davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-08-15
Wouldn't Boil Soft.

CHARLESTON, Mass, like every other
town, is full of "reminiscences of past
events 1t has its curious characters,
who have now nearly all passed away
A story is related that about century
ago party of English gentry, on their
way from Boston to New Haven, were
compelled to remain there over night, as
the only place where man and beast were
accommodated. As many of the Injuries
Of life, such as coffee and tea, were al
most unknown to the inhabitants, our
travellers carried a supply of these things
with them. Coffee and tea were given to
the landlady that she might prepare them
for breakfast. 1t was the first time she
had seen these articles, and of course
knew nothing about their preparation.
Not wishing to be considered verdant,
she resolved to try. When the travellers
called for their tea and coffee she came
and told them.
Gentlemen, the YARDS are done, but
the beans won't boil soft"
1t is a fact, that during the early settle
ment of the Colonies, a sea. captain made
an old lady present OF a pound of tea,
and to show her appreciation, she invited
a party Of friends to share it. She cook
ed the whole pound as green's, and they
all partook, but sparingly, of the bitter
mess, and were sick for days, in cOnse-
quence.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-08-15

bandage around his head before he woke
up. Heaven bless the man who first dis
covered the angsthetic power Of chloro'
formll
In a few days the bandage was taken
off and Eddie for the first time beheld the
light The sense of vision was too over
powering, and in few seconds the light
was shut out again, but not before the
wondering look gave assurance that Eddie
could see What moment that must
have been, when the optic nerve for the
first time thrilled with the pulsations of
light, and the pictures formed upon the
rctina were reproduced upon the brain!
A bright little boy, with good knowl-
edge of things and keen perceptive fac.
ulties, had suddenly acquired new sense,
1t was like being born into a new world
with consciousness in full play. BY and
by tie doctor began to remove the ban
lagc at intervals, and to show him objects
with which the sense Of touch had made
him familiar The little silver cup from
which he had been drinking milk ever
since he was baby, was held up before
him, and he Immediately recognized it;
he also was shown an orange to which he
gave the right name but he could not
identify any Of his toys until he shut his
eyes and took them in his hands. He was
greatly puzzled when "A fan was held be-
fore him, until his mother began to stir
the air with it, and then he knew what it
was
Eddie is now permitted to see little
every day, and his mother is teaching
him the names Of the objects that come
within the range of his vision. What a
delightful task it must be! He will relate
stories by the hour, in which he talks of
things as if he comprehcndcd all about
their uses, and knew all their forms per
fcctly, hut when brought before him he
don't know what they are. Upon the in
vitation of Prof. Reuling, we visited the
little patient day or two after he had
enjoyed the first sensation of seeing. He
way lying in bed with handagc over his
eyes, and looked not unlike those little
statues Of Cupid, by which the sculptors
intend to teach the moral, Love is
blind" He told us the story Of Lazy
Lawrence with much glcc, and answered
our questions with an intelligence that
was extraordinary in a child Of his years.
In a few days Eddie will be taken home
10y his mother rejoicing IN a pair of blue
eyes almost as good as any other little
boys, except that for some months he will
have TO wear spcCtacles with convex
lenses, which in his case were Opaque,
and had to be taken out. Truly this is
the age Of miracles, in which "the blind
are made TO see"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-08-15
Real Life Romance.

MANY years ago, the daughter of an
English barrister in high practice, eloped
with her fathers coachman, much to the
Indignation of the offended parent, who
vowed that he would neither admit the
inconsiderate one to the shelter of his
roof again, nor allow her even the pro-
verbal shilling. Mr.. and Mrs. S.
settled in the island of Jersey, and con-
WINGED that the father would not relent,
worked night and day for the mainten-
ance of all ever increasing family The
husband, it appears, obtained employ
ment as lahorer, earning twelve shillings
a week, md the wife kept a small shop.
4 few weeks since as the CT deDum groom
was digging in a potato field, the solicitor
Of his wife's father touched him on the
shoulder and informed him Of the death
Of the, till then, memorable barristcr,
who, however had at last relented, and
had left each of his three daughters one
third OF a sum of $4,000 besides other
landed property.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-08-15
\ Boy Blind from His Birth Made To
See.

