davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-12-18
Picture OF the Perfect Man.

Huxley gives the following table of
what a full grown man should weigh
and how this weight should be divid-
ed Weight, 154 pounds. Made up
thus: Muscles and their appurten-
ances, IS pounds skeleton, IS pounds
skin, 1O4 pounds; fat, % pounds
brain. 8 pounds; thoracic viscera, q
pounds abdominal viscera, II pounds
blood which would drain FROM body,
Z pounds. This man ought to consume
per diem: Lean beafsteak, 5000
grains; bread, 5000 grains milk,
1000 grains; potatoes, 5000 grains
butter, 600 grains, and water, %. 600
grains. His heart should beat rs Tunes
a minute, and he should breathe Is
times minute. In "a hours he should
vitiate 1, $50 cubic feet of pure air to
the extent of 1 per cent. a man,
therefore, of the weight mentioned
ought to have 500 cubic feet of we'll
ventilated space. He would throw off
by the skin Is ounces of water, 800
grams of solid matter, and 400 grains
of carbonic acid every "a hours, and
his total loss during the "A hours
would be 6 pounds of water and a
little above pounds of othe matter.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-12-18
Good Words for HOmely Girls.

"Why are homely girls always the
best scholars, the best workers, and
also the best wives2" This question
was propounded by an observant and
intelligent gentleman who has been
twice led TO the hymeneal altar, and
is ready to be sacrificed again.
rs such really the casei'
L have reason to know that it is
1t is natural enough, isn't its The
girl who Is handsome in feature aad
form concludes very early in life that
THESE are her stock in trade, and with
them she enters the matrimonial
market. Nine times out of ten she is
soon off the hooks aad at the head of
a house. Her homely sister has hard
~ entered her teens until she discov-
erS she IS made to stand aside for the
pretty-faced girls. All that neatness
of dress, elegance of manners and
proficiency In the art of making ones
self attractive, she does, deliberately
and for a purpose, perhaps, CT possibly
for no other reason than, Topsy-ike,
she grew that way"
1.-The chances are she does il solely
for the purpose of compromising for
her task of physical beauty"
My observation leads directly to
the opposite conclusions, replied the
intelligent observer. There is
among the great laws of nature one
known as the law of compensation,
and am thoroughly convinced that
to it the homely girl is indebted for
the tastes and disposition that prompts
her to make herself useful when She
cannot be ornamental"
''Then, if you had the choice of two
ladies, one beautiful and the other
homely, you would take the homely
one?"
Experience and observation both
teach me that would be the wise thing
to do. The first impulse would
naturally be to take the prettiest of
the two, but would give the first I'M
pulse time to pass off, and act upon
the sober, second thought"
The old gentleman may be entirely
right Ia this matter.
POOR GIRLS.
The poorest girls in the world are
work. There are thousands of them.
Rich parents have petted them; they
have been taught to despise labor,
and depend upon others for living,
and are perfectly helpless. IF mis-
fortune comes upon their friends, as
it often does, their case is hopeless.
The NEST forlorn and miserablewomen
upon earth belong to this class. It
belongs to parents to protect their
daughters from this deplorable con-
dition. They do them great wrong
if they neglect it. Every daughter
should be taught to earn her own
living. The rich, as well as the poor,
require this training. The wheel of
fortune rolls swiftly round-the rich
are very likely to become poor, and
the poor rich. Skill to labor is no
disadvantage to the rich, and is indis-
Pensable to the poor. Well to do
parents must educate their children to
work. No reform is more imperative
than this.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-12-18
CHAPTER II.

High up in the cid church tower
the bell swung to a fro again, to ling
forth to the sleepers IN the graves be
low that another, grown weary, had
come to share their rest. Up the path,
under the bare boughs and snow
threatening skies of December, came
the bride again, but borne slowly by
gentle hands, as If they feared to dis
turb her dreamless slumber. To the
solemn funeral chant they moved up
the aisle and laid her on the altar,
where a few short months before she
knelt with the purple glory from
Christs mantle on her shining hair.
All in white she was then, and all in
white was she now; but that was the
ripple ana sheen of bridal silk, and
this the quiet folds of a shroud.
But-strange sight to see above a
pulseless breast-the diamond ring
flashed on the finger of the dead
Margaret In her coffin, as it had flash
ed on the finger Of the bride Margaret
walking By her young husbands side.
1t had been the desire of Bruce that
this should be-that the ring which
hrSt linked TO MIN one In whom he
saw combined all the virtues of her
sex, should remain with her ia the
darkness of the tomb, in token of a
love which would fain have reached
across the borders and into the silent
land
The villagers, as they passed by her
to look upon the sweet lady of the
Manor for the last time, marveled
that jewel SO precious, about which
clustered so many traditions of an old
family (one of which whispered that
it had been conferred by royal favor,
should be thus consigned to the obliv
ion of the grave The undertaker's
two assistants, as they screwed down
the coffin lid, thought, too, each tC
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-12-18
CHAPTER ".

