davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
, 1873-01-30

PROPER WARN1NG.-The officers of the
various Masonic Bodies of Omaha have
published a warning to all the members
OF their Fraternity, against pretended
Gift Concert" for the purpose of erect
ing Masonic Temple in that city. We
are glad to notice in this warming" the
statement:
That lotteries, and gift enterprises,
being contrary to the principles Of Ma
sonry, are strictly forbidden by special
resolutions of the Grand Lodge of Ne
braska. and that the proprietors of the
above named schemes are making use
OF the Masonic name for their own gain.
without permission or authority of any
Masonic body"
The warning. further says that "lot-
teries and gift enterprises are immoral
and unmasonic practices We are glad
to record and repeat this statement. be-
ing well persuaded that these things are
very great and sore evil in our land.
We have seen it lately recorded that
some hitherto industrious blacksmith,
somewhere on Puget Sound. has drawn
S25.00O in lottery at Louisville. Ii
this be SO, all the probabilities are that
it will be the ruin of him and his child
rem. to say nothing of the evil influence
Of his example. which SO many will fol-
low, with the vain expectation of shar-
ing in the same luck. Gambling is a
fearful evil, and lotteries and gift enter
prises are emong its most seductive
forms. Let those who value peace and
happiness. good name and good con-
science, have nothing to do with them
Oregon Churchmdn.
, 1873-01-30
2uget Sound 9ispatth

ks
BLOOD! IAGo, BLooD!L evening,
robbers were again on the rampage and
sought entrance into the residence of a
respectable citizen, on Fourth street, but
fortunately, in the interest of justice,
one of the inmates was on the alert, and
saluted HIM with piece of cold lead,
while in the act Of raising the window.
The desperate made good his escape.
but must have lodged for some time in
the wood-shed, as copious traces of blood
were seen in that locality in the morn
ing. 4 piece of wood, stained with
blood, was exhibited on the streets to-
day. as trophy Of the young mans
valor,it should be placed in the Archives
of the Pioneer Association. We have
been surmising, however, that Christ
mas chicken was slaughtered in the
shed. 1t is to be hoped that the young
man did not miss his mark.
--A~b~N sfl
In Dickens american Notes, written
i'll 1912, the great novelist dwelt on the
melancholy condition of the c, nvicts Of
the Philadelphia Penitentlary. who are
compelled to pass their lives in solitary
confinement. Mr.. Dickens instanced
the case of one Charles Langheimer,
who was never permitted to see anything
but the cold stone walls of his dungeon,
conjectured that be could not possibly
live in the cell more than five or six
years, and entered in his volume pre-
dictlon to that effect. But Dickens IL
dead, and Charles Langheimer still in
habits the cell in which Dickens left him.
He is seventy years old, is well and
hearty, has spent more than half his
life in solitary confinement, and says he
prefers that manner of life to any other.
The Napanee (Conn.) Beaver relates
the following story: "A joke, altogethe,
too good to be lost for want If telling,
occurred in the Methodist church of a
village not ten miles from Napanee u
few months ago. The minister, after
the service, published the banns of a
marriage between loving and interest
ing couple, and that portion of the words
If you know any just cause &C., came
in, the minister, whether from any pre-
vious knowledge or not, looked straighi
at a young gentleman directly at the
foot of the pulpit. This gentleman
thinking that he was personally alludee
to, imme 1iately arose. and said, "Oh!no
not the slightest objection, sir. ;"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-11-20
O'Clarence's Barrel Experience.

