The Washing Stool and a Moral on Matrimony
A Middle Atlantic narrator observes Marthy and Mose, a couple entangled in class prejudice and thrift. Marthy’s efficient washing routine, strict standards for Ettie, and money plans reveal a community where bloodlines and social status shape marrying choices and domestic life. The tale contrasts Mose’s frail health with Marthy’s grand schemes and enduring faith in family advancement.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mose
Ettie
Socrates
Indies
Prince Charming
Marthy
Mone
Providence
New Haven Coffin Builder Dies While Pursuing Immortality
A New London man Humphrey, a carpenter, who crafted his own coffins and preached immortality, died after years of sleeping in a polished black walnut box. He once housed the coffin at his office and later at a boarding house before his death, having built a coffin for his wife and mother-in-law who did not use theirs.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New Haven
New York Times
Humphrey
Odd Fellows
New London
The Kiss as Plot Device in World Literature and Drama
An exploration of why kissing remains a pivotal dramatic peg across literature and stage. The piece notes theater history in New York and references a French regulation from fifty years earlier restricting actor kiss scenes without consent, illustrating kissing as a long standing narrative force.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New York
France
Lesile
College women and the value of broad culture
Miss Woolley, president of Mount Holyoke, asserts that well bred women from college bring practical home keeping skills and flexibility for future professions. She notes many enter college seeking a specific career but end up pursuing general culture to better fit their future roles.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Miss Woolley
Mount Holyoke
Demea
Halle
Reversible Cognomen and Name Reversal Trick
A playful note describes how a first couple exchange cards with names like Hve and how a lord writes Madam I'm Adam to read both ways. It also cites a Harlem glass dealer who can reverse his name Lean Noel without changing spelling, illustrating reversible wordplay.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Glass
Lean Noel
Judge Teaches Law But Not Manners
A Washington lawyer recalls a court retort about manners from a sharp Chicago attorney. The Western judge, known for quick temper, quips he can teach law but not manners, prompting the Chicago lawyer to reply that this is true.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington
Chicago
Perkins
Harper's Weekly
Anceatore by Auction Sparks Interest in Portrait
A buyer shows interest in an art portrait and asks whose ancestor the painting depicts. The respondent hints the piece may belong to a family lineage, while noting the work’s notable quality and value.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Saya Willam M. Chase
Reporter Encounters Off duty Police Ride Through Town
A reporter matches with an official during a police ride to the jail. He speaks with the officer then avoids two well dressed acquaintances who fail to recognize him. He declines further chat and continues toward downtown to finish his assignment.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Tom
Panera
Tnd
Yarn Turns Steel Bar Into Toehold Of Hope
Maj. McClaughry at Fort Leavenworth recounts a prisoner who drilled through a steel bar using a sock yarn, limestone dust and water. A guard watched as the man, aided by emery and chalk, cut another bar in five hours, showing the yarn’s cutting potential.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Maj. McClaughry
Fort Leavenworth
Popular Mechanics
Chess its ancient origins and martial imagery in history
The article traces chess origins across civilizations, noting oriental roots and ancient terms like cheturanga and krieg spiel. It cites Hindu, Chinese, and Roman associations, linking chess to military hierarchy and warfare.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Janus
Cheturanga
Miss Sanborn Reveals Ducks Drain Farm Profits
Miss Kate Sanborn recounts her experience with ducks on New Hampshire farms. The birds ate profits without eggs, prompting a farmer to quip that those ducks, in all drakes, outwitted her effort.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Miss Sanborn
Kate Sanborn
New Hampshire
Misa Sanborn
Contradictory Claims About Foods and Goods Across Regions
A quirky survey notes items like winter fella on Austrian blankets made in Yorkshire and Turkey, rhubarb from Siberia with Russian monopoly claims, German silver with no silver content, Prussian blue unrelated to Germany, and Vienna rolls reportedly made far from Vienna. It highlights puzzling origin names versus actual sources.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Thia
Yorkshire
England
Turkey
Siberia
Ireland
Vienna
Ausiia
Two-Headed Baby Stuns Downtown onlookers
A man in downtown spots a twin baby carriage with two heads visible beneath a single blanket. A boy shouts in astonishment as the unusual infant pair draws attention from passersby.
Magn aroused with pity trust across troubled times
An obscure historical note describes a magnanimous trust aroused by pity during troubled times, highlighting a fragile civic mood and communal efforts to aid those in need. The fragment hints at motives of generosity and underscored social strain.
Legless newsboy commits suicide in New York home
Clifford Savage a 23 year old legless newsboy from Bridgeport Connecticut killed himself in his New York home after a quarrel with his mother. His two trained dogs Nell and Bud pulled his newspaper wagon and alerted his wife with their barking before the tragedy.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Clifford Savage
Legelas
Lnheling
Gal
New York
Nell
Bud
Savage
Bridgeport
Conn
Also Mentioned on This Page
Spurs
Ellie
van Loan
Fine
Martby
Eittle
Martha
Florida
Moze
Momboccus
Itaell
Srbpione
Ia ‘W
Smiage
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!