to the uncus equivalent to up the spout. In French prisons the concierge is called uncle as prisoners are kept in pawn. In the 17th century a usurer was called an uncle in Walloon provinces.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Walloon
Samuel Johnson On A Lark In Macmillan Magazine
A vignette recalls Samuel Johnson rolling down a hut and tumbling, laughing at the steep incline. The piece recounts Johnson’s infamous London roistering with Beauclerk, Langton, Garrick, and others, including tavern feats, roguish banter, and Johnson’s stout refusal to moralize.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Macmillan’s
Samuel Johnson
Langton
Beauclerk
London
Johnson
Temple
Covent Garden
Lord Lansdowne
Hillingsgate
Chronicle
Roundhouse
Sagareak
Garrick
Will Photograph a Burglar
Application for a patent by two Dubuque men describes an electric light method of instant photography to detect burglars. The system involves multiple cameras and a tell-tale wire fastened to a safe knob so a burglar must touch it, leaving a photograph on a plate.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Dubuque
A Future Probability
A fragment from a Chicago Herald piece on a child's question about George Washington’s birthday and a contrast to Blaine’s birthday. The dialogue frames an era's values and education through simple questions and the notions of honesty and celebration.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Chicago Herald
George Washington
Blaine
New York Run. Friend Comforts Bedbound John With Gas Bill
A sick man explains loneliness and a six months gas bill sent by a gas collector who he paid and embraced as a brother, highlighting the strain of illness and isolation in a New York setting.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New York
John
Fairfield Journal Notes Dog Tail Frozen in Pond Incident
B Wellington's large dog chased into Albion pond while boys skated. The animal did not return with Shem and Gras. On Sunday the tail was found frozen in the ice with a large hole where the body rested and one paw nearly melted through.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Doggie
Fairfield Journal
B. Wellington
Albion
Shem
Sweatt to sue electric light company over hens
Oliver Sweatt says he will file suit against the electric light company for damages. His hens are awakened nightly until midnight by the bright lamp and are worn out for lack of sleep.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Stoughton Sentinel
Oliver Sweatt
Electric Light Company
Death of Hickory Tom in Shantyville News Brief
In a Burlington Free Press snippet, Bill Bloodga asks if Hickory Tom is dead and Hank Choker confirms the death of the poor fellow. The fragmentary exchange hints at a local item from Shantyville with no further details.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Burlington Free Press
Bill Bloodga
Hickory Tom
Hank Choker
Bill Bloodwa
From Homespun to Regal Purple in France's Presidency
The article surveys M. Carnot rising from modest origins to lead France with a lavish Parisian social life at the Motel de Ville. It contrasts republican economy with imperial extravagance, notes expenditures, and outlines political figures like Floquet and Boulanger while commenting on Parisian sentiment and the Republic's finances.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mons. Carnot
French Republic
France
Europe
Legion of Honor
Elysee
Molet
Come’d Evreux
Pompadour
Duchess of Bourbon
Murat
Napoleon I
Louis Bonaparte
Alexander I
Russia
Palais D’ilysee
Napoleon III
White House
Washington St'll
M. Carnot
Motel de Ville
Paris
Motley
Bacchus
Psyche
Floquet
Ion
Senate
Luxembourg
Provence
Louis XVIII
Marie de Medicis
Risouin
Beauharnais
Josephine
Desmoulins
Danton Aus Despierres
Palais du Directorie
Palais du Consulat
Palais du At Conservateur
Palais du Senat
Eee
Boulanger
Republic
Also Mentioned on This Page
Cresus
Mr. How Qua
Carpenter
Cat Restaurant
Vanton
As Mead
Horace Nelson
Ted
Bill Nye
Porkopolis
Sweet William
Mighty Western Millionnaires
O' Kell
Breshoneny
Champs Elysees
Rue de Oiler
Mr. Armour
Quincy
New England
Northwest
Connecticut
Minnesota
Newport
Fox Hunt
Seenae
Sontinent
Australia
Nye
San Francisco
Stonan
Missouri River
Boston
Enoch Arden
Qua
Mary Garrett
Mark Hopkins
Tientsin
North China
Troy Telegraima
Chicago Tribune
Hotel de Ville
Ivil
Padaes
Repulicans
Jacq E
Boulanger Clique
Empire
Avish
Republic En Ons Pn
Ciminicbe Snehalt
War Department
Latir
Rosseau
Ball
Pantheon
le Bray
Shib Holeth
Arc de Triomphe
Hid Anandat
Laguerre
Tne
Count Dillon
Rich
Royalis
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!