davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-09
SpODgeS.

One of the sights of the Florida reef
is the sponger He is generally a
conch from Conchtown, Key West, and
deyotes his entire time to the business
OF fishing up the repul i've objects call
ed sponges. This is done chiefly with
hooks or spears, the boat drifting along
until a sponge Is sighted, when it is
hooked or speared, and jerked from its
stronghold upon the bottom. When
the water is too deep for the hooking
process, the sponger goes overheard
and dives to the sponge, by main force
tearing it from the bottom. The
sponges taken from this section are not
the delicate toilet spOnges, being 4 diff
ferent grade. and only used for coarse
work. They grow to large size, some
measuring three feet across and two
high, and when active present anything
but an attractive appearance. A good
healthy sponge looks as it comes to the
surface like great beef's liver, and the
OdOr IS spongy-no other word describes
it. When a load of these aromatic
flowers of the ocean is secured, they
are taken down to Key West, or may
be cured on some of the keys. This
consists of allowing them to remain in
the sun until thoroughly decayed, and
then treating them to repeated rinsings,
until the animal matter is entirely re-
moved. They are then placed in the
sun to bleach, and in this stage are
seen covering the fences in Conchtown.
Later they are subjected to several
processes, one of which in some cases
is sanding. This is more common in
the toilet sponge from the Mediterra-
mean. Shake one and you will find
that quite a deposit Of fine sand escapes.
This was not eaten or absorbed by the
sponge when alive, as you might sup
pose, but is process by which the
weight of the sponge is increased, and.
as they sell by the pound, the object is
evident.
The tricks that the guileless sponge
dealer is not up to are not worth chron-
icling. Some time ago young man
was sent to sponge locality to brV
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-09

ence, recently published at st. Peters
burg, there was found the following:
Whenever | think of Sarah Bernhard
/ am reminded invoiuntarily of the
toad. Why did God give TO both these
creatures an adorable and poetical
voice?" In another lecture he calls her
an ugly mouther and posturer," "a
cold grinacer-pourrie de chic-whom
nature has provided with an adorable
voice while refusing her all other gifts
by some ineomprehensible caprice, f"
In Sweden young girls place under
three separate cups 4 ring, a coin and
piece of black ribbon. If the ring is
first accidentally exposed she will be
married within the year; if the money,
she will get rich husband; if the rib
bon, she win die an old maid. 1t is a
favorite amusement among the young
girls in Russia to conceal their finger
rings in small heaps of corn or the
floor. A hen is brought in, which at
once begins to peck at the tiny heaps
of grain. The owner of the first ring
exposed to view viii, according to pop
ular belief. be married before her COM
panions in the experiment.
The camel has twice the carrying
power of an OK With an ordinary
load of 400 pounds he can travel twelve
to fourteen days without water, going
fourteen miles day. They are fit to
work a. five years old, but their
strength begins to decline at twenty
five, although they live usually until
forty. They are often fattened at thir-
ty for tile butcher, the flesh tasting like
beef. The Tartars have herds of these
animals, often 1000 belonging to one
family. The Timbuctoo breed is re-
markable for speed and used only for
couriers, going 800 miles in eight days
with a meal of dates or grain at night
fall.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-09
Tipping the South Carolina Darl1y