The full moon also shone in at the
square window of the Manor, and be-
held Bruce as he paced the floor Of his
library alone. The clocks were on
the stroke of twelve, and after the
day of fatigue and sorrow his house
hold refreshed itself with sleep. He,
its master, kept vigil with his grief,
bravely endeavoring to accustom him
self to It's icy hand upon his heart in
the dreary hours of the night. that he
might the better endure it's presence
when he took up the usual routine of
life on the morrow. There, in that
pleasant library of an evening in the
late autumn and early winter, he had
sat and read aloud to Margaret, as she
bent above her embroidery, with the
light from the tall wax candles falling
on her sweet face and glossy braids.
The first day or night of utter lone
Illness is always the most oppressive to
mourning spirit. Yesternight her
form had lain IN the long parlor across
the hall-7surrounded il is true, with
the strange paraphernelia of death.
but at least under his roof-and now
she was lying yonder in the dismal
company of the dead. with whom she
had gone to dwell forever-more.
Wearied with walking 10 and fro,
he went and sat down down at the
table, on which the candles were
burning as usual, and bowed his head
upon his folded arms. As he sat thus
he heard slow, light step along the
low piazza, and thought. without
either fear or hope, In his dispair:
THAT step is like Margaret's-my
dead Margaret's."
Then he aroused to the fact that
Don, the fierce and faithful watch
dog, which always slept in the hall at
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-12-18
CHAPTER III,

1t was clear that night, and the
moon was at the full, as she rose be-
hind the church, and climbed higher
and higher among the stars until she
| peered curlOusly IN at the tower win
dOws, where the great bell hung mo-
tionless from the oaken beams.
From the shadow of the tower came
two figures, gliding across the place
of graves, with many timid chances to
left and right, as if they half expect
ed the silent occupants to rise Up from
years of peaceful slumber and con-
front them, as intruders on their rest.
They stopped at the door of the vault
IN which Bruce, with an aching heart,
left his young wife that day; the
moon shOne full upon it, and any one
passing on the road beyond the church
yard might easily have seen them at
their unhallowed work. But we'll
they knew that rarely, if ever, did
the superstitious country folks come
that way after nightfall, preferring
another longer but less lonely road
on the other side of the Manor grounds,
so it was not the appearance of the
living, but the apparitions of the dead
they dreaded, as, still glancing fear
fully around them, they pried back
the heavy bolt.
The door swung suddenly inward,
and they started back, gras ping each
other in terror that strack colder chill
through them than the keen air of the
frosty night. But beholding only the
bright moonlight Illuminating the in
terror, and falling across the polished
coffin I'D beneath which reposed the
resistless form with the diamond ring
upon its finger, they rallied courage
and descended the stone steps that
led down to the dwelling of the dead.
AS she had died suddenly, Margaret's
coffin had been left standing in the
middle of the vault until her proper
place among the rest might be decided
upon and prepared for her, so they
had only to unscrew the lid and the
ring was theirs. This they proceeded
to do, and lifting it off they exposed
to the moon seams her pale features,
TIE even folds of the shroud, and the
diamond ring, which refracted the
rays and flash up like a star from her
breast, on which her hands were
crossed. It's splendor gave
them new courage, though not with !
out shudder did they bring them
selves to touch the cold hands of the
corpse. But dead Margaret Bruce
seemed reluctant to part with the ring
ner husbands love had given her
bend and twist her finger as they might |
it would not relinquish it. Then one
of these who had come to rob the dead |
cried out to his companion:
'Cut off her finger with the ring"
! His voice has scarce ceased echeing
back from the dreary walls, the knife,
glittering in the moon, had barely cut
into the flesh, when q moan, doubly
terrifying to their guilty ears. follow
ed the act, and the dead woman in
her shroud rose up before them.
They turned and fed across the
graveyard, thinking they heard her
feet speeding after them as they ran.
The door of the vault was left open,
and what wonder if the dead walked
that night!
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-12-18
THE LIGHT THAT rs FELT.
BY JOHN G. WHITTIER

