davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24
rs The Sun Blue.
Prof. Langley, in Science.

Itmay be asked, what suggested the
idea that the sun may be blue rather
than any other color? Ny own at
tentiou was first directed this way
many years ago when measuring
the neat and light from different parts
of the SUMS disk. It is known that
the sun has an atmosphere of it's own,
which tempers its heat, and by cut
ting off certain radiations and not
others produces the spectral lines we
are all familiar with. These lines we
customarily study In connection with
the absorbing vapors of sodium, IRON,
etc.. which produces them; but FAY
own attention was particularly given
to the regions of ABSORPTION, or to COLI
or it caused; and / found that the
SUMS body must be deeply blush and
that it would shed blue light, except
for this apparently colorless solar at
mosphere, which really plays the
part of reddish veil, letting little
of the blue appear on center of suns
disk where it is thinnest, and stain
ing the edge red, SO that to delicate
tests the center of the sun is pale
acauamarine, and it's edge garnet.
The effect I found to be so important
that, if this all but invisible solar at
mosphere diminished by but third
part, the temperature of the British
Islands would rise above that of the
torrid zone; and this directed my at
tention to the great practical lmpor-
lance of studying the action of our
own terrestrial atmosphere on the sun,
and the antecedent probability that
our own air was also and independ>
emily making the really blue sun in to
an apparently white one.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24
THE CLOAK TRADE s'FORM."
woman Whe Earns Handsome
Salary Putting On other Peoples
Garments.
New York Times.

New York Times.
Every afternoon about o'clock g
richly attired woman energies from a
downtown cloak establishment. She
is perfection, herface is beautiful, and
her carriage is graceful.
stOhl she is our form," said one of
the proprletors, when asked about
her.
Your form?"
eyes. [ see you are not acquainted
with trade terms. A form is lndls>
pensable to cloak establishments. The
sale of cloaks depends on their attrac--
tiveness. The buying fof the fall and
winter season has begun, and country
merchants are in town or are coming
to purchase their stocks. We must
show them how the garments look.
To display the cloaks to the best ad-
vantage, we have woman to put
them on, and thus buyers view them
as they actually appear when in use.
Wire dummies will not answer. They
have no heads, no arms, no feet. They
are enveloped in paper muslin, and
cannot move"
"What can the form do that makes
her of so much Importance to your
trade?"
''Our form, you must have noticed,
is a shapely woman with handsome
features. You do not often see more
stylish appearing woman, either in
dress or in movements. A cheap
cloak loses it's cheapness on her. She
knows how to draw the cloak around
her to exhibit it to the best advantage.
She knows the positions to assume and
the style ia which to walk and reveal
to the buyers eye the cloak in favor
able way"
SIS putting on cloaks and walking
around and posing before your GUS
toners all that your form does?"
Eyes, and we are mighty glad to
get her without asking anything more
of her"
"What wages do you have to pay
here"
eve pay her $50 week the year
around. We let her have a vacation
in the summer. She returned from
the seashore recently. She is SO valu-
able to us that we paid her expenses
while she was away, ard we also pay
for the dresses which she wears ia
cur house. We do as we'll by our
form IS as any concern, and we have
as good a one as there is in New
York"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24
What a Baby Can Do.

- can wear out a 81 pair of kid
shoes Ia twenty>four hours.
IL can keep its father busy adver-
Using IN the newspapers for a nurse.
1t can occupy both sides of the larg-
est>sized bed manufactured simultan-
eously.
1t can cause its father to be insulted
by every second, class boardine>house
keeper in the city who never take
children" which in nine cases out
OF ten is very fortunate for the child
rem.
1t can make itself look like a fiend
just when mama wants to show what
a pretty baby she has.
1t can make an old bachelor in the
room adjoining use language that. if
uttered on the street, would get him in
the penitsntiary for two years.
1t can go from the furthest end of
the room to the foot of the stairs in
the hall adjoining quicker than its
mother can just step into the closet
and out again.
1t can go to sleep like a little
angel" and Just as mamma and papa
are starting for the theater it can
wake up and stay awake until the last
act.
These are some of the things that
baby can do. But there are other
things as well. A baby can make the
commonest home the brightest spot
on earth. It can tighten the burdens
of a loving mether's life by adding to
them. 1t can hatten its dirty little
face against the window pane in such
way that the tired father can see it
as picture before he rounds the cor
ner. Yes, babies are great institutions,
particularly ones own baby.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24

