Going Out to See a Man In Artemus Ward Jokes
A Louisville Courier Journal note recounts how Artemus Ward’s line about crossing the street to “see a man” triggered a fad. R Tracey of the Washington Republican joked about guiding Ward to “see a man” without leaving the stage as audiences split bills between acts. The anecdote credits Aman the restaurant keeper with popularizing the phrase and boosting his business after the gag spread.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Artemus Ward
R. Tracey
Washington Republican
Artemus
Aman
Arman
Restaurateur
Louisville Courier-Journal
Brignoli the Tenor and His Cold Wardrobe Rituals
The famous tenor Brignoli was sensitive to flattery and once gave a champagne supper for the New York orchestra after a favorite song. He guarded his voice from drafts, taking three-quarters of an hour to reach the street in winter by pacing halls, lingering in the lobby, and testing cold air before stepping outside.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Brignoli
New York
Everett House
Brignoll
War record tops convention pledge in Illinois rally
At an Illinois political convention a speaker praised a nominated friend for battlefield and peacetime service. A voice shouted for the man who will run best, prompting the orator to reiterate the nominee’s renowned war record as the decisive credential.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Illinois
The Many Meanings of Green Across Belief and Nature
Mysterious green charms readers with beliefs on color influence. Green appears in nature in many shades and objects, from Venus and Frøya associations to Friday name day customs. Clairvoyants link green to intellectual power, while green eyes warrant careful interpretation.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Venus
Fréya
His Honor Vindicated Duel Story
A lighthearted tale of two French duelists and their seconds who march through the woods to a promised clash only for one to stumble and fall. The wounded party asks if there is blood and proclaims his honor vindicated, then offers a humorous handshake to his companion.
Betting In the Nursery
A boy tells his mother he has made a bet with his cap against two shoe buttons that she will give him a penny to buy apples. The mother agrees and he receives the penny.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Philadelphia Inquirer
Vegetarian deacons spark dialogue in sermons
In a Philadelphia Ledger note, the First Deacon quips that the new pastor must be a vegetarian, while the Second Deacon questions the 80 year old expectation. The First Deacon explains there is no meat in the sermons, framing a humorous church debate about dietary habits and preaching style.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Philadelphia Ledger
Kingsley Quotation on Excuses and the Devil
A fragment quotes Charles Kingsley saying when a man wants an excuse the devil will fit him with a good one. The line is framed as a moral aphorism without context.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Gcharles Kingsley
Senses of Insects
Insects rely on faceted eyes for aerial steering and object motion, seeing better while flying as image displacement relative to the eye aids perception. They distinguish contours imperfectly and gauge distance clearly during flight, with color recognition varying by species such as bees and wasps.
The Japs as Jokers and a Port Bargain Joke
London Answers notes a tale from the second empire when Baron Gros urged opening ports in Japan. Japanese ministers teased him by demanding France open a port to them in return. The port named by the French was Liverpool, a British port, not French, while the Japanese pointed out the port lay in Korea. The ambassador admitted the joke at his expense.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Baron Gros
Japan
France
Liverpool
Korea
London
The Submarine Crew Discipline and Training
In-depth look at submarine crews showing the extreme discipline and long training required to operate as a single unit. Navy practice is continuous, with crews forced to function like clockwork as if in actual combat, even during routine sea departures.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Navy Department
St Nicholas
Burly artisan in dock faces assault charge
In a London courtroom a tall burly artisan is brought in by the bailiff on an assault charge. It is his first appearance. The magistrate, busy at first, asks if he has engaged defense, to which the prisoner replies he does not want anyone and then offers to face a half dozen of them.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
London
Origin of Pall Mall Name from Pelemele Game
The term Pall Mall derives from paile maile an ancient game once played in Pall Mall by Norman monks It was introduced to England and noted by Pepys in his diary April 2 1661 as the Duke of York playing at Pelemele in St James Park, the first time the sport was seen there.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Pall Mall
England
Pepys
St. James’ Park
Duke of York
Pelemele
How Britain Trains Her Sons
English home life shapes sons to leave early and face the world. German families foster closer ties and sentimentality. Berliner Tageblatt notes British youths become independent and responsible sooner than their German counterparts.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Britain
England
Two Sides Puck Dialogue on Frugality in Love
A witty exchange imagines a man who loves his wife enough to stop wasting money on cigars if she asks him. She counters that if she loves him as she ought, she would ask him to change, and he would respond by halting the habit.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Puck
Gave Him Up Won’t Raise Johnson’s Illness
Quote notes doctors’ prognosis of Johnson as a paradox, suggesting apparent recovery after being given up as ill. Dialect and dialogue imply a twist: Johnson is not as ill as expected despite medical bets. The exchange hints at disbelief and a social or medical misunderstanding about his health.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Johnson
Quiet Dispute Over Refined Neighbors
In a wry Chicago News item neighbors quarrel over refinement and borrowing, noting that the new residents never borrow but take silver and cut glass, a sly social jab at etiquette and class.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Caller
Nextdoor
Chicago News
Plattery Metaphor Describes Tales and Belief
A concise remark compares plattery to a fairy tale noting that belief persists even when disbelief remains. The quote frames how people listen willingly to stories they suspect are not true and reflects on narrative persuasive power.
