davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-07
Character in Handwriting

There are persons who claim to read
mems characters from their handwriting.
AS the writing Of every nation is distin
guished by certain strong national pecu-
Harities, it is easy for an expert to decide
to what nation writer belongs. Having
settled that, certain large characteristics
which are common to all men, but in diff
erent degrees, can be seen In every hanu-
writing. A certain number of men are
calm even lived, sensible, and practical.
Men of that class are almost certain to
write plain, round hands in which every
letter is distinctly legible; neither very
much slanted forward nor tilted back
ward; no letter very much bigger than
its neighbor, nor with heads very much
above or with tails muchs below the letters
not so distinguished; the letters all having
about the same general uprightness, and
the lines true to the edges of the paper,
neither tending upward nor downward.
Exact business like people will have an
exact handwriting. Fantastic minds revel
in quirks and streamers, particularly for
the capital letters, and this quality is not
infrequent in certain business hands, as
if the writer's found a relief from the pro-
sale nature of their work in giving flour
ishes to certain letters. Firm, decided
downright men are apt to bear on the
pen while writing and to make their
strokes hard and thick. On the contrary
people who are not sure of themselves,
and are lacking in self control, press I'M
evenly and are notwithstanding scratchy
hands. Ambitious people are apt to be
overworked; they are always in haste
and either forget to cross their It's or dot
their is. They are apt to run the last
few letters of every word into an illegible
scrawl. Hurried, troubled, and consci-
ence-twinged persons have a grabbed and
uneven handwriting.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-07
He Was Her UUcle.
San Francisco Chronicle

'Jealors!" she says, jealous" and she
raises her eyebrows and laughs. Jealous
of him! Why he's an old, old man, as old
as my father"
"Thats all right" said the youth. ''I
know those old, old men who are old
enough to be your father"
"What do you mean? You don't mean
to say that he thinks I am in love with
him.
"You don't know him. That bald
headed old duffer looks in the glass every
morning, and as he lays out his three
hairs picturesquely across the top, he
thinks he's just masher. Cheek! Give
me an old man for cheek"
Don't be too slangy."
"Well, [ can't help it. What do you
think? That old coot took me aside and
asked me, me mind you, if you had any
beaux."
. And what did you say?"
Say! told him that you had-one
that was prepared to lick any old Bonn
bay duck that attempted to try any old
games on you"
cob that explains it,
"Explains what?"
|'Why, mamma has told me not to
speak to you. He isn't any beau. He's
my rich uncle from Chicago, and I guess
you've simply cut me out of his WILL
Geewhillikins!
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-07
KITCHEN NOTES.

Cistern water may be purified by char
coal put in a bag and hung in the water.
Coffee cake should be wrapped, while
warm, in napkin, and there remain till
cut.
Whiting or ammonia in the water is
preferable for cleaning windows or paint.
In pairing fruit for canning, use a sill
yer knife, so that the fruit may not turn
dark colored.
Buy bar soap by the quantity. Keep it
where it will dry, and it will go much far
ther in using.
Prick potatoes before baking, so that
the air may escape, otherwise they may
burst in the oven.
Hot dry flannel applied to the face and
neck is a very effective remedy for Jump
ing toothache."
Brass utensils are often ruined because
the salt and vinegar necessary to their
cleansings are forgotten.
Fruit or rust stains on table linen OF
other white clothes may be removed BY
soaking in a weak solution of oxaliC
acid.
The most efectual remedy for Shiny
and greasy drain pipes is copperas dis
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-07
HORSES AS NOVELTIES.
The First That Were Seen In the Sandwich
Islands.


