Ghostly legends and a tale of the safety pin origin
A collage of ghost tales from Scotland recounts the Green Lady at Newton Castle and Pearlin Jean haunting Berwickshire mansions, while Cassell’s Journal notes the safety pin’s inventor a smith’s son Harrison aided by a factory of necessity. quirky anecdotes end with Punch style humor about a henhouse egg joke.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Jies
Newton Castle
Berwickshire
Pearlin Jean
Ize
Cassell
All Properly Dead Crank Tale Echoes Dying by Inches
A crank claims a man swallowed a two foot rifle and died by inches. The editor seeks details and asks Dr. Southwick who jokes a patient once swallowed a thermometer and died by degrees. Bystanders reference a Kansas blow and a friend who drank spirits and died.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Southwick
Kansas
Star Journal
Camera Tricks Behind Moving Pictures At London Tit-Bits
A London Tit-Bits feature explains popular moving picture tricks showing inanimate objects acting with human intelligence. It describes clothes undressing and dressing themselves, boots lacing, hair brushing, and collars fastening, all staged with stop motion and edited to appear seamless. It also details dummy substitutes during scaffold accidents and the precise placement of the living actor to recreate falls on camera for dramatic effect.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
London
King George V Story From Informal Tea
An anecdote attributed to King George V describes a royal tea when a seven or eight year old girl approached, curtseyed, and told the king in a clear voice that he is a “meena man” because her mother told her to say so. The king asks why and the child explains the instruction from her mother. The report appears as a quoted anecdote in a London column.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
George V
London
M. Alp
Why He Faltered Bride and groom miscue sparks laughs
A Boston Traveler quip recounts a wedding faux pas where the bride remains calm and distinct while the groom causes a stir with a broken suspender. The dialogue teases nerves and social polish amid nuptial ceremonies.
The First Victim of Aviation
A collection of stray stories recounts Simon Magus, the man who tried bribing St Peter and imagined wings to fly. A tragic misstep follows as he straps on the contraption and fails, meeting an untimely end.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Simon Magus
Stter
Sirsep
Smugglers Tactics as Paris Customs Foiled by Ingenious Tricks
A Parisian source in Washington describes clever methods used to dodge Paris customs. Tricks include a rubber pocket with a fake stomach, a horse collar full of lace, a foot warmer packed with eau de cologne, and coffins at funerals concealing brandy. Wreaths were later found to contain seized liquor.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
France
Washington
Paris
Douaniers
Washington Herald
Punished by Promotion in Morentine Republic
A London Telegraph summary notes the 1293 Alagna Charta of Florence curbing noble cruelty by barring titled nobles from the signory unless they renounce nobility. It also records a radical clause granting a patent of nobility to any democratic member deemed guilty of treason to the commonwealth, advancing social rank at state will.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Morentine
Florence
Phad
London Telegraph
Harrow 1611 Timetable Sets Strict School Day
In 1611 Harrow began as a public school with a rigid schedule. Students must be in by 6, the forenoon ends at 11, and afternoons run 1 to 6. Play limited to Thursdays or Saturdays after prayers. athletic practice focuses on archery with equipment supplied by parents. Masters enforce neatness and cleanliness.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Harrow
London Mail
Battle ordeal fades from English law by 1818 repeal
The ordeal by battle once legal in England lingered into Elizabethan times and survived until 1818 when repealed after Thornton abused the practice to claim a wager of battle in the murder of Ashford. The girl's brother declined to fight and the murderer was discharged.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
England
William the Conqueror
Elizabeth
Thornton
Ashford
Court of Queen’s Bench
New York Press
Also Mentioned on This Page
Harrison
York
Ioea
Darling
Pearl
Boston Traveler
Qth
Max Feldsers
The
New York
Max Feldler
Prop
Vienna Hardware CO
MA Farmer
MR Farmer
Rushin
M. KE. Ruskin
F. Depot
Wasp & Man
Mle, R
Cheney
Lindsey
Dooling
Byromville
Lilly
Pinehurst
Findley
Tippettville
Bearbroughs
Drayton
J.D. Leaters
J. R. Barfield
Tom Williams
Vienna
C.B Morgan
T. C
B.C
Wiedemann Bros
Rough Riders
Indian Congress
Pony Express
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!