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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1876 | 1 |
| 1877 | 2 |
| 1878 | 1 |
| 1883 | 1 |
| 1885 | 1 |
| 1889 | 2 |
| 1891 | 2 |
| 1892 | 1 |
| 1894 | 2 |
| 1895 | 7 |
| 1903 | 2 |
| 1910 | 1 |
23 stories matching merriment
- The Greek Symposium of Queen Anne
A stylish, avant-garde literary circle in 1891 Seattle brings the 'Iliad' to life, mocking social hierarchy with a satirical twist on Homer.
- Tiny Performers Wow at Yesler’s Hall
A kindergarten concert by the Baptist Sunday School brings down the house to fund a new library.
- The Marriage Trials of Jack and Mrs. Smith
A domestic dispute over alleged infidelity and threatening letters spills into open court, captivating a curious Walla Walla public.
- The Minister and the Mob
A Marysville clergyman faces a near-drowning at the hands of an angry crowd after attempting to enforce strict Sunday-closing laws against a local baseball game.
- Naming Mount Rainier
A judge finds himself in a comedic bind while trying to deliver a speech in Tacoma and mentioning the iconic mountain by its common, though disputed, name.
- The Mud-Slinging Rivalry of Newcastle and Gilman
A friendly visit between two mining towns turns into a disastrous, mud-caked lesson in humility for a local horseman.
- A High-Stakes Gamble at the Front Street Poker Table
A desperate gambler nearly takes his own life after a losing streak in Seattle's underworld, only to be saved by a sudden twist of fortune.
- The Altar Society’s High-Stakes Carnival
Seattle society turned out for a church fundraiser that featured fortune-telling gypsies, a 'fishpond,' and one overly enthusiastic patron who nearly pawned his watch for ice cream.
- The Tribune Editor and the Colonel: A Duel of Paper and Fists
A simmering political grudge in 1878 Seattle boiled over into a public brawl on the street after an editor criticized a local Colonel in print.
- The Science of Life Comes to the Coal Mines
When a traveling medical lecturer visited the coal town of Newcastle in 1877, the entire community turned out to witness a performance that mixed professional medical advice with public heckling of the town's elite.
- The Dangerous Thrill of Everett's Early Auto-Cycle Races
Before high-speed motorcycles were common, the Everett Auto Cycle Club turned a local track into a proving ground for 'dare-devil' riders and humorous slow-races.
- The High School Prophecy
At the Central School in 1885, students performed a chillingly prophetic 'witches' scene that foreshadowed their future destinies.
- When Tacoma Protestants Told the Pope to Stay Out of Their Lodges
A 2,500-person rally in Tacoma’s Armory Hall denounces a papal edict against secret societies, blending fraternal pride with fierce anti-Catholic nativism.
- Olympia Debates How Far the Law Should Reach Into a Man's Glass
At Liberal Hall, the Unity Club argued the limits of temperance legislation — whether the state may police private drinking or only the liquor traffic itself.
- The Woman’s Club Banquet That Defined Olympia’s Elite
Six years after its founding, the city's most prominent ladies gathered for a 'horseshoe' dinner and silhouette presentation to celebrate their social influence.
- Seventeen Hours in the Jury Room, Then 'Guilty'
Rev. M. H. Nichols is convicted of criminally libeling Rev. T. B. Ford after an all-night jury fight; his lawyers promise a new trial.
- A Variety Theatre, a Bundle of Testimonials, and the Preachers Who Wanted It Shut
Seattle's theatrical impresario John Considine fights for a Spokane theatre license against a gallery full of clergymen — and answers them with a who's-who of Seattle's leading names vouching for his honor.
- Fifteen Thousand for Dinner: The Butchers Roast Seattle a Whole Ox
The trade closed the shops, marched from Pioneer Place to the Yesler dock to meet Tacoma, and hauled the whole town out to Madison Park for four solid hours of carving, a ball game against Arlington, a greased pig and a dance under the lanterns.
- The Ball That Shook Seattle: A Night of Masks, Money, and 'Transposed Sexes'
In the damp cold of February 1877, Seattle’s elite gathered for a masquerade ball that defied social norms, featuring cross-dressing performers and a prize for the 'best sustained character'—a rare glimpse into the territory's vibrant, chaotic social life.
- A Fire Commissioner on Trial Over Rotten Hose
George T. Masel faces the city council over charges he moved to force unfit Baker fabric fire hose into service — and witness after witness describes the couplings flying off under pressure.
- A Church Scandal Erupts in a Seattle Libel Trial
M. H. Nichols stood accused of criminally libeling Presiding Elder T. B. Ford. The defense spent the day trading rumors, old grudges, and one complaint about the prosecutor's booming voice.
- The Mysterious Death of Abe Gross
A 28-year-old Tacoma dry-goods partner was found shot through the mouth in his bed. His brother's grief, a coroner's open verdict, and a city's disbelief turned a private tragedy into a public mystery.
- A Gavel, a Roar, and a Populist Ticket Born in Chaos
King County's People's Party convention at Turner Hall turned into a shouting, proxy-fighting, faction-splitting marathon—and buried Dr. J. Eugene Jordan and Jack McDonald on the way to nominating a ticket.