In 1903 Capt. Richard Cleveland, of
Salem, took to the Sandwich islands sew
eral horses, an event thus recorded in
his life by his son, just published by the
Harpers:
Touching at Cape ST. Lucas, where they
purchased another pretty mare with
foal, )" for which they paid in goods which
cost in Europe one and half dollars,
they took their departure on the Both of
May and arrived at Karakaroa bay, Sand
wich islands, on the 21st of June. They
found it was the season of a periodical
taboo, during which no canoes were allow
ed to stir; but the next day John Young
came on hoard and told them that the
king was at Mowee.
Young was very DESTROYS of having one
of the horses, and thinking that the bpro-
ability Of their increase would be better
secured by leaving them in different
places, the next day moved to Tooagah
bay, near Young's residence, and landed
the mare, of which he took charge. This
was the first horse ever seen in Owyhee,
and naturally excited great establishment
among the natives.
From here they went to Novice and
were first beaded by Issac Davis, who,
with John Young, comprised at the
time the European population of the
islands.
Soon after a large double conoe came
off from which powerfully built athletic
man, nearly naked, came on board and
introduced by Davis as Tamaahmaah the
great king. His reception of them was
not such as they had anticipated, nor
could they account for his apparent cool
ness and lack of interest, except on the
suppOsition that it was mere affectatiOn.
He took only a careless look at the horses
and returned to the shore without ex-
pressing any curiosity about them. His
sub ects, however, were not restained by
any desire to appear unconcerned. The
news of the arrival of the wonderful ami
mails spread rapidly, the decks were
crowded with visitors, and next day,
when they were landed. great multitude
had assembled, evidently with no definite
conception of any use that could be made
of them. AS might be expected from
people who had never seen a larger ami
NAL than pig, they we're at first afraid
to approach them and their amazement
reached its climax when one of the sail
ors mounted the back of one of them
and galloped up and down upon the
beach. They were greatly alarmed at
first, for the safety of the rider, but when
they saw how completely he controlled
the animal, and how submissiveIy and
quietly the latter exerted his powers in
obedience to his will, they seemed to have
a dawning conception of the value of
such possession and rent the air with
shouts of admiration.
The king, however, could not be betrav-
ed into any expression of wonder or sur
prise, and, although he expressed his
thanks when told they were Intended as
a present to himself, he only remarked
that he could not perceive that their abil-
lty to carry man quickly from one
place to another would be a sufficient
for the amount of food
they would necessarily require.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-07
Feeding Swine.

Those who do not believe in feeding
swine fully up to the power of Digestion
during the mild weather of autumn, would
do well to try the experiment and satisfy
themselves of the economy. Even if the
swine are to be fed through the winter for
the spring market, there is no less econ
Omy in this plan. 1t will take nearly as
long again to put the same amount of fat
on hog in cold winter weather as it will
when the weather is mild.
If the hogs are to be killed about
Thanksgiving time, the strong feeding
should have commenced as soon as the
middle of September, or as soon as the
corn is fairly hard, since it will take about
sixty days to comfortably finish swine af
ter they fairly commence thriving on
grass. In fact, for early killing the hogs
should have new corn as soon as it got
fairly out of the milk, stalks with the
corn, and be Injured gradually to it, SO
that full feeding may commence as soon
as the corn may get fairly hard.
It is mistaken idea that new corn is
not fit to feed to hogs, and yet many per-
sons are impressed with this idea, they
perhaps know not why. All there is in it
Is that corn while green must be fed care
fully at first until the animals get used to
it. Then they will not eat sufficient to
cause collie and other gaseous disturban-
ces
The profit in feeding all animals con-
sists in the returns in flesh for the food
consumed. In very cold weather animals
can scarcely eat enough to more than
hold their own and supply daily water.
The fatter they are the less the daily
waste, since the cushion of fat acts as a
non-conductor to cold. The lean animal
succumbs most quickly to severe weather.
Hence the economy in getting animals in
the best possible condition for winter,
whether fattening or store.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-07
THE WORD TWISTERS.

