davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-10-11

The Society of Decorative Art in New
York is beginning to do good work. Its
objects is to afford a market-place or
salesroom for work of an artistic nature,
such as painting, sculpture, decorative
needlework. etc, of high order OF
merit. There is nothing of charitable
nature about the society, although its
object is a benevolent one. Inartistic
work will not be accepted because the
artist is poor; for it is intended that the
goods shall sell entirely upon their mer-
its, and people who buy at these sales
rooms may be certain Of getting their
moneys worth. Every article offered
is passed upon by secret committee
this secresy is to avoid jealousies and
preiudicesl, and marked with a ticket
of approval, bearing the seal Of the So
ciety. Contributions are solicited from
all over the country, and none need feel
any delicacy about offering articles for
sale, as their names will not be known
at all, and they will be designated by a
number The salesrOOms of the society
are to be fitted up something like draw
ing-rooms, and hung with pictures and
decorations. A number of persons have
loaned handsome bits of furniture, such
as old cabinets and antique chairs, and
the rooms will look very attractive when
complete. They will not be opened to
the public before the 1st of October.
The ladies interested in this society are
the best known and most highly respect
ed in the city.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-10-11
The SshtabuIa Victims.

The Chicago Times says The Lake
Shore and Michigan Southern has IN
Identified the relatives and heirs of
sixty-five out of the eighty-one persons
who lost their lives in the bridge acct
dent at Ashtabula. The balance of the
claims are in a fair way of speedy set
Element. The largest amount paid to
any one party was $4,000. Mr.. and
Mrs. Rogers, a newly married couple,
on their wedding tour, were killed and
their bodies burned beyond recogni-
ton; yet their lives have been settled
for at the comparatively small figures
Of $4,000. The claims against the
company have generally fallen under
5000"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-10-11
A PICTURE.

With lovely eyes uplifted,
And meekly folded hands.
With sunbeams softly forming
A crown above the strands
Of her loosened golden iresses
That foated fair and free,
She seemed an angel sprit,
That softly prayed for me.
Her robe of snowy whiteness
seemed the garment of the blest,
and watched the kneeling figure
With an anxious strange unrest.
She looked so pure so SANITY
So far above earth's woe
Perhaps her God might call her:
Could | live if she should go:
] threw an arm around her
And Rne.t beside her there,
While our voices softly mingled.
Rose in supplicating PRAYER
Her tender breathing presence
Thrilled my heart to warmer love
While her spirit, pure and heavenly,
Knit my soul to things above.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-10-11

A SUBSCRIPTION has been opened in
New Orleans for the benefit of the part
ly paralyzed and wholly destitute widow
of Captain John Wilson, of the brig
Maria Scheefer, who rescued in mid
ocean 600 persons from the sinking
steamer Connaught. Where are the
grateful 6009
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-10-11
ALL babies born in the Oneida Com

ALL babies born in the Oneida Com
munity are at once taken from their
mothers and given to some other wo-
man to nurse, and the babies are
changed around SO that no mother ever
rears, or even knows, her own child.
The object is to destroy all family feel
ing, and to keep a woman from loving
her own child better than anybody 5
else children. 1t is horrible-wickeder
even. than the free-love business.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-10-11
so, Father, Steer Your Bark This
WaVc

This poem was suggested to the
writer by friend who related the fol
lowing story. A gentleman who owned
a yacht went on a pleasure trip outside
the Bay, leaving his son on shore with
one of his friends VINO was prevented
from going with them by sickness
When some distance from land, they
were enveloped by a fog, that placed
their lives at peril. The son, anxious
for their safety, walked along the shore
shouting, steer this way, father, am
waiting here for YOU" and guided by
his voice the father safely reached the
shore Soon after this his son was
taken sick and died; the father was sub
sequently converted, lived a godly life,
and died a Christian DEATH Ever after
his sons death, he said the echo of his
voice seemed to reach him from the
other world, where his dear boy awaited
him:
o. father, steer your bark this way.
I'm waiting here for thee"
as shouted by the boy on shore,
And waited er the sea;
plainly he I'd his darling voice,
Above the breakers roar;
1t safely guided me to port,
To friends and home once more.
CHORUS.
Now, sailor, steer your bark this way.
While Jesus waits for thee
Oh! tarry not, but hear his voice,
Ere it too late shall be.
30. father, steer your bark this way,
I'm waiting here for thee
These parting words to me were breathed.
Ere death had set him free.
But over there he's standing now
Among that angel band
And watching for his fathers bark,
Upon that shore to land. [Chorus.
% father. steer your bark this way,
I'm waiting here for thee"
Is echoed still across the gulf
Between my boy and me:
But Sweeter strains waited now
Than in the days of yore.
For jesus voice is guiding
Toward that happy shore. tChorus.
), father, steer your bark this way,
I'm waiting here for thee :;
Has doubtless saved his fathers life
For all eternity.
As Jesus, through this Christian boy.
His fathers life did save.
So every one that hears His voice
Nav live beyond the grave horus.
&C p. FIELD, an Church Union
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-10-11
THE NORTHWESTERN
MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMFY
AND
OFFICIAL EXAMINATION.
MILwAUkEE. September /. IS1;

