Reckless card play crosses borders and losses mount
A late 19th century note cites a young hopeful who won $50,000 in under an hour and may face cashiering. High play drains military strength, with officers often torn from cards to duty. Count Potocki reportedly lost $800,000 in one Vienna night after already losing $150,000. A guardsman was ordered to resign after losing $55,000 in two evenings.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Japan
Count Potocki
Jockey Club
Vienna
Argonaut
Ugly bronze chandelier nearly crash at royal academy banquet
Scott recounts a massive three to four ton chandelier hung over the Somerset House dinner table for the Royal Academy banquet. A chain fault caused the lamp to descend inches and crush the table and glassware, but the event continued with no alarm.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Royal Academy
Scott
Somerset House
St. James
Japan’s prosperity dangers warned by Prince Haseba
In Spokane an interview with Prince Haseba of Japan warns that wealth could become Japan’s god. He likens money worship to a mother’s insensitivity, recounting a Spokane anecdote about a mother replacing a crying baby with a nurse and a stove polish memory.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Prince Haseba
Japan
Spokane
Memorial Day tale told by Congressman Cowherd
In Jefferson City the Bill club hears a Memorial Day story from Congressman Cowherd. He recalls a Jackson County peddler who sold ferns during the Civil War and was asked why he did not join the army. The peddler answered that ferns were not needed in the army.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Bill Club
Jefferson City
William
Cowherd
Jackson County
Chicago Post
Wink Ambidexterity Survey Sparks Eye Debate
Sir James Crichton-Browne of London circulated a survey to hundreds to learn if ambidexterity exists in winking. About 60 percent can wink with the left eye, 80 percent can wink with either eye, and 9 percent cannot wink at all. The note cites a Youth's Companion line about a naughty person winking.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
James Crichton-Browne
London
James
How Fans Root In Boston
A clipped Birmingham Age-Herald piece features colorful fan cheers and taunts at a baseball game. Exclamations call for advancing runners, aggressive fielding, and humorous jabs at an umpire as spectators react to plays and parabolic pitches.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Boston
Overwork Demands More Energy Today in a Faster Race
An Albany paper notes that modern success requires greater energy, talent, and capital than twenty years ago. The competitive field is keener, the race swifter, and life faster, increasing sacrifices to the Moloch of overwork.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Albany Ar
Humor of the Hour Not Her Day
A humorous anecdote about Eleanor whose beauty varies with her hair and gown. A dentist visit precedes an encounter with her younger brother who asks her to ignore him as a crowd of boys approaches, claiming he told them she is pretty.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Eleanor
Lippincott’s
Music Fails to Enthrall the Bore at Night
A salon tale shows a bored man and a lively actress. music fails to move him as she plays popular tunes. In a separate vignette, old Mr. Klosemah consoles his soon to be widow with a grim promise of watchfulness after death, while she fears extravagance will pain him.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mr. Klosemah
Philadelphia Press
Where the Difficulty Lay
A Brooklyn man has a little girl named Ethel who hosted a birthday party with many friends. She quips that the delay in seating was not due to a lack of chairs but having asked too many guests, reflecting a humorous domestic moment from Woman's Home Companion.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Brooklyn
Ethel
Public figures and clever reporters exchange remarks
A Cleveland Leader quote contrasts public men who seem quick with clever remarks in interviews with the idea they simply attract interviews from sharp reporters. The exchange highlights media personalities and public discourse.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cleveland
Perrowell Regarded as Regular as Clockwork
The Philadelphia Press quotes Perrowell boasting of his steady habits and punctual life, with a wry exchange noting his timekeeping discipline.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Perrowell
Philadelphia Press
Ze Dekiah Gains Notoriety in City Scene
Farmer Tayrix and Farmer Oatcake discuss Ze Dekiah’s rising reputation in town amid the Detroit Free Press chatter. The men reflect on his fame and their pride without dwelling on disputes or praise.
Tie says I am the only girl he ever loved
A sentimental miss declares her belief that she is the only girl he loves. Miss Cayenne lightly suggests uncertainty about his past affections and advises against pressing for certainty in this delicate social exchange.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Miss Cayenne
Washington Star
The Always Ailing Kind Joke Exchange
A joke scene centers on a man with multiple chronic diseases and an insurance doctor remarking that such fellows never die. The Judge quips about passing him as a good risk, highlighting the contrast between illness and perceived immortality.
