Plucky tales mix school antics with child’s view
A jumble of vignettes from Harper's Young People and Seattle Press recount a boy with his hat at Lancaster, a brave girl Susie Bromley losing fingers to a hay-cutter and having them reattached, French flower crosses to pass the day, and a Boston family’s courtship of coins during a journey. The piece blends lively youthful mischief with bright moral snapshots and small adventures.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
North Stonington
Conn
Susie Bromley
Susie
Seattle
Boston
Boston Transcript
Paul
Sunday School Visit Ends Strained After Nose Joke
Narrator recalls a visit from Squire Roberts and wife twenty weeks after Sunday school. Table talk on politics on the piazza leads to a joke about noses, a fly bite for the narrator and whisky bite for the Squire. The exchange ends with the couple never returning to the house.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Squire Roberts
Uncle Jack
Minnie
Squire
Papa
Piazza
Jack
Pipa
Detroit Free Press
Dormant Infant Memory Hints at Hidden Ring Tale
A London visit by a mother with her 11 month old son and nurse ends with a missing ring. A year later the child, now four years and one month, returns to the same room, uncovers the carpet corner, and reveals the ring, suggesting a buried memory of the event. Jean Ingelow recounts the curious incident in Longman’s.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
London
Jean Ingelow
Longman's
Heiress Pursues Love and Loot Across the Atlantic
Miss Paula von der Lippe, heiress to 8,000 marks, seeks revenge after discovering her fiancé Johann Welslau’s plan to move to New York with 3,000 marks. She travels on the steamer Ems to Jersey City, aided by Detective Gordon, and the trio Johann, Louisa Robert, and the missing umbrella are arrested at Taylor’s Hotel.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Paula von der Lippe
Pederbaum
Westphalia
Johann Welslau
Welslau
America
Paula
New York
Johann
P. Caland
Louisa Robert
Miss von der Lippe
Sud
Survival of the Fittest on the Savannah Route
A crowded Savannah train car becomes a stage for a boastful advertising ploy. A Philadelphia drummer quietly takes the NY drummer’s seats, sparking a loud claim that the move will yield $500 of advertising for Blank, Blank & Co. The NY drummer relents and the Philly man sulks for miles.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Savannah
Philadelphia
New York
Blank, Blank & Co
Crushed violets soda fountain novelty described
The Kansas City Globe notes a new crushed violets soda flavor made from artificial perfume and orris root base. The syrup is produced under a Philadelphia patent and does not derive scent from actual violets. The drink tastes sweet with a violet aroma crafted by manufacturers.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Philadelphia
Kansas City Globe
No Hurry, A Condemned Man’s Last Plea for Peaches
A condemned inmate, awaiting execution, asks for a shave and a small favor of a few peaches. The jailer notes peaches won’t ripen for months, but the man replies he will wait, underscoring patience even in dire times.
Sermons for Sunday on Christ in All and Home Duty
A compact passage from Our Little People urging children to manners and home duties. It cites Abraham Lincoln and Matthew Hale as examples of seeking guidance and humility. Emphasizes thoughtful, respectful speech, quiet tones, and orderly conduct to improve family happiness.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Matthew Hale
Gid
Christ
Abraham Lincoln
Hation
Christian Watchfulness Then and Now
A exhortation urging Christians to constant vigilance against spiritual dangers and temptations. The writer compares believers to sentinels, sailors, and watchmen, urging preparedness for conflict and victory, avoidance of ruin, and seeking opportunities to grow in knowledge and purity through the guidance of scripture.