Tue Baltimore lmti lean gives the fol
lowing account of the hestuwa of sight
upon lad blind from his birth:
"Ihcre is now a little boy at Professor
Rcullng's eye infrmaIy, who has cnioved
an experience such as few that dwell in
this world have ever known or dreamed
of, save in their longings for the light
which shall burst upon their eyes when
they wake up IN the happy land beyond
the river He is the child of wealthy
parents, who for four years loved and
cherished him with a tenderness that was
touched with sorrow because when they
looked down into his full blue eyes they
met no answering look OF sympathy, but
only y vacant stare. Nevertheless he
grew TO bc a robust little fellow, healthy
and strong and Sandstone, much given to
fairy tales, rs aA,smart children are, and
dc,ighting in the rhymes and rutl'ies and
songs which go to make up me lore of
The nursery He was not only a wonder,
tul listener, but he could repeat the stories
he heard with a dramatic effect that was
really surprising. All children are born
tos certain number of bumps and hard
falls, which the brightest eyes cannot
avoid, and, inasmuch as Eddie romped
and played in darkness, he got rather
more than his share; but the same mcrci.
full providence that saves the rounded
. limbs from being broken when children
pursue each other in hcadlong chase over
opcn cellar doors. down rickuty stair
ways, and ON the verge Of dangerous pit
! falls, took care of hun, aud he never VA.
seriously hurt.
/ Many doctors looked mt ElNic's gvrs
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-08-15
Origin of "Cadet Gray"

In the course of a conversation with
the late General Scott, in the library of
the Military Academy at West Point, in
the summer of 1862, the veteran gave 10
the writer the following account of the
origin of cadet gray, as the cloth worn
by the cadets is called; While stationed
at Buffalo in the summer of 1914, General
Scott wrote to the Quartermaster for n
supply of new clothing for the regulars
Word soon came back that blue cloth.
such as was worn in thearmy, could not be
obtained, owing to the strihgeHcy of the
blockade and the embargo, and the lack
of manufactures in the country; but that
there was sufficient quantity of gray
cloth NOW known as cadet gray") in
Philadelphia. Scott ordered it to be
made up for his soldiers, and in these
new gray suits they marched down the
Niagara River, on the Canada side, in the
direction of Chippewa. 1t was Just before
the battle known by that name, which oc.
Cured early in July, General Rial, the
British commander, looked upon them
with contempt when preparing for battle
on the morning of the 9Th, for the Mar
quis of Tweeddale, who, with the British
advance, had skirmished with them all
me Gay before, Hau icpNIteu thal they
were only Buffalo militia" and account
ed for their fighting SO well and driving
him to his intrenchments north of the
Chippewa River by the fact that it was
the anniversary Of American indepen-
dence that stimulated them. On account
Of the victory won at Chippewa on that
day, chiefly by these soldiers in gray, and
in honor of Scott and his troops, that
style of cloth was adopted at the Military
Academy at West Point as the uniform
of the cadets,-BeaS0n j. Tossing, in Serb
mrs H00thV
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-08-15
IiNIngston's Adventures and EXpl0ra.
tons.

SOME days after my arrival at Viii, |
elected from him the story Of his travels,
and sufTcrings, and discoveries, for the
last five years He reviewed his cXplora-
tiOns up to the point where the London
Geographical Society ceased to receive
letters from him. From that date, after
resting at Uiii, he thought of exploring
the head Of the Tanganyika, and asCer-
tanning whether this lake had any con
ncCtiun, or whether the river RusiZo was
an intiuent or an anluent. but the advance
of the Waltz, which would have deprived
him of most of his cloth, prevented him.
AT the end Of June, 1869, he set Oft by
way of Uguhha for his last series OF eXplo-
rations. Fifteen days march brought
him to Manyema, a virgin country, but
lately known to the Arab Just on the
threshold of great discoveries he was laid
up six months from ulcers in his feet,
When recovered, he set oil northward,
and came to a broad river called Lualaba,
which flowed northward, westward, and
in some places southwark, in a most con
fusing way The river was from one to
three miles broad. Following itnorther-
", he discovered Lake Kamolordo, in
latitude & degrees 90 minutes. He traced
the river southwark to Lake MoerO,
where he saw il issue out Of this lake,
through an enormous and deep Chasm in
the mountains. Satisfied that this Lualaba
was the Chamhege which entered Bargwe
olo, or the Luapula which entered Moero.
he retraCed his steps northWard to Lake
Kamalondo. He came to a river flowing
from the west, called the Lock- or Miami.
which issued from large lake called Che.
bungo, situated to t6c south southwest
from Kamalondo. To this Lake Che
hungu, DIR Livingstone gave the name of
Lake Lincoln, after President Abraham
Lincoln. Sliil working his way hit by
bit, aga ST several and varied difficulties,
along the Tualaba's crooked course. ~
far as latitude four south. he heard of
another large lake, situated in the same
central line of drainage rs the four other
lakes, but here he was compelled to turn
back to Jill. Against this compulsion
his iron will and indomitabc energy
fought in vain His men had mutinied
and absolutely refused to bulge a step
and to Uijii he was obliged to return, a
hattled sick, wcary and destitute man.
II was in this state your correspondent met
him only eighteen days after his arrival.
So far had the traveller gone north that he
wasat the bcginniugOt the final and certain
end. Six hundred miles OF watershed
had been examined carefully. At the be-
ginning Of the seventh hundred. the false
slaves sent to him from the British Con.
sui at Zanzibar, and who were sent to him
as escort, rose np against him, saving in
their determined actions Thus far YOU
shall go, and not one step further Thas
this remarkable river Tralsha i thr Milo
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-08-15
Crackers and their Manufacture.