Mr.. O'Clarence bought two old barrels
for kindlings Saturday, and Sunday
morning, when Mrs. O'Clarence was at
church, he went down cellar to cut them
up. AS 1t was necessary to smash in the
slaves, before doing anything else, he
laid the barrel on its side, and taking up
the axe, gave it a ringing blow. The axe
Immediately bounded from the barrel and
flew over Mr. O'Clarence's shoulder, near
ly taking off one ear, and rapping him
self severely in the back. Mr.. O'Clarence
was aStOnished. He turned the barrel
over and looked at it, and then rubbed
his back and felt of his ear. 1t was quite
evident that he must use more caution if
he would cut open the barrel without
cutting open himself. The next blow
was delivered with still greater force, and
with such success that the slaves crllm-
bled beneath it like so much air, and Mr.
OClarence, who was not quite sure but
that the axe would not bound again, and
had actually braced himself in resistance
to the consequence of such result, failed
to recover himself in time, and went down
among the slaves on his knees, and with
such momentum as to nearly diSjOint his
neck. If Mr.. O'Clarence was aStOnished
before, he was nearly petritied now. He
Sot upon his leeI ana noFeu away from
the barrel, briskIy rubbing his neck, but
saying nothing Then he seated himselfon
the cellar stairs, and pulled up his panta-
loon legs and looked at his knees, which
were seriously skinned. After that he
sat on the stairs some ten minutes, and
looked at the demolished BARREL and tried
to recollect where in twenty-three years of
married life he had seen anything quite
so contrary and unexpected as was that
barrel. The clock up stairs striking
twelve aroused him. He jumped down,
placed stave in a way to fracture its
spine, and struck it sharp blow. 1t
broke at once; the lower half flew straight
up and slapped him in the face, and the
other half flew over the swinging shelf,
upsetting a quart pitcher of milk and
knocking off glass jar OF cherries. The
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-11-20

with that proviso. But they count upon
the timidity or sluggishness 80 character
| istc of the American public, to enable
them to break their contract with lnpunl-
! tv. and thew do so break it constantly
with entire Indifference to right or Justice.
| Few persons so cheated have the nerve to
| do more than urge feeble remOnstrance,
which is quickly silenced by a threat OF
| eli, ,tion Fewer still, having braved the
risk and unpeasantness OF the alternative
| threatened, have patience or wealth enough
to carry their grievances through the
courts.
Thus this wrong has become SO fortified
| by usage and prescription that passengers
50 put upon hardly realize that they are
wronged and conductors have become
educated into the notion that in enforcing
| the imposition they are exercising an I'M
| questionable right And 50 far has this
! spirit of submission on the one side justi-
| fled the spirit of cncroachment on the
| other that, as is well-knoWn, on one of the
| roads leading from this city 1t IS a com
| mon practice to curtail the ordinary sit
| ting accommodation on its most crowded
| trains, that passengers may be forced into
| special high-priced cars, where seats are
given them at an eXorbltant advance on
| TIC lcSdl rate OF IarP. anu On lnlS, as OH
| other roads, suburban residents well know
it is common experience for way-passen-
gers to have to stand through an entire
Journey of one, two or three hours. 1t is
talr to admit that Inconvenience of this
sort may often result from an honest mis-
calculation on the part of the officials, for
which they are not really to blame. But
| their honesty in such cases would be less
doubtful if they received protest or com
plant in more becoming spirit. For
such miscalculatiOns the company, not
the public, should suffer. But we never
yet heard Of an instance where a company
offered to refund to u passenger, with
whom it had thus broken faith, the value
of the seat out of which he had been de
trauded, or of a conductor who failed to
eject such passenger upon his refusal to
pay. Therefore, we believe that if this
Indiana example were more generally fol-
lowed, such miscalculations would occur
less often, or, if they occurred, would be
accepted more tolerantiy, if not rcmedied
more quickly.-N Y. Times
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-11-20
A Big Blow.

LAST evening, while the chief engineer
OF lung-tester was eXpatiating upon the
benefits to be derived from the free use of
his instrument, a cadaverous individual
stepped out of the crowd and remarked to
him:
"Mister do you think it would help me
any to blow into that cane'
Yes sir; certainly; it would expand
your chest, give elasticity to your lungs,
and lengthen your life. Why, you'd soon
be able to blow 800 pounds and win the
s. prize"
"Why, does fellow get s. when he
blows that many pounds?'
Yes, sir; wouldn't you like to make a
trial." with a knowing wink to the
crowd
Il don't care if I do" said Greens,
walking around and planking down a
dime Of the greasy shinplaster sort
Then taking the mouth piece in his
hand, he made ready. He opened his
mouth until the hole in his face looked
like dry-dock for ocean steamers, and
began to take in wind. The initiation was
like that of the Graphic balloon, but not
so disastrous. That fellows chest began
to grow and distend until he resembled a
pouter pigeon more than a man, at which
point he put the mouth-piece to his lips
and blew with such force that his eyes
came out and stood around on his cheek
bones to see what was the matter-but
that can-top went up like flash, and the
needle of the indicator spun around like
the button on a country school house
door, until it stood still at 500 pounds I.
The crowd cheered, and the keeper of
the can paid over the IS in stamps, with
a mutter OF establishment. But Greens
pocketed them coolly, and turning to the
spectators, said:
Look here, gents, that amt nothing to
dc at all Tor man who has been bugler
in deaf and dumb asylum for seven
years, like me!'-Neeo Orleans Herald.
Little Cortland County, n. Y, during
the past year received from the sale Of
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-11-20
Cheap Ice-H0uses.