A tender child of Summers three,
Seeking her little bed at might,
Pausee on the dark stair tip1idly,
''Oh, Mother! Take my band, said she,
''And then the dark will all be light.
We older children grope our way
From dark behind to dark before;
And only when our bands we lay,
Dear Lord in thine the light is day
And there is darkness neve more.
Reach downward to the sunless days
Wherein our guides are blind as we,
And faith is small and hope delays;
Take thou the hands of prayer we raise,
And let us feel the light of theel
St. Nicholas
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-12-18

When the Queen began to go to
Scotland, and to use Holyrood en-
route to Balmoral, great piece of
ground was cut off at Holyrood to
made a private garden for her, and al
thouga she is at that palace on an
average about forty-eight hours a
year, this garden is sedulously kept
from the public, who are grumbling.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-12-18

night, was whining eagerly. but more
with recognition and anxiety than his
usual ferocity at a strangers step.
Attracted by Don's unusual conduct,
and wondering who it could be that
came thus late, Bruce unlocked and
unbarred the door, and, opening it.
looked out upon the moonl1t mid
night, to see his wife Margaret stand
ing before him, with pallad face and
unbound hair, and torn and earth
stained grave clothes trailing round
her feet.
And the clocks in the wakened
house struck one, and the new day
rose on she who was dead. and
buried, and yet lived again.
CHAPTER v.
Many days after, when she was well
again and able to recount those hours
of horror to her sympathizing hearers,
Margaret told how the pure air rush
ing into the vault had begun to revive
her from the long trance which had
been mistaken for death, and the pain
of the knife brought her to semi-con-
scl3usness. Her terror at realizing
ner surroundings lent her strength to
leave them. Fortunately, it was but
little way to the Manner, although
that little way was walked by her in
her weak state with infinite difficulty.
But when she reached it she began to
grow bewildered again, and NIGH have
perished with the cold of the Deem
Der night, at the very threshold of the
home SO desolate without her, had not
the sagaeity of Don recognized IA
nalliar presence. Bat long ere she had
recovered sufficiently to tell her story
they had learned it from the lacerated
finger and the knife found on the
floor of the vault besides the empty
coffin. The flight of the undertakers
assistants, when it became known
that she was alive again, revealed the
identity of the would-be robbers of
the dead. She had not, however, in
her dazed condition, recognized them,
and In any case no punishment would
have oVertaken them, as they had
been the means of rescuing her from
horrible death.
The diamond ring, which had been
with her in the brightness of the bri-
dial and the darkness of the tomb, re-
manned upon her hand ever after. She
was wont to tell its story to her chill
dren on winter evenings, as she sat
with them gathered around her in the
freight, and the good dog Don, grown
old and gray, lying at her feet. And
she was wont to end it, too, in this
wise: Sand it may be there was vir-
tue in the gift of King"
Over Edinboro Old Town the clocks
were On final stroke of midnight as
the student ended the tute with which
he had beguled the last evening with
his friends and fellow students at the
university, for on the morrow he was
to 60 forth to a new career IN a new
land, far across tne seas.
AS they left the pleasant rooms of
the old inn, where they had passed so
many merry hours of song and story,
and sailed out into the street, they
said good night to each other, and
good bye to one, in grave tone, and
with graver manner than usual.
One Of them, as he looked beyond
the quaint old houses to Arthur's Seat,
where it lay above the town, said: cit
is clear tonight, and the moon is at
the fullw
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-12-18
Sheep on Grain Farms.

The advantages arising from keep
ing sheep On wheat growing farms are
thus summed up by Mr.. Buell., in an
address delivered before the sheep
breeders of Michigan:
1. They are less subject to aonta-
gious diseases, FOR the reason that the
flock can be more easily kept isola-
ted.
3. When individual losses do occur,
they are less In value than in case of
the loss of horse or COW.
3. They grow quickly and mature
early, and with their fl eece pay div
idends oftener than any other live
stock.
4. When summer following is
practiced they act as cleaners in clear
ing fence corners of briars and weeds,
and in keeping annual grasses that
spring up ON plowed lands.
5. During winter they are still do
ing their work of converting the sur
plus straw into fertilizers.
It is not clear that the profits from
sheep raising on farms where other
crops are grown, instead of wheat.
would be less than on wheat farms.
Sheep make good use of corn stalks,
prairie hay, oat straw and almost any
kind Of fodder or feed grown.
The cotton crop report for West
Tennessee, North Arkansas, North
Mississippi and North Alabama,
shows decrease of IA per cent. com
pared with last year, attributable to
unfavorable weather, drought and
early frosts. Reports from other sec
tons Of the South show a heavy de-
crease in the yield owing to frost. 1t
is estimated the entire cotton yield
will amount to 1858, 900 bales.
Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-06-17

