Past pages for Thursday, Sept. 19, 2013

140 Years Ago

Buttons: The rage among the female minnows of the tribe, schoolgirls from 7 to 11, is the gathering and stringing of odd buttons, no two alike. After a girl has collected 999 buttons from unrestricted sources and a boy presents the thousandth button to a girl, he is to become helpmeet for better or for worse ...

130 Years Ago

“Judge” disappears: William Brakeman, a Justice of the Peace of Homer Township, Lundy, disappeared. Before the departure of the Hawthorne stage from Bodie, an order for his arrest was telegraphed. It was a warrant for embezzlement. It was too late, and the “judge” slid over the state line with his thumbs to his nose and his fingers wiggling in a significant manner. (Bodie Free Press)

120 Years Ago

The snake takes aim: The Appeal writer saw an Indian kill a rattlesnake in a peculiar way. The rattler was 10 feet from the Indian who was resting the rifle on his knee. When he moved the weapon a few inches, the snake would move around and get in line with it. The writer bandaged the Indian’s eyes and holding the gun by his side at arms length, he pulled the trigger. The ball entered the snake’s mouth and passed the whole length of his body. The Indian claims that a rattlesnake will always arrange himself directly in line with a gun or stick pointed at it.

70 Years Ago

Leisure Hour Club: The executive committee made plans to have meetings to be held on the first Wednesday of every month due to present war conditions. Executive committee members include President Kringlen, Mrs. Edith Knippenberg, Miss Grace Bordewich and Frank B. Gregory ...

50 Years Ago

Television schedule (in part): Huckleberry Hound, Combat, Dick Powell Theatre, McHale’s Navy, Best of Groucho ...

30 Years Ago

Nerve gas: The House authorizes production of nerve gas by the U.S., the first time since 1969. International developments warrant a strong response which includes the go-ahead for resuming production of lethal chemical weapons.

Sue Ballew is the daughter of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.