As we got into South Carolina we
were joined by a Judge from Pittsburg.
forget just what court he was Judge
OF, but he had been travelling South for
his health, and had just figured up that
he had paid out $25 in fees in walters,
and was mad all the way through. He
vowed by his badness that he wouldn't
pay out another red cent, and we en-
couraged him as hard as we could.
When we went up to the hotel the
landlord gave Us big room with three
beds in it. 4 bic negro brought the
trunks up, and when he was ready to
go the Judge called to him and began:
"Colored person, stand up! Now /
want to say to you that | shall expect
prompt service without fees. You have
brought up my trunk; that's all right
it was your business to. | shall want
water, and [ may want a fire, and /
shall probably ask you to 90 Of errands,
but if you even look fees at me I'll
throw you out of the Window
We were there two days, and the
waiter was vigilant, humble and will
ing, but as we made ready to depart
the morning of the third in comes a
constable with warrant to arrest the
Judge for threats of personal violence.
1t had been sworn out before a justice
ten miles away, and the complainant
was the negro waiter.
1t took the two of us to hold the
Judge down on his back during his first
paroxysm, and when he had cooled off
little the negro slipped into the room
and said:
"White man, stand up! Now | want
to say to you dat S. bill will settle
dis yer case jist as [ feel now, but if
you goes to calm names or pullin'
hair or kickin' I'll stick fur $25! Dat
justice am my own brudder, an he's
jist achin' to send some white man ter
jail fur six monthsn
We sat on the Judge again for about
twenty minutes, at the end of which
time he handed over the amount and
was pronounced sane
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-09
The Prince Consort's Niausoleum.

The mausoleum from the outside,
though imposing, gives no indication
that the large sum of G200, 900 was
spent by the queen in its construction.
The visitor, however, from the moment
he passes beyond the monolithic col
umns of the porch, with its ceiling of
Venetian mosaic by Salviati, can under
stand how superlative is the art work
comprised within the limits of the in
terror. The ground plan is in the form
of Greek cross. The dome, lighted
by eight stained-glass windows in the
clerestory, is colored blue, with gold
stars. Lines of angels between each
window converge towards the center.
From this height of seventy feet to the
exquisite floor of inlaid marble there is
not an inch of space without the adoril-
ment of the best decorative art. The
marble paneling of the walls, the bas-
reliefs, the urns and statues, the fresco
paintings of saints and incidents of
scripture history-the painting in the
ceiling of the eastern ransept, THE
Gloriication of the Saints" was from
a sketch by the princess royal of Eng
land-are one and all worthy of the
most careful study.-Lond0n Neacs.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-09
An Old Cavalry Horse Objects TO
Buggy Riding.

When at the closing of the war we
were stationed at San Antonio, having
little to do, we determined to enjoy q
buggy ride. We had a great big, good
natured horse that had followed us
from far Alabama, dapple grey, with
flowing name and tail, and it did seem
as though he would handle a buggy
like Joy forever. The horse had never
been hitched to a buggy before, but he
behaved himself the best he knew how.
He looked around at the buggy and at
the man in it as much as to say: BOSS,
this may be all right, but Il is a mean
trick to play on a cavalry horse. How
ever, if you can tell me what you want
me to do, I'll do it or bust a trace
He didn't understand the pull of the
reins, and we had to get out to turn
him around. He rubbed his nose on
our shoulder and looked out OF his eyes
as though he would ask if he had done
right so far and seemed to say: Il have
been prepared for anything since | left
the Confederate service from a thousand
mile raid on short ratiOns, to a race
with Il Quartermaster' mule, but Ihad
never expected to come to this, and
tear seemed to linger on his eyelid as
he put his nose in his masters shirt
bosom and snorted some of his foam
there.
On returning to the town a company
of cavalry were drilling on the plaza,
and just then an idiot with Il bugle be-
gan to blow call and the cavalrymen
started across the plaza in company
front. That settled the buggy ride.
General Grierson' started off on
run. buggy and all, and wheeled in
front of the third platoon, three PAGES
in front, right where he knew there
ought to be a Second Lieutenant, and
turned his eye to the right to dress on
the other platoon commanders. The
rear of the buggy was breaking up the
ranks of the platoon, and we were
never so embarrassed in the world.
The Captain yelled to US to get out of
the way, an orderly rode up and took
the old grey by the bit, and then it oc-
Cured to the horse that the buggy was
in the way, and he began to kick it to
pieces. The cross-bar and dashboard
were kicked over into the platoon, and
he was just pulverizing the running
bed him and we crawled out from under
the wreck, and when we got out the
horse had turned around facing us,
with the shafts still hitched to him, and
he was trying in his horse-sense way,
to tell us what he thought of caval-
ryman that would appear on duty in
such a way, and bring reproach on
good, honest, well-brought-up horse.
The company stopped drilling to laugh,
broke ranks, and went into the
Menger House at our expense, the. liv-
ery-man took his buggy back on dray
and the writer paid for the buggy, put
on the saddle again and rode away, and
the old horse, when we got into the
road turned his head and nibbled the
riders bootleg and winked as much as
to say: There, boss, this is something
like it. This is the way we used to do
in the Confederacy. Buggy riding
makes me sick.-Pec6's San.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-09
The First Fly Fisher.