What Does It Matter Wealth and Fame Cannot Ensure Fulfillment
A meditation on legacy and opportunity contrasts fame with quiet virtue. The piece cites a Scottish preacher who credits a humble tutor for his rise and recalls a Virginia tramp who begged for work and was later found dead, urging readers to seize every chance to do good and accept salvation now.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Sammy Lindsay
Sammy Threepin
Hall
Peppermint Oil Boom Began In Wayne County
A 19th century Yankee peddler in Wayne County observed wild peppermint thriving in rich soil. Farmers soon cultivated the herb, distilling oil that now accounts for a large share of the world supply. Two crops per field, April planting, August harvest, oil distilled in vats, waste used for cattle feed.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
China
Japan
Wayne County
Philosophy in the Mississippi mud and a roadside lesson
A southern correspondent describes finding a colored man stuck with a jug on a one mule wagon in deep mud. While the wagon sits, the man reflects on the situation, explains he has “all dis week” to reach town, and humorously notes the “flosophy” of common sense. A cotton team soon arrives, lifts the wagon with a shared effort, and the man quips about the value of philosophy versus back‑breaking labor.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Natchez
Squire Springer the tightfisted man of Great Forks Prairie
A humorous tale portrays Squire Springer as a famously frugal figure while Kansas residents are seen as generous. Neighbor Mrs Higgins recalls an episode when she asked for yeast and the squire, thrifty and sly, extorted even a two cent piece. He returned the money to his wife with a mock display of affection before giving it to her.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Squire Springer
Reat Forks Prairie
Kansas
Mrs. Higgins
Caligula's Floating Bridge Across the Sea
A Roman emperor in A D 39 built a vast floating bridge of boats in two crescent lines over three miles long at Baiae and Puteoli. Houses stood on planks, water was piped ashore, and Caligula rode the span in a ceremonial procession. The night bridge lit by torches, then a triumphal return followed by a public oration and executions of spectators into the sea.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Caligula
Baim
Puteoli
Calignia
Odd remark sparks talk of silver anniversary plans
A playful exchange notes a predicted silver anniversary of an engagement as a family discusses a piece on American pork in Europe. The banter blends marital milestones with social commentary and a joke about bridal gifts.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Dr Sense
Mr. de Sense
Europe
Near Deaths Door On Perilous Patagonian Passage
A United States steamer Richmond voyage in January 1877 from Valparaiso to New York navigated Smiths straits between Valdivia and the Magellan passage. The ship faced a rockfall that toppled into the water, flooding decks and nearly sinking the vessel. After anchoring, crews assessed damage, with 110 fathoms proving no bottom for sounding. The crew later scaled cliffs and measured the rock bed, while noting the rock’s immense height and potential century-long stability. The account also muses on Shakespeare spellings, citing historical variants and pronunciation shifts, and closes with a discussion of Ruskin on virtue and governance.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
United States
Richmond
Valparaiso
Chili
Conception Bay
Valdivia
Smith's Straits
Magellan’s Straits
Gulf of Penas
Magellan Straits
Gettysburg
Hethning
A Clever Mayor Seeks Passport For Vanity Rich Lady
A frontier town mayor, adhering to new rules, writes a passport description for a vain, well-regarded woman with one eye missing. The remark, noting the absent eye, showcases his gentle wit and politeness. A proverb about aiming to miss fire in the next life ends the anecdote.
Miss Jenkins and the tardy pupil tale
In a Merchant Traveler excerpt a country school ma'am named Miss Jenkins is described as youthful and engaging. A pupil Willie is late due to Miss Jenkins's beau visiting often, about seven times weekly, with talk and a ring. The teacher contemplates punishment, while Willie is sent back to his seat.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Miss Jenkins
Willie
Struck the Golden Mean by Hibbard Syrup Story
The Detroit Free Press touts Hibbard's triheumantic Syrup, by Charles Wright Medicine Co. of Detroit, claiming it cleanses blood of impurities and poisons. The advertisement promotes it as a pure, valuable family medicine and blood purifier available from local druggists.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Detroit Free Press
Hibbard
Charles Wright Medicine Company
Makit Ag
Currency Paper Praised by London Banker in New York
A London banker lauds American currency paper quality noting its durability and resistance to counterfeiting. He highlights loose pocket storage by Americans versus folded methods in England, with special mention of crisper silver notes. The piece then shifts to warning about kidney disease and promoting Hosterera Stomach Bitters as a preventive tonic and diuretic aid.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
United States
Atlantic
E. B. Lambert
London
Bank of England
New York Press
Hoster
Light as a Feather and Other Witty Riddles Implied
The piece presents a playful exchange in which a man and woman trade questions and answers about lightness, the wind, minds, and broken vows. It reads as a quip filled dialogue in a late 19th or early 20th century voice, attributed to the New York Evening World.
