100-year-old observations from the press

Joan Smith provided some interesting observations made by newspaper editors of a century or so ago. She observes that they never hesitated to insert themselves and their opinions into their stories.

Here are three examples from one page of a long ago Fremont (Ohio) Journal:

"TIFFIN - a small village situated on the Sandusky River in Seneca County, noted for mean streets, yaller dogs and red noses, hopes to have a railroad running east and west, when the present residents can sell out, thereby giving place to more dupes. Business is dull in Tiffin and good in Fremont."

Hey, Tiffin folks, I'm just repeating what the editor wrote nearly 140 years ago. He must have had a bad experience there. Personally, I like Tiffin.

But, if the editor had bad feelings about Tiffin, he certainly didn't care for the rowdies of Fremont, either.

How about this for taking a stand:

"Our city is again infested with a gang of rowdies who should be cleaned out by proper law. On Saturday night, while Mr. William Meffert and

-- were on their way home from a visit to Keller's on the east side and as they were passing Botefur's grocery store on State Street about half-past eleven o'clock, they were attacked by a gang of rowdies with stones and other deadly missives. Mr. Meffert and his companion were badly injured as the bloody condition of the sidewalk indicated the next morning. The perpetrators of this outrage were young Ira Smith, a man named Myers and a third party whose name we did not learn. It is time these rowdies were severely dealt with. For their own good and the safety of the community, they should be locked up.

"Right here we have a word to say. It is the custom of this paper to publish accounts of all such outrages, and where we know the names of the perpetrators we always publish them. We have been informed that some of these rowdies have made threats against the editor of this paper. He is not of a pugilistic turn of mind and does not boast of fistic powers, but he will certainly not be maltreated if there is any virtue in lead and ball."

Notice that the editor chose not to use the name of Mr. Meffert's companion. That, of course, leaves the door wide open for all kinds of thoughts to race through the reader's mind.

While the editor had that stern advice for law enforcement and for the rowdies of the community, he also had some advice for the young ladies who lived in the area: Under the heading, "Advice to Girls," he had this to say.

"Girls, beware of transient young men. Never suffer the address of a stranger. Recollect that one good young farmer, or a smart young mechanic, is worth all the floating fops in the world. The allurements of a dandy Jack, with a gaudy chain dangling from his fob, walking stick in his paw, a three-penny cigar in his mouth, some honest tailor's coat on his back, and a brainless though fancy skull encased in a preponderous hat, never can make up the loss of a good father home, a good mother's counsel, and the society of brothers and sisters - their affection lasts, while that of such a young man is lost in the wane of a honeymoon. Heed always the advice and counsel of your parents; it may seem unjust, but disobey and you will doubtless live to regret it."

And, finally, under the heading of "How to Keep Poor" there was this financial advice:

"There is many a man who keeps himself poor by indulging in the following: Two glasses of ale a day at 10 cents -- $73; three cigars, one after each meal -- $109.50; board for a big dog -- $30; all in one year, $212.50 -- sufficient to buy six barrels of flour, one barrel of sugar, one sack of coffee, one good coat, a respectable dress, a frock for the baby and a half-dozen pairs of shoes."

Van Gogh's odd family

Artist Vincent Van Gogh is celebrated for his unique style of painting. Some, however, enjoy poking fun at him and his family. For example:

His dizzy aunt - Verti Gogh

The brother who worked at a convenience store - Stop N Gogh

The grandfather from Yugoslavia - U Gogh

His magician uncle - Where-diddy Gogh

His Mexican cousin - A Mee Gogh

The Mexican cousin's American half-brother - Gring Gogh

The nephew who drove a stage coach - Wells-far Gogh

The ballroom dancing aunt - Tang Gogh

The bird lover uncle - Flamin Gogh

The fruit-loving cousin - Man Gogh

An aunt who taught positive thinking - Way-to-Gogh

The little bouncy nephew - Poe Gogh

A sister who loved disco - Go Gogh

And his niece who travels the country in an RV - Winnie Bay Gogh