Early Norman Dinners and Senate SPassage Humor
A historical note recalls how Saxon halls faced food fights, with William Rufus ordering ushers at Westminster feasts to protect cooks and guests. Later, dishes moved in procession with music, a steward leading, and an aseur arranging courses while an almoner said grace. Senator Van Wyck’s rapid, spluttering delivery provoked laughs when Ingalls asked for an umbrella and Spooner a rubber overcoat.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
William Rufus
Westminster
Senator van Wyck
Nebraska
Mr. Ingalls
Mr. Spooner
Mr. Punch
van Wyck
Ingalls
Senator Spooner
Washington Post
Willful Misunderstanding Behind Board of Agriculture Change
In a Fortnightly Review excerpt, Pitt was induced by Sir John Sinclair to appoint a board of agriculture with Sinclair as president. After a few years Sinclair sought peerage, prompting Pitt to promote Lord Somerville. Sinclair lamented the turn as a willful misunderstanding.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Pitt
John Sinclair
Board of Agriculture
Sinclair
Sir John Sinclair
Lord Somerville
Suecialy Explained and the Nine Mile Reasonings
A colonel questions a squatter at a cabin door in Arkansas about the distance to Colfax. The squatter explains that a woman miscounted miles, claiming twelve instead of nine, sparking a disagreement over how to reckon the distance. The exchange centers on a chalked miscalculation and a stubborn calculation at wooden thresholds.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Suecialy
Arkansas
Colfax
The Beautiful Turquoise in Persian Tradition
The turquoise is a talisman in Persia and native soil. it protects its owner from accidents and secures constancy in affection. Value depends on shade and size, especially thickness, with old rock varieties prized highly. An emblem of youth and sentiment, it is the forget me not of stones.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Persia
Contagious Fishing Fever Reported by Anglers
A Baltimore American snippet captures a stranger noting a “fishing fever” along a creek bank as anglers line up. One veteran jokes that the fever is contagious but admits he has fished four hours without a nibble.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Baltimore American
Feast of Punch at Sea Commander’s Garden Party
A London Tit-Bits account describes a monumental punch feast hosted in the Mediterranean by Right Hon Edward Russell as captain general and commander in chief. The fountain display included four hogsheads of brandy, eight of water, thousands of lemons, sugar, nutmeg, and Malaga, with a sailor boy serving drinks to over 6,000 attendees amid lemon and orange tree arches.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Edward Russell
Mediterranean
Lisbon
Malaga
London
Terne plate origin and composition explained
The term terne plate is often misinterpreted as derived from the French word foam meaning dull. In fact terne plate is iron and steel coated with an alloy of tin and lead in a two thirds lead and one third tin ratio. The word terne reflects a threefold union of metals iron lead and tin.
Fire God Museum Tale Ends In Vengeful Fires
A London suburb resident kept a home museum with a centuries old Indian fire god. During a party a dare led guests to kneel before the image. Two women refused. within weeks both suffered calamitous fires with one house burning the week after and the other woman severely burned after falling into the flames.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
London
London Chronicle
Moritz Saphir’s sharp rebuke of Ludwig’s verses
Moritz Gottlieb Saphir, a noted journalist in Germany, boldly criticized King Ludwig's poetry and was ordered to leave Munich within 24 hours. The court chamberlain delivered the notice and asked if he could depart in time, to which Saphir replied he could, unless his own legs failed, in which case he would borrow the king's extra feet from his latest volume of verse.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Moritz Gottlieb Saphir
Germany
Ludwig
Munich
Saphir
Japanese stall design for horses described
The passage explains a Japanese method of stabling horses where horses are backed into stalls, a head door with a grain and hayrack is closed to secure the wagon, and the door is swung open to lead the horse out. It claims this design prevents kicking and visible waste and is a sensible stable arrangement.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Japan
Miss Jellus and Prettiface Bedroom Color Observation
Dialogue notes Miss Jellus claims a healthy mood in a bedroom. Miss Prettiface questions, then trusts the observation that time spent upstairs during the day yields a healthier color when returning downstairs. The exchange hints at wellness linked to private space.
Portrait Painter Declares Satisfied With Latest Work
Mrs Newridhe praises her oil portrait and says it does her justice. Mrs Cuttinge responds that justice is tempered with mercy in a Brooklyn Life exchange.
