Birthday Reprieve Brings Emily a Family Celebration
Emily Leonard endures a tiring ironing day on her birthday while Thaddeus misreads her age as they live in a small cottage. A census visit spurs reflection, and her longing for recognition dissolves when Thaddeus secretly plans a birthday feast. A cake with Welcome and a kiss seal the heartfelt surprise.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Emily Leonard
Thaddeus Leonard
Emily
Thaddeus
Iswan
kise
mother
Tie
Too Much of a Good Thing Sermon Pile
An old clergyman's habit of rotating sermons leads to a humorous mix up when a substitute preacher borrows the bottom sermon and leaves it on top. After three Sundays the congregation claims they have the sermon off by heart, illustrating the old joke about rote repetition.
The Surinam Dragon Its Size Shape and Diet Described
An excerpt from Stedman's Expedition to Surinam details a creature called aboma in Suriname. It is described as over forty feet long with a four foot girth, greenish black back, yellow sides, white belly, and white center spots on black rings. Amphibious and ambush predator, it devours prey within reach, bites to crush bones, not venomous, with reports of humans and large animals eaten.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Stedman
Surinam
aboma
How Some Seeds Travel by Hygroscopic Awns
The article explains seed dispersal by hygroscopic awns. In wild oats Avena fatua the spiral awn with hairs expands when moist and contracts when dry, moving the seed until germination or destruction. Barley seeds have a toothed awn that expands at night and contracts in dry days, forcing movement away from the stalk.
The Trouble With the Pepper Joke
P T Barnum, known for wit, jokes a Adirondack landlord about pepper being half peas. The landlord denies it, but Barnum insists, prompting a caustic grocer letter. Grocers reply that pepper spelling yields half Ps and the product matches orthography.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
P. T. Barnum
Adirondack
Barnum
Saving a Sparrow by a Generous General
An anecdote from General Robert I. Ice recounts his gentle nature during Civil War days. While inspecting batteries below Richmond, he urged soldiers to seek shelter as Union fire opened, then risked danger himself to rescue an unfledged sparrow, returning it to safety.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Robert I. Ice
Richmond
Chinese quack doctora in the vicinity of foreign hospitals
A native Chinese butcher at Nankin was arrested and beaten with 500 strokes for hanging out a foreign merchant's sign. The article contrasts Chinese quacks with foreign doctors and notes harsh treatment in a public display of caution to readers.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Nankin
Stars Visible With Naked Eye And Telescopes
The average person sees about 6000 stars, some may view 8000 with keen eyesight. Through the Lick telescope and powerful instruments roughly 50 million stars are visible. It is believed many stars exist beyond the reach of any telescope yet built.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Lick
Pittsburg Millionaires Rivalry Tales From The City
A New York Tribune excerpt contrasts Pittsburg’s fortunes with humble beginnings, detailing rivalries among its wealthy class. It recalls two millionaires with competing elevators and an aging heir who learns his father once earned less, highlighting wealth's irony and persistence.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Pittsburg
Fifth avenue
New York
Smith
New York Tribune
George IV A puppet king who rang for servants
A historical account portrays George IV as a figurehead who awoke early, dined and read in bed, then slept for hours. He kept to a rigid routine with a long daytime nap and rang his bell up to forty times nightly for service and water rather than using his own means.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
George IV
Too Late in New England Households a Hidden Side
A New York paper reports a farmer and Martha arguing over chores at night. The farmer asks if the sink is wiped dry and, upon hearing yes, quips that he can wait until morning for a drink, implying a humorous marriage dynamic.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New England
New York
Martha
Josiah
Clergyman's Norway Travel Lecture Prompted Cough Reaction
An English clergyman famed for his adventures planned a talk on his Norway travels and invited a fellow cleric to join him on the platform. The invited clergyman agreed and warned that every lie would earn him a cough and urged the audience not to mistake him for having a galloping consumption.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Norway
Rapid Sailing Misstar Reveals Star Behind Us
A fishing smack at night ran astray when a cabin boy steering by a star misread its position. The captain, warned to steer by the star, finds the star now behind them and asks for another guiding star. The mishap shows the danger of inexperienced helmsmanship aboard a small craft.