MILwAUKEE, September l, 1877
Hon Ill. /. PALMER, President.
SIR:-In the long and disastrous de-
preston of commercial and industrial
interests, with its inevitable entailment
OF financial embarrassment and loss, and
Its widespread depreciation of equity
and cash values so seriously affecting
every section of the country, it was not
TO be expected that the business of life
insurance would escape the trying or
deal.
The Very magnitude of Its interests,
the varied character of its trusts. and
their vital relation to the peace and
prosperity OF millions of people, to say
nothing of the many unfortunate
breaches of good faith and integrity in
their observance, have necessarily in
VOWED Its management III more or less
of public criticism and distrust. But.
fortunately, the latter contingency has
prompted greater vigilance and more
economic methods of administration
while the standards of solvencv and
safety have been subjected to censor
ship IN all respects more thorough. eX-
acting and circumstantial. Irrespective
of existing financial emergencies, how,
ever, the sitting processes of this regime
are as justly and properly applicable to
the strong and solvent, as to the weak
and worthless And besides, most OF
the life insurance companies through
out the country have been already
brought to its tests, and within a few
months at farthest the remainder will
have passed examination. Hence, the
official examination of the Northwest
ern Mutual Life Insurance Comp any,
initiated by the Insurance Department
of Maryland, and participated in, on
invitation Of the managers of the com
pany, by those of Wisconsin, Massachu-
sets, Illinois and New York, may be as
welcome and reassuring to its members
and policy holders, as it is satisfactory
to those Immediately engaged in elimi-
mating the results communicated in
| this report.
| The character and extent of the compa.
ny's large volume of business, the nature
and condition of its investments and
other important trusts, involving direct
| fiscal relations with the people of more
! than half the states of the Union, the
! IlOldUlt ldCl lIltG IVS dlIdiIS IlttN litN u
till now been officially investigated by
any insurance department or state
authority, together with the unsettled
condition of life insurance and the pre-
/ vailing distrust in its security as great
public resource and benefaction, were
among the very potent reasons for this
| examination. To its managers, who
have sought and desired the mostsearch
ing investigation, many thanks are due
for the promptness and courtesy with
which they have contributed every need
ed facility for its successful accomplish
ment.
The assets admitted and the liabilitie.
computed by us, the latter including the
company's premium reserve, have beer
made up to July LIST of the present year
and will be found in sufficient detail IL
the following statement:
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-12-06
SCIENCE
APRlCELESS TREASURE

In the second week Of May, 1877,
there was found in the Olympia
temple Of Zeus, not far from the
portrait statue of q Roman lady.
colossal marble statue ola nude youth.
The lower portion Of the legs and the
right forearm are wanting. With the
left elbow he leaned upon the stem OF
a tree, supporting upon his arm
little boy. OF the latter figure, unfor-
tunately, only the lower part remains,
and the tiny hand that he had laid
confidingly on the shoulder of his
bearer. Over the tree-stem on which
the arm that supports the boy is
rested, falls the drapery Of rich.
deeply-cut and wonderfully-worked
folds, affording to the arm 4 soft
resting place, and gracefully hiding
the support of the tree-stem,
which in his position was
technically necessary. The body OF
the youth rests with an easy negli-
gence on the left leg. SO that the soft
flesh of the right hip shows, in
manifold displacemcnts, the play of
the muscles of the blooming youthful
form. The head is marked by the
finest. most spiritulized youthful
beauty, and somewhat resembles the
heads we see on the Vatican Melcager
or the Hermes Of the Belviders.
The, body. too, resembles those
figures, only it is slenderer. softer,
more vivacious. At the first glance
we are struck by the careless eXecu-
ton Of the hair, which, in the parts
| that were usually unseen by the
spectators, is only slightly indicated.
The back Of the statue is also less
thoroughly wrought. Now Pausanias
reports that among the gifts Of recent
date was marble Hermes carrying
the boy Dionysus, and that it was q
work of Praxiteles. The savants who
have charge Of the excavations have,
therefore, and there is no doubt
correctly, inferred that our statue is
really the Hermes of PraxiteleS, and
that we now. for the first time, behold
an original work of that great artist
a work that is equal to the greatest
treasures we possess of ancient art
and which must ever remain a corner
stone of our knowledge of the history
Of Greek sculpture.-London .1fhsn
| <pyln
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-12-06
LITERARY.
TAKING HER DOWN.

