Old Scottish customs and betrothal rites through history
A survey of Scottish peasant marriage traditions recounts betrothal by alehouse dialogue and thumb licking, streamside vows, and church catechism tests. It notes 17th century banns, Rutherglen fines, and cold-water infant rites, with Burns and Highland Mary cited, ending with a Saratoga note on Fellowcraft’s four mile heat record.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Speir
Jenny
Jock
Lassie
Burns
Mary
Kirk
Glasgow
Rutherglen
Lanarkshire
Ruglen
Fifeshire
London Nobility's Vast Real Estate Holdings Revealed
An observer describes how the City of London is a dense hub while vast noble estates extend across the outskirts. Duels of power surround Duke of Bedford and other peers who own aging leases, ground rents, and entire squares. The piece notes low taxes on property, lavish urban demands, and the dynastic nature of metropolitan wealth.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Charing
Itfelborn
West End
London
Duke of Bedford
Duke
Seventy-Five
Covent Garden
Duke of Portland
Marquis of Westminister
Bedford
Westminister
England
British Museum
Tom
Harry
Absent With Leave A Morning Fishing Adventure
A boy awakens early due to his father’s unusual kindness and ventures with Ben Spinner to fish along Flint Creek. They dig worms, ride the day’s energy, and endure weariness after a long morning until they realize they forgot lunch and must push on toward dinner time.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Father
Christopher Columbus
Ben
Blake
Flint Creek
Lowesombe Bend
Fisherman’s Luck and a Boy’s Quiet Rebellion
A first person reminiscence recalls quitting a job after a march to the sea, hunger, and a family morning at Flint Creek. The narrator describes a younger brother, a caring but restless mood, and a vow to stay true to Sunday school lessons while cherishing simple meals and the lure of fishing.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
General Sherman
Sea
Lint Creek
Henry
Ben
Flint Creek
A Very Loose Man Ends as a Curious Local Oddity
A Manchester born colored man in the city displays extraordinary physiological feats. He can wind his abdomen, produce a second set of ribs, displace his heart to four positions, and halt its beat for brief periods. Physicians who examined him deem him an unprecedented curiosity in physiology.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Manchester
England
Mrs Jones and the Salted Pudding
In Wisconsin a thrifty farmer and family prepare hasty pudding. Each family member secretly adds salt, blaming others as the dish over salted leads to a comic breakfast revelation about who salted it and why.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Wisconsin
Reliance
Prudence
Amos
James
David ‘Thomas
Text Farm
Farmer Jones
Evan
Jones
Mrs. Jones
Camels Thrive on Nevada Ranch Near Carson River
A herd of twenty six camels on a Carson River ranch, eight miles below Six Mile Cannon, proves acclimation in Washoe. Nine or ten were imported years ago, now twenty four healthy animals pack 1100 pounds, fed by desert shrubs and prickly weeds, used to haul salt to river mills sixty miles east.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Carson River
Nevada
Europe
Care and Commas and the Power of Punctuation
A compact essay on how comma placement changes meaning in phrases and inscriptions. It cites examples from nursery rhymes tombstones and a coroner's verdict to show how mispunctuation alters sense and urges careful writing.
Wild Horses Show Herd Leadership And Cleverness
The essay notes that wild horses exhibit near human intelligence, selecting chiefs to lead departures. They navigate drought by fronting columns, assess unfamiliar terrain by sending a chief to inspect objects, and signal with a neigh. In danger, the herd forms a dense circle to shelter the young, often driving predators away.
Occupation as a shield against sorrow and despair
The speaker extols occupation as a remedy for grief and danger, arguing hard work channels difficult emotions into duty and purpose. The passage shares a story about Noah’s Family and a satirical memory of Jeff Davis, illustrating views on work, resilience, and character in political life.
Also Mentioned on This Page
Saratoga
Fellowcraft
Lexington
John Phillips
Noan
Tom Corwin
Jeff Davis
Congress
Ham
Hagar
Onesimus
Davis
Shem
Japhet
Noah
Turtle Creek
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!