davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-11-01

, ear the women OF the Alpaca farm
card and spin the wool, and weave it
into blankets and ponchos, or cloaks,
which latter are simply blankets with u
hole in the middle for the head to pass
Though. These pOnchOs are sometimes
ornamented with grotesque but effective
patterns in dyed wool. They are sold.
like the wool, to traders who carry
them to the coast.
The region of the Alpaca farmers is
the most dreary and inhospitable on
the continent The nights at these high
levels are always bitter cold, and the
air is so thin that bullocks brought up
to the plateaus soon die, apparently of
consumption. The land produces only
potatoes, tiny, hard as bullets, and bit
ter rs quinine. These can only be eat
en- after the bitterness has been roasted
out Of them. The houses are built as
regular fortresses against the weather.
They only have q couple Of small Iooy-
holes for ventilation. and the stencil at
night. when the doors are closed, and
the oily reek of the wool overhead per-
Yades and mingles with that of I'M
washed humanity, is simply abomina-
bic. The Alpaca farmer IS creature
Of the earth, ignorant and superstitiouS,
but he is mild-natured fellow, and is
nOminally Christian. His life is a
miserable one, but he alone is fitted to
live it. 1T is as impossible for u deni-
zen Of the coast country or a European
to exist among the mountains, as it has
been found 10 acclimatize the Alpaca in
civilized countries. In my ride across
from Lima into Bolivia, | suffered al
most rs great Inconvenience and mis-
cries in breathing and in rushes of
blood to my head. rs / experienced q
wear PC" j" d,>t. III ~ - ~" CON-
pressed air inside the lock of the Hud-
son river tunnel.
About the only thing that will stir an
Alpaca farmer up to rage is the wanton
killing Of one of his sheep. Travellers
sometimes make free with their revOl-
vers among the Hooks, and several muir
ders have occurred in consequence. In
every case the murderer was an Alpaca
farmer, who thus avenged himself for
the injury done his property.
Unlike the Llama, the Alpaca cannot
be used as bearer of burdens. 1t
makes its only concession to man wheN
it permits him to deprive It of its fleece,
The Llama produces q fleece also, but
it Is cOarSer and less beautiful than the
Alpaca's, besides being different in tex
turc. OF late years Alpaca wool has
been considerably adulterated with
that Of the Llama, but this is the work
of the traders. The sharp practices o.
our acute modern business systems have
not yet infected the simple denizen of
the mountains. AS civilization is rap
idly invading even the Andes, it will
not be safe TO calculate too far on the
Alpaca farmer remaining innocent of
the tricks OF trade. ALFRED Irun36uX
IN the AnerjcQa Agricultu2iSt
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-11-01
The Place for Tired Mothers.

The manner of life of the country
people of Japan is exceedingly simple.
Certainly clothing does not cost them
much. Scores of children are playing
in the street who, as far as clothes are
concerned, have not made particle of
progress since their birthday. But the
youngsters are happy and cool. They
might be cooler if some of the dirt were
soaked off them.
Would you like to live there, tired
mother, who, after your boys are put
to bed, are sitting in the lamp light
mending for the dozenth time the worn
out trousers of your young hopeful? No
mending, no darning, no arguing as to
whether the children can wear such old
clothes to Sunday school.-Boston Tran
script.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-11-01
rnrS ard nnads.

There Is story OF a Yiyacious French
man, who, being twitted by an English
man on the traditional frOg-eating pro-
penSities of the Gallo race, cOntrived
somewhat to turn the tables on his
interlocutor by reminding him that at
certain periods of the year large guam
titles OF toads were imported into
England from France, and that for
aught he knew those ''intcresting rep
tiles" might be used for gastronomic
purposes. Nor did he fail to point out
that illusions to ''toad-eatingn and
''tOad-eaters" were frequent in English
literature. There is, it is true, q
''Marche aux Crayauds' held annually
in Paris, and it is understood that the
toads sold there are brought to Eng
land, not to be eaten, but to do good
service by the destruction of worms in
gardens. Our neighbors are, on the
other hand, systematic devourers of
frogs, which are a regular article of
commerce in the Halles Centrales; but
these more frequently make their ap-
pearance at private tables than in the
cartes of the restaurants At the last
named establishments a dish of frogs
VIII NC ouppIIeu II specially OfdereQi
but, as only the hind legs of the nimble
creatures are eaten, 'fricasse de
geenouilles" is very expensive plat. "
Why English epicures should decline to
eat frogs is as much mystery as why
they refuse to eat conger eel unless, as
Sir Henry Thompson has recently
pointed out, the succulent and nourish-
ing conger appears in the guise of
real turtle soup. But aversion from
frog-eating has ceased, it would seem,
to extend to the whole of Anglo-SaxOn-
dom. America has begun to regale
largely in frogs, which are now served
regularly at all first-class hotels and
restaurants.-L0nd0n Telegraph.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-11-01
Brain Work and Fo1d.

