davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-03-11
The Cost of Corn
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.

CINCINNATI commercial Gazette.
Mr.. Bonham, of the Oxford Far
mers' Club, said the cost depended
much on season, and condition of
soil. In favorable seasons and on
good, clean, rich land, the cost per
bushel is not one-third of that on
poor land, stiff clay or in any unfa-
vorable season, The condition of the
soil the farmer can, ia a large meas
ure, control, but the weather is a
factor he can not handle.
The crop In general is cheapened by
the best of culture and good nipple
ments. The three horse pillow, the
planter and checkrower are as essn-
tial to cheap corn culture as the drill
and binder to wheat raising, Or the
mower and horse rake ia hay making.
Then, too, the shape of ones field is
very important. The field with par
alleI siders, SO as to have no point
rows; and with a length of not less
than so rods can be plowed at less cost
per acre than one where there is more
time occupied in turning. His fields
are about 110x40 rods, and it costs one
half more to pow it the short way.
1t takes three days with two-horse
cultivator to go over his "a acre fields
the longer way, and four and half
days the shorter way.
He advocated the removal of more
fences, and study to remove obstruc-
tons in the way of open bitches gull
lies, stumps, old trees, bushes and the
like, as a means of economy and COM
fort in cultivating all crops. It pays
to remove every obstruction to free
use of best implements. The day is
past when We can 60 lodging around
among stumps and brush and stone
with a one horse plow. Better work
and more Of it is the road to lessen the
cost per acre and bushel.
He gave the cost of corn crop, on
24-acre field, ITO rods long:
Raking and burning Observation-Disclosures, / 50
Aon uays pio"ine ...........,............ 70 w
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-03-11
FARM, HOME AND GARDEN.
A NICE, CLEAN HOUSE.
j. w. WATSON.

Iscarcely dared to tread within,
So neat was everything;
The stoop showed soap was KING.
Almost with awe strobe the floor
Into the parlor prim,
And as / closed the noiSeless door
The light was soft and dim.
The sofa stood in stately form,
could not say the air was warm,
Though order reigned with grace.
No speck Of dust, no sign of rust,
Profaned this nice clean house;
No cat, no dogs their bones discussed,
Nor cen nibhling mouse.
I said unto my well housed friend:
you're very quiet here"
And as he speaks his cold words send
A chill upon my ear.
ssNol noh' he said, "Our child is dead;
Thers's none about the place"
Alas within the life he led
No sign of dust trace.
No children round the well-kept house,
No sound Of pattering feet,
No little ores to kiss and bowse,
No dirty fingers sweet,
Give me the toys and dust and noise
And furniture awry-
The work of baby girls and boys
And that will suit my eye.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-03-11
but that.
When they lie in the mud.
No fears of a flood.


The first of these couplets is of two
fold interest. I have watched them
for years, to see what purport this car
rying of sticks and punches of
grass might have, and have only
learned that it has nothing whatever
to do with the weather, or at least
with coming transforms. The drought
of Summer is SO far a convenience as
to throw light upon this habit, as it
did upon the uneasy cows, Pigs car
ry sticks as frequently then as during
wet weather, Or just preceding a
shower. Furthermore, these gath
cred twigs are not brought together
as though to make a nest, but are
scattered about in a perfectly aimiess
manner. For some cause, the animal
is uneasy, and takes this curious
method ofsrelieving itself. The proba-
bilities are that 1T is a survival on
some habit common to swine in their
teral condition, just as we see a dog
turn about half dezen times before
lying down.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-03-11

Estimating the crop by the wagon
load, when husking, there were 1, 440
bushels. worth at the time when husk-
ing, 1850; worth per acre SIS; aver
age bushels per acre, so. He said the
ground broke up very mellow, and the
cost OF preparing for planting was
the least possible. In average seasons
finds it necessary to roll aud harrow
before the planter, but it was not nee
essary to roll and harrow tins year.
His stand was excellent, and when
laid by he anticipated a large crop,
but drouth set in and fired the corn
before the rains followed. The latter
part of the season was too wet. In
fact, the season was wrong end lore
most. There was a rank growth of
blade and stalk, many barren stalks,
an unusual amount Of smut or black
fungus, and much rotten corn. None
Of his corn was as well filed out as it
was last year, and the feeding value
of the crop is not nearly so good as
that of last year. In fact, he consid-
ers his crop not fair average. Nor
can he see how he could have pre-
vented this He planted May and
10. II he had planted two weeks lat
er his crop would not have been SO in
jured by the drouth. As a general
rule, however, early planting is best
here.
Mr.. Mccullough said he had corn
on both rich bottom lands and thin
upland. The latter is far the best this
year Usually the crop GA his bottom
land is the best. He had a we'll pre-
pared estimate Of the cost OF his crop,
which your CORES pendent regrets he
forgot to ask him for.
Mr., Otstot gave his estimate of his
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-03-11
A Hard Case.