She Was a Poor Guesser in a Chicago News Note
A witty Chicago News snippet quotes a wife doubting a young suitor's motives for her daughter, pondering whether the caller is frugal or harboring a grudge against the gas company, as the husband tries to decipher the intention.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Chicago News
Is This the End of Our Romance
A dialogue from the Chicago Record-Herald features a man asking if the romance ends. the reply promises contact via a lawyer and mentions preserving a bushel and a half of his letters.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Chicago Record-Herald
Miss Primrose and Miss Hollyhock Dog Exercise Exchange
A playful cartoon caption shows Miss Primrose asking about dog exercise while Miss Hollyhock fondles a pug. She responds that she gives the dog chocolate every few minutes to make him wag his tail.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Primrose
Hollyhock
Havana as seen by a Bristolian in 1908
A Bristol observer tours Havana in the wake of the Maine wreck, describing the harbor, hotels on the American plan, cleanliness, Spanish city life, shortages of sewerage, daily meals, widespread liquor outlets, electric streetcars, numerous 20 cent cabs, Prado promenades, donkey and ox drawn carts, a distinctive cemetery, palm gardens, a foundling asylum, the Cuban garroting execution, a strict police system, and theatres with Spanish performers, ending with a note on jai alai as the Cubans’ great game.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
the Phoenix
United States
Cuba
Phoenix
Havana
New York
Florida
Palm Beach
Morro Castle
Amall
Maine
Customs House
Elavana
Prado
Foundling Asylum
Hill
Havana Visit Describes City Life And Culture
The account outlines daily Havana scenes with jai alai, baseball, theatres, and late masquerade balls. It notes salaries of $700 monthly for players, large betting pools, widespread saloons and cigar stands, and a favorable climate with cool mornings and nights. The writer praises Cuban factories and describes locals as orderly and pleasure loving.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
United States
Havana
New Weekday Bowling Schedule Arranged For Season
A new schedule fixes bowling matches to Wednesday and Thursday evenings. It lists pairings and dates from March 25 to May 18, with each night featuring one game between two teams. The plan replaces Saturday night play to streamline the season.
Beechams Pills and Bristol Probate Notices
The executor of the will of Alice C. Lawless of Bristol proceeds with probate and bond. creditors must file claims within six months from the first advertisement. Also notice in Bristol PHENIX regarding Solon Hamilton Smith estate invoking probate review on April 6, 1903 with fourteen days of publication. Herberd F. Bennett, Probate Clerk.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Bristol
Solon Hamilton Smith
Solon Hampton Smith
Bristol Phenix
W. Herberd F. Bennett
Electric Bitters Promised as Cure for Nervous Disorders
A vintage advertisement extols Electric Bitters as a universal remedy for overwork sleeplessness nervous tension and liver and kidney disorders. It claims relief from nervousness rheumatism neuralgia and malaria germs with a 50 cent price and guaranteed satisfaction by J H Young & Co. druggists.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
J. H. Young & Co
Executor Accepts Trust in Thompson Estate Bristol
March 20 1903 the undersigned Executor of Elizabeth C Thompson late of Bristol deceased states he has accepted the trust. All persons claiming against the estate must file in the Bristol Probate Court clerk's office within six months from the first advertisement. WILLIAM H THOMPSON.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Alice C. Lawless
Bristol
George Stewart
Elizabeth C. Thompson
William H. Thompson
Jonnathan
Munro
Aipacs
Elizabeth F. Munro
Maria P. Codman
Charles E. Gorman
Banigan Building
Providence
Rhode Island
Also Mentioned on This Page
John M. Dean Ce
Westminster St
Providence, R. I
Terne
Fire God
Exercize
Elizabeth Marsh
Isabella Bt
Boston
Mass
Bertha Sanborn
Germaine St
Blood Inc
Howard Warren
Mail St
Concord
N.H
Louis Dandalin Co
Worcester
Ad. Fantane
Sparks
Robert M. Morse
Edmund D. Codman
Gorman, Egan & Gorman
Attorneys
George Byron Dinnan
Elizabeth B. Cabot
George Byron Dinan
John DeWolf
Sai
Bristol Phanix
Herbert F. Bennett
William C. Norris
Rebecca A. WN. Church
William G. Norris
Charles H. Manchester
Bristol Phoenix
Wherbert F. Bennett
Easterbrooks
S. B. Paull
F. Pendleton
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!