Firstborn Children Strongest

1901

It would seem that firstborn children excel later born children in height and weight. This may be due to the greater vigor of the mother at the birth of the first child.

In England it was found that growth degenerates as we go lower in the social scale, there being a difference of even five inches in height between the best and worst fed classes in the community.

An investigation of 10,000 children in Switzerland showed that children born in summer are taller for their age than those born in winter. As a majority of children in the public schools are poor, in winter their parents are forced to economize more on account of expense of heating. Their rooms are also liable to be small and poorly ventilated, while in summer they are out in the fresh air. Food is also cheaper and more varied. The influence of unhealthy conditions on a very young child would be much greater than when it is older and better able to resist them. — Everybody's Magazine.

Three Days Too Late

1901

The Duke of Cumberland, whose reconciliation with the kaiser is said to have taken place, is a man of whom English people know little, though he might now have been the first personage in the empire had his father been born a week earlier than he was. He missed the throne of England by three days, having been born on May 27, 1829, exactly 70 hours after Queen Victoria. Had the duke's father been born before the queen he would have been king of England instead of merely king of Banover.

Busy Stork Brings Fourteen More to Virginia

1909

Busy Stork Brings 14

DANVILLE, Virginia — Two sets of triplets, three pairs of twins and two single babies, born to seven families in the same neighborhood on the same day, is the unprecedented record of Schoolfield, a suburb of Danville, in one day.

Mrs. John W. Yancy gave birth to triplets, two of which are living; Mrs. Jacob C. Brown, triplets, two of which are living; Mrs. J. W. Barber, twins, girl and boy; Mrs. Jane Anderson, twins, both boys; Mrs. P. P. Gridder, twins, boy and girl, and two other women, daughters.


99 Candles on a Cake

WHITTIER, California — Ninety-nine candles, indicating the age of a charming Quaker, Mrs. Lydia Sharpless, blazed on the birthday cake which graced the center of a large table set in the dining room of the Friends' Church. Seventy-five of her descendants were present to offer congratulations to the lady, who clings to dress, manner and speech of the Friends of other days, but keeps informed as to events and movements of the present. She was born in Middletown, Ohio, but have lived in this city for many years.


Please, Mr. Comet, Don't You Kill Us

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island — Frank E. Seagrave, a Providence astronomer, whose calculations relative to Halley's comet have attracted widespread attention, announces that the correction of a slight error in the calculations of the comet has developed the discovery that on May 19, 1910, the comet will reach the same plane as the earth in its orbit. It is thereby determined that the tail of the comet will sweep across the plane instead of clearing it. The earth and comet will meet on the same plane, but not in the same path. There will be a distance at the nearest point of 13,000,000 miles between the two.


16,000,000 Cents Coined

WASHINGTON, D.C. — With a total value of $929,269, there were 16,91,875 pieces of coin executed at the mints of the United States during September. Almost 16,000,000 1-cent pieces were turned out.


If a man is honest, you can always tell it by the way he doesn't talk about it.

Light Flashes — Saloon Fight Between Two Young Bloods

San Antonio, 1897

Light Flashes

— A man fell in the ditch on Water street, near North street, yesterday. He had on a large jag and it was with difficulty that he was pulled out of the water.

— A fight took place in Scholz's saloon yesterday between two young bloods, in which one was floored by a blow over the eye.

— L. Martin was fined $25 by the recorder this morning. He was arrested by Officer Bourn on Main plaza last night. He had a quarrel with John Naylor and pulled a gun on him.

— A delivery wagon and its horses got into a sewer trench Saturday night, on San Pedro avenue and the horses were only rescued after hard work.

— A freight engine and switch engine collision occurred at the Southern Pacific depot this morning. Small damage.

— Nearly all the shooters who were here last week have gone home.

— Mr. C. B. Hice is organizing a new gun club to have grounds north of San Pedro park.

— Mr. P. P. McManus, the well known steel and wire man of this city, is rejoicing today over the safe arrival of a fine new boy in his family this morning.

—San Antonio Daily Light, San Antonio, TX, Feb. 1, 1897, page 4.

The Treacle Bible Goes Back At Least to 1701

1920

Interesting Old Bible

One of the original owners of the Treacle Bible, living in the eighteenth century, had made notations on the fly leaf concerning "John, who was born on Friday the 10th of February, 1769, at a quarter after eight at night, was baptized at Crossgate church on March 16 following, by the Reverend Mr. Wheeler, who died of smallpox, 12th Aprile, 1709, and was buried the next day at Crossgate church, aged eight weeks and five days." Other deaths, marriages and births were dated as far back as 1701-1702.


Progressing Rapidly

For the fourth time a new baby had arrived at the home of Robert's sister Nellie. When informed of the event one of his aunts told him in an impressive manner that he was now an uncle for the fourth time. Rather fussed, the little fellow answered: "Goodness me, if things keep on I'll soon be a grandpa."


Novelty Soon Wears Off

An experienced young woman told us the other day that there is a time in every engaged girl's life when about a day's growth of beard adds to her thrill, but that after the novelty wears off clean shaving is much preferred.- Ohio State Journal.

—Bedford Gazette, Bedford, Pennsylvania, January 9, 1920, page 10.