davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-09
Teaching Penmanship.

Many years experience In teaching this
branch of education has convinced the writer
that good letters cannot be made till they
are first formed in the mind. Teachers need
a knowledge of free hand drawing to teach
penmanship successfully, as letters are
formed from straight lines curves and ovals
Pupils should be taught to make circles of
different sizes by commencing curve, and
continue to extend it By keeping the same
curvature. Whole classes OF children from
six years and upward (by this method), have
made perfect circles without mentioning the
name circle When sufficiently practiced a
cluster of grapes and other round fruit can
at first be designed and afterward copied
from nature. 1t makes q pleasing and
profitable exercise.
The oblique oval is next to be drawn and
described (as well as other exercises), the
oval is formed of four curves, the upper and
lower (curves) alike, and the side curves
alike, and the width equal to half its height.
These exercises should be made large SO as
to oblige the pupil to move the whole ARM
They are practiced in concert country form
before and after striking, and it is well to
be practiced at the commencement of every
lesson.
Large capitals should be drawn and des-
cribed thus: How many curves, ovals and
each letter till he can strike, In q free man
ner, with light and shade. Letters are made
from knowledge and not from imitation.
The position of the hand and free move
ment being established, small letters are
made with ease. Pupils should have two
books, one to practice in and another to
place the lesson in when perfect. Each let
ter is made by rule, thus the straight marks
are to be made perfectly straight, equal in
distance, slant and thickness, light and
shade. The o is made by the rule of the
oval series. Each letter should be made
perfect; one thing at time, as all branches
should be taught. Single words should
next be practiced, slowly at first with
a connected curve around them and in
creased in rapidity, making good business
writer. When the science of penmanship is
understood, all styles and systems can be
copied, the same as In music.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
Letter from the U. s. Civil Service Commis-
sion:
WASHINGTON, d. c., Oct 13, 1884.
Editors Of The Journal of Education;
Your paper, with its wide circulation
among the common schools of the country,
affords an excellent medium to give to the
teachers and pupils of such schools some
facts observed in the United States Civil
Service examinations held within the past
year.
OF those who fail in their examinations
and never get upon the Register of Eligibles,
more fail for lack of good penmanship than
any other deficiency. hope that this letter
may catch the attention of those especially
responsible for the good work and the good
name of our American public schools.
JOHN M. GREGoRy.
This brief extract shows plainly the great
deficiency in this important branch in our
public schools.
Mrs. s. A. HUTCHINs.
Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-09
The Van Unen Union.

The records OF the Circuit Court yesterday
contained the application of VIM. Van Unen
for divorce from his wife Hannah, nee
Smith. The twain were married on the I'd
of October, 1876, the bill states, in the town.
ship of Olive. county of Ottawa, and lived as
man and wife for eight years. No children
blessed the union of the Van Unen family,
and after the period named, on February
14th, Williams Valentine took leave of his
bed and board and came to this city, utter
ly deserting her spouse. On account of this
desertion, the complainant prays for bill Of
divorce
Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-09
PERSONAL.

