Belief in Black Magic Across Ancient Times to Detroit
James B. Pooler surveys enduring fears of witches and witchcraft from ancient Greece and Rome through Salem and into modern America. He recounts cases in Pennsylvania and Michigan where belief in hexes, witch doctors, and “The Long Lost Friend” persisted, linking urban legends to sensational crimes and occult practices.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Horace
Greece
Pliny
Rome
Shakespeare
Macbeth
Salem
New England
Pottsville
Susan Mummey
Albert Shinskey
Albert
Nelson Rehmeyer
York
Rehmeyer
Hess
York Valley
Pennsylvania
Town
Irving Heagy
Detroit
Evangelista
Michigan
Africa
Haiti
James 8. Pooler
Detroit Free Press
American Derelict Seeks Bankruptcy to Land Federal Post
A business renter borrows fifty dollars to file for bankruptcy hoping for qualification for a federal position as postmaster. The move appears strategic to secure government employment.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Federal Land Bank
Washington
Fiji
Hugh S. Johnson
NRA
United States
Texas Erosion Plan Mapped for Statewide Action
A comprehensive Texas erosion control plan calls for $100 million over ten years with $10 million yearly funding and 50 CCC camps in 13 regions. It integrates efforts from the Soil Erosion Service Extension Service and Texas agencies to launch a state wide program including Brazos River watershed control with $2 million annually and 25 CCC camps.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Texas
Soil Erosion Service
Extension Service
Texas Agricultural Experiment Station
State Department of Vocational Agriculture
Brazos River
Science Nibbles and Odd Medical Notes
Dr Mandel Sherman of the University of Chicago notes a human infant brain does not function normally until two months after birth. Russian lumber industry uses gas from sawdust in auto trucks. A new X ray effect gauge was developed by the Bureau of Standards. It takes 27 singers to equal the sound of one. Gasoline linked to fine perfumes. Ancient Chinese used iodine seaweed to treat goiter. Sell it with a Sun Want Ad.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mandel Sherman
University of Chicago
E. E. Free
Bureau of Standards
Old Farmer and Hired Man Joke Exchange
A string of light humor sketches features an old farmer and new hire at table signs, a death certificate mix up by a young doctor, a mother treating a swallowed button, a flirtation misread through a promise to pick violets, a barber and farmer negotiating hair cutting, and a child who insists she is only a superintendent while playing school.
Witty Dessert Crisis Prompts Unsuspecting Repartee
A husband finds his wife in tears over a cake the dog ate. He reassures her with a joke about getting another dog from a man, turning misfortune into humor.
Once Was Enough Bus Conductor’s Recollection
Two women waited for a crowded bus. The conductor offered space for one inside and one on top. He recalls separating mother and daughter once, then says he would not do it again as the bell rings.
Queen Marie of Roumania Reveals Humble Moment
The text recalls Queen Marie of Roumania recounting a personal anecdote about vanity and humor, describing a tale she told about herself when chatting with an old acquaintance. The fragment hints at a reflective royal anecdote on pride.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Queen Marie
Roumania
Borah Pushes NRA Curtailment While Backing Core Provisions
Senator Borah of Idaho demands junking most NRA items except child labor rules, minimum wages and maximum hours. He says restoring and enforcing anti trust laws would greatly aid recovery, as hearings move to speed up renewal before the act expires June 16.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington
Borah
Idaho
NRA
Senate Finance Committee
Harrison
Conversation on shared common ground and mutual regard
A friend notes their surprising congeniality despite little in common. She mentions a key shared trait: the other person is wonderful, and they agree on that point.
Man Found Guilty of Bigamy Speaks to Judge
The accused, just convicted of bigamy, faces the judge who asks for a defense. The reply is a silent, sullen no, and the judge quips that a man with two wives would not get a chance.
Immortal Note Echoed in Banker and Poet Exchange
A banker quotes a renewal remark to Mr. Van Meters while a poet responds that the note may be the only immortal thing he will write. The brief dialogue contrasts finance and creativity with a wry final line.
Boss Jibe On Truth Leads To Salesman Plot
A humorous exchange shows a boss scolding an office boy for lying. The boy’s quip suggests the firm later disciplines liars by sending them into sales, framing a sharp corporate joke.
Grandson Quips About Grandmother’s Paternal Side Visit
A young boy questions a visiting grandmother linking to his father. She confirms she is his grandmother on his father’s side. Johnnie immediately retorts that she will soon discover she is on the wrong side.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Small Johnnie
Johnnie
Exhorter Turns Jokes In Church Army Navy Parley
A negro exhorter urged the crowd to join the army of the Lord. A woman replied she had already joined, asked what she joined, and learned she had entered the Baptis’ Church. The exhorter quipped that she was in the navy, not the army, of the Lord.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Chile
Blue Moon Seen Three Times in 52 Years
Perez Simmons of Fresno reports a blue moon seen at Santa Barbara on September 15 after sunset with rose tinted clouds. Four witnesses confirmed the sighting. Similar blue moons occurred in Ireland in 1927 and England in 1883. Possible explanations include airborne dust or optical contrast effects in unusual skies.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New York
Science
Perez Simmons
Fresno
Calif
Santa Barbara
Simmons
Robert Ridgway
Mr. Simmons
Begonia
Ireland
England
Spe
Deserted cabin warns traveler of isolation in Dakotas
A lone horseman in the Dakotas finds a deserted cabin with a posted note listing distances to water timber neighbor and services. The sign ends with a homey blessing and a quip about news from Horace Greeley. The tale ends with a witty reporter reply about “Not a new.”
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Horace Greely
Also Mentioned on This Page
Nibbles
Whitewright Lumber Co
Henry
Mary
the Boss
Army and Navy
East
East Texas
LaRoe
America
Our Home
Dakotas
Dreath
Hd Neces
Ford
Southwest
Universal Credit Co
Ford Finance Plan
Americas
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