Not many of our readers are, We think,
aware Of the large scale in which the
manufacture of so simple an eatable as
the ordinary cracker is carried on in this
city. In their own homes, the article is
perhaps but little used, but if they visit
the hold of a vessel fitting for voyage,
or glance into the cOmmissary store room
Of any army post, they will see heaped
up tiers of barrels packed with the hard
tack which serves, TO the sailor or sol
der, asa substitute for the ordinary home
made or bakers loaf.
The process Of manufacture is accom-
plished almost entirely by the aid Of especi-
ally devised machinery. The flour is first
hOisted to one of the upper floors of the
factory and then empticd into large bin;
thence it passes to an elevator which
carries it TO revolving sieve. Here it Is
thoroughly sifted of ita impurities, and
then allowed to fall through Il shoot lead
ing into the mixer. The latter consists
of a cylinder containing rotary axle on
which knife blades are fastened. At the
opposite end from that at which the
flour enters, is an opening Il .ough which
the mixed dough is pushed out of the
machine by the action of the revolving
blades The -four on entering the mix
er, is Immediately moistened by stream
Of water pouring in from above.
Except for the fancy varieties OF crack
crs flour and water constitute the sole
ingredients, not even salt being added, as
it is considered that that substance rem.
ders the biscuits liable to spoil. AS fast
as the dough is pushed from the mixer, it
is received in large masses by a workman
who passes it through machine techni-
cally termed the " breaker" This Is moth.
ing more than pair of heavy metal roll
ers, which squeeze the dough into kind
of thick sheet. Still further rolling fol
lows until the material is made into sheets
of about one half an inch in thickness.
The dough is now ready to be made into
crackers. once more it is rolled to bring
it to the exact thickness required, and
then, from between the rollers, it travels
under a set OF dies which, working very
rapidly, stamp out the crackers in quantl-
ties at time. As fast rs the latter are
cut, they slide along on sheet of cam
vas, one workman removing by hand the
dough from between them, while another
as soon as sufficient number are com
pleted, passes flat tray under them and
places them in the oven.
This last mentioned receptacle is ar
ranged in a very peculiar manner. Ii
consists Of a huge brick compartment
heated from below by large furnaces
Within is an iron wheel resembling the
paddle wheel of steamer, trays, however,
which are so arranged as to lie always
horizontal, taking the place of buckets
on the latter. This wheel rcvolvcs, bring
/, Of tr,t of ttl, gb urt,
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-08-15

cumulated rents Of one house: These
houses are worth 1870 900, which sum
| has been paid for seventy years rents of
one house worth $40, IT, instead of
| being invested in the house and lot, the
| $40, 900 were loaned on interest at seven
| per cent, and the interest collected and
relOaned quarterly, the money would ac-
cumulate precisely the same amount as
the property.
! Take another illustration OF the power
of interest. Two mechanics just come Of
age are good workmen and DESTROYS Of
becoming rich. Each Is able to earn
dollar day over and above his expenses.
Every six months they invest the money
! thus earned ut seven per cent, interest,
the interest payable half yearly. These
men earn an average Of dollar a day be-
sides their expenses 300 days in each
Year, during forty years and four months.
Their age Is these sixty years and four
months, Each earns by labor $500 per
year for forty years, or, for the whole
period, $12, 1870 together, SCI 2i0. Bat
the interest on their returns, loaned half
yearly, for period Of forty years and
. four months, doubling at seven per cent,
paid and rcinyested half yearly, in ten
years ard four months amounts to $l04,-
( $50 70 which added TO the amount Of
S24 $40 earned by their labor makes the
agprerafe Si2s 10 10 The interest on
tho sum &2l 24O earned bv their labor is
/ vlO4 $50 7O-more than four and a quarter
/ times greater than the amount they have
/ earned by their Labor SuDpose the two
men ia live twenty yearg ana two months
! lourcr that Is TO the age of ciphtv.one
wears and six months and continue TO
/ 'oan their money, During This nprfod il
wonld double twice making the total ac.
cumulatiop IN sixty vears and six months
/ 45l5. O02 80 The two men do not labor
. iurjng the last twenty wears and two
months and expend Of their income for
! living during that period s15 OO2 so leav.
/ ing to their heirs $500 900 In forty
wears and four months ihey earn by their
I labor 1874, $40, and live twenty years and
/ two months on their money without labor.
| Subtract the money earned bv labor
/ S24.2tO. and the remainder accumulated
I hy interest is si75 800 Now, not one
dollar Of this S475 800 Ia earned by the
/ labor of these men. 1t is the legal inter,
/ est upon %2i 24O These men live abori.
ously and work for very moderate com
| pcnsation. They take only the legal rate
of interest. Neither do they enter into
any speculations.
The amount 10 which these nations
mathematics and cnrnorations "e veil
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-08-15
Some OF the Famous Luuatics of His.
tory.