j. @. Hughart spent Sunday in Detroit.
,. B. Upton, of Big Rapids, is in the city.
J. Fl. z. Hughart has returned from a
business trip east.
r. @. Kedzie, of Lansing, member of the
State Board of Health, Is at Sweets.
Mll's Aimee and the leading members of
her company are stopping at the Morton.
w. q. Lowell, Superintendent of the 9th
Division u. ). Railway Mail Service, Is In
town.
Will A. Smith has gone to Chicago in the
interest of the Merchants Exchange, whose
agent he is.
w. W. GUNNER, of Cadillac, @. I. Deyo,
of Ionia. and Charles Hampton, of Harbor
Springs, are at Swstt's.
Hon. Isaac Marston, Of Bay City, il one Of
the attorneys IN tho Miiisrd murder case,
now being tried in this city.
Misc NJ. z. yelling, Of South Lafayette
street. has gone to New York, where she will
remain until after the holidays.
W W. Mitchell add Hon. j. G. Blanchard
are among the legal lights from Ionis at
tending the Circuit Court IN this city.
Alfred Joel is In the city looking after the
advance work preparatory to the production
Of Romany Rye at Powers's Dec. l5 and is.
Hon. Geo. G.. Steketee viii leave for Wash
ington to-day where he will deliver the cleo
toral vote of Michigan to the president Of
the Senate.
Rev. II. F. Spencer. formerly pastor OF
the Division street NJ. T.. Church. now of
Cazenovia. ". Y, has lately been appointed
presiding elder Of the Cazenovis district.
L. 2. Rowland. who il doing evangelistic
work throughout the state under the auspices
OF the Y. NJ. G. A, will return home in q
Few days and remain during the holiday sea-
sou.
Col Ed Bacon. Jas. A. Kellogg and Worth
Landon are numbered with the attorneys
from Niles who are attending the United
States Court. All are registered at the Nor
ton.
Hons. Fl. NJ. Sellers. Of the Cedar Springs
Clipper. and Chas. Hampton OF the Harbor
springs independent. and ". z, Neebett. of
the Big Rapids Hsr1id. were the editorial
hrethren IN the city yesterday.
Hon. r. q. Beaver, mayor Of Niles. the
man who became so happy over Cleveland's
election that he Immediately asked hand
some lady 90 share his happiness, Is In the
city attending the United States Court
Hon. Geo. s. Clapp. OF Niles. IL in the city
attending the United States Court. Nr.
Clam a one of the lay delegates 70 the
Methodist Episcopal Centennial Celebration
soon o - he'd IN Baltimore. and whittier he
goee from this city.
Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-09

The report Of she Inspectors Of Jaiis vas
Sled yesterday at the Circuit Court Es states
that during the six months immediately pre-
ceding The frst day Of November, isSt. there
Rad been confined At different times prison
srs charged with ofensea a. follows A.
sanit = e<aauit abb battery p hieany 2
burglary =. Burglary and larceny n breach
- peaee ~. drunkenness -. disprslerly "a
drums and issordepiy q. Illicit distiliery l,
ineanits n. lsrosny 81 pesis IaFcsns q. vaz.
rancy s2. visiting houees of ill-fsnse 10. rape
4. re.sin9 pestal note l. making IN sls tetsl
~ s<2 lnssspiaals who bal besn ansisr the
<~r> q shssiT kianss Tie al vse r
pc<<>s n sssd s>nissrs >puaitson
Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-09
a Long Chase.

Sheriff J. 4. Fost, of Defiance, Ohio,
called at Police Headquarters last evening
and asked lodging for his hand-cuffed CON-
panion, VIM. Friend, whom he succeeded in
capturing in Newaygo County. Friend is
wanted by.vsrious parties in Defiance County,
from whom ne has stolen cattle, horses, wag-
ons, harness, etc. The Sheriff traced him
by the sales he made along the way. and says
he has had long, tedious and circuitous
route. but ia glad to returd with his bird.
Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-09

The Misses Gage and Benedicf's afth hop
Of the season was given last night AZ The Ar
uaory ON fonia street. One hundred and
City young people tripped b excellent music
nutil midnight, end then departed for their
respective houses delighted with the svsn-
inQs embellishments. These hops are aiven
feFtnizhfIy and the nsst one eccnrs IA she
ssne place. en she ssnse evening af Christ
snas week.
Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-09
Suit for Damages.

Carrie Philbrick began suit yesterday in
the United States Court against the city Of
Niles 10 recover $1,000 damages for injuries
which the plaintiff alleges she sustained By
falling through q hole in the sidewalk Of that
town. The injuries sustained are Of the in
tangible sort. consisting of severe nervous
shoek, whereby her health and comfort has
been seriously affected. The case win pro-
baby go 20 the Jury this afternoon.
Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-09
WATCH THIS SPACE

Tomorrow morning and you will then
see why we do not write more
lengthy advertisement to-day We are
Marking Goods Down. We are Over
stocked. We intend to make a Great
Slaughter Sale of all our Goods We
shall sell our Overcoats at less price
than the first cost of the goods
Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-09