The first and indeed the only writer
amongst the ancients, so far as we
know, who makes mention of fishing
with the artificial fly is Aelianus, who
lived in the third century. In the ff-
teenth book of his history he says: THE
Macedonians, who live on the banks of
the River Astr9us, which flows midway
between Bereo and Thessalonia, are in
the habit of catching a particular fish
in that river by means of a fly called
hippurus; very singular insect it is
bold and troublesome like all it's kind.
in size hornet, marked like a wasp,
and buzzing like bee.' From his ac-
count of these fish they must have been
trout, and he exactly describes the
method in which trout feeds at pres
ent, ''when one of them sees the fly
floating down to him, he approaches,
swimming gently under the water, fear
ing to move the surface lest the prey
should be scared. Then drawing near
er underneath, he sucks the fly, as
wolf snatches a sheep from the fold, or
an eagle a goose from the farm-yard,
and having done so disappears under
The ripple.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-09
Ranking Above Their Fathers.
"W hen I was Saoratarv of tho NAVY

Nv hen was Secretary of the Navy"
says Robson, land Grant was President,
some hundreds of the sailors of the bet
ter class came TO me and asked to have
some rank given them. They didn't
care about an increase Of pay, but
they wanted relative rank
Il couldn't do ANYTHING for them,
but they came several times, and were
rather lmportunate, and | finally led a
delegation of them over TO the White
House and let them present their petit
ton to President Grant in person.
They told him what they wanted, and
argued for a redress of their grievances,
plainly but forcibly.
AT last an old boatSwain came to the
front, and hitching up his trousers and
turning over his incumbent Guild, he
SAID: Mr.. President, l can put this
ere matter SOS you can see it plain.
Now here | be-a parent; in fact. a
father. My son is a midshipman. He
outranks me, don't you observe? That
ain right, don't you see?'
Indeed, said Grant; 'who appointed
him middy?'
The Secretary here, the bo'sun
said, and encouraged by the question,
he Wento 1t ain right, DOM you see,
that L should be beneath i'm? Wy, IF
| was to go on to his ship the boy [
brought up to obeience would boss his
own father! Jest think of that! An
he has better quarters n me, an better
grub, nice furn' ture, an all that; sleeps
IN nice soft bed n all that See?'
les, the President said; yes; the
world is full of inequalities. | know of
a case quite similar to yours
1.-The old bo'su chuckled quietly,
and gave another hitch to his lower
gear.
. L know of an old fellow said Gen.
Grant, who is postmaster of a little
town in Kentucky. He lives in a plain
way, in a small house. He is a nice
Old man, but he isn't much in rank
His son Outranks him more than your
son does you. His son lives in Wash
ington, in the biggest house there, and
he is surrounded by the incest of furni-
ture, and eats and drinks anything he
takes a notion to. He could remove
his father from office in minute if he
wanted to. But he doesn't want to.
And the old man-that is Jesse Grant,
you know-doesn't seem to care about
the inequality in rank. [ suppose he is
glad to see his boy get along in the
world
The old bo'sun looked down at the
carpet and tried to bore a hole in it
with his toe, and his comrades all
laughed at him joyously, and slapped
him on the back and filed out in great
glee. 1t was the last ever heard of the
petition or the petitioners. The old
bo'sun flung his cud into a cuspidor rs
he left Probably he had concluded to
give up thinking
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-09
The Friday Superstition.
"This superstition about Friday b

