The Oak Closet Keeps Oak Johnson Home Safe
Margaret Grey, an upper servant to Judge Wallace, guards the eight thousand dollars she helps conceal in the oak closet. When a burglar breaks in during a November storm, she perilously locks him inside the closet and collapses, saving the family estate. Algernon later returns, discovers Margaret and the burglar dead, and supports the debt. he marries her, and they remain at the homestead, recounting the oak closet tale to their children.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Margaret Grey
Judge Wallace
Thorndale
Margaret
Alice
Algernon
Mrs. Wallace
Far West
Annie
Jones
William
John
Susan
Shelby
Sallia ‘Farner
Sallie
Willie Turner
Willis
Margaret Road
Mr. Turner
Mag
Irish settlers in Vermont quiz Jim Donovan’s fate
In a Vermont town a flourishing Irish colony recalls Jim Donovan. A returning emigrant asks about Donovan, learning he settled in Montreal with a Protestant wife. The exchange ends with a humorous, pointed remark about marrying outside his faith.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Vermont
Jim Donovan
Ned
Montreal
Jerry
A Foot Lamp in Jerusalem Shows Word as Lamp
The piece notes how Jerusalem streets require night lights and travelers use a lamp on the foot for safe steps. It ties the imagery to the biblical line Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path, drawing a parallel between ancient text and daily life in the Holy Land.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Holy Land
Jerusalem
Englishman in Chinese restaurant asks quack question
An Englishman dining in a Chinese village savors a dish and signals the meat he guesses as duck. The waiter, unsure and silent, replies with a bow wow sound, causing the humorous exchange as the language barrier leaves the question unresolved.
Monkey Head Cocoanut Growth Holes Explained
A description notes that three holes bored in a cocoanut shell resemble a monkey's head, serving to let the young tree sprout from the nut once planted.
MISCELLANY: Words on fame and industry as capital
The piece advises that fame attracts fools who misjudge others. It warns against teaching a worse view of the world to shape better thoughts. It extols industry, good sense, courage, and morality as the best starting capital in life, superior to money or friends.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Margaret
Fragments on Buying, Selling and Honest Partnership
A reflective adage notes that praising what one intends to buy and denouncing faults in what one intends to sell can lead to forming a partnership with honesty. The saying warns against duplicity in trade and highlights integrity as a foundation for business ties.
The Value of Expressive Words for Children
The piece urges teaching children to use strong precise words to convey exact meaning. It contrasts the pleasures of contemplating, receiving, and doing good, asserting doing good brings the greatest satisfaction and improves communication.
Wisest Being Wrote Only Once in Sand
A recent remark argues that the wisest person ever to awaken did not write many words but etched a single message in the sand, suggesting brevity carries timeless meaning. The thought recalls how fleeting actions can leave lasting impressions beyond printed texts.
Women charm by deeds over looks in old saying
A proverb notes that women charm more when they are good hearted than merely beautiful. Men who have faced trial agree on this value, highlighting inner quality over outward beauty.
Conversation requires listening as well as talking
The text argues that true conversation needs two active participants who take turns listening and speaking, and that one cannot be an agreeable companion unless they are as willing to listen as to talk.
Morning dawns and sunsets mark small, kind deeds
Quote urging daily acts of kindness and personal growth, framing each life as a record of good done for others and lessons learned for self-improvement.
A Curious Collection of Medical Recipes From Bridgeport
A Bridgeport woman kept for 40 years a scrap-book of 5,000 medical recipes. She pasted prescriptions for every condition into the book and, remarkably, has never been sick a day in her life, suggesting odd belief in the health benefits of collecting past formulas.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Bridgeport
Conn
Rich Without Money: The True Wealth of Character
The text argues that wealth is not monetary. True richness comes from health, strong constitution,善 good bones, muscles, nerves, and a sound disposition. A well-born character, kind patience, cheer, hope, and wit outweigh land or riches. education aids but cannot replace innate faculties.