Tea Party Teases Mr Jones Over Lemon Tea Refusal
In a humorous Baltimore American snippet, Young Mr Jones is described as easily offended after being refused by many girls. The joke notes he grows irate when a girl offers him a lemon in his tea.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Jones
Baltimore American
Not Ashamed of Them in Houston Post Quip
A Houston Post exchange notes a person’s blunt admission of jail time, with a companion remark on courage of convictions. The playful dialogue underscores a controversial stance and public persona.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Houston Post
Des Moines Register dialogue on a music loving daughter
A playful exchange between Mrs Nexdore and Mrs Pepprey from the Des Moines Register notes a daughter deeply fond of music and amused at her own devotion. The brief humor highlights domestic tastes and character.
Net For Fuel What Does His Auto Burn
A Cleveland Plain Dealer item notes a character who jokes that his car burns up the ground and claims the man is arrested every few days for speeding. The quip centers on rapid driving and repeated legal trouble.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Man rammed by car and woman pursues through chaos
A Chicago News report describes a man being struck by an automobile and a tense scene where he swears loudly, complains of facial injuries and ribs while a woman’s frantic pursuit and loud quarrel unfold amidst the incident.
Susy Hears Two Great Generals Debate Gen erals in Breakfast Fact Game
In a family breakfast game a twelve year old Susy recalls Scipio asking Hannibal for the world’s greatest generals. Hannibal names Alexander Pyrrhus and then asks where he belongs. She comments that papa is frank about his books, like Susy’s remark in Mark Twain’s Autobiography.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Susy
Ephesus
Scipio
Hannibal
Alexander
Pyrrhus
Papa
Mark Twain
North American Review
Laughing in Berlin A dead man and a cold joke
An American student recounts a Mark Twain anecdote to a German in a Berlin lecture. The tale of a man fearing fresh air ends with an undertaker opening an oven and the dead man asking for the door to be shut. The German questions the joke, noting the man is dead.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Berlin
Mark Twain
Harper’s Weekly
Drops Wear Stone to Death Story
A Popular Mechanics anecdote describes how constant water drops can kill a person. A man bound with his back to a wall endured a stream the size of a finger from eighteen feet for a time, and died when a twenty gallon barrel ran dry, brain exposed.
All She Had and Marjory’s Shoes
In the absence of his wife, Mr Taylor helps three year old Marjory get dressed. He buttons the clothes but she struggles to put shoes on the wrong feet, insisting all feet are different. The exchange reflects a child's misunderstanding and a caregiver’s patience.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mr. Taylor Widertook
Marjory
Climbing a Water Stair By Locks In Norwegian Canal
A steamboat is described as climbing a hill by one-step rises beside the Vrang waterfall in Bandak Norsje canal Norway. Falls previously blocked passage requiring a canal around rapids. The ascent occurs through a string of locks for single boats, lifting roughly ninety feet from lower to upper rock.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Vrang
Bandak Norsje
Norway
Spiders Talk Joke Turns On Parlor Line
A kindergarten exchange features a teacher correcting a three year old about talking spiders. The boy insists the spider spoke asking to come into its parlor, while the teacher notes spiders are clever but cannot talk.
The Mistake in the Bill at Ze Buttered Table
In London Answers a customer protests a bill error. The waiter explains a date mix up and admits forgetting to charge for the butter, apologizing politely for the slip.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
London
Health and Music in a Musician's Life
The piece notes health as the core of any profession and calls it the crucial challenge for musicians, arguing that without health the musical career cannot thrive. It reflects on how well being underpins performance and success in the field.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
London
Lydia E. Pinkham
J. F. Walsh
36Th St
New York City
Disappointed Hopes Refer to Love and Marriage Rumor
A Baltimore American quip recounts a tense exchange about a political candidate facing personal scandal. A remark claims the candidate is involved with a married woman, who turns out to be his wife, underscoring public curiosity and messy personal entanglements around politics.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Baltimore
Shadowettes show varied shadows with simple props
The activity uses a strong light, a flat white sheet, and a crumpled paper ball to cast shadows. Players guess the shadow outlines and trace them, enjoying endless unique silhouettes with no need for prep or special materials.