The following, contributed to the conn
t7y Gentleman, shows how icehouses may
be constructed at small cost:
My ice-hOuse is a circular hole in the
ground, II feet in diameter and u feet
deep, dry-Walled with brick the same as a
well; the bottom is sandy, and has foot
Of fine charcoal for the ice to rest on;
charcoal is a most desirable substance for
this purpose, as it lets the water through
easily, is indestructible, and good non
conductor of heat The ice is thrown in
without packing, and saWdust put on the
top at once, and as the ice recedes from
the brick the dust is pushed down at the
sides till the ice is completely enveloped
in it, and we have no difficulty in keeping
it from one season to another, and two
large families use it without stint The
house is almost roofless This is a cheap,
durable house, and has the merit Of being
easily filled, and requires no scatfolding
or extra men to help unload, as those do
that are built entirely above ground.
Samuel L. Allen, Of Cinnaminson, n. Y,
constructed, last fall, an ice-hOuse which
is novelty OF its kind and a remarkable
success. 1t is crib 10 feet by 1015 in
side, and 5 feet high, and set directly on
the surface Of the ground; the posts are
maze or SlaDS ana the SIDES are or
the same, nailed on horizontally two or
three inches apart. Cost Of lumber, 81
nails soc; labor done by farm hand.
Five three-horse loads Of ice filled it. In
filling, one foot of sawdust was put in,
then layer Of ice one foot from the sides,
the edges packed and the middle broken
up little, and as each layer was put in,
Sawdust was filled in between ice and
boards, and so on till the crib was filled.
The top was finished rounding, and cover
ed with foot Of sawdust, and pine
boughs on that, to keep the wind from
blowing it away, and has had no roof Of
any kind. The first of October there
was still Is inches of ice left. In the
middle OF one end, about one foot from
the boards, is a dumb waiter case 10
inches square and 10 feet high, inside of
which is a dumb waiter 215 feet long,
fitted up with shelves for meat, butter,
&c, and it has answered good purpose.
From this experiment he draws these con
illusions: THAT a farmers ice-house
should contain cylinder of ice s feet in
diameter and 10 to II feet in height; the
ice should be closely surrounded with
from 6 to 10 inches of sawdust, and cover
ed with a foot or two of the same; no
roof, or one with the gables entirely open"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-11-20

Then there is the broken-down mer-
chant. How many there are of them
in every village, in every town, in every
city. Let me not, at such time as this.
speak disrespectful words. There may
be many an aching heart in my presence
tonight, many a man who cares not for
himself, but a thousand times more for
those who depend upon him. And in such
an hour of distress the grandeur In wo-
man is made manifest, for | have seen
many and many strong man bowed and
weakened by anguish, lifted and carried
forward by the courage of woman. In
conclusion, Mr.. Beecher contended that
man need not be unhappy because not
rich, for after all there is no luxury SO
great as that of being honest. Joy does
not consist in amassing or expanding
property. The investments made in
youth of the heart and disposition would
determine whether any persons would be
happy, whether rich or poor, Tor happl-
ness came from the soul itself. A true
man was proof against misfortunes, proof
against all the reverses of life, proof
against death itself.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-11-20
The Right to Sit.