Dullness and Culture Drive People from Country to City
The essay argues dullness is a character flaw not tied to place. It praises Bedford transformed by John Banyan and lauds Wordsworth Ruskin Bryant Whittier and Donald G. Mitchell for finding value in rural life. It contends mental laziness and lack of culture push country folk toward urban amusements and faraway thrills.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Bedford
John Banyan
Wordsworth
John Ruskin
Thorean
Bryant
Whittier
A Boiling Bath in Japan A Traveler’s Tale
A traveler recalls the Japanese bath scene in inns, where baths are readily prepared. He contrasts it with Ireland France England and Germany, notes the communal furnace, and describes a boilingly hot bath and a companion who enjoys the process while he cools the water and joins late.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Japan
Ireland
France
England
Germany
Subterranean River Claimed Beneath Hempstead Plains
Readers learn of a proposed subterranean river under Hempstead plains on Long Island. Geologists note water in sands mirrors Western prairie soil chemistry, suggesting a continuous southward water sheet descending eight feet per mile, slowed by gravel yet endlessly flowing like major rivers.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Long Island
Hempstead Plains
John A. Dix
Prairies
Hudson
Wesley at Epworth Footprints in the Graveyard Sermon
Moncure D. Conway recalls John Wesley returning to Epworth Lincolnshire where the preacher, still in Anglican orders, faced barred doors and spoke from the graveyard slab over his father’s tomb. His sermon left a lasting imprint on local tradition and memory.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Episcopal
Wesley
England
Epworth
Holy Man
Birthday Banter With German Musician Clarifies Age
A friend told a German musician that he was born in 1844. The crowd teased that he was older than claimed, noting the birthday paradox and joking that the speaker is more than five years older than the stated year. The quip ends with playful self-deprecation about aging.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Very Dutren
Nix
Autumnal varnish to renew fading oil-cloth colors
Cleaning guidance for oil-cloths on kitchen floors suggests daily sweeping with a long handled brush and weekly wipe with a milk-moistened flannel. A fortnightly rinse with a dry flannel and a varnish coat at autumnal cleaning can revive fading colors.
The Fortress of Gibraltar Epic by a British Writer
An English writer extols Gibraltar as a dramatic fortress where fortifications blend with rock and gardens while guns guard the approaches. The view spans to Africa across Algeciras, yet the observer feels like a prisoner despite the beauty and strategic layers. The monotony of the Neutral Ground and locked gates punctuate the experience.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Fortress OF
Gibraltar
Victor Hugo
Alameda
Esplanades
Africa
Algeciras
San Eoque
Mary Hapa and the Real Mary and the lamb tale
A Springfield Republican writer recalls the real Mary who inspired the Old Mother Goose lamb tale. A twin lamb escaped the pen and followed Mary to school where it sat at her desk. A Boston riding master's son, John Rawlston, later wrote three poem verses, then died. The lamb died after nine lives and a stocking souvenir survives.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mary Hapa Lorrie Laus
Springfield Republican
Mary
John Rawlston
Boston
Harvard
Early rising harms health and sleep, warns Journal of Health
The Journal of Health argues against early rising for busy urban workers. It claims night travel and mismanaged schedules ruin wellbeing, reduce mood, and impair focus. It urges physical exercise and letting children wake naturally, noting premature rising risks brain fever and other ailments.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Russia
Journal of Health
The Philosophy of Frying
The piece explains that true frying requires fat at boiling heat to form a crisp brown crust and prevent fat from soaking in. It argues fat must fully cover the food and pans should be deep and well heated so the outside is dry while the inside remains soft and well cooked.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Christain Union
Three Court Beauties of the Last Century
Readers learn the tale of three Irish sisters from Roscommon who rose from modest means to fame in Dublin and London society. The eldest marries the Duke of Hamilton after a midnight wedding arranged by a roaming clergyman, while the sisters charm theatres and crowds, drawing envy from London’s ladies and a string of aristocratic suitors.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Miss Gunnings
Liverpool
Roscommon
Ireland
Guiming
Thomas Sheridan
Dublin
Sheridan
London
Rotten Row
Vauxhall
Duke of Hamilton
Walpole
Strawberry Hill
Queen sisters and royal marriages linked to high rank
The passage recalls three sisters with notable marital ties: one to the duke of Hamilton who later became connected to the duke of Argyll and the marquis of Lorne, another as Lady Comventry rumored to have died by excessive white paint, and the third married to the Hon. Mr. Blakeney.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Duke of Hamilton
Duke of Argyll
Marquis of
Lorne
Louise
Comventry
Blakeney
Enamelled iron ceiling debuts at South Kensington
A new enamelled iron ceiling in the central refreshment room of the South Kensington museum, London, aims to resist dirt in a public eating space serving about 10,000 weekly. Birmingham produced the enameled plates painted with bold arabesques by James Gamble, promising long life and easy washing.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
South Kensington Museum
London
Birmingham
James Gamble
Protecting Love in a Steamer Romance Scene
A couple on a Saginaw bound steamer exchange flirtatious banter amid a rocking voyage. The young man reassures the frightened woman with playful lines about affection and safety, claiming heroic restraint and devotion as onlookers smile at the intimate exchange.
