Making Puns Upon Names From Old Humor
A curio on puns drawn from famous names and quotations. The piece recalls Sir William Harcourt and Senator Lodge with quips about ancestry and honor, and notes James Payn’s aversion to exercise in humorous anecdotes from a New York Sun reprint.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Winter
Mies
William Harcourt
Kni
Knightley
Lodge
James Payn
Cornhill
Waterloo
Reform Club
New York Sun
Set in His Ways and a Practical Wife
A writer recalls a story of a twenty year old girl who marries a wealthy widower over fifty. He notes the husband is a frequent widower. After their honeymoon the husband, following dinner, begins a curious behavior.
Fragmentary bar scene excerpt with abrupt dialogue
A clipped dialogue fragment depicts a man denying a wife at a bar, mentioning his hat overcoat and umbrella and claiming he is not in that bar with the wives. The text is garbled and lacks clear context or attribution.
When Tosti Kissed Melba in Studio
Melba recalls singing Goodby with Francesco Tosti at his piano. He praised the performance, saying it matched his hearing of the piece. She felt real happiness as his kiss and exclamation captured the imagined emotion.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Tosti
Melba
Mme
Melba Io
Tamed too much in civilization says Good Health
The piece argues that people are born wild and must be tamed by civilization. It contends that many become overly tame and spoiled through excessive civilization.
Norway Hotel System Aims at Rural Lodging
A capital hotel system operates in parts of Norway. In villages without hotels, a prominent resident is subsidized by the government to provide lodging for at least four travelers. He may accommodate more, but four is the minimum.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Norway
Ivy and mushroom discuss garden social pecking order
In a Kansas City Journal excerpt the ivy dismissively eyes the other plants as the mushroom asks why the ivy appears so haughty. The ivy explains she sees the mushroom as a climber while treating others as upstarts in a short tale of garden society.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Garden Society
Kansas
City Journal
Leatherback Turtle Among Sea Giants
A leatherback turtle is the largest sea turtle species. It can weigh over a thousand pounds and is noted for its size compared with other turtles.
A Faithful Servant in Scots Secret Lawsuit Tale
A Seabee of a great Scottish estate faces a family secret guarded by an old servant who refuses to reveal it. A kirk minister confronts the servant about her soul, leading to a clash over honor and mortal peril within a venerable Scottish family.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Beat
Scotland
Seabee
Kirk
Sardines by the Millions in Frances Industry Revealed
The excerpt surveys sardine production in Frances, describing vast drying yards, baskets and platforms, and near endless streams of fish. It contrasts the outdoor drying processes with factory labor and hints at the scale and seasonality of the industry.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Frances
Sar- An
Harper’s Magazine
Hand prints revealed by special paper technique
A description explains how placing a palm on a labeled hat or paper with a specific chemical preparation can leave a detailed imprint of the hand, though observers may doubt or deny exudation and irritation.
Uninjured Signs Seldom Charge as Lion Observations Cited
A garbled London Times excerpt notes that lions rarely charge unless provoked by young, fear, or surprise. It mentions lions trotting low to the ground, similar to tigers, with ears pressed to the head, giving a comical, earless look.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Hong
London Times
Sartastic Father and Daughter Discuss a Bold Suitor
In a late scene a father urges his daughter to invite the bashful young man Smily to declare his intent and stay. The innocent daughter quips that the timing suits him and she will share the plan this evening.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Julia
Cames
Cal
Why Lover Looks at the Fire
A short tale notes a young Savoyard courting a woman by the hearth. He watches the fire more than her face and acts differently when she moves a log. If she leaves the billets untouched he is wet. if she sets a log upright, he departs.
Strains on Gun Steel for Artillery Explored
A La Nation article discusses the extreme stresses on artillery steel from detonation pressures and speeds. It notes pressures over twenty tons per square inch, muzzle velocities near the record, and energy around 20 million horsepower, with shells and mounts enduring repeated firings and high temperatures.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
la Natore
Commandant Regeault
Tipping as Adventure Not Mere Money Says Old Waiter Tale
A reader recalls a waiter who left indoor service for dining cars seeking tips. He valued the uncertainty and daily excitement of tips, calling it an adventure. The tale, cited from Louise Closser Bale in Century, explores tipping beyond monetary value.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Louise Closser Bale
Century
Leading Up to It
A boy asks Mrs. Brown to send an egg beater to beat eggs for his mother, and then requests a couple of eggs. The exchange appears in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Train Stop Short Coffee Break Commentary
A clipped remark from the St Louis Globe Democrat captures a traveler urging patience as a train stops only briefly for a coffee break. The exchange highlights practical traveler wit amid rail travel constraints.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
St Louis Globe ‘Democrat
The Liama Heaviest Toad Test Under Numa Rule
A description notes that the heaviest toad the Numa will bear on its back weighs 125 pounds. Heavier loads cause the animal to lie down and refuse to move regardless of coaxing or punishment.
Views of the hotel for friends sparks guest quip
A Louisville Charter-Journal line notes a guest asking for hotel views to share with friends. The reply, delivered in sharp humor, has the guest stating it is wiser to keep views to himself.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Louisville Charter-Journal
Browning Quote on Patience and Power
A concise reflection notes that patience equates to "Atmost power" as expressed by Mrs. Browning. The line highlights enduring restraint and strength in quiet endurance.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mrs. Browning
Wieliczka Salt Mine of Poland A World Class Underground City
An article describes the Wieliczka salt mine near Krakow as the world’s largest underground complex. It spans two and a half miles by 1050 yards, has seven levels, eleven shafts, and chapels, halls, a ballroom, tramways, and a railway all carved from rock salt. The oldest chapel dates to 1691. services are held in a later chapel 0.5 miles underground. The mine employs about 1,000 workers and has operated for at least 800 years.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Wielicaka
Craéow
Iine
Sonia
Manchester Guardian
The Horses of St Mark and Their History
The Horses of St Mark were taken from Chios in the fourth century and brought to the great Hippodrome at Constantinople by order of Emperor Theodosius, where they remained for display and ritual significance.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
St. Mark
Chios
Theodosius
Ntinople
Music and Muscle: Piano Virtuosity and Glass Shattering Claims
A fragmented old note discusses Pierre Paderewski allegedly cracking French plate glass with a piano touch and middle finger. It mentions Chopin’s final study in C minor taking about two minutes and five seconds to play and estimates total pressure from piano playing between three to twelve tons per hour.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Paderewski
Chopin
Heated family dispute over a forgotten child at the table
A tense scene unfolds as a father and mother argue while Jack sits center. The boy shows real concern as anger rises between his parents, each blaming the other for the missing attention.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Jack
Paikar
Ellis Island name dispute sparks clubbed phonetics
An Irish immigrant arriving in America faced a push for clearer speech at Ellis Island. After repeating his name, officers urged louder responses. He explained in a clipped manner that his mother was a woman, revealing the era’s immigrant experience with language barriers.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Iriahman
America
Ellis Ieland
City Star
Way to Win Through Luck and Effort
Dialog frames a paradox where one character rejects luck yet achieves success through deliberate pursuit. The exchange suggests ambition, self belief, and the idea that luck follows effort. The line about hunting luck implies a counterintuitive mindset shift in pursuing fortune.
Also Mentioned on This Page
F. H. Griffeth
Newberg Creamery CO
Willie
Eer
Oregon
Mabe
Kaives
the Evening Telegram
Portland, Or
E. W. Hudson
Newberg, Oregon
Rexall
Wren
Liggett
Lowney
Lynn B. Ferguson
First St
Galicia
Bosporus
Europe
New York American
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