Fred Roche on guard at Boston militia headquarters
A six year old boy Frederick Roche volunteers daily at the Massachusetts militia offices in the statehouse. He keeps watch at the outer door, presents arms to visitors, and can perform the manual of arms with speed and precision. He lives at the Hotel Rexford with his soldierly toys and dreams of war.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Militia
Boston
Dalton
Statehouse
Frederick Roche
Frederick
Rexford
General Dalton
Boston Herald
Single-handed tiller handling for leeward stance on a boat
The article explains a sailor should stand to leeward, hip against the tiller, free hands for the sheet. It cautions against tying a sheet too tightly around a cleat and advises a single turn that can be released quickly. A head-on boat example shows steering with one hand on the tiller and a single cleat turn for control.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Harper’s Round Table
Enooked wound piece mystery in a boy’s tale
A boy cries to his mother after tumbling and tearing his toe and knee. He laments losing a piece of his wound and wonders where it went, asking if anyone knows the missing piece. The scene evokes a child’s earnest, humorous recovery moment from Trained Motherhood by Marie Gloden.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Marie Gloden
Little City Girl Delighted by Big Country Yard
A visiting girl, staying in a house on a ten acre lot, expresses joy at the spacious surroundings. She especially loves the large back yard, a novelty compared with her city experiences, as observers note her utter delight.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New York Times
Motherly guidance and the unseen reasons of a mother
An Elmira Telegram reflection on a mother acting for her daughter's good. It notes that parental motives may not be obvious to a child but become clear with time. Sometimes no reason is stated for a refusal, yet a defined rationale exists.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Elmira
Turning trouble into a rise toward higher success
In every difficulty there is a chance to seize a path to growth and achievement. The idea suggests using adversities as stepping stones to improve and reach new levels of success.
A Young Lawyer and a Duelling Debt in New Orleans
A fledgling attorney recalls a case against a Creole man who missed monthly payments. After a sharp letter, tension rose with threats of violence. The debt was paid, and the lawyer apologized, recognizing his misjudgment of the gentleman.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New Orleans Times-Democrat
Manning the Yards. A Naval Ceremony Recalled
A Washington Star piece recalls the old navy yarded ships where bosn mates cried Man the yards and Cheer ship. Sailors climbed rope ladders and formed a cross with arms as yards stood with many men aloft. The ceremonial display brightened formal visits aboard clipper ships and arrivals at foreign stations.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
United States
United States Navy
Washington Star
New Boy’s Family Doctors Spark Classroom Tease
A new pupil endures a barrage of probing questions about his family from curious classmates. When asked about a doctor he reveals a chain of relatives in diverse medical fields from homeopathy to massage, prompting sympathy.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Maggie
Ladies’ Ambulance Corps
Sandy
Strand Magazine
Parrot Impressions Discussed by Miss Laura and Hankinson
In a lively chat Miss Laura defends their parrot after Hankinson notes its cleverness. They compare it to a Casterlin parrot that imitates a kiss, while Miss Laura insists the bird only repeats sounds it has heard.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Hankinson
Laura
Casterlins
Miss Laura
George
London
Belem Prison in Mexico City Afloat with Inmates and Concerts
A Mexican Herald report from Belem prison in Mexico City reveals 3,451 inmates, dirty conditions, and a daily life where inmates pursue arts and music. The south wing hosts musicians and writers while prisoners dine under gates as families send baskets and scribes translate notes with red ink for a cent.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mexico
Convento de Belen
Mexico City
Belem
Mexican Herald
The
Herald
Calcutta
Adams
Club de la Opera
Italy
Machiavelli
la Perrita
Ignatius. Donnelly
The Shilling Trick
A wandering sleight of hand performer entertains loungers with tricks and unveils the shilling trick. He asks each marked bystander to present a new shilling, with each answering no, while he claims all the coins are his. The London Globe notes the exchange as a comic prank.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
London Globe
The Danger of Beauty in Brooklyn Life
A reflective poem notes society’s fixation on female beauty and danger. It mocks media praise of flawless looks while real peril and poverty lie unseen, contrasting misfit features with the fragile idol of beauty. The speaker suggests contentment in imperfect self-image and enduring time.
Make the Men Market
A Chicago Times Herald opinion argues the man of the house should handle shopping to save money and nerves. It claims women exhaust labor during market days, while chefs and multiple deliveries add costs. The piece urges men to take charge for efficiency and family health.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Hevrse
James
Chicago Times-Herald
Geology Debate and Niagara Prophecy Spark a Century-Old Debate
Lord Salisbury defined geology as the science of what might have been while American geologists speak of what may be. The piece outlines Niagara Falls' potential long term disappearance due to lake and river system changes, with a 1,000 year timeline. Additional notes discuss slang origins of cough up and a brief exchange about tailoring and fit.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Lord Salisbury
Toronto
Ontario
Quebec
Great Lakes
Niagara Falls
C. K. Gilbert
Niagara
Lake Michigan
Mississippi
Gilbert
Spectator
Also Mentioned on This Page
Fred Roche
Cece
Brooklyn Life
Sults
Clothier’s
Boston Patent Pants Co
REX Cycles
Ver
Expe Haynes
Maynard
Westerly
Quincy
Scotch
S. Fowler
H.S. Richardson
Vate
Porter
Green Dragon
Tong
Pitman
Henry
G. M
Farmer
Boston Journal
Ferry
Hargreaves
Cincinnati Enquirer
Victor
W. Henderson
South Acton, Mass
Hale
Maynard ST
Acton, Mas
KE. H. Maker
Concord Mass
T.F. Sheehan
Barrett’s Mill Road
Concord Junction
Mas
D. Dilmore
Maynard’s Block
Jeremiah Sheehan
Hapgood
Stow
Horace Tuttle
Renest Hosmer
D. D
Acton
Walden Street
Concord
J. C. Friend
Coxcorp Junction, Mass
J. F. Meade
Florist Spring Farm
Barrett Mill Road
Mass
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!