Only look at the cheap goods.
Prints, good styles, for and cents.
Good yard-wide brown cotton, for only
5 cents.
25 yards OF yard-wide sheeting for u
dollar.
25 yards good Roller Crash Toweling
for dollar.
Is yards good Cotton Flannel for dol
lar.
Good Kentucky Jeans for Is, 20 and %
cents.
You never saw so good for the money.
Hosiery also marked way down.
Heavy and good lengths for children
and misses, as well as ladies, for 10, 90,
25, 80, 30 and 40 cents. We never knew
these goods so cheap. In fact everything
in the Hosiery Department is marked to
correspond with the low prices prevailing
throughout our entire establishment.
SPRING & COMPANY.
Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-09
For Cutter, buy of A. R. Antisdel.

The fire insurance agency of Perkins &
Mason (being the same lately controlled by
VIM. Marshall, now deceased) is now located
at 70 Lyon street. Court block and repre-
sents the following old and substantial COM
panies:
The Sun of London,
The City of London,
The Mechanic of Brooklyn,
The New Hampshire of Manchester, N. H.
The Westchester of New York and the
Amazon of Cincinnati.
A share of the patronage of the insurance
public is respectfully solicited.
The finest assortment of Cutters in the
city at A. X. Antisdels.
Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-09

The largest bundles of dry goods for
the least money ever known, freely ac-
knowledged by purchasers, can be seen
going out of our store every day in i'm
mense quantities.
SpRTyc q COMpANy
Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-09

OUR MoTTo.-"Hew to the line, let the
chips fall where they will"
SPRING & COMPANY.
THOUSANDS OF dollars will be saved to
our customers.
SPRING e. COMPANY.
Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-09

If we should advertise all the goods in
our store that we are selling at the great
reduction In price we could not attend to
half the customers that would visit us.
The prices at which we are selling all
kinds of merchandise are attracting people
from all over the country. Upward of
eight thousand customers visited our store
on Saturday.
SPRING e. COMPANY.
Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-09

Buy your Cutters of A. X. Antisdel.
Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-09

We are fully determined to go out of
the seal business, hence the extreme low
prices we offer them.
SPRING & COMPANY.
Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-09

FLANNELs for &c, 12c, 15c, 17c, 20c, 25c.
You never saw these goods SO cheap.
Woolen Blankets, Comfortables and the
whole line suffer the same fate.
SPRING & COMPANY.
Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-09

DRESS GooDs.-Good Cashmeres for
23c and 25c
Ginghams for &c, &c and &c.
100 pieces of new Brocade Dress Goods
will be closed out at the extreme low
price OF Sixteen Yards for One Dollar.
Another lot of those Worsted Brocades
for One Shilling.
SPRING & COMPANY.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-09-04
An Estimate OF Pope.

Pope received the present homage OF
his generation. / or time he basked
in the ullest sunshine of popular favor;
but during the last century the chill
shadow of disrepute has rested on his
name The reaction was inevitable.
He is the most un-English of our poets;
his merits are exactly opposed to those
of the succeeding school His work
was one OF discipline; he enfor ed The
need of proportion; he gave laws to the
anarchy of genius. or the varying
clouds and CLEANS, which constitute
one of the charms of our literature, he
substituted the meta lie brilliancy of
the classi; model There was truth in
the charge that English vigor was
sacrificed to rem h nette'e, thought to
style, reative power TO del cacy of
workmanship. HIS drudgery OF finish
and patient Iabor of composition were
intolerable to bis succe ,sors; vet their
easv era, eful use OF their own language
is an clio uent tribute to the genius
they disparaged 70 h $ deira tors his
poetry seemed towni1h courtly; artifi-
cial, not genu ne; ephemeral, not uni
versal the poetry not Of nature but of
art, the offspring of the fashion to write
verse rather than pr, se, and not of that
hioh-stsung sehsltil tv hich compels
the true poet INTO song. The adula-
ton OF his admirers, who claimed for
him a place by the tie of Shakespeare
or of Milton, was even more dangerous
To his reputation than the depreciation
of his enemies. The controversy which
ragged round his name left his right to
the title Of poet in dispute, and threaten
ed his pres ri tive claim to correctness.
HIS moral chara ter intiamed the bit
terness OF the contest. Every part Of
lis life is beset W th difficulties or OBJ
scured by myster es, which involve his
literary position and bias the sober
Judgment of the critic wi, h the scorn of
the moralist Even French critics,
from whom general appreciation might
be expected, are divided. But of late
years, against NJ Taine's unfeeling
estimate may be set the sympathy of
Sante- Bcuve for "cette quintessence
dame cette goutte de vif esprit
dams du cotton. "-EdabaTgh Repteto.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-09-04

