The Legend of Laughing Moonbeam at Medicine Bluff
An old Kiowa legend from the Wichita mountains tells how Laughing Moonbeam chose between two lovers by placing them on a perilous leap from Medicine Bluff. Delos and Belo, urged by the tribe and rival tribes, ride to the top and leap for honor and marriage. Both die as the Princess is left without a husband while Medicine Bluff, the river, and the people remember the tragedy.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Wichita Mountains
Moonleam
Tall Delos
Belvo
the Plains
Medicine Bluff
Belo
Moonbeam
Bee
Delos
Litle Creek
Los Angeles Times
The Great Lottery Marks-Taking G Wife Mike Mushrooms
A fragmented exchange mentions waiting for results before confirming a choice. It references a person named Mike and a remark about taking the right kind mushrooms. The context is unclear but suggests a cautionary note around evaluation and certainty.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Marks
Mike
Parks
Looked Cheap Grigge Bo You Regain Counter
A fragmented Boston Transcript item notes a cryptic line about regaining a counter and a night described as cheap. The garbled text mentions Grigge Bo and a quick assessment of value, but details remain unclear.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Boston Transcript
The Bombmaker and Harmless Letter as Deadly Device
Chicago News explains amid fears a benign looking letter can become a timer bomb. It details a cardboard sheet with fulminate of mercury and detonators, plus a cracker box bomb using chlorate of potassium, sugar, and acid.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Chicago News
The Espousal Ancient Ceremony of Mutual Promise
The essay outlines historic espousals as mutual promises of marriage made before clergy and witnesses, followed by the signing of tabulae matrimoniales and the man delivering the ring and gifts, a practice tied to sponsage or covenanting and the dowry. It references Augustine and church customs abroad.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New York Tribune
Knew Him at Once in a Philadelphia Parish
An anecdote from Princeton candidates sent to a Philadelphia church recalls how a nameless young man was identified by a professor who asked for the “toweret, streamlet, rivulet, cloudlet, starlight and moonbeam” youth. The tale ends with the candidate being called to the parish.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Princeton
Philadelphia
Thes
Stage Dressmaking and Costume Excess in Theater
A critic notes stage costume excesses during wartime, saying new outfits undermine undress rehearsals and theatrical fitness. Actresses lose dramatic variety as gowns overpower performance and formality swamps disguise. Pinero’s warning appears in Costume, reflecting fashion’s impact on drama.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
A. W. Pinero
Inconsistency quoted in Chicago News and Laberius
A fragmentary quotation contrasts a curious question about inconsistency with a humorous definition from the Chicago News about a woman scolding her cuffless husband, followed by a Laberius proverb about fortune being enough.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Chicago News
Grant's Bold Cross to Petersburg Foiled Confederate Chance
The article argues Grant planned a rapid cross at Wilcox's Landing to strike Petersburg from the rear, a feat requiring daring transport. Lee underestimated the maneuver for three days as Grant's forces arrived and attacked Petersburg, potentially altering the war's course. It credits Grant for the strategic move, with possible support from his chief of staff and General B. P. Alexander.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Grant
Wilcox's Landing
City Point
Let's
Petersburg
Butler
Lee
Beauregard
Longstreet
Etiii
Cold Harbor
Gettysburg
Umphreys
B. P. Alexander
Scribner's
A Case Against Machinery in Daily Life
Reginald Newton Weekes argues in Nine teenth Century that machinery replaces craftspeople, creating dull uniformity and mediocrity. He contends cheap goods come at the cost of skilled labor, warning that a few fine possessions may outweigh many inferior ones.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Reginald Newton Weekes
Noise and the Nerves in London Opinion Exchange
This London excerpt cites Schopenhauer on insensitivity to noise as a sign of mental development and notes Anglo American tolerance to noise. It references Sir Arthur Sullivan seeking quiet at night and Bernard Shaw’s critique of “statute aided noises” like church bells and military bands, urging local authorities to use their powers.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Schopenhauer
Arthur Sullivan
Bernard Shaw
London
Dawsons Toast Uncle Ella Nabb For Conversation
A fragment from a household tale describes the Dawsons and their guest Uncle Ella Nabb during a visit. They praise talk but Nabb remains unimpressed, noting their boast in a remark about meeting Lady Greynough at her gate.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Dawsons
Ella Nabb
Mr. Daw
Mr. Nabb
Advertising as Art in Public Notice Standards
A historic essay argues advertising should become a fine art, guiding public taste and preserving beauty. It praises newspapers as the premier medium, urging stricter classification and decorous presentation to avoid vulgar displays and to align ads with public service and esthetic appeal, attributed to Sylvester Baxter in Century.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Ita
Sylvester Baxter
Wig as Health Aid in Baldness Says Paris Doctor
An American in Paris consulted a physician who urged wearing a wig as a health safeguard. The doctor linked baldness to cold risks and proposed toupees to prevent colds, throat issues, deafness, and tuberculosis in some cases. He argued baldness is a misfortune, not vanity. Lesile's Weekly
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Paris
Lesile’s Weekly
Children and Dogs Advocate Gentle Companions
A New York Herald excerpt extols teaching children to love animals and welcomes a dog as a trusted friend. It praises the dog as unobtrusive, mood adapting, and a source of pleasure in companionship and rambles, urging parental cultivation of this bond for youngsters.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Chuin
New York Herald
Language notes on French phrases in English usage
Linguistic fragment discusses Anglicized French terms in songs and council discourse. It contrasts cries like Wacore and the Latin Bis with misinterpreted phrases such as on the tapia, clarifying that tapia refers to the council tablecloth, not the carpet, in political talk.
Break It Off Over Diamond Ring Vow
In Sketchy Bits a woman laments breaking an engagement over a diamond ring. She recalls his comment that he would be willing to lose the ring if he could end the engagement, highlighting a conflicted vow and reluctant breakup.
Fragmentary teaser hints at a humorous persona and wordplay
The text presents a fragmented note on humor and wit with a nod to Puck and playful phrasing. It mentions an aim for natural humor, a professional wit, and suggests an undercurrent of clever wordplay without a clear narrative or event.
Building character over castles Temarac
A compact saying from Temarac emphasizes character over grand structures. It highlights personal development as the priority beyond physical fortifications.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Temarac
The Burrows Nora Barrowa Romance in Bar Town
Nora resists suitor Burrows who proposes a trade off marriage for a shared plan to outmaneuver rivals. He hints of a secret beloved and an impending town trip as they bicker over home decor, brides, and social rivalries while imagining a future tied to a grand new house.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Nora
Calvin Barrowa
Burrowa
Jimmy Dolan
Hannah
Jimmy Dolap
Tie
Burrows
Mao
Jimmy
Atanda
Alice Bane
Cora Eton
Bifrida Vance Fa
Bifrida
Susie Moron
Susie Moran
Abela
The Opal Superstition and a Weight Question
The piece discusses the belief that opals are unlucky due to their association with the Black Death in Europe. It notes that opals appeared popular when the disease spread and claims the opal brightened on dying victims, though this is likely superstition. It also mentions a curious anecdote about weighing a fish bowl with and without fish to resolve a question about weight.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Europe
Fierson
Wealthy Philadelphian Refuses Prompt Bill Payment
An affluent elderly man in a Philadelphia suburb earns notoriety for delaying payments by claiming to seek “good measure.” He visits a local drugstore to fill a physician’s prescription, jokingly insisting on extra measures as the pharmacist contemplates immediate fulfillment.
Also Mentioned on This Page
Espousal
Lucca
Florence
Grant and Petersburg
Puck
the Great
Mr. Blank
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!