tnr,
Ar,.,r, of tbo +,,ro,,,,,. and aos,,,.;e,,, aF
r,orId b,,o Eaor ,lyo ras,,l, r. ,,a,t,r,i
aiyoosn ard II Iai Iao,, AK, ,,'t
fo, ~ the r,19rs ~ hiStn,, r,I1 i,ao
Io,,, G,,o -, f o'i,' no
TaIi',Ia +Ln hoas,i,, Ba,,,, r,, ,,,1'''ie'
,,,,, i,i, n, l'l',l 'i,,,
~ tl woe ,,,n@,ad ,,.i,1 ~, - ta
po,,,o, ,on,1o a,J Ia 'rtor,,,J.S ,',, '1o
49, ,I,,Ia,. r., ',I
,,, ,',"l 'i'. 49, pg9 ,'t,l' OG,'' ..,'
1907 ~ H. 49, 'i''' ~ ''' was
n6,raI j., ., .r,I+ cn , "oi'
~, - ,nl tot'. rs w. Il,S iC.oN u
az, ".,a'L'l Htso"'Lu
'ultiS ''' StCNnesS' L"i nom m lha1 'iiile ne
" mai G iell','I u ny
l"u' az ., ~ ms i''Sl WIZ G'sSi I'cu ny
SUM " ,no mos ulla'tIiaI anu capri
o.u"S tyranny tGcoi"eu III DiSioIy' lie
pu, ~ "C"ln " lnIEe NUMBER q ms sen,
a.oiS' iNcly 'e'' Jay nc utii'ereu
nuii,"" N'I'lps 70 pe ueN9"IGu o{ WIG
p'as,H' anu JoSoS''S leiiI,cU IuLS hoItI9
aCt gearing MS account lie caused
ulFiHe non" rs 20 DC pai4 10 hlmseli, IN
temple cIeClcu expressly lor mat pur.
Posc' anu unuei 'ile Suier.htehaahce OF
!,tESts 81 ms own appointment, he
lnNl'cu ms iaN9tltG morse lncllaluS' 10
UIHe NJ tne ruyai t&oic' where ne was zee
VI fI.UGH on'S, a'iu uIailh H!ho from -"
S 5a, SV}'e.S ANU put iGt ms premature
o'',5 'i,t'"' "J,'l' NV DJti '"'ScG
~ I'LL @ ~ :, n.y. n'si'cu
,,t -, ~" N0"iT 1'E "peu
Gn, W. az " 'l,a,',it iC.leat' ne l'oil'ai'5
th w. ~ hi VI t, ~ ioot Sv"IS, auG
'iiNt' P''' mn W ''N''i' ~ -" Ntll- ILaiiAIAl
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-08-15