The notion that those who talk only
with their brain need less food than
those who labor with their hands has
long been proved to be fallacious. Saws
the Boston Journal Of Chemistry: Men
tai labor causes greater waste of tissue
than muscular. According to careful
estimates, three hours of hard study
wear out the body more than a whole
day of hard physical exertion. with
out phosphorus, no thought, is Ger
man saying; and the consumption of
this essential ingredient of the brain
increases in proportion to the amount
of labor which this organ is required to
perform. The wear and tear of the
brain are easily measured by careful
examination of the salts in the liquid
eXcretions. The importance of the
brain as q working organ is shown by
the amount of blood it receives, which
is proportionately greater than that of
any other part OF the body. One-fifth
of the blood goes to the brain, though
the Average weight is only one-fortieth
of that OF the body. This fact alone
would be sufficient to prove that brain
workers require more food, and even
better food, than even mechanics or
farm labOrers.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-11-01
That Cheap Civility, Handshakiag.


Who shall arise to call the inventor
of Misunderstanding blessed. or to extenu-
ate, much less to defend the paltrv
weakness of the multitudes held in
bondage by the Servie habit? Hand
shaking has nothing whatever TO rec
Ommend It. 1t is not even a redeem
ing vice. 1t does no sort of good. 1t
certainly amuSes no one unless it be the
so-called ''heathen' in our midst, who
must indulge in many I secret cachin-
nation at the sight of sensible people
making such fools of themselves; and
it Us certainly rests neither mind nor
body. In fact. it irritates the one
while it eXhausts the other. 1t is the
cheapest kind of cheap civility that
makes pretense of being good fellow
ship. And, when we come to place it,
1t is inciyility after all, not to say Il
positive rudeness and betjSe 1t Ger
tainly does not tend to increase soci-
ability. The long-suffering mortal,
whose t1eXors and extensors ache with
the pain of continuous pumping, can
have little love for his feilow-men in
MS bosom. Such worse than useless
torture is enough to sour the milk of
human kindness at its very fount The
best proof that no real heart is in the
custom, is furnished by the fact that
prize-hghterS shake hands before at
tempting murder, and dueiists after
having failed to achieve it, and the
hangman and his victim 90 through the
same nauseating ceremony before the
black cap ends the disgusting spectacle.
-BOStO72 Courier.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-11-01

life. To learn to talk is one of the
earliest efforts and necessities of the
child Nature so befriends him that
his progress, even without a book or
teacher, IS marvellous. Though at two
years Of age he can speak but few
words, at six years he has better COM
mand of his yernacular in conversa-
ton than student of Latin ordinarily
acquires after ten years study of that
language. This law of memory shows
that language, especially in the form of
reading, spelling, talking and writing
should be the most prominent exercise
of young children. The early mastery
of ones native tongue facilitates all
other attainment, while poverty OF
language is y hindrance and discour-
agement. Just here the highest tact
and didactic skill are needed. b.
q. NOrthrop IN Journal Of Education.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-11-01
a Sign Of CONSUMPTION,

Little Mary, who is very much inter
ested in studying 1.-THE laws of health, .
since school began, had been asking
Mr.. Rather all sorts of questions about
diseases and their remedies. Nov,
papa" she continued. '.if you neglect
a bad cold you lay foundation for the
consumption, don't you?" Yes. an
swtred her father. land consumptives
are thin and pale, ar n they?" Yes. -
''What other signs are there in. well,
in quick consumption, papa?" quocied
the child Five minutes for refresh
ments, posted in railroad stations" re-
sponded r. The examination closed
Boston Courier
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-11-01
To a Slipper.