Puck: Goes against the grain-The
reaper.
Puck: A iss-statement-"Go and ask
papa"
Hartford Times: Moves in the best So
ciety-A fan.
Texas Siftings: An honest politician
gathers no tin.
Puck: The blue pencil is the thing to
cut a story short.
Puck: The sixth sense-the sense of
our own Importance.
Life: The excitement at Charleston
may still be said to be in-tents.
Omaha World: The best temperance
factor in civilization is a clean reser-
voir.
Texas Siftings: A gathering on the
frOntier-Bald heads on ballet night.
Brooklyn Times: Advice to happily
married couples-Keep away from New
port.
Harper's Bazaar: A hunt that few MIN
rods care to engage ina wild goose
chase.
New Orleans Picayune: The water will
help those who intend to help them
selves.
Boston Post; A book on etiquette
might justly be termed a work on haugh-
ty-culture.
Boston Herald: It's pretty cold day
when Land Commissioner Sparks doesn't
get hot.
Philadelphia Call. Autumn leaves make
their appearance some time before au-
tumn leaves.
Lowell Courier: Adam was the first Odd
Fellow but the rib business soon made
him Even.
st. Adams Messenger: The most sue
cessful 'anti-saloon" man is the man who
doesn't drink.
Philadelphia Times: Quite number
of last years clippers have blossomed into
this years divorced.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-07
4 Grief-Stricken Parrot.
Detroit Free Press.

well-kuown citizen of Detroit who
died lately, possessed parrot, bird of
rare intelligence and fluent powers of
speech, who Immediately upon the death
of its owner became morose and silent. a
condition it remained in until after the
funeral and for some days later. Friends
of the family commented on this, and no.
tlced the taciturn mood of the bird, but
no Inducements could make Polly talk.
One day, however, as a servant was bring
ing In fayorite chair of the deceased
the parrot began to scoId and mutter in
the lingo peculiar to its kind, and finally
uttered in a mournful disconsoIate tone.
the single cry:
"Papa!''
No notice was taken of her, and she
called in higher key;
where's papa?"
She then relapsed into a somnolent
state for a few moments, when she sud
denly shrieked;
'Po-O-or papa!"
This exhausted her vocabulary. but she
continued to utter the words in every
tone and variation of excessive grief, I'M
til cloth was thrown over her cage. to
the great relief of the mourning friends
whose sorrow was intensified by the ap-
parent sympathy of the affectionate bird.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-07

conditions are ripe for it, while on the
opposite side of the range the lateral
pressure is more easily sustained than
on the weak spots which exist beyond
The recent earthquake shocks in Sontb
Carolina were and are undoubted due. in
my judgment, to the pressure exerted
seward by the great mountain RANGES
northwest of the disturbed centre. The
force of this pressure was somethino
like that of backed water pressing with
great might against an obstruction, un-
til the weight of water finally over-bal-
ances the resistance, when the latter
yields. This reserve pressure was ready
to be let loose at the slightest yielding of
an adjacent resistance. 1t would neces-
sarily follow that the results would be
such as the natural conditions of impedi-
ment, and that the weakest places be-
tween the mountain base and the sea
coast might yield to an upheaval to make
room for the new situations to take place.
These localities would likely be in close
juxtoposition to the sea coast, unless
the latter would be at too great a dis
lance.
Nothing is simpler than repeated shocks
regulating the new situation, vet it does
not seem POSSIBLE that any further dis
turbance of great results would follow the
first upheaval. This could only happen
by supposing the mountain range in an
unstable position upon an infrm founda-
ton, and that as the lateral distractions
were removed which helped to sustain its
great weight, it would sink suddenly to
some depth; in which case the force of
such a conclusion might split the whole
country up for miles, and drive the coas
line beyond its present limit in places.
1t must be borne in mind that the pres
sure Is exerted beneath and not on the
surface.
Draw an imaginary straight line from
the base of the mountain to the coast as
chord to the are formed by the surface
above, and you have an illustration of
what is meant by the pressure being ex-
erted beneath and not above.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-07
Too Much GassaHay.
Texas Siftings.

Maj. Gassaway, a prominent San Anto-
MO lawyer, is famous for his long speech
es. They are SO long that they cause his
clients to get long sentences from the ex-
asperated jury.
Recently Maj. Gassaway defended a
murderer, and addressed the jury off and
Oh for the better part of two days. The
jury gave the man imprisonment for life
in the penitentiary, and they would have
given Gassaway twice as much if they
conld have legally done so.
When Judge Noonan, who was on the
bench, asked the doomed man the usual
question as to his having objection to
sentence being pronounced on him &C
cording to law, the latter replied:
II think, your honor, that the time
consumed by my attorney IL addressing
the jury, ought to be deducted from my
term Of Imprisonment"
Judge Noonan said that he thought so,
too
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-07
HOWto Prime.
The Fruit Recorder