| sawed the log whereby Daniel Mapes fell
into the creek and lost wife; and furth-
or, that | will, she consenting, marry
I Eliza Reed, and always treat her kindly,
50 help, me God"
! Timms repeated the oath gerbattm.
| "Now get up and go home" said
Mapcs. II don't think you'll be married
| till your eyes get out of mourning, and
| by that time I'll be far enough away. But
don't think I'll lose sight of you; and if
you don't keep your oath, you'll see me. +"
Timms arose from the ground, shook
of the dust, and walked away; but when
he had secured safe distance, he shouted
back, exultanty;
"Mapes, she's an angel
In twenty years Daniel Mapes had
learned many things, and among them
this: Life is very much as we make it.
In other words, the world is like mir
ror, and looks at US with the face we pre-.
sent II returns scowl for sCOwl, and
smile for smile II echoes our sobs and
our laughter. To the cold, it is as icy as
the northern seas; to the loving, it is as
balmy as the isles OF the tropics He had
learned still harder lesson; which, was
to forget the grcls, the SORROWS, the
sights, the wrongs, and the hates Of the
past The effect Of this lesson was TO
make it appear that the lines, to him, had
fallen in pleasant places. Ills rotund
/ form and firm muscle bespoke a good di-
/ gcslion, while a cheerful countenanCe
/ told Of mcntal peace. A fair woman
/ named him husband, and children called
him father A beautiful home in the
/ Santa Clara Valley was theirs, besides
/ which Mapcs had many broad acres Of
land AS well IA many head Of stock run.
/ ming nearly wild in the counties OF Mon
terry and san Luis Obispo
Once in each year the cattle that craze
/ on CaIifornia's thousand hills are gather.
ed in bands at convenient places to lie
( claimed and branded by their owners
4 such asscmblages being called y0deDs
Mapcs had been down across the Salinas
! Plains, in attendance upon r0d,0i and,
/ being on his return, jogging along on his
mustang he saw, far in the distance, but
/ nearing him, m equally lone traveller
4 Slowly the distance between them de
creased; and as they approached Mapcs,
/ with California prudence, slipped his re-
+ yUlycr upon the belt which sustained 1t
! from his back round to his left side,
bringing the hit under the shadow of his
/ bride arm, and within easy reach Of his
1 right hand A near look assured Mapcs
I that he had no occasion for weapons; the
coming man was Of middle age, but his
I look was worn, weary, detected and hope.
Icss-In local phrase, his manner was that
of "A person who had lost hls grip and
those who have met that terrible mIsfOr
tune are never highway robbers, grip
being the very quality wanted in that
hazardous pursuit
The travellers met, with = long, inquir,
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-08-15
How to Take Care Of Carriage.

/ A PROMINENT carriage manufacturer, of
/ Nottingham, England, Mr.. Starey, pub
| fishes series Of "Useful hints for the
/ Proper Preservation of Carriage" from
which we quote the following:
! y carriage should be kept in an airy,
/ dry coach house, with moderate amount
Of light, otherwise the colOrs will be de-
! strOyed
There should be no COMMUNICATION be
tween the stables and coach house. The
manure heap, or pit, should also be kept
as far away as possible, Ammonia cracks
yarnish and fades the colors both of paint
ing and lining.
A carriage should never, under any cir
cumstances, be put away dirty.
In washing a carriage, keep out of the
sun, and have the lever end of the "setts'
covered with leather Use plenty Of water,
which apply (whcre practicablel with a
hose or syringe, taking great care that the
water is not driven into the body to the
/ injury Of the lining. When forced water
( IS not attalnable, use for the body large,
soft sponge. This when saturated,
/ squeeze over the panels and by the flow
down of he water the dirt will soften and
harmlessiy run of, then finish with a soft
chamois leatherand old silk handkerchief.
The same remarks apply to the under
works and wheels, except that when the
mud is well soaked, soft mop, free from
any hard substance in the head may be
used. Never use "spoke brush, " which,
in conjunction with the grit from the road,
acts like sand-paper on the yarnish,
scratching it, and, of course, effectually
removing All gloss Never allow waterto
dry itself on the carriage, as it invariably
leaves stains.
BE careful to grease the bearings of the
fore carriage 50 as 10 allow it to turn
freely. If it turns with difficulty, the
shafts or pole will probably strain or
break.
Examine carriage occasionally, and
whenever bolt or Slip appears to be get
ting loose, tighten it up with a wrench,
and always have little repairs done at
once
Neyerdraw out or back a carriage into a
coach-house with the horses attached, as
more accidents occur from this than any
other cause.
Headed carriages should never stand
with the head down, and aprons of every
kind should be frequently unfolded, or
they will soon spoil.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-08-15

BARNYARD MANURE AND ASHES. A
correspondent asks whether barn yard
manure and ashes can be used together
on !and;' Both can be profitobly used
on the same land, but they should not be
mixed before application. The barn. yard
manure should be applied to and incor-
porated with the soil, and the ashes APP
Piled separately as top-dressing Can
the two be used alternately, at different
seasons, ON the same landf' Yes. How
much ashes can be used, per e-re, on
moderately good land, with safety" Any
amount from one bushel to I've hundred
bushels -Rlrdl Neir Iorker.