Two girls. both young. AMI one very
beautiful, sat conversing IN COM
Portable sitting-room i'll mansion at
the West End. The handsomer OF the
two, Maude Pierson, wore tray Yelling
dress of brown merino, and was EVIL
IDENTIFY resting after Il journey.
In spite of a certain languor born OF
fatigue, and her unbecomins dress.
the girl was undeniably a beauty. of
a gorgeous brunette type. Her COM
paniou. passing pretty. was OF the
same dark tint. but smaller in figure.
and far from possessing Maude 5 great
beauty.
Tell me about everybody. Maude
said. II am fairly hungry for gossip
after negotiating nearly two years IN
that abominable place with my aunt.
She has left me IN ample fortune,
however. so the time WAS not altogeth-
az thrown away.
"Dead," cried her companion.
You are not in mourning. and-why,
Maude. YOU said you were going to
Lady Ralston's this evening.
so am. Aunt Maria has been
dead six months. and requested me
not to wear black and to return IN
November But. Cora. tell me the
news. Who has been the belle OF our
set since | left.
You conceited girl" laughed her
friend.
Bah! What is the use OF dupllclty
For. between ourselves, | should be
an idiot if l did not know l was hand
some. How is Lord Frederick Sey'
mour!'
lone question at time. though
can answer these two together. The
belle has been the object of Lord
Frederick seymour special devotion
since she made her debut last month
Mrs. Hursey introduced her. She is
\ niece, | believe. of old Mrs. Morti
mer. who died three years ago and
left her all her money.
''But who she!
.Hername is Worthington-Esthel
orthingtOn.
Esther Worthington crief
Maude, sharply. What is she like!'
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-12-06

rectlOn, examining every Granny and
fallen leaf. At intervals larger pnd
tighter colOred individuals would
often stop and run a lite backward,
apparently giving orders. On the
TANKS and in advance Of the main
body, smaller columns would push
out. which pursued the cackroaches,
grasshoppers, and spiders in the
neighborhood. A grasshopper seek
ing to escape would often leap into the
midst of the ants. After a few inef-
fectual jumps, with ants clinging to
it's body. it would soon be torn to
pieces. Spiders and bugs which
climbed to the tops Of trees were fol-
lowed and shared Il like fate. In Mica
ragua the vegetarian ants eat up trees
and carry off the leaves, to use as
manure, in which grows minute
species of fungus, on which they feed
They evince mutual sympathy and
helpfulness, which to an equal extent
can be traced in man alone. Mr.. Belt
placed little stone on one to secure
it. The next ant that approached ran
back in an agitated manner and COM
municated the intelligence to the 9TH
ers. They rushed to the rescue: some
bit at the stone, and tried to move it,
others seized the prisoners by the legs
and pulled. They persevered until
they got the captive free.
In Australia they have been known
| to bury their dead with some degree
Of formality. The Texan ant removes
any offensive matter placed near it's
city and carries it away. Ants who
refuse to work are put to death.
Prisoners are brought in by fellow
citizen. handed over in very rough
manner to the guards. who carry off
the offender into the underground pas
sages.
The s!ave-making propensities and
eral species, but not to the same de-
gree. The poiytrgus rufeseens is abso-
lutely dependents on it's slave, andwould
rather die than work. Formica san
guinea. on the other hand, has much
fever slaves, being itself capable of
working us well as fighting. No less
variation may be straced in the habits
Of the cattle.keeping ants. Of the
honey -secretinglaphides and cocci that
serve them us milch kline, some have
large herds, whilst others have none
at all, and if they encounter an ayhis
straightway kill and eat it. These
uphides are extremely destructive to
fruits and fruit trees, as they
live by sucking the sap The ants
watch them with wonderful care, and
defend them from all enemies.
Instances of sacacity and design
might be easily multiplied. Careful
observation has shown that the ants
!, are evolving as fast as their short
terms fife will permit them. They
are becoming more wise and more civ
ilized yearly. Each century masks an
advance. Who knows but that per-
haps in the dim future they may assert
rights which human beings shall be
bound to respect!
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-12-06