however, must handle his winnings,
and he is led away with the cash, to
Immediately invest at the other side
of the box. And so it goes, pouring
all his money in at the large end and
catching occasional dribblets from the
small end Of the funnel. Beardless
boys are here. too, in their short jack
cts and knickerbockers, but with
horse knowledge if not horse sence
enough to stock stable. A promi-
nent Brooklyn politician has two or
three of his boys down during school
vacation; and though the Oldest is but
Is, he lets them gamble freely on all
events, and is ofttImes willing to take
points from them. Legitimate labor
becoms distasteful to them, educated
in that school.
The argument used in favor of
book making is that the element of
chance does not enter so largely into
it as to make it gambling pure and
simple. ''You are satisfied in your
mind" says one, "that the horse you
back will win. The book maker wag-
ers you SO much that he won't. You
know just how much you will win at
all. The mutuals are different. You
can't tell how much you will get, and
you invest in the hope of large win
nings." The truth is, the bookmak-
er's ODDS are always enticlng, and
they offer chances on short horses
that the pool-boxes do not hope to
compete with him except GA rare occas-
ions, and pool gmablers always gravi-
tate TO short horses.
The pool selling here is a small part
of the thing and is simply baromet-
er of the public feeling. It can be told
by the registry of sales what horse is
the favorite, and that regulates the
book~making to greater or less ex~
tent. Of course there are many men
who invest in the mutuals through a
hope of large odds, but that is more
frequently done when the field is
large, for then winners make big
ger stake.
A survey of the faces of the book
makers and the book-buyers reveals
the nature of their business at a
glance. Ex~pugilists and profession
ais are here in numbers. Paddy
Ryan, Joe Coburn and Barney Aaron
are here doing their share. Andy
Sheehan, Jack Casey, Joe German
and Red Leary are interested gam
blers; the broken-nosed and bruised
eyes of thugs are here, and as a man
in the GROVE goes about he discovers
so many jostlings him who have the
keen, restless eyes of the ferret, and
the long, thin hands and nervous
movements of a member of the swell
mob, that he instinctively draws
away. So unpleasant are the sur
roundicgs that even the boldest Of
women obey an unwrltten law, and
remain in their seats while messengers
make their bets for them. Many men
do the same, and from the clubhouse
wagers are made by telephone.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24
The Betting Mania.

''If 7 could only borrow two dol~
lars, I know where I could make a
winner" said an anxious, seedy look
ing Individual at Brighton track the
other day. 'Pm right on my uppers,
and the wind will blow through my
vestments in a short time" And then
he laughed a hard, unnatural laugh
as he turned from the friends who
had failed to take the hint given him.
The friend was asked who the seedy
young man might be.
''Some hummer, perhaps" suggest
ed the inquirer.
''He is now, but he wasn't a year
ago. Then he was working as en-
graver and designer in one of the best
silverware houses in New York City.
His regular salary was 50, 500 a year,
and his opportunities to make as much
more were constant, and his time was
comparative his own. This was un-
fortunate. Itgave him the chance to
visit the races, imbibe the passion for
play in the betting, and now he is
without any other income than that
to be gained from the track. He own
ed home, but he doesn't now, and
his family of wife and four children
are suffering"
While the crowd is swaying to aud
fro within the Enclosure, lines of lucky
men are being paid their profits from
the rear of the boxes. Their faces are
a study. Here is one old, gray~head-
ed man, so nearly blind that young
er man has to stand by him as he
waits in the line. No one but he,
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24
Ransom Cheese.
EYchanpa