The Barrel on the Sidewalk Ends Up on Second Floor
A laborer near a sidewalk carries a barrel to the second floor after a crowd debates methods. Bystanders suggest rigging a derrick rope and pulley or temporary elevator, but the man simply lifts the barrel himself and leaves it empty. Milwaukee Free Press.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Milwaukee Free Press
Explicit Language Bill Joke From Ladies Home Journal
A tradesman seeks payment over months. Each reply is politely specific about the bill. In the fourth month both sides long for payment, ending with the tradesman giving up. The tale satirizes verbosity and mutual insistence on completing the bill.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Ladies’ Home Journal
Is Oratory a Drawback The Great Orators and Presidential Runs
A Boston Globe reflection notes that top speakers have not always become presidents. Webster, Clay, Douglas, and Blaine drew followers with voice and force, while Greeley proved effective though not a notable orator. Tilden relied on writing, Grant grew from a silent start to strong public speeches.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Webster
Clay
Douglas
Blaine
Horace Greeley
Tilden
Free Soil
Grant
Garfield
Boston Globe
Browning and the Westminster Review Mock Notice
A retired notice recounts Browning’s delight at a proposed Westminster Review article by J. Mill that was overtaken by its own paper. Browning read in the Review a scornful label misidentifying his early volume as balderdash.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Balderdash
Browning
J. §. Mill
Westminster Review
Oyster Shells as Medicine for Child Health
Medieval doctors used ground oyster shells to treat rickets and scrofula in children. Modern notes confirm shells contain minerals such as manganese and iodine, beneficial for feeble children. They claim powdered shells in food could improve teeth in growing children.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
London
Why He Refused Soup Host Tale
A guest declines another soup serving in a humorous exchange. The hostess worries about etiquette, but the guest clarifies his concern is the soup itself, not manners. The dialogue highlights practical appetite over formal rules.
Saved the Dishes and Dinner Dilemma
The husband questions why the cook was dismissed this morning as the Higesés visit tonight. The wife explains that at 11 a.m. there were only exactly enough dishes left to set the table, per the judge.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Higesés
Coming of age reply in Herald and Presbyter
A visitor asks what the Little man will be when grown. He answers simply that he will be twenty one. The exchange appears in the Herald and Presbyter.
The New Watch Teachings From an Old Watchmaker
A watchmaker lectures a young man on proper care of a birthday gift watch. He urges winding in the morning, annual servicing, and gentle handling. He notes the balance makes 18,000 oscillations yearly on a drop of oil and warns against careless work. He jokes about mainspring epidemics and condemns negligent repairers. New Orleans Times-Democrat.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New Orleans Times-Democrat
Dollar Bills by Weight Demonstrates Hidden Change
In a Kansas City Star item a bank president jokes that dollar bills weigh nearly gold. He notes a twenty dollar gold piece weighs 540 grains and compares it to twenty seven new ones or twenty six worn bills, suggesting wear and dirt add weight.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Kansas City Star
A Bedouin's Idea of a Locomotive in Palestine
Professor H W Dunning notes that Philadelphia locomotives funded the Jaffa to Jerusalem rail line after a Central American buyer defaulted. The first engine arrived August 20, 1892, attracting crowds from Jerusalem and nearby villages. A Bedouin described it as a big iron woman that screeches and then runs away, a phrase that spread through Moab.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Jaffa
Jerusalem
Philadelphia
H. W. Dunning
Palestine
Central America
Jaffa-Jerusalem
Jordan
Moab
Sea Serpent Sighted Off Brazil By Naturalist Nicoll
M J Nicoll, author of Three Voyages of a Naturalist, saw a sea serpent about fourteen miles off Brazil. A four foot dorsal fin rose two feet, with a brownish black patch below. An eel like neck emerged six feet long, head like a turtle, suggesting a mammal rather than a reptile. Also an advertisement for Mother Gray’s Sweet Powders for Children describing cures and testimonials.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Brazil
M. J. Nicoll
Grasse Perfume Capital and Hypnotic Mangishlak Lake
In a New Orleans Times Democrat piece a perfumer describes Grasse as the world’s perfume source with violet notes, while noting a Caspianite lake Mangishlak that exudes a strong violet scent and mauve waters. He explains the lake’s odor comes from Beaweed V Polydeystia violacea and its color shifts as seaweed decays. The writer suggests visiting the Mankishlak peninsula to see a curiosity rivaling South American asphalt lakes.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Caspian
Mangishlak
Mankishlak Peninsula
South America
New Orleans Times-Democrat
Rain Turns Hot Water to Odd Porch Plot
In a Cleveland Plain Dealer piece, Mrs. Goitt plans to wash her porch with hot water and soap during a rainstorm to avoid complaint, but her neighbors on the lower porch are there. They notice the rain is hot and report a leak while reflecting on divine plans amid “awful murders.”
