Tale of Magruder and hungry private at meal
An old Confederate tale recounts General Magruder and staff entering a Tennessee home to dine while a hungry private secretly eats. The hostess invites all to eat, and Magruder confronts the dirty gray coated soldier who remains unmoved, saying he once was particular but is now too hungry to care. The private finishes his meal, then is allowed to continue.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
West
General John
Prince John
Tennessee
Magruder
Sirrah
Louisville Courier-Journal
Henry
Judge recalls gambling case with bluff and gallows remark
An ex justice of the peace recounts a gambling trial where the defendant explained a bluff at jack pot. The judge laments the lack of such evidence at trial and exclaims he would have stood by the players even with gallows in sight.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Salt Lake Tribune
Carpenter Chantrey Reveals Humble Start in Vase Tale
The sculptor Chantrey recalls beginning as a journeyman carpenter in a story about a costly vase in poet Rogers house. Rogers says the table came from a common carpenter and Chantrey admits he was the builder, a detail he recalls vividly.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Chantrey
Rogers
Curio
Kansas City Independent
Cottage Dame Guards From Monster With Mouse Traps
A village constable spots a cottage defended by a frightened old lady who says she hired Blobb's boy to place mice in penny traps on both sides of the front to frighten away an elephant that reportedly escaped from the town menagerie The lady believes elephants fear mice and has armed herself against the creature.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
London
Scadds and Tyrayder discuss departures in brief quarrel
In a quick exchange the two men debate the fate of a typewriter and the abrupt departure of Tyrayder and a bookkeeper. Scadds jokes about the phrase for better or worse as Trayder confirms the separations.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Scadds
Tyrayder
Trayder
Philadelphia Press
Wise men warn that advice harms friendships
A well meaning man says giving wholesome advice costs nothing, while the wise man counters that advice often costs a friendship. The Philadelphia Press presents a cautionary tale about unsolicited counsel and its social toll.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Philadelphia Press
Wills Women Make and Their Changing Minds
A humorous yet pointed look at how unfamiliarity with law and personal indecision hinder women planning wills. Anecdotes cover coded bequests, petty disputes, and peculiar codicils, with examples from Flora Payne Whitney and Roscoe Conkling’s widow, among others.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Elizabeth
Amy
William C. Whitney
Flora Payne
Julia C. Conkling
Roscoe Conkling
Sarah English
Williamsburg
John L. Blair
M. L. Rayne
Chicago Times-Herald
Mark Twain’s First Public Lecture in 1866
Samuel Clemens recounts Mark Twain’s San Francisco debut on Sept 29 1866 at the Academy of Music on Pine Street. The event followed his Sandwich Islands letters and followed Artemus Ward’s earlier San Francisco visit. Twain began with a trombone anecdote and delivered an hour and a quarter of humorous and geographic remarks to a crowded fashionable audience.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Samuel Gienens
Academy of Music
Pine Street
San Francisco
Will M. Clemens
Ainslees
Sandwich Islands
Sacramento Union
Artemus Ward
Mark Twain
Twain
Bret Harte
Prentice Mulford
Charles Warren Stoddard
Emma
Brusher
Mark
Wise Dog Joke From Indianapolis Press
A visitor asks a girl if her dog knows tricks. She replies that the dog speaks only after thinking twice, implying a cautious tongue. The item showcases a humor snippet from the Indianapolis Press.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Indianapolis Press
Lowell's First Client Story Echoes Through Time
Rev Edward Everett Hale recounts James Russell Lowell's first client as the poet set aside his law book to draft a sonnet. A mysterious visitor arrives asking for notes and details about pagodas in Siam and China, with vivid lines about Wat Chang and Asian pagodas.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
James Russell Lowell
Edward Everett Hale
Lowell
Mystery Bash Question From an East End Child
A Cleveland Plain Dealer fragment recalls a girl asking her father what bash was when alive. The brief vignette centers on the child’s breakfast moment and her curious, lingering intrigue about the term.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
East End
Bash
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Prince of Wales Visit Forcing Buchanan Sleep Arrangements
During the Prince of Wales 1860 White House visit President Buchanan moved from his bed chamber to the public anteroom on the office floor. Five members of the prince’s party were denied entry and escorted to the British minister’s house.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Prince of Wales
White House
Buchanan
Intuition Cited In Comment On Hat Feathers
A Detroit Journal snippet notes intuition is strong in women and mocks men for guessing how often feathered hat decorations are pressed, suggesting hearsay or turns to observe fashion.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Detroit Journal
Curious Women Echo Repeating Riddle in Philadelphia Record
The Philadelphia Record cites a playful quip about women and curiosity. The remark notes that while many claim curiosity, the most curious is a woman with a specific 09 curiosity, framed as a witty line in the paper.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Sillicus
Philadelphia
Poisonous Pine Lumber Fumes Terrify Longshoremen
A Brooklyn riverfront eatery tale warns of deadly fumes from damp sugar cargoes and especially pine lumber. Sailors recall seasick yet lethal effects aboard ships, with crew poisoned by pine resin affecting drinking water and causing hospitalizations and deaths.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
River Front
Brooklyn
Jack
Land&man
Lime J
Weill
Rio
New York Sun
Two Condon Girls Recall Happy Country Day
Two young sisters recount their country outing organized by the vicar's wife. They claim they saw two pigs killed and a gentleman buried during the day, describing the events to their mother with naive astonishment.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Condon
Artist Mr Abbey Stays at Old Fashioned Inn
Visitor asks about the famed Mr Abbey the artist staying at the Old Fashioned Inn. Proprietor replies he is lazy and does nothing but draw and paint all day.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Abbey
Phil May
Also Mentioned on This Page
The
Wise Dog
Siam
China
Wat Chang
What Is
Castoria
Beer Mae Ulv Ae Ts
Geo
D. Clarke
California
Great Comort
Cathera
Chicago
Colorado Springs
MNO
Sebastian G.P. A
Chicago, I
Yearcy
Ipatents
U.S
Wrc
A. Snow & CO
U. S. Patent Office
Washington, D
Rocky Mountain
Iowa
State Savings Bank
Fairfield
Hobie San
E. A. Howard
Morermey
R Cannes
Davis
Hague
J. KE. Roth
J. Ricksher
F. A. Howerd
Dillon Tarney
Lee T. Gobble
J. 8. McKenney
John Davies
R. W. Lamson
D. M. Parrott
J. E. Roth
James Louden
A. Howard
D G, Higley
W. KE. Bradshaw
McKenney
Hiunt
Gel
W. Dall
Rh. K. Mateliff
W. A. Lamson
FF. Simos
Ada Roth
Guardian
C. Hawk
J. T. Allender
Louden
A. FP. Cassell
Mrs
H. +. Booker
August Walgren
Jd. Ricksher
T. KR. Howlett
Geo. D. Clarke
Ward Lamson
K. W. Lamson
T. L. James
W. Templeton
Eugene Campbell
H. Watkins
Adam Messer
N. M. Slagle
D.M. Parrett
J. P. Manatrey
A. B. Scott
Wes. Prewitt
Business College
Yoo Ung
Trorough
Pates
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!