Japanese Children Learn to Swim at a Young Age
A historical note describes three year old Japanese children swimming like fish and being thrown overboard until they learn. Harbor mothers rescue youngsters and continue work while the children quietly practice sculling. Boating by children under seven with a 20 foot boat is common and skilled.
Drummer Tenderfoot Fares Through a Veranda Shootout
A Boston drummer recalls a Western veranda stand off where a native aimed a gun at him. He kept calm, the pipe bowl was shot, he survived as the shooter laughed and treated it as imitation. The event tests his nerve and earns him a bonus smoker.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Boston
Storks in War Time Face Shelling and Fire
From Chambers Journal a tale of storks in two wartime scenes at Strassburg. One picture shows four fledglings with a feeding adult. the other depicts shell damage to a roof and chimney with the nest hanging perilously. One chick perishes as parent birds remain on duty.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Delft
Strassburg
Chambers’ Journal
Before Marriage and After and Dr Temple Story
An anecdote about Dr. Temple archbishop of Canterbury. A young curate seeks licensure and is tested by reading aloud. Temple scolds for not being loud enough. The curate jokes a parishioner warned him, then Temple quips that after marriage the husband should believe every word his wife says.
Lincoln and Cabinet Hold Social Visit With Cards
Two men examining steel engravings in an uptown shop hear a Lincoln story told as a family heirloom. Lincoln and his cabinet sit in session but keep the visit casual. A servant brings two cards. Lincoln greets two callers, one tall and spare, the other short, and remarks that Providence endowed them with legs that reach the ground.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Lincoln
onest
Abe
Also Mentioned on This Page
SEENS
SEEVUS
SARIS
P BUILDING HARDWARE
Heath & Milligan
NUTTLE HARDWARE COMPANY
QUEEN ANNE'S
and Deer ward
altimore
Queenstown
Wye Sills
Wiloughby
Queen Anni -Downes
Fuckahoo
Denton
Hobbs
Hiskman
ReadYyean
P.u
P.M
a. A
leavea
CENTREVILLE
FW. TROXEL
WM. D. UHLER
Gen
eee
Sunday Sun
nis
THE SUN
Masonic
Z. Potter Steele
HARVEY L. COOPER
Denton, Md
THE
FAoming Herald
Sunday Herald
Baltimore
Model Home Journal
Weekly Herald
Ite
Addrees
Baltimore, Md
REPDIE
LEonano
W. W.SPEeNCE
Cashier
THE TALBOT SAVINGS BANK
OF EASTON, MD
boratch
Cambodge
Ives STRAUSS, EISEMAN & CO
W. Lombard St
J.s. H. Nichols
Denton Bridge
VECHVUS
G T. REDDEN & CO
HESAY RK
LEWIS
T. ALAN GOLDS
LEWIS & GOLDSBOROUGH
NEYS-AT
MARYLYND
Caroline
counties
A. T. REICHMAN
Third Street
A.T, REICUMAN, Denton, Wad
NG s
seer cure co
ORANGE
MAI
Union
Chicago
W.J. BLACKISTON
DENTON FLOUR MILLS
arova
eale
WILLIAM Fi. MOWBRAY
Frederick Palsory
Milter
Likes
Berwanger & Co
J. Harry Rose
Berwanger
E. Baiti
Murderkill River
Philadelphia
FREDERICA
Pole
MATHAN H. MAXSON
WILT
LIAVE FREDERICA
WEBB'S LANDING
BOWERS
IDE
TWaii
Bleamer
Kier
South Wharves
Fist pier
peet street
Chester
Philadelia
FREDERICA & PHILA. NAV. CO
FREDERICA DEL
AMES T. SYLVESTER
CONSTABLE
ANNE A. DOWNELL
Rosy
Barby
Barbey
Robbie
Thad
TENDERFOOT
Lego
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!