Evening star., 1897-01-09

single Johannes GS-0N2), doubloon H4S-
%, English shilling and miIled dollar. "a
Geographical Description of the World" in
forms us that ''in Africa are these prov
inces, VIZ. Egypt, Barbary. Biledulgerid.
Ethiopia, Nubia, Congo. Atysinia. Mono
motopa, Guinea" etc.
Birth of the Dialect Joke.
In 1902 Andrew Beers. Philomath," had
greatly improved his almanac. He even
ventures little dialect satire in a skit
called Mine Advertisement" wherein a
Dutch farmer notifies the public that he
has lost his large plack horse. apout four
deem hands hie." "Whoever Will pring him
pack shall pay five tollare reward an az no
questions. The almar ac is literally sprin-
sied VIII 1eSts and anecdotes. in many of
Wnlch one perceives the parent germs of
one still doing active service A satirical
poem on Rum closes Mr.. Beers pamph-
let.
The almanac makers took themselves
very seriously. Watson in 1880 publishes
a poem, III which he sings:
while others dwell on mean affairs,
Ihe aheir Kings, their councils and their wars,
phiiaster dwells among the stars.
And Nature-waiting at his CALL
His book in vogue with great and small
Is sought, admired and read by allr'
In table of curiosities published by the
same writer for 1880 occurs the following:
M, IN !ne northern part OF Pennsylvania is a
creek which empties into the Allegany
RIVER 1t issues from spring on which
noats an Oil similar to the Barbados tar
from which man may get several gallons
a day 1t Is good for rheumatick COM
plants" The ancestors of John %. Rocke-
teller probably read that notice in their
farmhouses without thinking of what the
future had In store for petroleum and their
descendants
Poor Richards Almanack'' for 1863 gives
a list of his majesty's packet boats plying
between Falmouth and New York:
The Lord Hide, Goddard; the d. of Cum
berland. Robinscn; the E. of Halifax, Boil
derson Mails for North America are
made up at the general Postoffice in Lon
don the second, Saturday in ev'ry month,
2nd the mail TO England is made up at the
Postoffice in New York the second Satur
without delay
descended from father to son. ALIENS
New England Almanack," for instance,
was first issued at the beginning of the
century by "Anson Allen. Philomath." and
published year after year by him until
about 1885, when his son, A B. Allen,
editor of the American Agriculturist, took
hold of the work. THE New England AL
manac and Farmers Friend was publish
ed by Nathan Daboll, A. NJ, in 1773. Da-
bolfs son. Nathan, jr., member of the
Connecticut house of representatives, sue
ceeded to the editorship in 1918 and con-
tlnued the almanac to 1868. His son, David
Austin Daboll, senator and member of the
Connecticut house, succeeded and kept on
the line OF almanac makers. Nathan Beers
was succeeded In MS almanac by Charles
Pr1ndle, who continued it down to recent
times. The old Farmers Almanac of Rob-
ert Baiiy Thomas. published in Boston in
l'@5, was continued by him down to his
death, in 1916, and subsequently continued
by his heirs. During the war its place of
publication was transferred to Hartford
Conn.,, that city of almanacs.
"Pfratical and Traefcal Almanac"
Among the miscellaneous almanacs of
America are many curious specimens
The Piratical and Tragical Almanac" for
1915 Is notably CORY work-chock full of
awful episodes by sea and land-and il
lustrated with wood cuts depicting mur-
ders, robberies, shipwrecks and Indian
nhassacres TO degree calculated to give
us readers the nightmare. An odd coin
cldence may be found on page o3
Every one recalls the fierce Doones of
Bagworthy. that celebrated family of out
laws Ia, IN Biackmore,s Lorna Doone.' The
flratlcal and Tragical Almanac tells of a
race of Doones or Doanes English ref
usses, settled in Bucks county, Pa They
were tories during the rebellion, and
served the British as SPIES until an alter
cation over woman caused one of them
Lew Doone by name, to shoot a British
oncer. Their depredations along the banks
oI tle DeiaWare are vigorously described,
ana prove them to have been worthy name
sakes, If not, indeed, descendants of Black
more's Doones
The Comic Almanac. printed by Elton
~. 80 ~ eSsd u street, New York, in 1S43, is
somewhat crude and coarse publication.
Ieafiuily and wonderfully wood-cutted A
specimen OF the poetry" affixed to the
portrait OF gentleman hanging himself.
runs in this wise:
~ on; sally snirelango-how could you serve me so !?
10 Biz me so soon-arter going to Pearce's fine
saloon, w nne
Up there on Division street WHORE ro,, Lno,. :,
stood treat, ' "
without mindinS what twas costing on splen-
diferois cakes from BOsting ~
ana )uJube paste toCure your cough
Won't have me- hey! Well then hara,s Off
tHangs himself.)'' '
But the list of these odd almanacs is
endless. 10
In glancing over the ragged relics ot
!hls or last centurys almanacs one meets
IN faded handwriting entries by the farmer
owners, such as: Mary married this day"
rms day my good wife died, after forty
years or happiness More frequently the
scra"ied entry refers to some event of
iarm life, such as: The dun cow calyed
IN. anls day. or Bought trotter from loci
Ihompson The honest farmers trotter
mas mas paced his last these score of years.
Ehe dun cows calf has been made into
veal or beef long since. But the ouaint
old almanac remains. foolish laughabIe or
eccentric, but still possessing that subtle
t@ouch @ OF pathos inseparable from relics of