Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-03-23
''ScirbbIings On the Rail"

! ant, OUT There are Gli1eS Wnen III Is !
luxury. When one contemplates the
crucifixion incident to forty-four
ride in one of the old Davis mud wag-
ons, to Now Lisbon, and the conse-
quent early rising and half-fnished
break fast, and all the little inconven-
fences to which one was subjected un-
der the old order of things, ride to
even a remote point from Grand Rap
ids upon the iron rail, becomes lux
ury.
We have been termed of late, a
"carpet Dagger" simply because we
carry leathern pouch for Uncle Sam,
and that is what allied US as we jumped
into Frank McCormick's buggy last
week Tuesday, and was whirled to the
Wis. Valley depot in a jiffy. A two
hours ride brought us into the
suburbs of Wausau where we begin to
feel acquainted. We found lively
delegation of Wausau people upon the
train returning, some of them from
Madison and the Mississippi, and 9th
ers from the deplorable and wicked
persecution of Mrs. Bardick at New
Lisbon. All seemed exceedingly hap
py at the result of examination which
has delivered an innocent woman from
the clutche. of most inhuman and
british official whose initials are CASH
and who lives where Davis mud wag-
ons are turning to DUST whittier he
cannot 90, because sodden corruption,
portable yet insupportable dont turn
that way. dust thou art, to dust
returneth'' was not written of-Cash.
His first name ought to have been Hard,
but we never look for oh ange In him.
1t is to be regretted that among SO
much pure gold as there is in New
Lisbon society. there should be found
so much counterfeit CASH. Now
we're for initiation. We know he ought
to be blown up-and we believe, fur
Their, that he is ir-redeemable A few
years, perhaps months, will see him in
the CASH box without talent to his
credit. Good bye CASH.
On Wednesday we slipped past
home to Tomah, thence to Sparta where
there is water cure or a Turkish bath.
The 'twater cure we judge has dis
gusted the Spartans. The legitimate
Spartan can hide VOLTS cub beneath
his apron-,all Spartans wear "aprons"
to allow the surplus water to run off
and suffer it to tear out his Spartan
bowels, but he don't want any Uater
an his "evermore The storm did
terrible work at Sparta. Highways
we're swept away, bridges demolished
and houses foated off by the current.
A photographer found his underpinning
being washed away, and before he
could get his camera to look the dis
aster square in the face, ''blast 'er old
picture" away she went, and the cold
home wasn't what it used to be. .
Water stood two feet deep upon the
floors of some of the places of bust
ness. The Artesian Wells became
disguised at the extent of the opposi-
ton, and refused longer to "fow gent
ly sweet Alton
When we left Tomah the snow had
commenced to pile in It's 'beaatiful'
stanzas, and all night, and all day and
all the succeeding night we took in the
drift of that ''beautifui' poem, till a
volume had issued sufficient to make a
flowing epic, if SO the glowing critic
of the heavens shall smile radiantly
upon 1t. On Thursday evening at II
clock, the snow plows doing heavy
breaking, we bid good bye to Sparti-
Gus. and in due time slipped into To-
mahtosauce, where we for forty hours
enjoyed Whittier's "Snow Bound in
its literal rendering. Uncle Dodge,
of the Dodge House, enjoys Whittier S
Snow Bound; he don't care a fg
whether it be Whittier or "any other
man." Well, the Dodge House IS a
good place to stop at. The host and
hostess always try to make things
agreeable for guests and then the
house is entirely free from those little
lodges so characteristic of public
houses. In our journey thither. we
fell in with Mr.. Coleman of Centralia,
who was in quest of stock for the
company's mill, the storm having cut