Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-12-16

the lace Oh the deep, Which the same is
what ails the inside Of the jug.
DANIEL PERKINS, of Pleasant Valley,
VI, recently had desperate fight with an
enormous black-snake. When within six
feet of each other the snake raised his
head about four feet from the ground and
jumped for the young mans throat. He
caught the snake by the neck in such
way as to guard himself from its fangs,
and by main force twisted its neck COM
pletely off. The snake measured nine
feet in length, and in the larger part of its
body had a circumference Of twelve
inches Perkins was so exhausted after
the battle that he could not drag his victim
home.
DIR. DERBY, an Oculist from. Boston, is
making experiments on the Amherst
freshmen's eyes, requiring them to read
across room lines of differentiated let
tiers, both with the naked eye and with
glasses Of various degrees Of magnifying
power. His object is to refute theory
Of the Germans that the continued appli-
cation to books necessary to a students
life produces near or short sightedness.
The experiment will be repeated when the
freshmen have become seniors, and, per
haps, annually, and cannot fail to be of
practical mportance.-Spring1feJd (lN0ss.)
Republican,.
"THE teller who can't read a mans
character by lookin' at his butes is no fell
Ter at all" soliloquized Big jim, as lie sat
on the Postoftice steps, yesterday. "When
you see man stubbin' around with dried
mud on his toes you kin set it down that
he hasn't any git up in him. If he lets
the mud come way up his heel you bet he
can't earn dollar a day, for he's slow.
If he's got dust on his butes, he's reckless
and won't lay up anything; but if his
butes catch the rays of the morning sun
and slinter 'em all to pieces in blaze of
glory, then he's bound to have a big house
on the avenue and hull potato bin full of
bonds-shine 'em u-pr'-Detr0at free
Press.
IT is said that the three finest ducks for
table use are the canvas back, the red
head and the butter ball, probably be-
cause they feed on wild celery, while
others generally feed on fish. The can
vas back is an innocent looking fowl, in
dustrious, and depends alone upon his
own labor for all the sweets Of life, and
would enjoy it hugely but for the intrud-
ers who haunt his presence, thus: The
canvas back dives under the water and
tolls about the bottom till he makes choice
Of a bunch Of celery, which he takes in
his bill an inch or two from the root and
hastens to the surface to enjoy the fruits
Of his labor, while the other two lay in
in watchful idleness ready for the
plumber. The ed-head, Selling the por-
ton of the celery close to the bill Of the
canvas back, makes away with it, while
the butter ball gobbles down the other
end, leaving nothing for the laborer eX-
cept that small portion which he held on
to like grim death. In this wise the poor
canvas back tolls all the day long, from
early dawn till dark. He could enjoy
part of the day in lest and perfect happi-
ness but for those who seek every oppor-
tunity to eat up his very life substance
Ph6ladelpb5G Times.
THE Denver Neocs has the following
concerning recent exploit Of that inter
esting insect, a tarantula: Though every
Puebloite is familiar with 'tarantula
juice the insect itself has rarely been
seen there, except as bottled curiosity.
Mrs MacIvor, however, of that place, was
bitten by one the other day, and at last
accounts was threatened with a real case
of tarantism, which is commonly regarded
as a fabulous disease. The lady lives
with her husband and children in an old
adobe house, an order of architecture
which is gradually giving place to brick
and stone in Pueblo. Mrs MacIvor, in
putting on an undergarment which had
been hanging on a nail, scared big
tarantula out of its folds, which tumbled
into her bosom, where it buried its ven
omous fangS in her flesh. The breast be-
gan swelling almost Immediately, and,
with distressing pains throughout the
body, the unfortunate woman soon became
delirious. A physician administered large
quantities of whisky, which failed Of in
toxicating effect. Other remedies, how
ever, proved more effective, and the
patient is now likely to recover. The
Mexicans have superstition that the only
antidote for the bite of the tarantula is
constant dancing or appropriate music
played increasingly until the patient re-
covers"
A Warming to Reckless Advisers.