a film. Invisible to the general eye)
between the skin and the flames, pro-
tecting it from fire, and that any
sudden noise or movement would
dispel the film and cause the skin to be
burned. DR.. Moore had seen men
swallow melted lead, was skeptical on
these materialistic phenomena. and
finally averred that he didn't believe
any disembodied spirits were instru-
mental in the case. DR.. Thayer said
that the scars on the arm looked like
the effects of burning; and he had
heard that at similar test by Mrs.
Suydam a year ago similar sears were
accounted for as caused by burning on
an occasion when conditions were vio-
lated at the test.
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-12-06
W1T AND HUMoR.
Music of the future bars.

Music of the future-Silyer bars.
The Rome IN. W Sentinel defines
money as the missing link between
man and his tailor.
"AlcohOl will clean silver. Yes,
alcohol well stuck to will clean out
all the silver you have.
A Mr.. Balloon recently killed bear
in the streets of Arcadia. Ark. He
did it with parachutting irons.
Burglars now force fine powder into
safes with air-pulnps. No lock will
be perfectly secure until man can
put the keyhole in his pocket.
Are these soaps all one scent!'
inquired a lady Ola juvenile salesman.
mo, ma am; they are all 10 cents,
replied the innocent yOungster.
Royal Europeans apparently get
into their boots wrong end first. A
sign in Belgian town reads: .Isidore
Tanner. Bootmaker for Crowned
Heads
"What is the age Of your little boy!
inquired a venerable gentleman Of the
mother of an impertinent youngster.
"The sauce age, of COURSE" replied
the mother. The sage saw it.
s.This country is settling rapidly
an Oregon man wrote to his friends
in Iowa, the day after a landslide car
ried away $50 acres Of his farm and
dumped it into valley below.
An indianapolis lawyer had the top
Of his ear chawed off in fight about
three weeks ago, and it didn't begin
to hurt him until the day before yes
terday. Pain hadn't got down to h i'm
until then.
1t is said that in the tramp-Free-
masonry double cross on the gate
post signifies that the people OF the
house use griddle on which but two
buckwheat-cakes at time are baked.
OF course, no respectable tramp likes
to wait long for his meals.
Cincinnati business man was
chiding one Of his travelling agents OH
account of his dissipated habits.
"You could get along with one-half Of
what YOU drink" said the merchant.
Il know it," said the man, "but
who n the old (hic) Harry's going to
drink the other half!'
Conversation overheard by our re.
porter at the Lowell Institute last
evening: "Who is this man Curly
that he's talking about - "Who
why the greatest name in all German
literature. Shut up and don't expose
your ignor ance." Il never heard OF
no such IN an as Curly before; how
did he spell his name any howr
.G-o-e-t-h-e. '.Oh, I know now OF
course He means sGo-eth.'
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-12-06
A SPIRITUAL SALUMANDER.