A Curious Candle Holder
A carnival trick explains placing a heavy nail into a candle so the candle sinks to the rim without water touching the wick. After lighting, the wick burns fully while the candle rises as the wick shortens, keeping the flame above water.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington Star
Dust in His Eyes Origin of a Timely Saying
The article recounts the origin of the figure of speech throw dust in his eyes. It attributes the tactic to Epaminondas around 400 B.C. who sent 1,600 cavalry to raise a dust cloud to blind the Lacedaemonians. It notes a similar tale of Caesar and Pompey.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Epaminondas
Caesar
Pompey
Riddles and wordplay tease in old rhyme exchange
A playful exchange ponders common phrases and puns about dropping things and a dictionary held hint. It riffs on sequence of clues about stealing hens roosters and mystery ages with a sausage twist.
If My Papa Was a Dolly
A light verse from Buccess Magazine imagines a child treating a dolllike father as a toy. The narrator muses on buying him sleds cakes sweets and outfits then sharing gifts and dressing the dolly father in bright clothes as a playful fantasy.
The Dog Detective of Loire Wood
In 1829 a peasant was found murdered in a Loire wood with his dog beside the body. The widow stayed in the cottage with the dog. In 1837 two travelers sheltered there. the dog attacked them and one man said the dog had not forgotten them. The gendarmes then arrested the men and a confession followed.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Department of the Loire
France
Ralph Neville
Outing Magazine
A Widow’s Romance and a Biologist Lie
A widow from Albany lived with relatives in Brooklyn claiming a poetic view of life and stating her late husband was a biologist in state service. It emerges he served time at Sing Sing for a minor forgery. A professor’s wife notes biologist as a student of cell life.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Albany
Brooklyn
Sing Sing
Brooklyn Eagle
Napoleon at Elba Plow Scene Is Marked On Wall
A peasant Giaconi plowed near Napoleon when the exiled emperor learned the craft. Napoleon took the plowshare and tried to guide the oxen, but the animals balked and the furrow was spoiled. An inscription recalls the scene from MDCCCXIV.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Napoleon
Elba
Giaconi
Napoleon the Great
Europe
Left That to Others. Hyker-You Don’t Seem to Worry
Hyker dismisses concern over business failure telling Pyker that he has turned the matter over to his “tors.” The exchange is reported in the Chicago News style.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Hyker
Pyker
Tors
Chicago
News
Greenland Whale Anatomy Describes Teethless Baleen System
The Greenland whale lacks teeth and baleen plates. A ridge runs along the palate with a wide depression for inserted plates. Long flat plates hang across the mouth, fringed inner edges form a strainer for small mollusks and jellyfish.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Greenland
A Masterpiece View of a Career Says Success Magazine
A man should view his career as an artist views his masterpiece an outward expression of his best self with pride and deep satisfaction. Many people are loosely tied to their vocation and can become separated from it.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Success Magazine
Child and Father Exchange Threat and Candy Promise
A brief dialogue shows a boy warned by his father to behave with a threat of a whipping. The boy replies he wishes for punishment so his mother will give him candy after the ordeal. The exchange reveals family tensions and a humorous to serious shift in motive.
Widow and bachelor Exchange Daggered Banter
A fair widow teases an inconsiderate old bachelor asking if he would take her as twenty six. He replies with a sharp jest that he would marry if she had a daughter and could be that old, reflecting playful courtship dialogue.
Left crowd at drawing room prompts quiet gathering
Quotation notes a lively drawing room scene with Aunt Matilda preparing to sing while guests discuss refreshments. The exchange hints at social envy as a reaction to merit, framed by a witty remark from La Motte through George.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
George
Matilda
A Serious Matter Punch Row Cited by New York Times
A brief report notes a remark about Punch provoking laughter among Americans and annoyance from an Englishman, citing the New York Times as the source of the exchange.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New York Times
Deaf Mute Bible Class Near Chalford Gloucestershire
A note on the curious Bible class for deaf mutes meeting near Chalford in Gloucestershire. The article discusses how members communicate using the deaf mute alphabet and reflects on honesty and opinion freely expressed in society.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
England
Chalford
Gloucestershire
Also Mentioned on This Page
Smith
Socrates
Birmingham Age-Herald
Humor OF the Hour
Bore
Chicago News
Julie Florence Walsh
G. A. Webster
Maverick St. East
Winthrop
Central St
Winthrop Office
Buchanan and Putnam Sts
H.T. Whitman
Channing Howard
Revere
Fort Hill
Mother
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