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Early Lamps and Wicks Describe Ancient Iron Lamps
The article explains the earliest lamp materials and construction. It notes the wick from rush pith, prepared by stripping and drying, and details the iron lamp made in a greenstone mold by a blacksmith. The lamp has two cups, a shifting upper cup for oil and wick, and a lower cup to catch drips, with a movable lid sometimes present.
A Hard Job
A speaker recalls a vow to leap into the sea if Miss Tipkins refused marriage. Miss Tipkins married another man three months earlier, prompting discussion of the impracticality of locating the deepest part of the sea.
Rexall Orderlies Aid Aged People Suffering Constipation
An advertisement promotes Rexall Orderlies as a safe remedy for elderly individuals with inactive bowels and sluggish liver function. It claims soothing action on the bowel, natural contractions, and relief from irritation, with a guarantee that users pay nothing if claims aren’t substantiated. Offered as 36 tablets for 25 cents or 12 tablets for 6 cents at Hope Drug Co. Hope Street.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Rexall Orderlies
She Hope Drug Co
Hope Street
Lydia E Pinkham Medicine Praised in Testimonial Ads
A Camden New Jersey reader testimonial extols Lydia E Pinkham's Vegetable Compound as restoring health after severe headaches back pain and nervous exhaustion. Gardiner Maine and another address report cure of female ailments including inflammation ulcers and fibroid issues. The ad promotes the product as a low cost remedy with widespread benefit for women.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
W. P. Valentine
Com Avenue
Camden
N. J
Gardiner
Lydia E. Pinkham
A. Willliams
R. F.D
Symmetry Story Recalls Hammy and the Scotch Gardener
A New York Times tale recounts a famed professor nicknamed Hammy and a Scotch gardener who valued balance. When the English estate owner jailed his son in a summer house, the gardener, to preserve symmetry, locked up his own son in the opposite house. The piece notes whether both boys were dressed alike.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New York Times
Postage Stamp Gum Uses Sweet Potato Mucilage
The article explains that U S postage stamps use gum made from sweet potato. At the Bureau of Engraving and Printing the gum is prepared, pumped from a basement, and spread onto stamp sheets through rollers. The sheets travel through a hot air flue to dry the mucilage before proceeding.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
United States
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
New York Telegram
London Gent Chooses Quiet Farm Life Over Eggs and Meat
A London gentleman who bought a small country farm invited friends to view it. They teased him about missing livestock for butter and eggs. He replies he does not care for butter, cream, eggs, or poultry, adding he would rather have a sheep because he likes kidneys for breakfast.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
London
No-o
Liverpool
Mercury
Witch Hazel Salve and Kodol Digestive Aid Ad
An old advertisement touts Witch Hazel Salve for pain relief and healing of cuts burns and scrapes sold by W. H. Buffington. It also promotes Kodol as a digestive aid claiming it digests all food to prevent indigestion, promising prompt action and easy intake.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
DeWitt
W. H. Buffington
W. H. Bofington
Also Mentioned on This Page
Scott
Scott & Bowne
Pearl St
Gray
Atall
Allen S
Olmsted LeRoy
N.Y
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