Uncle Billy Stokes. colored indis
vidual from one of the back counties
in Mississippi. where old-fashioned
wagons with wooden axles are still in
use, and where the primitive STAR
bucket" is part of their running
gear" was in Canton, Miss, a few
days ago standing In front of Matt
Killers store, watching the unloading
from drays of newly arrived goods.
One dray contained, besides several
barrels of groceries, number of boxes
of cheese and dozen Or two boxes of
patent axle grease. Uncle Bllly's
eye rested upon the latter, and he in
CURED:
''Mars Hitler, what year ak fer one
OBJ dem little cheeses?"
"Only fifty cents, Uncle Billy; do
YOU want one?" was Mr.. Killers re-
ssWa,, yes, boss; but eff I buy de
cheese will yer throw in some crack
ers!"
"Of course I WILL" said Mr.. Hitler,
as he handed Uncle Billy box of
axle grease and then passed behind his
counter and took a handful of crack
ers from box and handed them to the
old man.
Uncle Billy then walked to the back
door of the store and, seating himself
on an empty dry goods box, proceeded
to enjoy his lunch. He had been
there but five minutes when Mr.. Hill
Ter concluded he would see what
progress he was making, SO, going to
the door, he saw the old man, with
his barlow knife in hand. spreading
the grease on a cracker, while his
jaws were vigorously working and his
mouth and chin covered with crumbs
and grease.
"Well, Billy, said Mr.. Hitler, show
do you like your lunch!"
The old man rested his knife on his
right knee and, drawing heavy sigh
replied:
s'Boss, dem ar crackers am pow'ful
good, but Lor', boss. dis am de rams
soonest cheese, fo' God, I have ever
tested"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24

The statistics given of the damage
caused by the recent floods in the
Kwangtung province, China, show
that IN seventy four villages over four
thousand houses have been utterly
ruined and twenty-five thousand per-
sons rendered destitute. These figures
only represent but portion of even
the ascertained distress and it is gen
orally believed that there is still as
much distress untouched AS that dis
covered. Further reports show that
in the region affected by the floods
over 1000 people are in pressing
need of assistance. Every effort is
being made to relieve the starving
people, and it is said that the sufferers
were very grateful for the relief given
to them and that most of them are at
work. If they can only find enough
to keep them from starving for the
next two months, when they will be
gin to gather their crops of rice
and peanuts, they can do without fur
Their aid.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24
Quick to Decide.
n. Y. Sun.

"Your duties will be responsible, "
explained a Kentuckian to a gentle
man who applied for situation, ''and
will require great quickness of
thought. There will be no time for
deliberation. Do you think you are
capable in this?"
II think so, SIR
every we'll 7 will think the mats
ter over. VIII you go out and take
-
"Don't care If I do"
The Promptness of this decision so
pleased the employer that ne hired
the man at once"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24


A white camel is an odd object that
serves as nine days wonder at the
London Zoo.
The craze for old china, says the
New York Times, is on the wane, and
the Prevailing craze is for old silver.
Owe, 81, 5000 in drafts and cash
were found in the 4, S48, OG0letters sent
to the Dead Letter Office last year.
One of the English railroad CONS
panies has supplied all it's employees
with led neck handkerchiefs, the
wearing of which is compulsory.
Toy rabbits, with clockwork things
to MAKE them hop, are let loose at
Newport balls, to the vociferous Joy
of sillr beaux and the trepidation of
Understanding young women.
"Yol hear" said the talktive mil
lionair milliner, NJ Worth, ''of
dresses that cost 81, 500 to $4,000 I
venture to say that not four dress
makers in Paris ever made any at
such pices."
A toooggan slide 1, 100 feet long is
being hid out in Waterbury, Conn,
and 1t is predicted that many other
American towns and cities will adopt
the celebrating Canadian sport this
winter.
Travd southwark has set in In dead
earnest, says the Jacksonville Times
Union, and each day the trains from
the norlh and west bring in from ten
to twenty times as many people as
they take out.
A number of the Bible Revision
Committee received a touching plea
against the changing of verse in
Proverbs, which" said the writer,
"was Always a great comfort to my
two HUSBANDS, both deceased"
The Chinese pheasants turned loose
in Oregon some time since have in~
bred with the native grouse, and
new game bird with the head of
pheasant and wing and tail feathers
of a grolse are the result.
4 fox dog belonging to B. W. Will
liams, hear Stinson, Ga, ran up q
tree abolt 80 feet after fox, frighten-
ing the FIX so that he jumped from
the tree, pursued the fox and caught
him, in race of $50 or 800 yards.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24
The Vacancy Steps Over.
n. Y. Tribune.

