What follows please find a smattering of tidbits from the October 15, 1896 edition of THE RANGELEY LAKES newspaper. I hope you enjoy the wonderful simplicity of what was considered “newsworthy”. We certainly can learn a great deal from the past. Enjoy and have a great week!

(Editor’s comments in Italics otherwise reprinted just as it appeared in 1896)

News from Greenvale Plantation
Wm. H. Ellis is watching the Long Pond stream and the would-be poachers are laying low. He relayed that “Daddy” Clark says that thirty, or more, years ago, when he was living at the Rock, he secured two bushels of Bluebacks every fall, he rigged a seine and the fish caught themselves. (Just guessing here that the “Rock” referred to here might be Moxie Ledge).
Clark Hill says at Bemis, last year, on the spawning beds there were a third more fish than the year before, and he expects to find more this year than last. He went down this week to watch the spot.

Circus Tricks
Many years ago, in a town in Franklin County, a farmer’s son had been to the circus and became fully decided to be a “circus man.” It was baying time, and he began by balancing rakes, pitchforks and the goad on his hands or chin. All went well till one day he was performing with a scythe, hung on a snath. It balanced on his chin a moment, but a misstep caused it to slip off—he dodged and only the rim of his straw hat was cut. It took a great deal of explaining to his Ma, to convince her that his hat dropped before the scythe as he was mowing. He is now a farmer and has never joined a circus.
(As a boy of 7, I watched a circus rowdy accidently break his leg with a sledgehammer while driving in a tent stake for the Big Top. I bet he didn’t tell his Ma squat, but I distinctly remember him screaming “Mothersomething” which was one of the more colorful memories of my day at the circus).
Questionable Deer
Two amateur hunters in the northern woods, not long ago, saw a deer, and both fired at once. “That is my deer,” said A. “I shot it.” “No, you didn’t,” hotly, replied B. “It is my deer, because I killed it.” A third party was approaching from the opposite direction, with fury in his eye and a club in his hand. “Which of you two rascals shot my calf?”, roared the farmer. “That fellow just told me he did it”, said A. And B,
now thoroughly alarmed for his personal safety, answered: “He lies. He shot it himself, I saw him do it, and I’ll swear to it.”
And some old-fashioned Fall recipes compiled by Mrs. Dill, the Editor’s wife in her weekly section of the paper titled;

Very Old Soap
Soap has been in use for 3000 years, and is twice mentioned in the Bible. Bible. A few years ago, a soapboiler’s shop was discovered in Pompeii, having been buried beneath the terrible rain of ashes that fell upon that city 79 A. D, The soap found in the shop had not lost all its efficacy, although it had been buried 1800 years. (Ancient soap in Pompeii? Does anyone remember the pumice infused soap called LAVA?)

A Cozy Ladies Corner
PORKCAKE – One pound of fat salt pork chopped fine, boil it two minutes in half a pint of water. One cup of molasses, two cups of sugar, three eggs, two teaspoons of soda, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg to suit the taste, one pound of seeded and chopped raisins, and flour to make a stiff batter. This makes three loaves. Mrs. Mary A. Field. (I have never heard of Porkcake? I might substitute the salt pork with some thick cut bacon).

CANNED APPLES

Cook in water or in syrup until tender. Then fill the jars with boiling syrup, straining it if not clear. -Mrs. Lincoln. (Mrs. Lincoln obviously was thrifty in word and canning).

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