To this complexion has your faded satin
With much i.i-usage come at last and so
You stand in naughty silence on my mantle,
high-heeled upper with apointed toe.
Does there still lin9er in your dainty creaSes
Some faint, dim 1utterlngS of soft regret
For gay young hearts that once beat time so
wildly,
Watching you tripping through the minuet?
What OF sweet faces brave in rouge and patches
And powdered heads and men in smals ar
rayed.
Half mad with admiration at your gancing
From quilting petticoat and stiff brocade?
What Of soft eyes, round arms, and burning
bushes?
What Of the gallant Tory in nankeen,
Who made such fine remarks that evening
walking
Along the Battery to Bowling Green?
what OF he catches trOlIed, the treasOnous
ballads,
The brilliant wit about the steaming bowl
~ Christmas punch? All! surely such bright
memories
Must still be stored in your leathcrn sole
anu tell me, was not that the e addest scene,
and mcricst,
~ all the many scenes you moved among
The day that Dolly Henderson was married in
you.
When slipper only he'd its satin tongue?
The Manhattan Magazine.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-11-01

This place is full of Usage orange
hedges. They surround most of the
peach orchards-probably to keep peo-
pie out. Did you ever try to get over
an Usage orange-hedge?" an old man
asked me this morning. No." 1 re-
piled; Ibid you?" Yes he said sad
ly; Il tried once-a long time ago
Ibid, eh?' Yes" .'How long did
it take you to get over it?" ] asked
chow long did it take me to get over
it?" said he sadly. ''Row long did it
take me to get over it?'' And the old
man looked over the landscape, and
scratched himself, and continued; ''How
long did it take me to get over it? Why
| don't think am quite over it yet. "
De5GlUGre Correspondent in Fuc6.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-11-01

A certain Judge Of Avignon, famous
for his love of good living, said to
friend one day, I'VE have just been
dining on superb turkey! It was ex-
cellent, stuffed with truf1ies to the very
throat-tender, delicate. filled with per
fume. We left nothing but the bonesl3'
How many were there OF you?" asked
the friend. ''Ttoo!r' replied the Judge.
Two" echoed the other in astonish-
ment. Yes, twor' repeated the Judge,
'the turkey and myseI"'
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-11-01

All readers of Mark Twain Tramp
Abroad y viii remember his clever bur-
lesque on the involved and complicated
construction OF the German sentence in
the appendix to that volume. They
will also be amused to hear that Herr
Llndau, the editor of German literary
journal, now in this country with the
Willard party, SAYS that Mark ridicule
is keenly relished in Germany, and is
actually working change in the direc-
ton OF simplifying their fearful SEN
fences.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-11-01

1t was 4 colored preacher who said to
his flock: I'VE has q collection to
make dis mo'ning, and TO de sake of
yo' reputation, which ever of you stole
Mr.. Jones turkeys don't put anything
on de plate" One who was there says,
Every blessed niggab in de church
came down with de rocks"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-11-01

When a hen retires for the night, it
is quite proper to speak of her as a
rooster.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-02-01
Astonishing the Dogs.
n. 0. Tlmes.D .Democrat


at the Brush electric litht station
a the corner OF Notre Dame and
Front tstreets, there is a dog tran which
is somewhat remarkable, and ihe
effect produced on prowlnQ CANNES
very peculiar. A space 10 the floor is
daiapened, and one wire. from an
electric llght cQDaected with the wet
spot, in tho senter OF wAion is a pieee
OF meat with the other wire attached
to 1t. A dog entering the establish
ment is naturally attracted by the
piece OF meat, and approaches ii hav-
log to stand on the moist space. The
moment he touches ,he mtat the
circuit is made and the intruder IL
thrown some distance by the shock
The other night an Irish bull doc
made four attacks on the meat bue
had after a severe shaking, to relin-
qulsh his grip on the toothsome bait
Ihestroke passing over the small wires
used is not sufficient to Kill, vet il IL
severe enough 10 impress the dogs with
Its force, aud they rarely return.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-02-01
Manufacturing Nle,ls,ics.