Confidence Beget of Success in Medical Cures
The ad touts Dr. Pierce's Golden Medical Discovery as curing chronic nasal catarrh bronchial and throat diseases with a money back guarantee after trial. It claims consumption, or scrofula of the lungs, is cured when taken timely. It cites dubious prison wage data for Prussia and notes German armament changes. It mentions Voto Colfax Iowa Grand Opening June 7 at the Oki M. CL site with Frank Stewart in charge. A Cal. calf with deer head skin is also noted.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Dr. Pierce
Jazers Davis
Grass Valley
Cal
Tilla remedies promise cure for multiple ailments
An advertisement extols Tilla as a uniform remedy for Sick Headache Constipation Dypops a and Tiliousness claiming perfect safety for adults and children and even serving as an agreeable appetizer. It offers free distribution of a circular catalog with a payment in 25 Soap wrappers and notes Cragin & Co. in Philwin Pa as senders in the U S and Canada.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Sir Nore
Cragin & Co
Philwin
U.S
Canada
A Tom Smith Confronts a San Francisco Hanged Man Tale
A newspaper editor recalls a misattributed San Francisco report about a Tom Smith allegedly hanged by a vigilance committee. The real Tom Smith challenges the piece as false and seeks redress as a threat of violence unfolds in a crowded newsroom. The era’s sensational disputes and innuendo are noted alongside unrelated ads and brief public notices.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
San Francisco
Tom Smith
Caslifornia
Tont Tom Smith
Alnrmen
Also Mentioned on This Page
Tori
Sile Flower Crose
Toot
Thad. Stevens
Lancaster Pent
Mr. Stevens
Joe
Mr Stevens
Harper
Brittanny
France
Mamma
O. K
Manma
Mr. May’s
Jennie
Momma
Jack Esid
Hans
Christian Watchfulness
Satan
Jesus Christ
Bate
T Sai
George
Death's Door
Chakper
Shaxper
Shaksper
Shakesper
Shagpere
Shaxspere
Shaxespere
Shakspere
Shaks
Shakesyere
Shakespeare
Shakspeare
Shaxpur
Mr. Ruskin
God
New York Ledger
Maxy
Wen
New
Prussia
Isrs-Ixsv
J. C. Simpson
Marquess
Coblenz
Germany
Hood
Ceteris Pozzori
Draggister
Fency Golds Dealers
Travehers
Havin
Anelina van Burett
White House
Yale
Thn Supreme Court of the
Strke
Suc
Asmnica
Tansill
Lawrence
Georer Patterson
Feu
Re Neumann
M.D
Devas Asp
Charles &. Vogeler CO
Baltimore
California Fig Syrup CO
Louisville
Esay
Irice
Poultry & Veal
Ani Ve Ealey
Devine & Bermincham
South Water Street
Chicago
Rite OF Binghantor
Nghamton
W. L. Douglas
the Chemical Co
Brockton
Maen T
Gulls Ratlan
Amsterdam
S. Y
Sitja Betton
DAR Dychferco
Ulleage
Tlh
Druggisty No
E. T. Hazeltin
Warren, Pa
Ayer
Dr. J. C. Ayer & Co
Lowell, Mass
Kidder
Astana Dilestown
Mass
Joventarn
Borhey
Woshington
Hanile Mneye
Josep
Washington, D.C
Jno
Dre
Wilcox
Pasia
Pits
Salt Lake City
Walers
Everett
Felix Gudraud
Isan Ane
Meee Wet
Ferd
Ts Hopkins
Jones St
Maren Owen
Lambago
Bats
Owen
Gwen Electric Belt & Appliance CO
North Broadway
ST. Louis
MQ Broadway
New York City
Sural
Geo. P. Mowell
New Yor
Sapolio
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