We look upon the roots as the parts
that nOurish, but the roots are the mouths
through which food is taken. It is more
correct to say that the stomach nourishes
rather than the mouth, and the tree "a
ther than the roots. By several cutting
back heads of trees | can almost suspend
growth. Thus we often leave branches
that / know must come off next season,
simply to induce growth of the part that
is to remain permanently. Some people
seek to urge the growth of sciOns in new
ly grated trees by removing all large
limbs. They should remember that they
thus remove that which influences growth,
and after such severe slaughter many of
the fbrOus roots will be found dead, for
if they have no work TO perform they be-
come feeble and short lived. We must
distinguish the difference between trees
and vines. If we wish the grape to grow
vigorously we cut it back closely, for its
leaves are very large, and it has the
faculty of covering with trellis only a
few buds. Thus we cut feeble-grOwing
vines back more closely than strong grow
ing for by close cutting we get more
foliage than by leaving canes long.
Therefore, in pruning trees the danger
lies in cutting too much, and with vines
in not cutting away enough. If you wish
the tree to spread, cut to an outside bud;
if to run higher and closer, to an upper
or inside bud. Leave no crotches, as
they are certain to break when laden.
Cut close to the shoulder, but do not cut
the shoulder. Remember that he who does
not trim at all get the most growth of
tree, yet he who trims often and wisely
has the best orchard and fattest pocket
book.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-07
Shouldn't Get Excited.
too.
Chicago Rambler.

A telegraph operator in Milwaukee was
one day trying to call up an Office in a
small town in the interior of the State,
where the instrument was presided over
a woman.
He was about giving up in dispair
when the operator in another small iowa
a few miles distant from the first tickeo
out the query:
''What in heavens name do you want?''
Il want Miss Brown at BurgVille," re-
piled the Milwaukee man; II have been
trying to get her for the last half hour
''That is nothing" came the reply,
''there is young fellow clerking in dry
goods store there who has been trying to
get her for the last three years, and he has
not succeeded yet. Do not get discour-
aged"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-07

solved and left to work gradually through
the pipe.
No kitchen should be without scales to
test the integrity of things purchased by
weight, and to measure the quantities of
various receipts.
Plaster of Paris ornaments NAV be
cleaned by covering them with a thick
layer of starch, letting it dry thoroughly
and then brushing with a stiff brush.
Lamp chimneys are easily cleaned by
holding them over the steam from tea
kettle, then rubbing with soft cloth, and
finally polishing with paper.
Tin vessels rust and are often worth
less in few weeks, because, after wash,
ing, they are not set on the stove for
moment CT in the sun to dry thoroughly
before they are put away.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-07
Special Crops.
Practical FARMER.

In the vicinity of cities and large towns
many farmers devote their time princi-
paIly to the production of some particu-
lar crop, and if they select crop that is
ada pied to the soil of their farm, and is
one they are interested in enough to in
duce them to become thoroughly acquaint-
ed with the best methods of producing it,
there is but little doubt that they would
do better shan if they followed the mixed
farming; but if they attempt to produce
crop that is not adapted to their land,
or one they cannot become interested in,
they will very surely make a failure of
it.
When farmer decides to enter largely
into the production of any crop, the first
thing for him Is to consider what he
knows about it; if he does not know
enough about it to select the soil best
adapted to its growth, and does not take
interest in it to learn the best metods of
operation, he had better follow the mixed
farming or select some crop that he is
familiar with. When the farmer does
fully understand the wants of a crop he
should not try to produce it on a soil that
is not adapted to its growth thinking
that he can make up the deficiency of
his land by his superior knowledge, be-
cause by so doing he is carrying a load
that, as a rule, is unnecessary. Our farms,
most of them, have variety of soils so
that by properly assigning the different
crops each one may be put on to land
adapted to its growth; but is a farmer
should chance to have soil that is all
heavy soil, he will confine himself to such
crops as grow best on heavy land. If
Wilk or butter be his money crop he will
feed his cows principally on grass and
hay, and if he finds it necessary to grow
fodder crops for summer feed, he will
grow oats instead of Hungarian. If his
farm should be of light sandy soil and
he wishes to produce milk, he would
depend largely on winter rye, corn fodder
and Hungarian to feed both summer and
winter
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-07
CEMENTATION-
A New Process to Preserve Dead Bodies from
Decay.
New York Herald