There are 3S2 establishments max
ing silk in this country. These EN-.
ploy $l9 ,l9AS00 OF capital. 81 $40
hapds, 1900 are children, to whom is
paid S9,l467Ol, aud which send out
products valued at al, ,O33, ,O45. These
hSuFes will be a surprise to many
who believe silks to be almost entirely
imported.
There is but one firm mauuiactur-
ing the postal cards we us: II has a
capital of $4,000, employs twenty.
eight hands, uses material to the value
OF 100000, and produces cards TO the
value of Sl90,0OG
There are 1908 cotton mills in tae
country, having an aggregate cAbital
invested amounting to $2l9,obl 79I.
employing l85,462 hands, 60 whom is
paid Sl5,0l4,4l9 in wageA aud which
use materials valued at sll3, ,765 537.
and turn out lvOduets valued at $2lO,-
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-02-01

the sehoolroom, and his ZINE and en-.
ergy have been given 10 educational
matters. he has not been an Office
seeker, yet his people have honored
him to more than one position of trust
and honor. In 1875 he filed with
distinction a position second only in
political hoaors to that Of Governor
Speaker Of the Senate. During the
contest for U. S. Senator at that time
bis vote was recorded 48 or so times
for General Bate. We recognize no
higher virtue in humanity than graft
tude and fidelity to friends. As long
as his selection hung fire in the Gov
ernor's sanctum-and if he had to
divide his salary with another appli
cant before his name was finally
slated-we congratulate the people
and especially the teachers Of Ten
nessee in the appointment of Thos H.
Paine. Every person who may feel
interested in the cause of education
may rest assured that he is the right
man in the rig place.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-02-01

New YoRK, February l.-Stock
market opened sai per cent lower,
the latter in Omaha preferred. Atll
o'clock further decline of tall per
cent, took place, Vanderbilt's Denver
and Northwestern being most conspic
uous.
Wheat tag better firm and quiet.
Money, 4 per cent; prime mer
camille paper, 5ia6 per cent; bar sill
yer, llOg. Exchange is steady at
s2l for long, and SO for sight. Gov
ernments irregular. States dull and
without feature. Railroads dull but
firm.
Stocks-Aiter II o'clock the mar.
ket became dull aud leaturelesS except
Norfolk and Western which dropped
Il per cent, but recovered ! per cent.
At noon the market was irregular and
without change.
Government 5s extended, 1904; AIS.
ll9ti As, 49, 3s, lOili Pacific 6s Of
10, l28.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-02-01
CABLE NEWS.

BERLIN. February 1.-The Cross
Gazettesays: The favorable impress
sion which De Geirs, the Russian
Foreign Minister produced during hi.
visit to Vienna, is clearly reflected il
the general calm which has eusued
since it is perceived that the Powers
intend making an effort to preserve
the peace of Europe.
Herr Forster Most, the representa-
tive Jew batter after Herr Stoecker
and the chief promoter of the cele-
brated petition to Bismarck against
the Jews, with a small band of adher.
ents, has started for Paraguay to found
a New Deutchland, where synagogues
are to be forbidden and bourses un.
known.
PARIS, February l.--De Mabry,
Minister of Agriculture, has been pro.
visiOnally entrusted with the direction
Of the Ministry Of the Marine.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-02-01

THE Morristown Gazette, edited by
that noted journalist Colonel John T..
Helms, one of the staunchest aud
ablest Democrats of East Tennessee,
sharply criticises Governor Bates
appointment of Colonel A. j. Bio
Whittier as Commissioner of Agricul
ture, Statistics, Mines and Immigra
ton. The Gazette says, among oth'r
things;
The only claim that we have heard
urged tor the appointment of Mr.. Nc
Whittier was that he was in some way
connected with General Bates com
mand in Confederate war times, and
they slept together in the leaves.
We have no complaint to make about
bis being in the Confederate army.
That depends. 1t vas or was not a
virtue, Just as people choose to deter
mine it. But il should have been no
INCENTIVE to the Governor to appoint
him in the sbsenee Of the requisite
qualifications. No, We do not believe
that simply "wallowing in the leavei
with the General" will be taken as
valid reason for this appointment BY
tho people interested in the proper
discharge Of the duties devolving upoI
auOh an otlce.
But the Gazette gocs on to say tha
il he missed the right man in tha
case he certainly "hit the nail on lh
head" when he appointed Hon. T. II
Paine, Of Savannah, West Tennessee
ss superintendent Of Public InstruC
ton. in paying him high compli
ment the Gazette r3ptinues;
His life has been almost entirely
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-02-01
"a PACK OF FOOLS"
keV J. Hyatt smith so Charae-
terizes Hts Republican Con.
freres, and Warns Them Of
"rhe Tragedy OF 1854"
Special to Courior.Journal.