A man was canvasSlng IN southern
Dakota to raise money for the "home
stead monument" which it is propos-
ed to erect at Mitchell. He rode up to
one shack and addressed man sitting
in front of it.
Good morning, nay friend"
s'G'mornin7."
! ''Fine day."
oval, nuthin' extra"
Glow are times?"
"Poor, stranger, blame poor"
whats the matter?"
ooh, wheat's so dang low and
haint got none ter sell, neither"
I'm canvassing for"
Don't want no hail insurance, my
friend"
''But this isn't insurance of any kind
it is"
"Got all the fruit trees I want"
eyes, but I'm not a tree agent even
if you hadn't. This is something TINT
I'm sure you will like to have your
name"
''Never sign no papers for strang-
ers."
"Of course, but let me explain. We
are trying to erect a monument to the
homestead law. an"
SIS it dead?"
''No; the idea is to erect an impos-
ing granite shaft $50 feet high in the
center of quarter section of land to
perpeutuate the memory of the I'M
told benefits derived from the home
stead law"
Eyes, calkilate they air untold
I don't hear much about 'em in these
parts"
"What, don't you think you have
derived great benefit from the home
stead9"
mot that knows Of"
''But it was free land for you"
mo 'twasn't."
t"Why not?"
Had ter live on it an work it an
most starve to death"
''There was 40 use in starving, my
friend"
Nights well starve asst kill m'self
workin'."
mo need of either. But you could
not have got farm without the
law"
Didn't want any"
What made you take one then?"
"Cos some dang fool like you said
it was NICE"
But the law has given you free
home"
Had one before"
''Then you haven't enjoyed life on
your homestead?"
mo, I nearly freeze to death in the
winter, and blow away in ther sum-
mer."
''But you can sell your land"
Don't want to beat any other dang
fool"
II don't believe that you like farm
ing"
ooh, farmin' sail right when you
live In a civilized country-a place
where there's some trees, where fell
Ter kin chop, an git bar 'casionally
or a coon-why stranger there amt
coon In this hui country, and you
know it"
Where did you live formerlya"
Michigan.
''Then you can't give me anything
for the monument"
mot a hanged cent. But I'll tell
yer, eff yell get up a collect'n to build
'sylum fur cussed fools that come
out here where they can't chop er bile
maple sugar er shoot squlr'ls er trap
bar er hunt bee trees er git eny slip'ry
elm er see a hop-pole for a year, er
even hear coon fer the hui summer,
why I'll chip in the wurth of a good
boss.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-03-11

Mr.. Brown said he could not keep
the run Of his business if he did not
keep a journal in which he noted
work done each day, ard where it was
done, on what crop, and the time
spent on it.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-03-11
HOUSEHOLD INFORMATION.

Red ants will never be found in
closets or drawers if a small bag of
sulpher ne kept constantly in these
places.
The most effectual remedy for Shiny
drain pipes is copperas dissolved and
left to work gradually through the
pipes.
Prick potatoes before baking. so the
air may escape.
Brass utensils are often ruined be-
cause the salt and vinegar necessary
to their perfect cleansing are forgot
ten.
A small barrel is capital receptacle
for soiled linen instead Of hamper.
Have it we'll cleaned and lined with
chintz, the outside should either be
painted or covered with Turkish red
embroidered with sprays; the lid
should be covered or painted to cores
pond.
Saving Time In Doing Homework.
Ny table is kept set always, summer
and winter, and that saves a great
many steps. In the matter of sup
plies, [ think highly of the canned
meats which can now be bought every
where. The corned beef is much bet
ter than the fat and bony pieces we
buy at the shops under the name, and
which often have been corned because
that was the only way to save them.
The ham is very fine, with lean and
fat duly intermixed. The salmon is
always good, and the CLAIMS are appe-
tlzlng whether In chowder or fried.
The directions, by the way, on the
clam cans are rather scrimped: pota-
toes and onions enough can be used to
make four quarts of chowder; for
frying, | use four eggs beaten slightly,
two large or four small crackers roll
ed fine, the CLANS stirred in all at
once. and the whole turned into the
frying pan as it stands upon the stove
with little melted butter in it. The
lobster, also, is good to those who like
such things. For supper, can of
Armour's shipped dried beef is just
the thing. 1t saves labor to have
these canned meats on hand, and it
saves grease in the dish water.
| have made quite study of getting
up quick and easy dishes for supper,
IN order 10 get as much OF my after
noon as possible before resuming
kitchen duties: Nothing can be SIM Z
pier than cracker toast, in which the
crackers are not toasted at all, but
merely split ank thrown icto heated
milk after it has been sailed, A little
piece of butter is no disadvantage, or
-four thickening, if one chooses. An
other dish which the children like is
egg toast, -one egg slightly beaten.
little sugar, half pint of milk, the
bread dipped in, and fried on both
side swith griddle which has been
creased with butter or lard. Oatmeal
does not wear well with us, but rice
once IN while is acceptable. Nothing
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-03-11
The Pigs aad the Weather.
Popular Science Monthly.

