Escape Plot Tied to Old Book He Wanted for Mother
A 1895 jail escape in a northern town centers on a charity case and a rare book titled The Friend In Affliction. A secondhand bookseller recalls a man who bought relics for his religious mother, returned some, and later a detective traced a jailbreak device hidden inside the volume. The tale links a philanthropic woman, a sawed window, a file, and an elusive crook who vanished aboard a steamer.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Fox
Pilgrim's Progress
Mather
Pusey
Daniel the Prophet
New Orleans
New Orleans Times-Democrat
Correcting English usage in speech and writing
A Notes and Queries excerpt discusses the use of off as a substitute for of in speech. It notes that saying bought it off Jones is common in the north of England while in writing one should use from Jones. The author cites Liverpool area speech as particularly prone to this usage.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Jones
Liverpool
England
A Dreary Thoroughfare From Jerusalem Road
Describes a desolate stretch from Jerusalem where rocky hills rise around a sparse landscape. A small flock of black haired goats and sheep roams near a youthful shepherd as holes and caves dot the rock faces along the road.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Jerusalem
Indianapolis News
Fingernail Growth Requires 121 to 158 Days
An average fingernail needs seven twelfths of an inch to reach full length and requires 121 to 158 days of growth. The figure reflects typical nail growth timelines and standard health factors.
Dan Rice’s Honest Gift Ties Debt to Tent Maker
A Cincinnati tale shows Dan Rice repaying a $2,500 tent loan with a surprise gift. Rice, stranded without a tent, accepts a finished tent from a maker who refused payment until Rice could afford it. After two weeks Rice succeeds and later quietly settles the debt, praising moral giants like Barnum, Robinson, and himself.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Dan Rice
Cincinnati
Rice
P. T. Barnum
John Robinson
New York Mail and Express
The Baby's Little Joke on a Late Train
A baby’s crying on a late train escalates when a stout man repeatedly picks up a pasteboard box dropped by the child. The mother begs him to retrieve it amid her violent headache while passengers watch. The man endures embarrassment and finally exits at German Town.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Spring Garden Street
Columbia Avenue
Germantown
Philadelphia Inquirer
Snow Fleas Dark Patches Cover Measured Snow
The snow flea is an actual tiny creature that forms swarms on thawing snow. William Hamilton Gibson notes patches two feet across moving like a dark shadow and recalls fields peppered with millions. Birds and other observers say they emerge from moss lichens rocks and tree bark in mild weather.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
William Hamilton Gibson
Boston Transcript
Limits to His Gratitude Card Request
Mr Phroogle asks for a prominent card of thanks for kindness shown during his late wife's sickness. The editor immediately notes a publication fee of $1, prompting Phroogle to withdraw the notice, saying he is not as grateful as all that. Chicago Tribune.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mr. Phroogle
Chicago Tribune
Why did Mrs Frizzington oppose the firm name order
The Chicago Times Herald notes Mrs Frizzington, a wealthy widow who funded the business she and you started, preferred Rootle & Frizzington over Frizzington & Rootle. She did not want to be called the senior partner, and sought the name that reflected her greater stake.
Night in the Woods A Maine Camp Night of Fear
In northern Maine a first night in camp unsettles a tired traveler. Strange woods noises, a fox, a night owl, and a wary muskrat set the scene as fear and sleep struggle. A tense moment ends with a bear scare and a humorous misfire, leaving the guide to laugh off the late scare.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Maine
Lake Shore
Maine Woods
Portland
Our Debt to the Barn Fowl
The barn fowl stands as a global health mainstay, surpassing any mechanical invention in its impact. Across South America and Europe the bird remains indispensable and irreplaceable, a testament to its enduring value in human well being.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
South America
Europe
How to Extinguish a Chimney Fire With Common Substances
The article explains uses of salt, sand, coal, or a pulled brick to knock down sparks and dislodge burning soot in a chimney fire. A helper with water at the base is advised to stop any falling embers, noting water from a hose is unnecessary and risky.
Eagles and Their Prey Giant Patagonia Eagle Skull Model
A Cornhill Magazine excerpt describes a colossal Patagonia eagle skull on display at the Natural History Museum. The beak, head size, and feather quills imply a bird capable of preying on animals as large as bisons, with an expansive diet across sea land and air.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Natural History Museum
Patagonia
California
Cornhill Magazine
Honest coin swap on street car yields good deed
Two strangers, one from Pittsburg, meet on an avenue street car. A 21 year old lost dime is found, the finder returns it to its owner, and both share a small reward. The exchange ends with mutual praise and a courteous gesture.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Pittsburg
Washington Post
Frontiersman praises sermon then donates $4.90
A man after service in a frontier town said the sermon was grand and would not have missed it for $5. He then gave Rev. Cyrus Townsend Brady $4.90 after a request to make up the difference to his missionary fund. He handed the money silently after a surprised pause.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cyrus ‘Townsend Brady
Ladies’ Home Journal
The Savage Bachelor Declares Political Women Rings
In a witty exchange, the savage bachelor notes that every woman in politics is currently a ring candidate, a remark quoted by the Indianapolis Press. The sharp putdown centers on the idea of women entering political life.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Savage Bachelor
Indianapolis Press
Tramp Signs Trail For Jail Escape Partner
A sugar planter recalls hobos using carved marks to guide a partner freshly released from Cincinnati jail to Houston. He describes two cases where a hobo labeled a post with a square and triangle to direct Appetite Bill Sparks, who followed the trail to Houston, aided by a postal card. The practice, he says, is uncommon but growing.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cincinnati
William Sparks
Sparks
Bill
Houston
Tex
New Orleans Times-Democrat
Awful hotel altercation ends with nurselike fix
An afternoon incident at a hotel involved a cook slashing a waiter's nose with a carving knife. A guest intervened by giving the waiter a tip to help manage the situation.
Every man as his own ancestor and heir quote
A philosophical reflection on self creation and time. The author argues individuals shape their future while inheriting their past, emphasizing personal responsibility and the paradoxes of fate and self-determination.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
H. F. Hedge
Snakes Never Close Their Eyes
The saying notes that snakes eyes appear always open whether alive or dead, sleeping or awake, reflecting their constant alert stare.
The Brooklet
A short poem excerpt titled The Brooklet, translated from Goethe by J. Underwood. It contemplates a clear brook’s journey from rock heart to the heavens’ blue, with a childlike trust in a guiding Leader. The piece preserves pastoral imagery and a reflective tone.
Royal Names a Hoodoo in the Royal Navy
A historical look at the superstition that ships named after royalty meet disaster. The piece cites the Royal James, Royal George, Royal Charlotte, and the Victoria among numerous fatal incidents, arguing a persistent belief in royal-named vessels being doomed.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Royal Navy
Thames
de Ruyter
Royal George
Spithead
Royal Charlotte
Leghorn
Victoria
Editor Pays His Joke With Half Crown
A humorous tale recalls an editor who settles a debt with a dilapidated Irishman, paying a currency he owed as a joke. The exchange ends with the Irishman recognizing the settlement and blessing the editor, then remarking it might have been a full crown after all. The editor learns not to pay debts on sight again.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Erin
Also Mentioned on This Page
Eagles
the Savage Bachelor
Tramp
Harter
Remeons
Ratin Ter
Launder, Harter & Harsh Mfg. CO
Wabash, Ind
U. S.A
W. A. Warwick
Irae
Hall Block
Savings Bank
M. S. Dougherty
Earth
J. Underwood
Goethe
Royal
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