on sundays for the benefit of the
prisoners. Having thus far seen but
the male portion Of inmates, you in
quire about the women, and YOU are
informed that visitors are not per-
mitted to see them, because the pres
cence of visitors makes them unruly.
Having thus passed through the
several apartments, you make your
exile by the way you came, satisfied
that prison life is no easy one.
When we visited the prison in 1879
there were 407 prisoners, the oldest
being SO years of age, being his third
term IN prison.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-09-04
A CARD OF THANKS.

We desire, through the columns
of The Register, to return our sincere
and heartfelt thanks to the citizens
of Barneveld generally for their many
acts of kindness to us during and af-
ter the fire, and for their prompt and
faithful labor to save our goods from
the burning, and we assure one and
all that your kindness shall never be
forgotten.
j. DoUGHERTY & Co.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-09-04
WISCONSIN STATE PRISON.


AS the most Of the readers of the
REGIsTFR have never visited the state
prison at Waupun, we will endeavor
to give brief description Of what a
visitor may see there AS you APP
proach the prison-yard, the first thing
that attracts your attention is the high
strong looking stone walls which sur
round the prison buildings on the
top Of the walls may be seen several
armed men, walking back and forth,
ever ready to make a target Of the
prisoner who may attempt to escape.
Arriving at the gate you are admitted
to the prison-yard, which has the APP
pearanceo ia beautiful park, and then
you pass on to the secretary's Office
where your name and address is reg
istered, and, after paying the admit
lance fee Of . cts, you are furnished
with a guide to conduct you through
the several apartments. You first
come to a massive IRON door where
the guide rings a bell, when a man
on the other side unlocks the door
and you pass ON down to the cell
room here the prisoners are confined
while not at work, each one in his
cell, which is furnished with a small
hard bed, Il stand, looking-glass, a
comb and brush, wash-bowl, lamp,
pen, ink and writing paper, also pa
pers or books If requested ; you pass
Oh to the farther end of the hall, and
in the corner is a cell from which all
light is excluded, ON which is two
doors, the inner one being wood, the
outer one iron; this cell is for the sol
itary confinement of disorderly sub
iects, etc We noticed a cavity about
3 inches deep in the inner door of
this cell, which a prisoner had gnaw-
ed, attempting to escape. Next you
are taken to the cooking room where
the cooks are busy at work prepare
ing food for the host ofprisoners, the
large cuphoards on each side Of the
room being filed with loaves OF
bread. You now pass out of this
building and 90 to the workshop
which is but few rods away, where
you find all the prisoners at work
manufacturing boots; the work being
nearly all done by machinery and
the men have their place to fill at the
machines, and it is surprising to see
with what rapidity the work is done
AS you enter the room you are told
not to speak to any one, nor touch
anything. In each room is an eleva-
ted platform, or gallery where an
armed Waterman is stationed, keep
ing a vigilant eye ON the prisoners,
who are not permitted to speak ex-
ccpt when necessary. As you pass
along you see faces of all kinds, some
old, some young, some very sad and
gloomy, others quite cheerful, some
with heads that resemble our Oar
winian ancestors, others with finely
developed intellectual faculties.
There is a chapel in connection with
the prison, where services are held
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-04-17
A Curious African Plant.

