on the evils of the skating rink

Here all who pay the admission fee—the virtuous maiden and the abandoned libertine, the drunkard, the gambler, and the church member—meet together on terms of social equality, and slide, and joke, and laugh, and bet with each other in the most unrestricted manner

• In Wilkesbarre, in a rink chiefly owned and controlled by a prominent member of a large, popular church, they had…a prize of twenty dollars for a twenty-four hours’ race. Nine boys entered. As the strength of the four who held out was failing, whiskey was given them freely. The ball of the great toe of one of the skaters burst open, and the blood ran freely. Some were doubtless disabled for life.
• Many a family has already been broken up by flirtations begun in the skating rink between the young wife and the practised seducer, who comes here to seek his victims.
• I was at a home for the fallen the other day, and the matron told me that the skating rinks were the greatest curse to the city and to the young, and that the majority of young girls under her charge were girls who were once pure and good, but had been allowed to attend the rinks, and now see their folly when it is too late.
• The Chief-of-Police of Coney Island, N. Y., Captain McKane says: “My private books will substantiate the fact that nine out of ten of the girls between the ages of fourteen and sixteen arrested by my officers…have upon private questioning by me, dated their fall from the time when they commenced to frequent skating rinks. This is no exaggeration. 

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faithfully excerpted from a published source in the public domain—without context; devoid of gloss; lacking commentary; and stripped of title, author, and publication date.

fashion advice for the edwardian gentlemen

When is it correct to put on formal evenings clothes?

After six o’clock, though, if a man dresses for a function fixed for six o’clock that he must reach before that time, it is quite allowable to be seen around five or after in evening clothes.

How long may evening dress be worn?

Until dawn.

Is it good form to wear evening clothes on Sunday night?

Yes; just as correct as on other nights.

Is it proper to wear the “Opera” hat with the “Tuxedo” or evening jacket?

No; a high hat must always accompany a tailed coat, and thus may only be worn rightfully with the “swallowtail,” frock, or cutaway coats.

Is it correct to wear patent leather shoes with business or morning clothes?

No; they belong only with formal dress.

Is it ever permissible to appear in evening clothes without an overcoat on the street?

No.

When one wears evening dress, where should the handkerchief be carried?

It should be kept in the left breast pocket of the coat, not tucked up the sleeve or, dreadful to relate, pushed between waistcoat and shirt bosom.

Is a silk handkerchief proper with evening clothes?

No; a plain white linen handkerchief with the owner’s monogram embroidered in white is in the best form.

Does a gentleman wear his white glacé evening glove on the street going to a function.

No; he wears suede gloves in the street and exchanges them for his glacé gloves, carried in his pocket, when he reaches the coat room of the host’s or hostess’ house.

Is it correct to wear a watch chain or fob with evening clothes?

No; no jewelry of any kind should be in evidence and a fob is especially to be avoided as it is obtrusive and mars the extreme simplicity which is the distinguishing mark of a gentleman’s dress after candle-light.

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faithfully excerpted from a published source in the public domain—without context; devoid of gloss; lacking commentary; and stripped of title, author, and publication date.

relative durability of various kinds of wood

A square piece of each variety, 1½ inches square and two feet in length, was driven into the ground to within one-half inch of its entire length. At the end of five years, these pieces were taken up and examined, and their condition was found to be, respectively, as follows:

Ash, elm, fir, oak, soft mahogany and every variety of soft pine were found to be entirely decayed.

Hard pine, larch and teal-wood, were sound at the core but rotten on the outside. Cedar of Lebanon and hard mahogany were in fairly good condition, decay being slight.

Virginia cedar and locust were found unaffected, being as sound, in all respects, as when driven into the ground.

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faithfully excerpted from a published source in the public domain—without context; devoid of gloss; lacking commentary; and stripped of title, author, and publication date.

6 preposterous english titles

No English-speaking country has so many titles as England herself, both “at home” and in the Colonies, particularly in India. Here are a few examples:

• His Excellency the Right Honorable Lord Curzon, viceroy and governor-general of India
• His Highness the Prince Pospo Admojo
• His Highness the Maharaja of Mysore
• His Highness Sir James Bourdillon, Lieutenant-Governor of Punjab
• The Honorable Colonel Baring, Military Secretary of the Viceroy of India
• His Highness the Gaekwar of Baroda

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faithfully excerpted from a published source in the public domain—without context; devoid of gloss; lacking commentary; and stripped of title, author, and publication date.

13 gifts to woo a well-bred girl

Until a young man is accepted as an affianced husband, he should not presume to offer gifts of jewelry. In society…it is decreed that a lady may be offered no gift that implies an obligation or the necessity of restoration to its donor in case his courtship proves unsuccessful. It is not, therefore, permitted a gentleman to offer a gift of gloves, a hair-comb, a scarf, etc. But he may bestow

• a fan
• books
• magazines
• bonbons
• fruit
• a tennis-racket
• a riding-whip or crop
• a pet dog
• a picture
• a camera
• a dog-whistle
• a golf-club
• a silver or gold-mounted pen or pencil
• etc

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faithfully excerpted from a published source in the public domain—without context; devoid of gloss; lacking commentary; and stripped of title, author, and publication date.

ten sentences on minerals

Sentences on Minerals

• Iron is found almost everywhere, and in the greatest abundance. It is the most useful metal. Locks, hoops, chains, tires, nails, bolts, stoves, etc., are made of it.
• Copper is of a reddish color; its rust is called verdigris, and is a strong poison.
• Quicksilver is very white and is a liquid; it gathers in little globules.
• Stones do not melt in fire, nor can they be hammered out; (they are brittle).
• Pebbles are small stones which have been rolled about for some time by the water; this has made them nicely round and smooth.
• Lava is thrown up by volcanoes; it is quite soft at first, but becomes harder and harder as it cools.
• The loadstone (magnet) attracts iron and imparts this power of attraction to the latter, when frequently rubbed over it.
• There are a great many different kinds of earth.
• Clay is used by the brickmaker, potter, etc. (For what ?)
• Marble may be polished very beautifully.

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faithfully excerpted from a published source in the public domain—without context; devoid of gloss; lacking commentary; and stripped of title, author, and publication date.