There is no doubt whatever in any mind
but that of a railway director, of the pas
senger's equitable right to the usual sit
ting accommodation on train whereon
he has paid his fare. And at the rate at
which judicial decisions on the subject
are accommodating, there will soon be as
little doubt of his legal right. The ques-
ton lately came up in an Indiana court,
with the result of confirming former pre-
cedents. The passenger in this case, find
ing all the cars Of the train on which he
had embarked completely filled, refused
to give up his ticket unless he was pro-
vided with a seat. To this bold defiance
the conductor made the usual response by
stopping the train, and causing this Ohsti-
nate, recusant, and rash contemner of the
divine right of railway corporations to be
pitched out, with his baggage, upon de-
serted part of the road For this little in
diligence of arbitrary power on the part
OF It's agents, the railway company had
the pleasure of paying $4,000 in damages,
although it appears in evidence that 40
seat could have been furnished the pls in
tit, IN consequence Of the crowded conii-
ton of the cars. The court ruled that the
purchase of a ticket was in effect the pur-
chase Of seat, and that having taken the
passengers fare the company was bound
to provide him with the usual and proper
accommodation.
We wish that the determined stand of
this Indiana plaintiff had more imitators.
AS we have said, the principle on which
he won his case is generally conseded,
and is, indeed, founded on common sence
and common justice. as well as common
law. The passenger buys his ticket with
the understanding and expectation that
he is to have seat for his money, and the
company sells it knowing it to be taken
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-11-20

milk ran between the cracks of the shelf
and formed in puddles on the cement
floor, and the jar came down with force
enough to smash it into myriad OF
pieces, and fill the air with cherries and
splinters The Mortified wretch dropped
the axe, and stared at the wreck, and
rubbed his head, and feared he was going
to lose his reason. And just then Wick
ford's little boy, who lives next door, APP
peared at the window, in a blue suit with
bell buttons, and at once shouted: Ma,
ma. Mr.. O'Clarence is cutting wood on
Sunday" And would have probably
added other information, had not we'll
aimed potato caused him to retire with
great vehemence When Mrs, O'Clarence
came, which soon she did, she found her
husband spearing behind the pork and
charcoal barrels with broom, for c0t
And as soon as she could change her
dress she went down and helped him, but
the animal was not found, very much to
the amazement Of Mr. O'Clarence.-Don-
burn Ne1CS
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-11-20
Wrecked Men.

From reports of Rev Henry Ward
BceCher's new lecture we have the follow
ing: Now it is a well known fact that
from ninety to ninety-six per cent. of all
the men in the community who embark
IN business fail once in their lives. | do
not know that failure is the worst thing
that could betail a man, but | suppose
there are few occasions of suffering that
are equal to that of failure. | suppose if
we could look inside and see the suffering
of men, see the anxiety they experience
for their partner, tor their family, for all
those that must needs go with them-for
the fall OF a man in business is like the
fall of a tree in the forest-it carries all
its surroundings with it, all these cir
cumstanCe together make bankruptcy
often vortex of horrors, and there is
many and many a man whose reason
has been dethroned by it. A man who
can look all these circumstances in the
face and still stand unmoved, is a man of
uncommon nerve. The young man
can safely go down, because he is like
young tree, which can be transplanted
and taken up again easily, but it is
hard thing for an old man to fail 1t is
hard for man forty-five or fifty years Of
age to find all mis- possessions lost to him.
Let others rail at him as they please, for
myself | feel like taking my hat off and
respecting that man who has been an ear
nest and patient labOrer, but who has
been caught in one of those squalls of
commerce and has been overthrown. |
go by him as / would go by mourner at
funeral; feel rs if there were death in
his house. For such a man | would 90
backward and throw the mantle of char
Ity over nm and cover his nakcdnesS. |
have met many men who have been
wrecked, and among them some wrecked
clergymen, who pass from the pulpit to
the agency, and from the agency to some
still more humble methods ofTeking out
scantv subsistence. If such a clergyman
be weak, he IS forever speaking of what
he has been ana What he has done; if he
be brave and manly, he will be con-
tented and silent, and conform himself
10 his changed position, waiting for
the opening of that pearly gate
that shall bring him to his desired haven
My experience among wrecked men has
been that, though clergymen may not be
the most wise and the most thrifty, vet for
goodtellowship and for honesty of pur-
pose they stand at the head. | have seen
as much bravery in clergyman in disap-
polntment, IN failure, as have seen IN any
class, ana might say more, were | not my
self clergyman, l have seen the wreck
OF q man OF fashion, who is like the cast
off skin of d beetle; the shape is perfect
but the skin is all there is. Then there is
the wrecked politician. How unhappy it
IS for a man to have lived in such a fervor
and in such an exclusive interest in pub
lie affairs, that when by failure of health
or by other changes he is thrown out, he
has no other resources. To be in crowds
in his life; to be at the helm managing af
fairs is his art. Books and papers are
nothing to him who is burned out
with continuous excitement. He is
as chimney in a house where
men have forgotten to build fire.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-11-20
- = ----------
Our Young Folks.
THE IMPATIENT HEN