Last Sunday night Mrs. Suydam, a
s.medium, whose particular feat is
to hold her arm over the light of a
lamp for an indefinite period without
being burned, gave Il ''fire-test' in
Eagle Hall. The exhibition was not
altogether satisfactory, several declar
ing that the woman had used chemi-
Gals to guard against burning. Con-
sequently another test was arranged
to take place at the same hall this
evening. Mr.. +. II. Butler, skep-
tic, to superintend the experiment,
and use such chemicals as he might
choose, to prevent any ''snide' game
in preparing for the exhibit. Quite
number of gentlemen, disbelievers
in the spiritualistic ideas. were en-
gagged as a committee ofinvestigatiOn.
The medium declared that ''although
there were persons present who dldn
believe anything. there are others who
| believe that there are certain condi-
tions for what they are going to do. :
These conditions she stated to be per-
| feet stiffness in the room: and the
| avoidance of all movements during
| the test. Mr.. Butler brought forward
a kerosene lamp. which he had prOvid-
ed for the occasion. and he knew to be
sufficiently hot. 4 bowl of water was
then brought into the room. The
medium then subjected her arms to a
rubbing of preparation of pure alco-
hol and ether, designed by Mr.. Butler
| to remove any chemical that might
| have been used. In his subsequent
examination of the woman S arm DR..
Thayer noted nothing extraordinary
except certain scars, which were eX-
planned rs the result of poisoning at
Mount Pleasant camp meeting 9
fortnight ago. The skin and flesh
were pronounced to be in a normal
state.
Then the lamp, fully turned up, was
placed upon the table. Mrs. Suydam
shutting her eyes and swaying to an(
fro. thereupon went into a trance
She grasped the nearly red-hot chin
ney of the lamp in her hands. repeat
ing words in sOme unknown tongue OF
"gibberish and pressed it to her face
and lips. Putting it down. she hell
her hands and arms in the flames o.
the lamp for several minutes-lOnl
enough for the skin to become black
ened by the carbon smoke. She alst
inhaled the flames. keeping up contin
ually the 'flood of strange words ant
, occasionally cooling or murmurins
sounds. 1t was not very pleasan
thing to see or hear. and everybOd,
was relieved when Mrs. Suydam CAM
out of her trance, and sat down annie
round of applause. Then DR. Thay
, er examined her arms. and found tina
there had been no burning, the littl
, hairs on the arm remaining the sam
as before.
, There was call for some scientifi
explanation. Mr.. Butler thought tina
POSSIBLY the carbon smoke might pro
tect the hand. and after little test o.
his own account with the lamp, de
} clared that he thought in week
! time he could undergo like experl
T ment. He found, however, that tn
little hairs on his hand were burned
Then there was profound dlscusslo
on the causes which produced the In
: munity from burning. The spiritual
T lists theory is that the spirits produc
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-12-06

The red sun gathers up his beams
70 bid the witlered earth farwell.
And voices from thcswclling streams
Are ringing with the evening bell:
The cold lake throbs with restless gref
" here late the water lilies grew,
While autumn fowl, and autumn Leaf.
Are sailing down the river blue.
Forsaken are the Woodland shrines,
The birds 70 warmer lands have tied.
And winds are wailing through the pilIf~
A dirgc for summers glorious dead:
Fen man torsakes his daily strife,
And muses. on the radiance flown,
A il in natures changing lite
lie saw the picture OF his own.
| often think, at this dim hour,
As evening weeps her earliest tear,
And sunset gilds the naked bower,
And waves are breaking cold and clear,
OF that glad time, whose memory dwelIs
Like starlight DER lfe's hazy tide,
When side by side we roam the dell
OF dear New England's ocean side
Twas on old Plymouth's stored shore,
One calm November ight with thee.
I watched the long light trembling o or
The pillows of the eastern sea;
The weary day had sunk to rest
I,evond the lines Of leaiess wood,
And guardian clouds from south to west
Arraved in bues OF crimson stood.
We climbed the hills OF noble graves,
Where the stern patriarchs Of the land
Seemed listening to the same grand waves
That freed them from the oppressor S hand
We talked of spirits pure and kind,
With gentle forms and loving eyes,
OF happy homes we lett behind,
liz wales beneath the western skies.
A few brief days-and WI hen the EARTH
Grew white around the travellers feet
And bright fires blazed on every hearth,
We parted never more to meet
Until 90 W here thou art gone,
From this dark world OF death and blight
And walk with thee above the sun
That sank upon thy grave tonight.
hear the untitled tramp OF wears
Come stealing up the slope OF Time;
They bear Il train of smiles and tears,
OF burning hopes and dreams sublime;
Bat future years may never fling
A treasure from their passing hours,
Like those that come on sleeping wing
From mcmory's golden plain OF flowers.
The morning breeze OF long ago
Sweeps DER my brain with soft control
Tanning the en,bers to a ( ow
Amid the ashes round my soul;
And by the dim and tiickcring light
see the beauteous form appear,
Like one returned from wandcrins> br1Sh
To bless my lonely moments here.