OOItLICO
OF pigs, have heard it said, very
frequently:
When swine carry sticks,
The clouds will play tricks
b,,+ tho
The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-03

years, His emptiness of aim and his false diction actually compel people to read him. How absurd Having ex plained our position--having demolished romances. We will now return to the great question at issue,
 "Yes Calvin, tell me what troubles you
 He arose, chewed clovc which he took from his yves cut pocket sat down again, blew his nose and replied;
 " am deeply affected.
 Yes. dear--let me call you dear for our parents were acquainted with each other-yes, dear, but tell me what the trouble Is You can confide in me l will never tell any one.
 He gazed, with wild stare, at va. cancy and replied: cannot tell you. believe that you are friend of mine and that you would aid me if you could but my trouble is beyond your help or advice
 Is it so bad as that?
 Yes. even worse.
 Then cannot help you?
 No"
 What shall I do?n
 Cook mo couple of eggs soft boiled
 The tears started from her eyes They had lived together during many years, and this was the first time that he had confided in her-the first time that he had imparted to her the secret that he wanted his eggs soft boiled She could not conceal her emotion
 Don't weep. Elmira,' said he,
 oh Calvin, cannot help it.
 Yes, but remember that we live in Boston and that We may become charac- ters in the great American novel
 You are right" she said as she wiped her eyes - know that l must not show too much emotion Won't you please tell me what ails you
 cannot
 Will any one ever know
 |" think not She went into the kthcn Mir Rick. ley leaned his head against the wall and sighed We would tell what ailed him, but that would not be realism. The great aim of the reaist is to leave the reader in doubt
The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-03

roun fur de white man whut had sot mo ter work hut he wan no whar ter he found Putty soon larnrd dat de whole fa'ee a de road wuA on er strike Dis made mo open one . mer eyes | couldn't open dc uddcr one--an grd- crrd ar mer el. hat an' got crway rum dat place oh, yes da treated mc wid er whole lot a courtesy. hut doan want uo mo
 GoinR back to tho plantation, sup p"sr3
 Ias, sah ef de l.awd 'ul let me se mighty tired uv hcin railroad man De hidncs is er little too llhcly fur cr man a my age When wuk CT young man didn' mine hcin chunkcd er lit tie, but now doan iikeit Look at dis knot on mer head Big cf er do knob, ain't il Yas, l fins cotton safter den CT brick bat Now femme hah W quarter an Ise done wd yer Thanke" sah, Good -dny
The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-03
NO MORE.
Good day

Solomon. sad t white man address ing colored gentleman, @your wife has been working for me for several years and"
 Yas sah, yas
 Wait minute Your wifi" has been working for mo for years. but 1 am com pellcd to discharge her
 Why so, sah 7"
 She Is thief
 My wife,"
 Yes your wife. Oats -uthun new ter me boss Me and her hah been lihin together CT long time and she ain ncbcr stole anything from me yit
 "l don't know anything about thnt, but 1 do know that she steals bacon and bread from my house ;"
 Oats mighty StrnnR"
 "I don't think II ie What do you | do1'
 Who mel Yes you
 Wall amt lniu nothun at de present
 How do you liv"'
 "Mcp'
 Yes. you
 Wy, wucks roun heah nn' dar ' "I know that, hut what do you do with your money
 My money
 Yes your money
 Wall use- it
 But how?
 Wall, cf yer mus know, plays poker wid th" boys
 Who supports your family whii" you are piaying'"
 My fAmbly9"
 Yes, your family
 |" does, If l wins
 But who snpports your family if you lose7
 Now look heah boss ef yer doan want my wife ter tote vihnlts erway rum yer house, nii right White pns- sons is so strange desc late day. dat er culnd p,isson doan know how ter please ''1n My wife shant wuck fur yer no mo sah
The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-03
CLOSE DIRECTIONS.