This is the tale Of queer old bor
That sat on eggs exactly ten
She made her nest witt pride md
And weather foul and weather ~ foi. care
1ou always found her at her nost
For patience was her eaily boast
a las! how oft it is gu" LOT
To brag Of what we haven't GOT,
This viii apply to hens and men
And boys and girls.
Days passed, and when
The sun began to warmer eroyy
The grass and leaves began 10 shov,
ihelr tWInkIlng green on hill and val.
" hen sweet and plcasan! was the oain
rms queer old hen began 20 lono 7''
10 JON once more the noisy throne
OF idle gossips-haf a score
mat strutted by the old barn door
" O, dearl o, dear! here am tied,
A weary lot Is mine" she sighed
NO gleam OF pleasure do | catch:
Why don't these tiresOme chickens ba,o4..
1t worries me i'll heart and legs
To sit 80 long upon these eggs.
I'm sick Of plning here at bone.
. chicks, chicks, chicks. why don't We co,,,o,
Your little houses, white and warm.
I've sheltered from the angry storm.
There's Mother Dominique. next door
her darlIngs number twcnty-f0nr.
ana they've been out week or more;
And now she wandcrs at her ease.
As proud and happy as you please
So stir your pinky, little pegs;
My yellow bills, come out and walk
Or else II doubt my eggs are eggs
And think they are but Jumps Of chalk >,
Then something rash and sad befeU.
This old hen Deckcd each brittle .bon
And not so wonderful 10 tell.
Her treatment, which was very rude.
Killed on the spot her tiny brood
And now desplsed by fowls and men.
She lives broken hearted hen.
This is the moral of my lay
10 reap success in work and play,
Why spoil whatever you've begun.
Through eagerness TO have il done?
Remember poor Dame Partlct's fate,
Don't be impatient learn TO wait.
-f0uth'S C0ntgan;1a
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-11-20
To EXtermInate Ants.

THE y. Y. World tells how hOusekeep-
ers can rid themselves Of red and black
ants. 1t says that one succeeded by fill
ing cups with water and placing them
under the sink and cupboard, removing
all crumbs and everything they could eat
from the shelves. They all left Another
| way is to wash the places they haunt
| with strong alum-water and leave it stand
ing in vessel Whereabouts. Another
mode is to place fresh meat bone where
the ants can get at it, and they will flock
to it in large numbers. When they are on
1t dip ii III hot water, repeat it a few times
and the ants will have disappeared.
Another remedy is to boil four ounces of
quassia in a gallon OF water for ten min
utes, and add four ounces Of soap. This
poured on their nest viii destroy them
This is intended to destroy nest of black
ants when it is found For red ants
another remedy that has proved success
full is: Take six or seven drops of oxalic
acid and mix it with a small teacuptul of
| melted lard, and set this preparation
wherever the ants are troublesome, and
they will disappear in a short space of
time. CarbOlic acid applied with sWab
of raw cotton on a thin stick to the edge
OF shelves and where they seem TO come
from, will cause them to disappear, but
before it is applied all butter and milk
should be removed from the vicinity, for
both will absorb the odor emitted there
from, which will give flavor thereto. But
ants will not haunt the vicinity Of carbolic
acid, whether they be black or red ants
Pulverized borax sprinkled about the
places infested by ants is said to extermi-
nate them. Another way adopted by some
housekeepers is to saturate sponge with
| water and sprinkle it with fine sugar. The
ants Will enter it, and may be immersed in
boiling water and thus destroyed. Wash
the place infested with cresylic soap or
spirits of turpentine, and it is said they
will avoid it,