September 2011
H
ometown
Phone: 260-463-4901 • Fax 888-439-6528 • The Hometown Treasure
by Carol Anderson
Interesting Facts From An 1889 Encyclopedia
Fingernails as an indication of character:
• A white mark on the nail bespeaks misfortune.
• Pale or lead-colored nails indicate melancholy
people.
• Broad nails indicate a gentle, timid, and
bashful nature.
• Lovers of knowledge and liberal sentiments
have round nails.
• People with narrow nails are ambitious and
quarrelsome.
• Small nails indicate littleness of mind, obstinacy
and conceit.
• Choleric, martial men, delighting in war, have
red and spotted nails.
• Nails growing into the flesh at the points or
sides indicate luxurious tastes.
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Page 12
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Hat
Headcloth
Covering
Sibelcop
Dresses
Plain
Buggy
Amish
Horse
Farmers
Artisans
Barn door
Godly
Family
Yoder
Herschberger
Byler
Solution to Clueless Crossword is on page 57.
H
istory
• People with very pale nails are subject to
much infirmity of the flesh and persecution
by neighbors and friends.
How to measure corn in the crib.
Rule: 1st. Measure the length, breadth and height of
the crib inside the rail; multiply them together and
divide by two, the result is the number of bushels of
shelled corn.
2. Level the corn so that it is of equal depth throughout,
multiply the length, breadth, and depth together, and
this product by four. Cut off one figure to the right
of the product; the other will represent the number
of bushels of shelled corn.
3. Multiply length by height and then by width, add
two ciphers to the result and divide by 124; this gives
the number bushels of ear corn.
Durability of a horse.
A horse will travel 400 yards in 4½ minutes at a
walk, 400 yards in 2 minutes at a trot, and 400 yards in 1
minute at a gallop. An average draught horse will draw
1,600 pounds 23 miles per day on a level road, weight
of wagon included. The average weight of a horse is
1,000 pound; his strength is equal to that of 5 men.
He attains his growth in 5 years, will live 25, average 16
years. A horse will live 25 days on water, without solid
food, 17 days without eating or drinking, but only 5
days on solid food without drinking.
Superstitions regarding babies.
It is believed by many that if a child cries at its birth
and lifts up only one hand, it is born to command. It is
thought very unlucky not to weigh the baby before it is
dressed. When first dressed, the clothes should not be
put on over the head, but drawn on over the feet, for
luck. When first taken from the room in which it was
born, it must be carried upstairs before going down
so that it will rise up in the world. In any case it must
be carried upstairs or up the street the first time it is
taken out. It is also considered in England and Scotland
unlucky to cut the baby's nails or hair before it is twelve
months old. The saying: Born on Monday, fair in the
face; Born on Tuesday, full of God's grace; born on
Wednesday, the best to be had; Born on Thursday,
merry and glad; Born on Friday, worthily given; Born
on Saturday, work hard for a living; Born on Sunday,
shall never know want, is known with various changes
all over the Christian world.