Wife - Well, where in the world
have you been?
Husband-To tell you the (hic)
truth. m dear, some of the (hic) boys
at the office gone way on (hic) vaca-
tons, y know, an-an short-handed
y un'stan', an I've bee-been filing
vacancy. Eats homes truth, M dear,
Wife-You seem to have filled the
vacancy pretty full.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24
Getting Localities Mixed.
New York Commercial Inquirer.

New York Commercial Inquirer.
A gentleman who had just arrived
from Boston last Sunday evening
dropped into a church on his way to
a hotel while the minister was oescrib-
ing the glories of heaven.
Must be a beautiful place, whis-
pered man in the same pew.
Beautiful y replied the Bostonian,
beautiful is no name for 1t. I left
there this morning"
left heaven this mornin?" said his
amazed neighbor.
Heaven? Is he describing heav~
en?"
Certainly"
"Well. I'll be everlastingly Ameri>
canized if l didn't think he was de-
scibing Boston,"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24
lit Couldn't BE.
PHILADELPHIA Times.

Old Hyson-Oh, [ say, this bill is
altogether wrong. I haven't used
any such amount of gas as this the
past month.
Gasman-Well, all I know about it
is what the meter shows. The great
est aow has been IN the parlor.
Old Hyson-Why, it's been darker
than pitch in that room for the past
six menths. My girls goG fellow
now. You can't fool me with any
such bill as that.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24
Ap0I0giziRg Under Difficulties.
Texas Siftings .

A polite stranger, in railway sta
tion, said to an old gentleman whom
he had accidentally kicked with his
foot;
Il beg your pardon. sir"
"Eh?" said the deaf old gentleman.
81 beg your pardon, SIR" repeated
the polite stranger, now slightly en-
barrassed.
81 don't quite understand you," he
said, mildly.
Il beg your pardon, I kicked you. F"
"What for?"
can accidentl" roared the stranger.
San accident? Bless me! Where?n
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24
Fast-LiYing Americans.

"Well, Robert, and 'ow did you like
Hamerica?"
ooh, Hi liked it well enough, ye
know, only they live so blarsted fast
over there"
'Do they, thought"
"Aye, an they do that. Wy, blarst
me if they don't live so fast that when
they send man to prison for 10 years
he serves hout is term IN seven, ye
know"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24
A Doubtful Witness.
Texas Siftings.

Before swearing a witness in the
district court at San Antonio, Judge
Noonan saw fit to ask the witness a
question or so.
Il see by the records that you are a
very frequent witness. You have
been under oath very often. Have
you always sworn to the truth2"
"Yes, your honor, as q general
thing [ manage to come pretty close
to it."
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24
The golOred Lady Was at Home.
Detroit Free Press .

SIS the lady of the house in2" he
asked as he stood on the steps of res
idence on Cass avenue the other morn
ing.
(Which lady of de house2" asked
the girl who answered the ring.
'Why are there two?"
''Sartin sab. Ifyou want the white
lady she am out. If you has bizness
wild de cull'd lady, purceed to dewe
lop."
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24
How Philosophers Are Made
PHILADELPHIA Press.

GOOD gracious, Dusenberry! I
didn't know until to-day that you lad
been married three times"
Eyes, Bromley, have taken all
the degrees. The first wife knocked
all the romance out of me, the second
taught me humility"
"And your present wife?"
"Made philosopher out of me. I
can bear other peoples troubles with
great deal of self-complacency."
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24
A Green September.
New York Mail and Express.

A journey of 1000 miles from New
York toward the Mississippi will con-
vince any person that there need be
no anxiety lest severe drought may
injure corn and other crops during the
present year. Seldom has the country
looked as fresh and green in Septem-
Der as it looks now, and the traveller
can easily imagine that 1t is June
rather than early autumn. II is true
that the rainfall of the first eight
months of 1885 was only 80 Oh inches,
as compared with Al 6 inches for the
same month of 1884, but it was more
than 'or the same time in either 1883
or 1852, and the earth is not now very
dry, While indications point to wet
rather than q dry autumn.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24