means b. provided to drain watsr from
San Fernando street. near Railroad
rect. Referred to the Board Of Public
Works.
Petition OF C. B. Woodhead and J.
Mullally, asking that the city accept the
grading Of College street. between Ul-
per Main and Buena Vista streets. Same
reference.
Adjourned.
Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-06-17
Superior Court, Smith, J.

superior C0Qrt, 6mitu, v.
MONDAY, June l6.
Estate of M. A. Salisbury, deceased
w. II. Salisbury appointed administra.
tor. Bond, 5000.
Estate of l.. Ii. Stine, peceased-Con.
tinued until tomorrow at 10 A. M.
Hancock VS.. Hubbell-0rder entered
setting cause for June oath, at l0A. NJ,
vacated.
Johann NJ. Metzken, native Of Ger.
many, naturalized.
Estate of w. +. Windheim, deceased
Petition for approval of final account
and for distribution heard. Matter sub
mitted.
Warren VS.. Ruth--0n trial.
Eisenpreiss VS.. Eisenpreiss- Matter Of
contempt of Court on trial.
Estate OF X. b. Dyer, eceased-Peti-
tion for confirmation Of sale Of real estate
heard and granted.
Estate Of A. Lothian, deceased-Same
order.
Estate Of w. F. Windheim, deceased
-Decree Of settlement Of final account
tiled. Decree OF distribution Of estate
filed.
SET FOR TO-DAY.
Oden vs.. Morrison-Trial.
Yorba Va. Hartwell--Trial.
Estate of James Graf--Final account.
Estate Of Michael Malon-Return.
HOWARD, J.
Geller vs.. Benham ct al-The death
Of defendant Benhaln suggested the order
heretofore setting cause for trial June
18th vacated, to be reset after an ad.
ministrator has been appointed.
James VS.. Tinkham-Case tried plain.
tiff allowed three days to file points and
defendants three days tn reply. Cause
set for argument June 23i, at l0A. NJ.
Plaintiff allowed to withdraw exhibit
"B" upon filing certified .py.
Honey vs.. Warren ct al--On motion
OF defendants, vsnire for twenty jurors
ordered returnable tomorrow ut 10
A. NJ. Each party required to make q
deposit with the clerk Of SIS.
Rush vs.. Rush-Proof heard and de-
cree ordered as prayed for.
Johnson VS.. Squires ct al-Twenty
days additional time is hereby given to
the defendants and to the intervenor to
prepare, serve and file statement on mo.
ton for new trial.
In re J. +. Gerkins, an insolvent-Ps-
tition for an order adjudging said petit
toner all insolvent heard and granted.
SET FOR TODAY.
Honey vs.. Warren-T.ial.
Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-06-17
A Thief Promptly Caught.

Chief Cuddy yesterday received q
dispatch from Ventura stating that .
man calling himself Henry Harris, alias
v. r. Carpenter, had hired . span Of
sonel mares and buggy to taks drive
around town. but failed to return that
day or the next. The Sheriff telegraphed
to Los Angeles to arrest such man and
take charge Of the property. Soon after
receiving the dispatch the Chief found
the horses and buggy at Wickershams'
stable. where they had been put in soak
for go, which Carpenter had spent in .
free and 60 a. you please manner.
About eleven O'Clock last night Officer
Botello captured Carpenter near the
depot and placed him In the lookup.
His career was very bold and apropri-
ately brief. San Quentin yawns for
such scoundrsls - this man Carpenter.
Had the dispatch been delivered on
Sunday when 1t was received, the fellow
would have been arrested while he was
driving along the street with . woman
Of questionable character. No horse
thieves are needed here.
Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-06-17
A Strange Creature.