Chinamen in the Sandwich Islands rise in trade
The article reports Chinese laborers in the Sandwich Islands saving funds to establish own businesses, competing with planters. It notes 4000 to 5000 Chinese in the islands, who dominate retail trade and engage in merchandising and farming, with intermarriage to locals. The piece mentions a handsome half‑cast woman married to a Chinese merchant in Honolulu.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Sandwich IsLands
Kanakas
Islands
Honolulu
Burlington Man Tricks Rats with Coal Oil Tar
A Burlington gentleman, curious about rats, set coal oil tar in rat holes around his cellar. The rats coated themselves and fled, leaving the premises quiet and the pests unseen since.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Burlington
Nner
Quill Costs and Ink Savings Spark Office Banter
The head of a New York mercantile house boasted of vast business, noting correspondence costs two thousand dollars annually. A clerk retorted that saving ink by omitting dotting i's could save four thousand dollars, mocking the comparison.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New York Mercantile House
Moon Picture Stuns Father in Studio Tale
A gentleman confronted his son about a claimed work in progress. The artist replied that his picture moon is so true to nature it cannot be seen in daylight, revealing a playful, humorous exchange about art and effort.
Western editor jokes about storm spoiling events
A Western editor apologizes to readers for missing a death and a marriage due to a violent storm and the doctor falling ill. The piece notes the wedding was prevented, the patient recovered, and the publication was consequently cheated out of both items.
Honest Man Series Confession Sent to Dead Letter Office
A series recently arrived at the Chicago post office directed to an Honest Man. The chief clerk forwarded it to the dead letter department, admitting the recipient did not reside in Chicago.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Chicago
Quote on a young painter's talent sparks quiet rebuke
Jerrold was asked about a young painter's talent. His companion labeled the youth mediocre. The reply described the worst ochre an artist can use as a quiet rebuke.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Jerrold
Quip on Suitor Ends With Dark Witty Retort
A razor sharp exchange in a period column presents a sharp wit about love and danger. The speaker suggests marriage as a cure while another taunts that the husband will hang himself, reflecting grim satire and social norms of courtship.
Phrase sparks debate on praise for expectant mothers
A quote from the Easton Free Press contrasts praising a heavy baby with praising light bread, reflecting a local exchange on demeanor and social manners. The remark captures a humorous, era-specific witticism about hospitality and politeness.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Easton
Farmer’s simple will vows debt free aid to the poor
A farmer made his last will and testament declaring I have nothing I owe nothing and I give the residue to the poor This concise vow highlights his intent to leave all assets to help those in need without any debts remaining and emphasizes charitable aims over personal gain.
Advertising Rates and Notice Rules for Local Papers
The notice outlines ad rates at $1,000 per square for one week with 25 cents per additional insertion. Twelve lines or fewer form a square. Special notices for marriages and deaths cost double. Transient ads prepaid. yearly contracts limited to immediate business. Ads due by Thursday noon to appear in the next issue. obituary and political notices charged.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Ressonalis Voc
Asthmatic Prisoner Delays Court With Humorous Plea
Rufus Jackson of Milwaukee appears in court charged with public drunkenness. He explains asthma hinders him from running or shouting, laments weight, and pleads respectability, ending with a ten-dollar bribe paid to the clerk before leaving. Delrow Free Press reports the episode.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Rufus Jackson
Milwaukee
Toturn
Mr. Jackson
Delrow Free Press
Dream Divorce Tale Of Bargain Husbands Sold Cheap
Bundy, two weeks married, discovers wife dreamed of a street market where husbands were sold. Prices ranged from 1000 to 1.50, with men like Bundy sold in bundles for ten cents. He seeks a divorce.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Bundy
Peter Potts
Mrs. B
Teething Humour Dashes Romance in Summer Parable
A nocturnal quip notes that once a baby teeth begins the romance of marriage wanes as a husband wanders in a night shirt with a crying infant on his shoulder. It hints at a wife shifting from tenderness to practical admonitions during hot evenings.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Darling
John Camfire
Rabelais's Plan to Write Notable Work
The passage recalls Rabelais saying he would write something the world would notice and then sat down to craft what he believed would be remarkable, though it turned to nonsensical writing.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Rabelais
Catarrh Symptoms and Remedies Promoted by Dr Sage
Catalogues symptoms of catarrh including nasal obstruction, discharge, and sensory impairments. Advertises Dr Sage’s Catarrh Remedy and Golden Medical Discovery as best treatments, with nasal douche for nasal passages and injections by physicians’ agents.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Catarre
Sage
Pierce
Also Mentioned on This Page
Christ
Erebus
Tommy
Kitty
Ridgeley Bank
Saginaw
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