the ghost ship

Yes, a real "ghost" ship. Found adrift in Northern Atlantic on December 4, 1872. Three people vanished. Everything else on board left untouched. A mystery to this day...

A MARITIME MYSTERY

The good ship Dei Gratia arrived at Gibraltar a short time since, bringing along with her a vessel named the Mary Celeste, which had been discovered in lat. 38.20 N., long. 17.15 W., in an abandoned condition. Derelict vessels are by no means maritime rarities, but a derelict ship, under the conditions of the Mary Celeste, with her hull, masts, yards, and cargo in good condition, is a decided novelty, so decided a novelty, in fact, that the Queen's Proctor in the Admiralty Court ordered a special survey of the vessel, with the view of clearing up the mystery attaching to her. So far, however, from dispelling this mystery the official investigation has but added thereto. It was conclusively established that the ship had encountered no seriously heavy weather, a small phial of oil being found standing in a perpendicular position, with a thimble and reel near it, all of which would have been upset had the vessel experienced stress of weather. A sanguinary turn was, moreover, given to the mysterious abandonment of the ship, a sword having been discovered which, on being drawn out of its scabbard, showed signs of having been smeared with blood and afterwards wiped; while the topgallant rail had marks oh it, apparently of blood, and both bows of the vessel had been cut, to all appearance intentionally, with some sharp instrument. No bill of lading nor manifest were found on the ship, and the effects discovered in the captain's cabin proved that a lady and child had been on board. It is, moreover, the opinion of the experts that the vessel was not abandoned until some days after the last entry was made in the log-book, on the 25th of November. Whether this be correct or not, and whatever significance may properly attach to the blood-stained sword and rail, it is a fact that up to the last advices from Gibraltar, no trace had been discovered of the captain and crew, or of the lady and her child.

The Sun & Central Press, London, February 15, 1873

Intrigued? Then you might want to check out these books...

girl's diary published in 1902 - to be continued

I was very intrigued by the book mentioned in the previous post. I found two more descriptions of it, one of which suggests that "For Her Sex" is actually a work of fiction. Unable to find anything else, I contacted the publishing company (still exists, owned by Random House now); hopefully they will be able to give me more information...

girl's diary published in 1902

I wish I could read this one, to see what the criticism was about and what was so outrageous about it (for 1902). The first blurb hints that it might have been published in NY under a different title, but what?

This first blurb is from The New York Times, October 11, 1902.

OUR CABLE LETTER

Latest News About English Authors and Publishers.

Special Cable to the NEW YORK TIMES.

William Heinemann will publish Oct. 16 an new book of "extracts from a girl's diary," called "For Her Sex," which will probably excite severe criticism because of its ostensibly "frank" and unquestionably crude way of dealing with subjects usually treated with reserve. It is whispered that the book is of American origin and has already been published in New York under another title.

The second one is from  London St. James Gazette, October 20, 1902.

"For Her Sex" being supposedly extracts from the diary of a girl suicide, is issued under an anonymous editorship. The result is so morbid, so erroneous, and so stupid that the anonymity may well be preserved. We are neither thrilled nor edified. (Heinemann.)

Aren't you interested? 

if you want to be the life of a party...

How to Shine in Society

    A notebook, a retentive memory and an ordinary command of the English language are necessary if you want to become a brilliant conversationalist.
    Into the notebook should go those good stories, those admirable bits of repartee, which are floating about. Anecdotes about persons who are of passing interest should also be jotted down.
    It is even advisable for the would be conversationalist to go to those older and more brilliant than herself and humbly ask to be "coached". It would be a mark of flattering regard for which the coacher ought to be willing to pay in choice jokes and rare stories - always provided that he or she did not need the entire stock on hand for the same dinner. There need be no deceit about using such stories. The woman who says, "Oh, by the way, have you heard Mr. Jones' last?" will have satisfied every claim of honesty, and at the same time will have contributed to the success of the party. And if one is willing to study colors and styles for one's dinner gown why not stories for one's table talk?

Published by: Bar Harbor Record, January 26, 1894
Written by: ?

Zebulon Pike, discovered what came to be known as Pike's Peak in Colorado in 1806

On October 7, 1906, Fairbainks Daily Times reported on the Pike centennial festivities In Colorado Springs, Colorado. This is an excerpt of the article written by W. E. Maxwell, including passages taken directly from Pike's expedition diary.

CELEBRATION OF DISCOVERY OF PIKE'S PEAK

    It was on the afternoon of Nov. 15, that Pike caught his first glimpse of the lofty mountain which was destined to bear his name. Four months before he had been put at the head of an expedition consisting of fifteen men and sent by the commanding general of the army, James Wilkinson, who was also governor of the newly purchased territory of Louisiana, to explore the region west of the Mississippi. The previous season he had made a military excursion to the upper Mississippi, but had not penetrated further.