X surveyor of railroad aceosted a boy who sat on pole fence Say, young man. how far is il to Atterson's r Rap1
 Whiehef way
 This way pointing
 Don't know
 " Don't you live herc7
 Yas. fur ain't dyip here
 Have you ever been to the gap? Yas
 Then how far is ity
 " Furdsr than ef it wa mt so fur Come, young fellow. don't want any foolishHes@ How far is ity How furs what?
 The gap
 1 toie yer jes now No, you didn't"
 Wall then goodbye" moving away. never like ter tell CT pusson twict Say, ef yer don find ther gap % back .r few hundred yards an take CT runnin' start so long Yer'll find dad fown thar summers
The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-03
VOL. 8. NO. 19.
THE SPRING WIND.

re buds is putin out an de leaves is growth green,
 De win O de spring is CT blowin'; An' de fish ter grab de hook is CT growth mighty keen, De win O de spring is CT blowin. De peckerwood cries en de yalierhammers sing De win O de spring is CT blowin'; Fur da knows mighty well dat wese glidin in der spring;
 De win O de spring is CT blowin De sparrow hawks heah an de bull-bat cries De win O de spring is CT blowin' An de jaybird's heah fur ter gobble up de flies, De win O de spring is er blo~in Come kiyer up de ashes an git out in
 de fier,
 Fur doan yer know we'se got ter
 plant CT crap;
 An doan yer heah de white SOW CT
 gibin us CT squeal.
 Fur she's longin fur de green co n
 sap pe bull bat bellers an de crow cries loud De win O de spring Is CT blowin' An de little ole tomtit, uh. he's mighty proud. De win O de spring is CT blowin De parrig mighty shy an de blaekbirds come, De win O de spring is CT comin An de sapsucker knocks like he got CT kittle- drum,
 De win O de spring is er comin Come kiver up de ashes an git out in
 de fiel',
 Fur doan yer know we'se got ter
 plant CT crap;
 An doan yer heah dc white SOW CT
 gibin us CT squeal
 Fur she longin fur de green con
 sap.
The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-03

Congressman may spend weeks in dis cussing what they term vital issues but no intelligent man can ignore the ques- ton of labor. The man who rants and raves in favor of labor is not the man to consider the question. Nine times out of ten he has dull axe which needs to be ground He goes into labor or ganization not with view of helping it, but with view of helping himself As an educated man, he talks with eloquent volubility of the poor mans oppression. Yet at the same time he is the origina- tor of a scheme which will win the votes of the working man In the streets he loudly proclaims his faith in the toiling masses; in private he asserts his belief in the kind and considerate corporation Men, in time of agitation, may be so enthusiastic that they accept his statements, but the time will come the time when they know that his ends are all selfish.
The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-03

The Little Rock Gazete asks: What has become of the poets who bloom in the spring" Those clever destroyers of human happiness are on strike. They declare that they will not return to work until their rights are recognized. It is to be hoped that the public will maintain it's position.
The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-03

Extreme dignity assumed by a man argues more in favor of apoplexy than of good sense.
The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-03

Er wise man may believe CT liar wunst, but he ain. gwine ter do it twice
The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-03
PLANTATION PHILOSOPHY.

Wid ST woman dAr aint CT inch dif. hence twixt Tub and hate
The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-03

De fas man what does CT thing. no matter ef some udder man doss 1t bet ter, is hil np ez de pusson ter praise We sllus think dat de f,lst flowers in de spring smell de sweetest.
The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-03

Fur years an years de white man hab been teacbin' ds niggsr how ter die. but mighty few men hab been teachin' him how ter lib
The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-03

w. D. Howells has been assailed by a brilliant Washington woman, but he can be avenged. He can use her as char acter and make her talk
The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-03
A GOOD MAN.

