RESOLUTION MAKERS
From: Portsmouth Herald, December 31, 1914
Any weakling can make resolutions. It needs a strong man to keep them. That is perhaps 
why New Year’s resolutions are so often futile. The strong do not wait for high days and holy days to amend their conduct or carry out their resolves. They obey Gothe’s dictum:
“Seize this very minute,
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”
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A happy new year.–Before we again shall have an opportunity to address our friends and 
readers, the present year will have passed away & the New Year of Eighteen hundred and forty two will be ushered in upon us. And we take this opportunity in anticipation of the day and wish all of our friends a happy New Year.
First and foremost we say to all of The fair, who have not yet linked themselves by Hymen’s silken chain to some worth mate, a happy New Year to ye–may this prove the fortunate and happy one in which all your golden dreams and fond anticipations shall be more than realized. To all of the young Gallants, full of life, fine spirits and high hopes, a happy New Year to ye–we hope this year you will cease to sow wild oats, sober down, make yourself a happy home and find a sweet little wife who may prove the joy and comfort of your life.
To all the Old Bachelors who make no pretensions to marriage, but who go grunting along over the rough and hubbly road of life solitary and alone, a happy New Year to ye–all the crumb of comfort we have for you is, that for ought we can see, you must grin and bear it.
To all, both young and old, whether yoked in wedlock or not, we say, a happy New Year to ye–we wish you all health and prosperity; may you be blessed with such peace, contentment, joy and happiness. And thus kind readers you have our best wishes; and all we wish in return is–please send us a good lot of subscribers.
Tuesday, December 28, 1841 New-Hampshire Gazette (Portsmouth NH) Vol LXXXVIII Issue 7 Page 3
Interesting stories, photographs and genealogical material can be gleaned from the unlikeliest of sources. In this case it an antique booklet about American checkers (the game is called draughts in Europe) that caught my eye. Who would have know that back in 1890 New Hampshire was a veritable ‘hot spot’ of checker competition activity. The Manchester-Derry area was much esteemed for its skilled players and The Derry News proclaimed that it had “THE BEST CHECKER COLUMN of any weekly Journal in America.”
Santa Claus
Here comes Santa Claus, with fur-trimmed coat and cap, and beard of icicles! Many a mile he has traveled this Christmas Eve, and many a toy-shop emptied, and father and mother consulted for the children’s sake.
How splendid it must be to have so much to give away, and such a heart to give it!–We are acquainted with a little girl who said with sparkling eyes , as she pulled the treasures from her stocking, “I know one thing–if I could not be God, I’d be Santa Claus–wouldn’t you?”
The federal department of agriculture has gravely suggested that those farmers who have installed radios in their barns to delight the livestock should tune in on softer gentler 
music. Cows give more milk when contented, it seems, and no cow can be anything but restless while listening to hotcha music of the Big Apple variety. Hoofs itch and necks twist in the stanchions. — Philadelphia Inquirer [printed in the Portsmouth Herald and Times, October 18, 1937, page 9]
Apologies of my readers, but this article was really too funny not to share with you!
Janice
