Odd Bits From Around The World And A Kitchen Gaffe
A roundup of curious global notes includes the Prussian railway coal bill, Post Office Savings Bank reach, Transvaal Chinese numbers, Nigerian polygamy claim, an Irish hermit, a seven foot two inch eagle, ship speeds in knots, lightning structure studies, New York optometry laws, Rome excavations, American phonograph business in China, pearl oysters with leaden nucleus, and a Perth Amboy cake mishap where a daughter jokes about the frosting being scraped off.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Post Office Savings Bank
Transvaal
Tiberton
Herefordshire
England
A. Larsen
New York State
Taniculum
Rome
Antonius
Commodus
Jupiter
Bacchus
China
Palace
Pekin
Shanghai
Hong Kong
Tys Popular
Perth Amboy
N. J
Murver
Monarch of the Sea Burns Through Ice on Vermont Trial
The Vermont battleship finished a standardization trial off Rockland and in Boston harbor making 14.3 knots on an 18 knot requirement, with icy decks and heavy frozen water on bow. Naval officials claim the ship is the queen of the American navy and ready for North Atlantic service.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Vermont
Rockland
Boston Harbor
Navy Yard
North Atlantic
Baxter
Great Britain
Crack in the Liberty Bell widens in jest
A witty exchange from the Chicago Tribune highlights a growing crack in the liberty bell and a humorous oversized hole in the constitution, reflecting satirical political commentary.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Chicago Tribune
Merose Treatment and the Nerve Trainin g of a Quaker Child
A fragment recounts Amelia Opie and 18th century child discipline. The author describes early fears of beetles frogs skeletons and black men and notes her mother’s harsh methods to cure them. The narrative hints at a broader discussion of child study.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Amelia Opie
Mra Ople
Long-Lived Mathers at Jenkintown Reunion Century Old Man of Chelten Hills
In Jenkintown Pennsylvania on October 27 four generations of the Mathers gathered for a reunion. Isaac Mather aged 100 led the centenarian party which included two brothers and two sisters with a combined age of 350 years. The younger generation totaled 206 years with Martha Mather 75 Israel Mather 73 Issac Mather 58 and Isaac the elder. The old homestead on land granted by William Penn at Chelten Hills anchors the family with Isaac known as the Grand Old Man of Chelten Hills and a regular Quaker attendee who credits his long life to simplicity.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mathers
Jenkintown
Isaac Mather
United States
Rebecca Michener
Ann Mather
Charles Mather
Martha Mather
Israel Mather
Issac Mather
Isac Mather
William Penn
Chelten Hills
Chelten Fills
Why Opals Are Unlucky and A Fisherman’s Bowl Truth
A Yonkers style note questions why opals supposedly turn unlucky after the Black Death and suggests the myth lingered from popular belief. It contrasts this with a humorous anecdote about weighing a bowl of water with and without a fish to settle a similar question, pointing to flawed reasoning.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Europe
Kansas City Journal
Singing Records Mention Breath Control At Practice
A singer boasted of 196 sung notes without breathing, but the record is Cour tice Pounds with 310 notes in 1898. Previous marks include Parinelli at 200 notes and Norman Salmond at 287 notes, illustrating how lungs trained singers push breathless ranges.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Courtice Pounds
Pounds
Parinelli
Norman Salmond
Goop Teeth Specialist Promotes Slumber Smiles For Pretty Grin
A cosmetic dentist notes the Merry Widow hat shifts focus to teeth and smiles, urging subtle lip display rather than broad grins. He advises patients to wake with a gentle Cupid's bow, lips lightly pressed and rosy, reflecting health and charm.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New York
Could See For Himself. Foster Sews Amid Illness in Clubhouse
Clarence Foster known as Pop, a veteran player, is described as meticulous about his appearance and often sewing in the clubhouse. After August illness news reached the press, the St. Louis club arrived at Washington grounds where Foster was spotted at his sewing, claiming he is on the mend.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Clarence Foster
Pop
Foster
Publc
St. Louis
Washington Grounds
Joe
Sugden
Washington Star
Horrors of Minstrels Excerpt Noted by Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune quotes a stage routine in which a drunken blackface comedian is imitated, featuring a dialogue about cream pitchers and a minstrel performance. The excerpt highlights racial stereotypes and theatrical banter from the era.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
George
de Uddah
Mistah Walkah
de Ud
Chicago Tribune
Not the kind of face that grows on you
The major compliments an ugly infant, saying the face grows on you, prompting the mother to retort that it never did grow on anyone and joking she’d be better looking if it did. Detroit News Tribune.
Legal precedents on employment boycotts and race covenants
A Louisiana supreme court ruling found that a mill owner’s notices forbidding employees to trade with others were lawful since the owner sought only self protection and not to injure plaintiffs. Other cases cited include Virginia upholding non racial covenants in deed restrictions, New York denying annulment on age related reasons, and Kentucky upholding separate but not segregated railcar provisions where a freight caboose carried passengers but did not violate the law.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Hine-Hodge Lumber Co
Southern Reporter
Supreme Court of Louisiana
People’s Pleasure Park Co., Inc
Et al
Rohleder
Southeastern Reporter
Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia
Supreme Court of New York
Hatch
New York Supplement
Kentucky
Southern Ry
Commonwealth
American student praised for college system by Zantz in Berlin
Privy Councilor Zantz returned to Berlin after a three month U S visit and spoke to Industrial high school students praising American students and the college system. He noted students can support themselves by work such as stone breaking, porterage, or waiter duties without losing caste. He cited examples of young men acting as waiters at gatherings where they are treated as equals after completing mental duties.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Zantz
Berlin
United States
Industrial High School
Walter
Behead and Defeat Myths in a Child’s History Questions
A fragment from a periodical humor page presents children’s literal take on words. Margaret aged 10 asks the meaning of behead and defeat, Mam responds, and Donald aged 4 offers a comically wrong but logical conclusion about feet. The excerpt also notes a Grandma exchange about a lemon drop and Towser’s reaction.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Donald
Margaret
Mamma
Also Mentioned on This Page
Gallow
Monarch OF the Sea
Charles
the Navy
Indianapolis Sun
Weely
the Tatler
H. Clark
Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company
Santa Rosa Vineyard Company
California
Holbrook, Arizona
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