We replaced the mirror from the back of the built-in bench in our living room. We discovered an old newspaper placed behind the original mirror. The first thing I did was look at the year – 1912. Then I looked at the date. January 13, 1912. A little chill ran up my spine. Was this some kind-of sign from the house or just a strange coincidence that we discovered a newspaper 92 years later with today’s date printed on it?

The dual headlines read ‘All Californians for One California, Battle Cry of State Boosters’ and ‘North and South Grip Hands in Pledge to Share Future Prosperity’. The North and South the headline refers to are Northern and Southern California.

Also on the front page is First Lady Taft’s chicken salad recipe which, according to the article, had gained vogue with Washington’s smart set. This salad was made under Mrs. Taft’s personal direction:
Equal parts of white meat of chicken and hard boiled eggs cut in dices, sprinkling of celery and white nuts, the whole being covered with mayonnaise.

Listed right next to Mrs. Taft’s chicken salad is the headline “German Socialists Win Great Victory”.

Inside, the paper offers an interesting advertisement on hair health. “Scalp and hair troubles generally caused by carelessness. Dandruff is a contagious disease caused by a microbe which also produces baldness.” The cure was Rexall 93 Hair Tonic.

Boy, times have changed! “Los Angeles No.1 in List of Moral Cities, Speaker says this is cleanest municipality of Nation, San Francisco worst.”

An article that was of particular interest to David, who is half Chinese and half Filipino, “Chinese Soon Begin Observance of New Customs”. The article discusses how Chinese citizens living in Los Angeles will adopt a Roman calendar and set aside observance of the Chinese new year. The article went on to say, “Chinese new year, the great religious and commercial fete known to the followers of Confucius – a revolution of little less importance than that recently ended in the orient will be in progress, but it will be a revolution among the revolutionists, a transformation of spiritual, social and commercial ideas and customs, formally launching Christianity and it’s manifold advantages into the land of the rising sun.”

Another article discusses how a woman’s reply of “yes” to a written proposal was lost in the mail and finally delivered six years later. In the mean time, the would be groom decided that the answer must have been “no” when he did not receive an answer, so he married someone else. When the would be bride learned of his marriage she decided that he must have changed his mind. She also married someone else. It could not be determined where the letter was during those six years.

Years before Imelda Marcos, “Woman Buys 58 Pairs of Shoes At One Time”.