    That General Wilkinson had implicit confidence in Pike is evident from the fact that he permitted his only son to accompany the young lieutenant on his second expedition. Although several attempts were made, not a member of the company was able to set foot on the summit of the height which they had discovered. Two days after Lieutenant Pike and his men sighted the peak he made this entry in his diary:

    "Pushed on with an idea of arriving at the mountains, but at night found no visible change in their appearance from that of yesterday." Seen through the dry, clear atmosphere of the great divide, the elusive mountains mocked him by their apparent nearness, just as they do the unsuspecting tenderfoot of today.

    Arrived at the foot of the peak, they prepared to ascend it. For six days they struggled bravely to accomplish the feat, but it was too much for them. The weather was bitter and the men's feet were frozen. Pike made this entry in his journal:

    "The summit, bare of vegetation and covered with snow, now appears at a distance of fifteen to sixteen miles. It is as high again as what we have ascended, and it would take a whole day's march to arrive at its base. I believe that no human being could ascend to its pinnacle."

    It was twelve years later when the first ascent was made. Dr. Edwin James, a member of the Long expedition, which explored the region in 1819, ascended the summit with two companions, whose names are unknown. The were undoubtedly the first white men to accomplish the feat.

Zebulon Montgomery Pike

Pike's Peak - Elevation: 14,114' (4,302 m)

Original Article

blonds really do have all the fun

A Kisser 

We'll bet our boots that this young gentleman lives in Oakland, and is a habitual Broadway promenader and loiterer about the depot. He says that he parts his hair in the middle, and is heroically struggling with a mustache and side whiskers. He has been reviewing his diary for 1871, and finds the following statistics: Total number of kisses given, 580; classified as follows; Number of blondes kissed, 320; brunettes, 120; red-headed girls, 1; under twenty, 400; twenty to thirty, 150; over thirty, 0; old maids, 2; kissed most, 1: number of times stood out at gate, 243; number of times old man was disagreeable, 403; number of times kicked out, 1; number of times went there after that, 0. To which ho adds: "I find blondes the beautifulest, sweetest, willingest creatures to kiss in existence."

Published by: Oakland Tribune April 12, 1875
Written by: ?

author's unusual choices of manuscript paper

Manuscript Paper

The methods and tastes of professional authors in the choice of paper are quite as varied as is the character of their several contributions to literature. For example : The novelists, Charles Reade and Victor Hugo, preferred immense sheets of paper and the coarsest of pens ; while, on the other hand, both William Black and R. D. Blackmore cover dainty sheets of notepaper with their almost microscopic chirography. Charlotte Bronte wrote in the minutest of characters in a diminutive notebook, and Douglas Jerrold jotted down his witty inspirations on narrow, ribbon-like strips of blue paper. Charles Dickens covered every inch of his manuscript, as though paper were scarce and dear; in striking contrast to the historian Macaulay, who wrote on foolscap, and in so large a hand that six of his pages would scarcely make two pages of print. While editing Household Words, Dickens invariably wrote on blue paper with blue ink, but it is said that the remainder of the staff were somewhat unsuccessful in endeavouring to follow the bad example of their chief. George Sand wrote neatly upon nicely ruled notepaper, while Ouida covers large sheets of blue paper with an almost undecipherable chirography, written in an excessively bold and masculine hand. Some of Mark Twain’s jokes are said to have originally occupied entire sheets of cardboard; while a French author has described Balzac’s manuscript as resembling a circus poster. Lew Wallace writes his first d raft upon a slate and finishes upon large sheets of white unruled paper, in a most faultless chirography. Bartley Campbell scribbled off his famous play, “ My Partner,” on common wrapping paper, with a blunt lead pencil. Wilkie Collins wrote on very large sheets of paper, and his copy is said to abound in alterations, excisions, and scraps of pasted manuscript. Mr. Shorthouse, the author of “ John Inglesant,” is reported to have violated all the canons of the printing office by sending in the copy for that once-popular novel written on both sides of paper of various sizes. Miss Alcott did some of her best work on the back of her father’s old manuscript ; and it is a regular practice of a t least one popular writer we know of to have all his original book copy returned in order that he may utilise the reverse side for his next publication. “Some of our best things,” says the editor of a popular magazine, “ come to Us written on mere scraps.” Indeed, the manuscript of many authors is literally “ a thing of shreds and patches.” Such is Miss Braddon’s, who is stated to have penned some of her most thrilling passages on torn envelopes, or any other bits of paper that came to hand. Mrs. Lucy Stone Blackwell was accustomed to write her editorials for the Woman's Journal on the backs of circulars and similar scraps of waste paper.

Published by: The North London News and Finsbury Gazette, November 23, 1889

Written by: ?