to open the oven door, take a good,
long smell of the fumes arising from
the roasting chicken, drink glass of
milk, and 90 back to work, declaring
that he had had "a feast fit for a king"
This man had son and one daughter.
The son died, leaving about 81, 900 to
the girl, who was but child. It is
said by the neighbors that he actually
charged his own daughter for board
until the $1,000 had found It's way to
his bank account
The Caroline islands may be regard
ed as a practical exhibition of most of
the various systems of government
that are just now in favor. zap and
Kusaie, TWO of the largest lslanda in
the group, are kingdoms, and, con-
sidering that zap is only Pacific
kingdom, it is very advanced place,
it's chief town possesses well paved
street, and there being on the island
no less than 81 villages, each of which
is a semi-independent commune.
Unfortunately consumption is ram
pant, ard the population is rapidly
decreasing. Kusaie is less enllghs
tened monarchy, but, on the other
hand, it has no consumption, and it
has number of gigantic ruins which
have no rivals IN zap. Penape, a
third island, is an oligarchy governed
by FIVE princes. Like Kusaie it cons
tains remarkable prehistoric ruins,
aud thirty years ago it had a popula>
ton of fifteen thousand souls. At the
present time, owing to recent ravages
of smallpox, there are only two
thousand. These, however. are we'll
to do and fourlshing, and they are
noted for their intelligence and physi-
cal beauty. Other islands are repub>
lie, elective despotislns, and federa~
tons of petty princedoms; but upon
the whole none are SO prosperous as
oliparchicaI Ponape.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24
Fires.
TWO COAL MINERS BURNED OUT.

MoNoNGAHELA CITY, Sept. 15.-
The houses of two black sheep coal
miners on the fourth pool were deS
stroyed by fire last night. The fire is
believed to have been of incendiary
origin.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24

restrict them. f. Education AID re~
search In forestry matters. 5. Pracs
teal forestry.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24
The Caroline Islands,
THE CROWN PRINCE AND BISMARCK DIS
AGREE.

PARIS. Sept. 15.-The Soir says that
Crown Prince Frederick William and
Bismarck have disagreed in regard to
Germany's policy in the Carolines af-
fair.
Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1885-07-16

IF any San Francisco paper
wants to rr, up Pail Mall Gazette
sensation" remarked one Of the
truant officers to-day. let them
send out to tie Ma.dalen Asylum
.,.,; Interview the inmates. Ii
some &c those Young ladies took a
notion to tell the truth, my word
fer il few If our leading citizens
wonld take a trip to Europe till the
storm blew over Post.
Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1885-07-16
Board Of PA rdOnS.

Over thirty cases were before
the Board of Pardons during the
week. The following were acted
on yesterday:
John Appel, Lander county, rob
berry. Refused.
George Lake and Charles John
son, Lincoln county, robbery. Re-
fused.
Frank Leon, Eureka county, as
eault. Refused.
NJ. j. McCarty, Washoe county,
arson. Refused.
Adjourned for the term.
Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1885-07-16

A Fresno farmer started up his
combined header and thresher one
morning last week, took a sack OF
grain UP town, had it eround into
-four, and before 10 o'clock A. n.
had presented his friends with
sr,all sacks Of the pr,dnct. It was
made into bread which was eaten
at the usual hour for the midday
meal. - I'll SIS f.. s. :
Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1885-07-16
DON'T WANT HIM,

A few weeks ago it leaked out
in Stock ton that there was = move
to appoint Edward Colnon the edi
tor Of the Stockton Mail to lucra-
tive position under the New Ad-
ninistration. 1t was deemed but =
Just reward for his work in the
campaign in editing a widely cireu-
lated and influential newspaper.
Some Of the politicians heard Of
it, and = howl went up at once.
The idea Of appointing = journalist
to Office seemed preposterous to
i. the riff raft, who have an idea that
no one but ward strikers and ri :
ELL manipulators are worthy OF
recognition. The only thing that
they haye been able to urge against
Hr. ColnOn is that he is an editor
He is a man Of irrepfoachable
character, possessed Of brains and
ability as = journalist, and has de:
voted the past ten years to the SER
vice Of his party in the publication
Of newspaper (founded by him
self. If he is not entitled
squarely on his merits to recognition
then no man III san Joaquin county
is e!egi!.le TO place.
lie will DOUBTLESS De made a vic
tim Of the old idea that an editor
is good enough to head the fight
during a campaign, and get all the
mud thrown pIastered all over his
person. but he must under no con-
sidcratinn have any % the spells.