One of these characters, Mary Anne Smith, became a beloved presence — along with her trusty pea shooter — around London’s East End in the 1930s. John Topham, who snapped photos of Smith in action, remembers “every morning but Sunday she would rise at three to ‘knock up’ local workers—using a pea shooter. She charged sixpence a week and her nearest competition was an old man three miles away who did the same job using a fishing rod to tap on upstairs windows.” Smith was known for the rapping, clacking sound of her peas against windows and doors. In the children’s book Mary Smith, she’s depicted as waking up everyone from fishmongers to the mayor.

Item, that his Majeſtie diſcard and put away the Officers of his Roial Familie and Kingdom, as Treaſurers, and their ſubſtitutes, and all others whoſoëver have behaved themſelvs amiſs in their offices, to his Majeſties great diſſervice, & the univerſal dammage of theſe Kingdoms;

I′m so nervous at breakfast, I accidentally pour apple juice over my Weet-Bix, not milk. I eat it anyway. It tastes sweet and chewy. I should write to the Sanitarium Health Food Company with my serving suggestion. Call it, ‘Weet-Bix Surprise’.

Statists and Politicians, unto whom Ragione di Stato is the first Considerable, as though it were their business to deceive the people, as a Maxim, do hold, that truth is to be concealed from them […].