WASHINGTON, January 30.-Rev. j .
Hyatt Smith, the gentleman who gave
up his church in Brooklyn to t,Ee a
seat in Congress, is fearless 10 the ex.
preston OF his opinion. He has
affiliated with the Republicans, but
criricises their conduct freely when.
ever he feels like il. At present he
is dlsgusted with what be calls the
tariff farce" He said TO me TODAY.
There will be no changes in t6e
tariff made by this Congress.
The 4Ih Of March creeps on
ap.ce aud there is nothing but
talk. The -publicius are a pack
OF fools, aud the Democrats are talk.
ing for purpose. The Republicans
gabble without an idea where this
thing will end ltold Keller this was
the farce OF 1888. but that it will be the
tragedy Of 1884. 1t is simply trlfiDQ
with the people. Nothing less than a
reduction OF fifty million doliaTs will
satisfy the country, The House bill
reduces the tariff twenty million dol.
lars, but that reduction is supply con
struotive. The mSeeure, in reality,
gives no Felief whasever. The Repuo
licans ask me why don't speak on the
subject. | will speak soon enough for
some Of them There is too much talk
all around. If all the wind that has
been expended during the past and
present SESSIONS we're gathered into
91e gust, II would be strong enough to
blow that abortion Of Goddess Of
Liberty from the dome of the capitol, y
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-02-01

THE fate of he Alabama Treasurer
is another warning to those who han
die public funds Of the danger that
lies in misappropFatipgs single dol
lar. This man seems to have stood
well and at the first would pot have
entertained thought Of doing wreng
He was d4zzled with the large trust 10
bis hands, aud his head seems to have
beep turned like a poor boy suddenly
coming into possession Of fortune
Without any experienced in large hnan
cial transactions be was made by
artful Spectators to believe that
he could so manipulate The money con
i led 10 kis care as to make immense
Dro6's for himself. his liltls salary
Of S2lOO year looked contemplate
and he set out to run up bis income to
correspond with that Of the rich men
who sWarmed around blu and troatsd
him as a social and q business equal
The wrong step was taken the first
time hs diverted a dollar from the
public treasury. But having made
the starr, hs Ess iwpelled like man
lost In snow storm or OF 6 bolldleGs
prairie to so Oh blindly, It vas .
beaten path in which he moved, and
each time the speculative circle was
completed he was weaker than before
Atlast be fell. Their was no other result
possible; for WhO eyer heard of a
public official, once short, who made
up his deficit by any kind of gambling
or speCplgtionP 1t cannot be done that
way. The boudspep or the taxpay-
erS have to suffer is not tho summer
friends that Auttaf around tae silly
treasurer or trustee who suffer.
They never come to the relief of their
victims, They can bleed him while
blood 10 left, but can put no blood
back in his veins when he most needs
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-02-01

The committee appointed at the
citizens meeting to draft bill for the
settlement Of the old city debt has
been in conference with some Of the
bondholders and their representa-
sives, and it is understood that they
have failed to agree. The committee
can, Of course, prepare a bill, but it
does not follow that the creditors must
accept. This is matter of business,
and must be looked at in that light.
We understand that the committee are
discouraged, but that other citigens
have stepped forward and gone into
negotiation with leading creditors
Possibly something may come out Of
this. Whatever settlement is made
should be upon a basis and by such
common consent that it will stand a
spirit of mutual concession OF live and
let live. might bring about satisfao
tory settlement yet. We hope that all
this negotiation and discussion will
not end IL SNAKE.