Nat, said the justice of the peace you are charged with stealing shirt :"
 Faint true, boss.
 do not say that it tx. The charge says that you stole the shirt and it is my business to find out whether or not you did SO
 "Jedge, yer ain't been lettin' desc men fool wid yer, has yer2
 That makes no difference You are charged with stealing shirt Are you guilty or not?
 Jedge, dars two sides ter ebery qles- tion, verse f is CT smart man an"
 That makes no difference, did you or did you not steal the shrt2"
 Neber seed sich CT cou't ez dis Er man haint got no chance ertall. Makes CT man feel 'shamed O his sef. Weber seed de like in mer life
 That makes no difference want to know whether or not you stole the shirt?"
 " Yerse'f i- CT iestice Q de pease, aint yery
 Yes
 Wall. ! doan think dat ii is my place ter tell yer whuder or not l stole de shirt. Yer hab been pryin too much inter mer biznez l stole de shirt. but it aint none Q yo' biznez Dis heaiI is CT free country. Go on CT way. white man spise ter see such cus pu-son
The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-03

The New York alderman have been convicted of bribery This is wrong. An alderman should be allowed to make living. The people throughout the entire country are grumbling about aldermen. IL is mistake They serve for nothing; let them draw pay from their masters. Good men serve once. Other men never get enough.
The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-03
LIM WINGS.

The Norristown HerdId is one of the brightest papers in America
The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-03

MT. Ambrose Slater of Moss Cove Ark, has written the following letter to President Cleveland "This is the last time l am goin to aX you fur CT post-of- flee, fur ef you air mine to let this part of the country go to rack, all right. done all l could fur your election and l made my son Jim, that want but nine teen years ole sw ar that he wuz twenty one an vote fur you an now see what thanks l git. At one time had mo- ton O namin colt airter you but now ef was to have & yaller dog named airter you I'd drownd him. You could glve me post-office jest as easy as not an now, that you won't do it, I must say that you air nothin' but pig head"
 The Mormon question must be set tied. If one president cannot do it, an other must The constitution of the United States is plain, yet each succeed ing executive seems to misunderstood t. If the laws of the country do not give to the president the right of ahol- ishing polygamy, then let the president say so; but if the laws do, then let the president exercise the power which is vested in him. The people demand decisive opinion. If polygamy be right, the people want to know it. President after president has expressed his way ward opinion, yet no one can to-day ar rive at the meaning of any chief mag istrate. This country is either a great nation or it is nothing. The decision is left with the president. During many years it has been left with him and on many occasions he has expressed an opinion, yet the opinion fails to become a law of action
The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-03

De buds is putin out an de leaves is growth green,
 De win O de spring is CT blowin; ,n' de fish ter grab de hook is CT growth mighty
Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1886-06-22
YIangIed by "a Meat Hook

On Sunday evening Warren
Noteware was passing Schulz ;
meat market, when a large dog
sprang out upon him. Mr.. Note
ware sprang to the cross bar In
front of the market expecting to
rise above the dog. when his left
arm caught on a meat hook and he
hung there some time before he
was rescued. The hook passed
through his arm above the elbow.
The wound is considered as quite
dangerous.
Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1886-06-22
Marriage Announcement.

The APPEAL acknowledges the
receipt Of wedding cards announc
Ing the marriage of Miss Nellie
Parkinson, of this city, to H. B.
McAvoy, Of San Francisco. The
marriage will take place at 4p. NJ,
next Thursday at the Catholic
Church here, the ceremony will be
performed by Father insolvency
of Oakland.
Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1886-06-22
NOTICE OF ASSESSMENT.
STFsys EATNDRX

Location of principal place of business,
Carson ify, Standardization OF
works. Carson City, Nevada. Notice is
hereby given that at a meeting OF the
Board of Trustees, held on the Sth day
of June, 1886, an assess meni CNo. H. of
Two Do lars (S2} rer share was levied
upon the capital stock of the corpora
ton, payable Immediately in United
States gold and silver coin, to the Sec
rotary at his Office in Car. on City, Ne
yada. Any stock upon which this as
sessment shall remain unpaid on We'd
nesday, the Seventh Cth) I ay of July,
1886. will be delinquent and advertised
for sale at public auction, and, unless
payment is made before will be sold on
Thursday, the 5th da7 of A ueust. 1856
20 pay the delinquent asse, sment, 10
gether with costs OF advertising and ex.
penses of sale. BY order Of the Board OF
Trustees. JOHN NJ. DORMER,
jeI0td Secretary.