Mr.. D. P. Commandich, we'll known
citizen Of this city, for few days past
has suffered from time to time with .
nausea, from some unknown cause. On
Sunday evening the nausea was intensi-
fed, and vomiting resulted. which
caused the expulsion from bis stomach Of
. strange creature, about three inches
long. shaped like en- eel, with . mouth
like that Of . sucker. The head had =
smooth crown, on which were darkened
lines, q perfect fac -simile Of hair on the
human head, - Il appear when per.
son smerges from . bath, with hair
matted down with heavy sea water.
The creature 10 curiosity. especially in
its half human, half fish like head.
What's it, name or whence Il came 10
not known. Mr.. Commanded has no
idea Of how the strange creature reached
his stomach, but u glad to find the
creature Is now IN outsider. He hopes
there are no more left in his stomach to
make . n,snagsrie Of him. The animal
should be preserved for scientific exam.
ination,
Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-06-17
Girls Book knowledge.

Think Of an undsvsloped brain getting
book knowledge on ten different subjects
all the same day. and this going on day
after day for years! 1t Is altog ether
contrary to the principles Of q sound
psychology to imagine that any sort Of
mental process, worthy of the name Of
thinking, can take place In that brain
while this 10 going on. The natural
tendency Of good brain at that age
to b. inquisitivs and receptive l.
glutted TO more than satiety., The
natural procsss Of huilding up fabric
Of metal completeness by having each
new fact and observation looked at in
different ways, and having Il suggest
other facts and ideas. and then settle
down a. part Of the regular furniture
Of the mind, cannot possibly 90 on
where new facts are shovelsd In By the
hundred day by day. The effect of this
l. bad on boys, but II il wore on girls,
because II is more alien TO their mental
conatitutionA Popular Sciesce NontA.
"
Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-06-17

An old human sksIstoa q mn. ard
another Of little child, were found be
meath house on Fort strest, formerly
occupied BY DR.. Lindley, and later ~
DR.. Higgins. They we're part Of . cab.
met Of skeletons that could not be re-
moved before, because the bank had
caved and shut them in till yesterday,
when the bank was removed and the
skeletons taken out. That is all there
Is about it.
Mr. J. L. Phillips, Of Missouri, near
Kansas City, has arrived in Los Angeles
in search Of stray wife, which Mr.. j.
l.. Hull borrowed and forgot to return.
When last heard from they were near
Tucson on the way to Los Angeles, where
they probably are at the present time.
Mr.. Phillips shows great energy in .
forlorn case. A runaway wife in this
country is not conaidered worth recover.
ing.
Reserved seats for the Jubilee
Minstrels at the Cnilds' Opera House
tonight. went of rap dly yesterday.
The sale will recommencs at the box
office tliis morning. This troupe have had
crowded houses all over the world and
are pronounced by the press everywhere
as unrivallsd delineators Of plantation
life. All Who enjoy pure. undiluted
fun should not fail to see them.
By announcement elsewhere It will lie
seen that "Taylor's World Tourists
will give two entertainments at Armo'y
Hall. Monday and Tuesday evenings,
June 23rd aud oath, for the benefit Of
the armory fund Of Eagle Corps. Tie
troupe rank high as artists. an !. con-
sidering the object Of the Entertainments,
should attract crowded houses.
The awards at the picnic Of the So
ciete Franchise de Bienfaisance Mutu-
ellie have been made o. follows:
First prize, q silver cake dith, to No.
l5s; the second, silver butter dish, 10
No. 234; third, silver sugar bowl, to
No. 64; fourth, two bottles Of per.
fumery. to No. 1888; fifth, . ladies
work box, to No. 1913.
Erasmus Escandon. Of Ventura, mes
sAng+r Of Wells, Fargo L Co.. between
Benson aud Guaymas, died suddenly
last Friday Of fever at Tucson. As
he wrote home in good health on the 7th,
bis death Is supposed TO have been from
yellow fever. HIS father was q dele.
gate to the Stockton Con vention at the
time Of his death.
The Committee Of Arrangements for
the Turn Bezirk Fest, by notice in our
New To day, request all citizens on the
line Of the procession, which takes place
next Saturday night, TO decorate their
residences and places Of business in or
der to favorsbly impress our visitors,
who will represent all parts Of the Pa
cific coast. alU
Mr.. T. E. Rowan, one Of the del..
gates to the recent Stockton Conven.
ton. got home overland yesterday. He
reports that his colleagues will proba-
bly, return this week.
The Diamond House, in our New To.
day column. announces that the second
grand Worlds Fair display Of diamonds
will take place during the Turn Fest,
opening June 10th.
The attention Of members OF Park
Hose Company No. is directed to .
notice which appears in our New To-
day column.
Thermometer for the % hours ending
at. S:l5 last evening: Maximum, $50
degrees; minimum. $50 degrees.