"This superstition about Friday being
an unlucky day is all bosh," observed
an elderly passenger to the middle
aged lady whose acquaintance he had
formed. II don't take no stock in
in these superstitions, anyway. Now,
I know something about Friday from
my own experience. It was on Thurs
day that my first wife died, and on Fri
day I married my present wife"
s'You wretchr' exclaimed the lady
by his side. ''How dare you sit down
beside a respectable woman and talk so
shamelessly. It's disgraceful, and [
wonder that your neighbors didn't tar
and feather you. What a mean thing a
man can be, anyhow. The idea of a
wife dying Thursday and the widower
marrying again on Friday
"But, hold up, madam. You are
excited. It"
Now, don't try to smooth it over.
Don't say a word about it. You'll
make bad matter worse. The old ex-
cuse about children to be taken care OF,
[ suppose. | think man.
but, madam, you are wild True.
my first wife died on Thursday and !
married my second on Friday, but three
years interviewed between the two
events.
ssOhr'
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-09

sponges for a firm who was going to
manufacture new article that requir-
ed large quantities, and it was found
that the young man paid as much for
water and coral rock as he did for
sponge.
Better spongeS are found in the Ba-
hamas than on the Florida reef, and
the business, though in the hands of a
few, is valuable one. The majority
OF people have rather peculiar ideas re-
garding the sponge. Some think it an
ms ct, others plant. 1t is, however,
simple animal, composed of many
cells, that are arranged in three layers,
the middle one Secreting the lime or
slick, as the case may be, that goes to
form the skeleton of the animal. Flor
ida Cor. Cincinnati Enquirer.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-09

Experiments have recently been made
by the French Government with new
kind of siege gun of prodigious power.
1t is described as made of steel and
nearly thirty feet long, and the tube is
strengthened with ten coils of plated
steel wire one millimeter, or .O39 inch
in diameter. The weight of this gun
IS fifty tons, and it projects a shell
weighing 297 pounds, capable of pene-
Srating armor plates nearly six inches
5hick at range Of seven and one-half
miles.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-09

1t is said that in one of our country
churches not thousand miles of, at
the conclusion of the services, the pas
tor offered a prayer so lengthy that a
part of his congregation be anne so
much worried they quietly left the
house while others did not behave as
they should. The preacherson getting
off his knees, discovered that most Of
his congregation had disappeared, re-
solved on presenting the crowd for
misbehavior to the proper authorities,
whereupon the officers of the church
were called upon to assist in the work.
One of the officers on being approach
ed upon the subject declared that he
would have nothing to do with it, at
the same time remarking that people
had rights as well as their preacher,
and really he thought they all bad a
right to get up.-Colunobja (G0.) Sen
tl3lP{
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-09

A Paris photographer worried him.
self nearly to death taking an instan-
taneous negative of a railway train in
melton, only to discover that he might
lust as we'll have taken his time to it and
photographed train standing still, as
the appearance OF the negative was
precisely the same.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-09

1t is now pretty well settled tina. z
man who purchases limited railway
ticket can complete his journey if he
starts on the day the limit expires, not
withstanding it may take him several
days longer to complete his journey.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-09

The Cincinnati Enquirer has come to
the conclusion that too much dignity
Injuries mans character and chances.
He should have just enough to keep him
level when lurch of street car throws
a 210-pound woman into his lap.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-09

The agricultural classes of France
have t200, 900, 900 on deposit IL the gov
eminent savings banks, on which are
paid 4 per cent interest.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-09

Professor j. c. Cram, of Deerfield,
n. H.. is now keeping his 340th sing
ing-school, being in his fifty-tirst year
of teaching. He has sung in the church
choir fifty-fVe years, and has taken
charge of the singing in the church for
fifty years.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-09

Phil Sheridan's prescription for a
cold: Stay at home and sit in front
of the fire. -
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-04-25