Now that there is such desire to ac-
quire plants which contrast strangely
with the ordinary types in foliage or
form, it may please many readers TO
make the acquaintance of the Welwit-
schia Mirabilis.
This plant is one of the most ex-
traordinary found on the globe. It's
stalk attains the diameter of large
tree trunk, four feet or even more, but
never rises more than foot from the
ground. You would take it for the
stump of felled tree, or an enormous
fungus. From this stalk extend two
leaves, which last as long as the plant,
often q century, and acquire an inn
mense size, occasionally six feet long
by two wide. They are green, leathery,
and by constant Tapping in the wind,
split at the end into thongs. The top
of the stalk hollows in and is marked
by series of concentric circles. From
this, especially along the outer edge,
spring out branched flower stalks,
bearing bright red buds, which finally
become cones two inches long by one
in diameter. This plant belongs to the
Confer family, genus Guetum. II was
discovered on the west coast Of Africa,
near Cape Negro, by DR.. Welwitschia,
who gave il his name. The negroes
call il the Toumbo.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-04-17
A True Story OF a Diamond.

Chats about the gems on view
brought out odd scraps about the way
diamonds came into the market. A gem
now in the possession of police captain
had, as too many of the more notable
historical stones have, queer, weird,
blood-stained history. 4 miner at De
Beers, Grigualand West, South Africa,
abandoned his claim because the walls,
huge masses of rock, left towering
above the excavated ground, had fallen
in, and to such an extent that it would
not pay to have the claim cleared. He
went to another rush, and months
afterward found himself arrested or. a
charge of making away with q man
named Comypgs, last seen in his tent
on the night before he skipped the
camp"
He was confined on suspicion, and
yet, there beng no corpus deficit, was
not brought to trial. One day he was
Summoned on q Coroner's inquest and
marched from his prison to the Court
House, liberty, and comparative for
tune.
The missing man had been found. 1t
seems the claim had been taken into the
area of strong company, who found,
inter ALA, the dead, decomposed corpse
of poor Comyngs. How he had got
into the claim was a mystery, but in his
dead hand, where he lay crushed all
shapeless by the huge masses of rock
that tumbled on him so inopportunely,
was a nineteen-carat diamond worth
$4,000, a piece of purest water. The
miner was acquitted, and diggers' law
gave him the diamond so found in his
claim, which could not be declared
legally abandoned until the month ex-
pired from his vacating his license
NelU York World.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-04-17
StyraX JapOnica.

The most valusble of recent intro
auctions from Japan is Styrax japonica,
q shrub attaining n height of six or
eight feet, and bearing profusion of
most charming white flowers of the size
of an apple blossom. The species was
first described in 1886 by Siebold and
Zuccarini, in their works upon Japan
plants. 1t has only recently been in
PRODUCED into this country, however,
and is not yet grown by more than two
or three nurseymen. 1t is bound to
become general favorite as soon as
known. The most charming feature
of the plant is its habit of bearing slen-
der, horizontal branches, along the
upper side of which are the leaves,
while the chaste, wax-like flowers hang
on slender pedicels beneath. It's period
of Towering is late spring, the bios
SONS remaining for about, two weeks.
1t is perfectly hardy in this latitude.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-04-17
A New Kind Of Plant.

They're all intelligent couple-the
Spilkinses; man and wife.
MY dear" said the former, looking,
up from his paper the other morning.
what do they mean by telegraph
plant? have some little acquaintance
with botany and the vegetable kingdom
in general, but in all the works I've
read upon that subject have seen no
mention made of telegraph plant"
"Yes, and precious little acquaintance
it is, too" replied his wife, tartly, cor
you wouldn't ask so stupid question.
Didn't you ever notice them bushes and
weeds and things CROWN round the
bottom of the poles along the railroad
tracks? Them's what they call tele-
graph plants. You're too refreshingly
green for anything, Spilkins."
ooh, / never thought of that" re.
marked Mr.. S., with the air of man
upon whom q sudden illumination has
dawned; and a moment after he added,
with sly twinkle of the eye, for he en-
joyed his joke, "then suppose that is
what might be called the vegetation of
the pole-ar regions"
"Humor may be very good thing,
Mr.. Spilkins, observed his wife, sharp
ly, "but little intelligence is a much
better thing"
"Oh, yes-yes, DEAR" said Mr.. s..
meellly; and, after moments quiet re-
Election, he added: mo L never did
think of that beforel" with look of add
miration at his wife's superior wisdom.
Tile J1tdQe.