Meek suitor battles temper and pride in a Pennsylvania romance
In a tale set near a railroad in Pennsylvania German country Baumgartner schemes to gain a meadow by marrying his son Sephenijah to Sarah Pressel. A mock auction and a series of courtship lessons lead to kissing and a dramatic sleeping contest with a pasteboard tombstone twist, ending with Sally urging Seffy to redeem himself.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Old Baumgartner
Baumgartner
Sarah Pressel
Sephenijah
Seffy
Sep
Sally
Leffy
Sam Fritz
Sephenijah P. Baumgartner, Jr
Tempers and small dreams in a rural romance chapter
Sally confesses temper trouble and asks Seffy to help. Leffy battles happiness and duty as village life tests their loves and promises. A late night council with Seffy and his father frames a shared plan to repair reputations and secure future happiness.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Seffy
Joy
Leffy
Sephenijah P. Baumgartner
Sally
Earth
Primitive public romance drives duel for Sally in church yard
In a Maryland frontier township, Seffy must publicly win Sally’s favor to secure her hand and ward off rival Sam. Leffy’s father pushes a church-door contest as townsfolk fill the pews and watch the rival pair contend in a raw test of strength and pride.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Leffy
Granny
Sam
Seffy
Sally
Ses
Keap
Nancy
Old Baumgartner
The Good Road Illustrations and Road Drainage Issues
D. Ward King discusses two photographs showing a road deteriorating into ditches and gullies. He explains how hedge and fence positions force the center of the highway into a dangerous, water-filled ditch, with the hill repeatedly graded but never fixed. He notes soil moisture affecting drag and jokes about dragging on Sundays in Iowa.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
D. Ward King
Orange Judd Farmer
Iowa
Harvesting Wheat and Shock Construction for Weather Resilience
A Farmers' Voice correspondent details self binder harvest efficiency with six horses and a good binder, noting 15 to 20 acres daily in cool weather. The piece emphasizes building 16 bundle shocks with a north south lineup and side wheels to shed water, wind resilience, and quick drying, followed by threshing or long ricks to avoid weather damage.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Farmers’ Voice
HAND OR MACHINE LABOR ON AMERICAN FARMS
The piece argues that machinery distinguishes American farming from older nations, boosting wealth and reducing labor needs. It claims machine use elevates farm worker status, raises pay, and that high labor costs justify investing in first class farm machines to replace human labor.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Farmers’ Review
Lincoln and Sons of the Union Meet on Washington Visit
A Ninety third Pennsylvania regiment correspondent recalls meeting Abraham Lincoln in Washington. Lincoln measured heights with officials, granted a pass, embraced the soldier, and invited him to dine. Lincoln told him character matters more than attire and blessed him farewell.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Pennsylvania
Washington
Georgetown
National Tribune
Pennsylvania Avenue
Arthur
Old Abe
Hannibal Hamlin
Gen. Cameron
A. G. Curtin
Mahlen Shaaber
Abraham Lincoln
Gov. Curtin
Abe Lincoln
Quartermaster Sergt
John Fritz
White House
His First Literary Effort
A group of friends visits a young author to toast his new book. His mother recalls his earliest writing and reads a crumpled letter to his grandmother that begins Dear Mama The dogs is awful thick here Your loving son.
Falstaff's potato rain line hints at sweet potatoes origin
The line Let the sky rain potatoes in The Merry Wives of Windsor is linked to sweet potatoes, not ordinary spuds. The note suggests these were common in England before Sir Walter Raleigh popularized Virginian potatoes around 1584 in County Cork, Ireland.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Falstaff
England
Sir Walter Raleigh
County Cork
Ireland
General man sought with limited hours and high pay
An advertisement seeks a general man willing to start at ten and quit at three with good pay. The applicant must have ten thousand dollars to invest in the business, a requirement noted as a missing qualification.
Water runoff Will Follow Side Ditches on Hill
Observation notes that during the next rainfall water will flow to the side ditches along the hill, not down the middle. The writer insists the middle will not retain runoff and directs attention to the side drainage.
Perfect Gate Latch Demonstrates Simple Inward Slide
A Farm and Home description outlines a simple gate latch using an 18 inch board nailed to a post and a narrower rounded piece to catch the nose of the gate. End pieces measure one inch by three inches by seven inches and bolt on. The gate slides under one piece to lock and lifts a piece to open in any direction.
Hinges Made From Old Chain Links For Doors
Prairie Farmer suggests using two links from an old chain as hinges for small to medium doors or gates. Place the open face down, attach each link to the door and jamb with four wire staples at the corners, and three hinges may be used for very heavy doors.
Also Mentioned on This Page
John Luther Long
Illustrations By
Don Wilson
Try Happi
Will
Lincoln
the Tall Soldier
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!