Kronstadt snd ~ nevy.yasds ns6r 8.
Petersburg. AT least tan thousand
woykmen are working al day and Ill
night by electrio-liEht putting the feet
on 8 war footing. Two iron-clads, the
Admiral Nnkhimoff and Alexander
Leach of which is . match for
British vessels Of the Devastation
class--will be ready for sea carly
in the summer. They are over
eight thousand tons, fourteen-inch
arnor, and will each carry four
teen guns Of twelve and nine-inch cali
bre. The Baltic feet now consists Of
2l5 vessels--of which 33 are iron-clads
and 100 torpedo-boats-ready for active
service In ten days. All the Russian
naval officers at Kronstadt look forward
with the greatest delight 10 . brush
with England.
A well-known Russian admiral said
to your correspondent: "lf England
tries to blockade the Baltic we shall
come out and fight her in the open sea.
Our navy now is in splendid fighting
trim. We have the greatest confidence
in our torpedo-boats."
Correspondent: Atwhat point in the
Baltic would the naval action most
likely be fought?
Admiral pulling awcll-fngered chart
from his book-case): Here, midway be-
tween Stockholm and the Island OF
Dago.
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-04-25
INNER VIEWS.
Counsellor or the I zsr-Oppos,tion 10 VI
Giers.

Giers.
A st. Petersburg special to the
Herald says: NJ. de Giers, in con-
yersation last Monday with foreign
diplomatist, who to-day repeated it to
the Herald correspondent, said:
Il feel now confident that there will
be no war with England this year. 1t
may be impossible to prevent more
fighting taking place between our ir-
regular troops and stray bands Of AZ
ghans, but as the British Cabinet now
recognizes the accomplished facts and
yields on all points which Russia deems
for the moment indispensable all dam
ger Of war is for this year at least re-
moved. But until we have q radical
solution Of the Anglo-Russian frontier
question war is merely question Of
time"
But NJ. de Giersis now very unpopu-
lar with the genuine Russians on &C
count Of his German origin and Jewish
extraction, and his removal from the
Ministry is warmly urged by the old
Muscoyites, and notably by NJ. de Pobe-
donoseff, leader Of the Panslayists and
the Cars most intimate adviser. In
spite Of the pacific assurances Of the
Russian Foreign Office the greatest &c
tivity prevails in the army and navy.
Yesterday the Grand Duke Alexis,
High Admiral Of Russia, asked the
Czar, in the event Of war, to place him
in command Of the Baltic feet.
Your correspondent has just visited
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-04-25


An amusing story is told Of the late
Mr.. Justice Byles. The learned judge
was an excellent shorthand writer. hav-
ing early in life graduated as reporter.
At the Somerset assizes on one occa-
sion, as was customary, he read por-
tions Of the evidence to the jury, but
floundered hopelessly in the middle Of
sentence. There was an awkward
pause, and the jury and bar neryously
awaited the result. His lordship at
last, after many efforts to deciphcr the
missing word, dropped his dignity, and
leaning over toward the reporters be-
low, inquired, . Can any Of you gentle
men assist me to a word here? have
not put in the vowels, and what | have
in my book looks as if witness had
said : Go and call in the baby but -
with puzzled look" it can't be that,
because there is no baby in the case"
One of the reporters was equal to the
occasion, and putting in the right vowel,
the word "Lobby- was the result, and
the judge continued bis charge.
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-04-25
Rev. DIR. Woodrow Case.


AUGUSTA, Ga, April 24.-The Au-
gusta Presbytery, after investigating
the question of DR.. James Woodrow
orthodoxy in reference to his teachings
in the Columbia Theological Seminary
on evolution, resolved: First. We
find nothing that warrants a trial for
heresy. Second. As no one appears or
offers TO make out charges. no process
can be instituted. (See Book of Disci-
pline, chapter 6, paragraph -"
Resolred, That our action in this
matter is not to be understood as call
ing in question the action of the Synod
of Georgia held at Marietta in 1884.
DR.. Woodrow was present at the
meeting, and notified the president OF
he Augusta Synod that he would COM
plain Of their action to the Synod OF
Georgia.