Decay.
New York Herald.
A special from Buffalo, n. Y, SAYS
Theodore Graves Hulett, aged II wears
and for several terms a side Justice of
the Niagara county court, came from
Niagara Falls to explain before the sani-
tary board of Buffalo his method of &C.
mentatiOn, discovered some twelve years
ago. The discussion of it before the re-
cent convention of the American Associa-
ton for the Advancement Of Science has
canSed him to come before the board to
show that there was nothing new in ce-
mentatiOn to him. He exhibited cement
blocks containing specimens of fruit and
the bodies of animals placed there in
1874. They were changed into a sub
stance closely resembling stone, and the
original colOrs were preserved to a re-
markable degree. Mr.. Hulett said he had
decided to cement his whole family, bat
his two daughters have expressed the
idea that it would be 'pretty close quar-
ters," he had in their cases simply in
closed their collins into the cement to the
thickness of a foot. making it into A
cumbrous stone box estimated to weigh
close upon two tons. He exhibited his
will, made some time ago, which provides
that his own body ahall be embedded in
cement. He said further that he not in
frequently cemented Baskets at the Falls.
at the Oakland cemetery, he said, the
ground is wet, and it had been found to
work perfectly. The gases escape through
the cement very slowly. and a perfect
copy Of the body is left eff" said the
cementationist, "we had the body of
Moses in such a process we could now
give every college in the world perfect
model of Gods chosen leader" He says
he has no scheme to work, and only wants
to give the world the benefit OF his expert
ments.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-07
The Washington Dude.
Washington Critic.

Scene-F street car, Saturday after
noon. Dramatis Persona young
ladies, treasury clerks, and an ultra-ex-
quisite dude, strangers all around.
Dude, to young lady nearest fare-box-
Aw, may l twouble you, miss, to pwass my
fwalah, handing the young lady quarter,
which she ''dwops', into the ''bwox."
Dude fdgets about a few moments, and
then addressing the young lady, says
Aw, pawdon me, miss, but that was a
qwartah you dwopped in the bwox.
Young lady, graciously-Oh, was it?
Well, guess they'll let you ride for a
quarter.
Dude sucks his cane and tries TO
think.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-07
Scratching for Eggs.

Scratching is better than feeding. A
hen may go hungry during the entire day,
and if given all that she can eat at night,
will lay better than the one that has been
fed three or four times day. A hen is
in her best condition only when she is
seen industriously at work 1t is her nat
ural mode of securing Woodworking for
it. If given place to scratch in winter,
the exercise keeps the body warm, circul-
ates her blood, and when night begins to
come on she will have an excellent appe-
tite. The great difficulty we find in the
way OF most persons is that of feeding
the hens without compelling them to
scratch. A lazy, idle hen Will lay soft
shelled eggs, she will pull the feathers
from her companions, and cackle and
make a great noise at times as though she
had laid an egg, when in truth the alarm
is false one. 4 tablespoonful of soft
grain scattered in straw, chaff, saw-dust
or even dirt, will cause her work. If she
finds only one grain occasionally she will
be satisfied, and if hungry will work hard
the entire day for more. The best mode
for feeding Is to cook piece of meat
and NIKE mush with the pieces, mixed
with ground oat meal, bran and shipstuff,
equal parts. Have it very stiff, and give
it to the hens early in the morning, but
give them only about one-half enough.
Then throw some grain in scratching
place, and leave them till night, when
mixture OF wheat and oats may be given.
IN winter corn may be allowed but never
il summer. The main point IS to feed
them so as to keep them buslly scratch
ing all the time.-Tribule and Farmer.
,,rize FIGHTER. who was captured in the
ring and brought before justice of the
peace. gave as his excuse that he couldn't
help it, he was roped Burlington