davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-02-16
After a Quurrel.

81 met young Mrs. W in New
York last week" said the invalid doc
tor to the writer. ''You know she
used to live in Buffalo, and was a pa
tient of mine. I found her suffering
from nervousness and bad attack Of
what you would call the blues She
said she had just lost $4,000, and
would never recover from the disap-
pointment, and would never again
have faith in her old friend and at
torney, Mr.. R. Now, there never
was more honorable man than Mr..
R, and knowing that he practi,
cally had full charge of her finances,
was curious to find out how she lost
the money. I've been laughing over
it ever since [ learned the facts. It
seems that Mrs. VS. grandfather
died three years ago, and in his will
left lot of bonds of q western rail
road to Mrs. W. She asked Mr..
R what to do with them, and, after
consulting with two or three New
York bankers, he advised her to sell
them Immediately. The bonds were
considered poor security, with a pros
pect of never becoming any better.
one SOIu Inc UOnuS. LdSG week she
heard that they were bought by wo-
man in Albany, who had since made
$4,000 by an unexpected rise in their
value. When Mrs. W-heard it she
went to Mr.. R and almost raised
the roof from his Office. She went
away weeping, and took to her bed
for two days. What medicine did ]
prescribe? Why, [ told her I had
seen MIR. R and had heard Of her
terrible loss. Then l asked: Mrs
W, what if your grandfather had
not died?' She thought a minute, and
then said: We'll, if he hadn't died,
then that Albany woman would never
have gotten my $4,000. I wish dear
old grandpa was here now Next day
Mrs. W was as well as ever. ]
heard she has bought a very fine gold
watch as a birthday present for Mr..
R. That's just the way woman
makes up after quarrel. No apol-
ogies when she's wrong, but great
demonstration of affection. "-BtfaEo
cypress.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-02-16
PiDchinG Parsimony.

It is well and right to be economical,
for economy is at the base of saving
and comfort and independence. Many
| a housewife has wasted the substance
of her husbands earnings, and many
| another one has been the means of
enabling him, perhaps forcing him. to
lay by something for rainy day. The
pride Of the thrifty housewife who
boasts that nothing is lost under her
administration of domestic expendi.
ture and consumption, is familiar to
all. Every scrap and shred is utilized
| by her, and she rivals the inventive
ness Of manufacturers in converting
wastes into seryiceable use. Poor,
hard working men owe it to their
wives economy that their little homes
are their own; while others struggle
along hopelessly in the effort to get a
home, against the extravagances OF
their wives.
But economy is not pinching parsi-
mony. Make no mistake about this.
The good housewife who is doing her
best to make both ends meet and, if
possible, to save little, out OF her
husbands earnings, is not to be con-
founded with the one who is endeavor-
ing to pinch something out of the ex-
istence of her family and herself. The
one will keep her family well, but will
not waste; the other will try to pre-.
vent goodness from going into life.
An old man worth $4,000 was de-
clining in weakness to the grave and
had been ordered by his physician to
take a little wine. This is rich living
for me-" he said regretfuIly, as he was
slipping the wine and eating cracker
and he made sure that not a drop re-.
manned in the glass to be lost. Here
was an economical spirit turned into
parsimOny; and life that had been
Industrious and useful, was no doubt
prematurely ended by its pinching
character.
Savings made at the expense of starv-
ing the body and mind are too dearly
bought. They may be of service to
children and their prosperity, but the
sacrifice that creates them has no de.
Tense.
There was time when parsimony
did not look as bad as it now does.
1t had almost an excuse in a day OF
scarcity and poverty, of high prices
and small earnings, But the people
who need to resort to absolute parsi-
monY nowadays are few, and those
people are usually the most wasteful
aud, considering their means, the
most extravagant. The day Of com
fort and luxury has come to most peo-
pie who would avail themselves of it.
4 pinched up existence is hardly an
apology for keeping soul and body to-
gether, and a person who pinches his
body and soul not only acts like q
trespasscr upon the domain Of life, but
by his conduct endeavors to make
himself trespasser.- GOOD House
keeping.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-02-16
Ben Hardin's Big Dog Speech.

Ben Hardin, the Kentucky lawyer
was an orator possessed of such skill
in moving the hearts Of men that very
few who heard the beginning of one Of
his speeches had inclination or ability
to leave before its conclusion.
He once hit upon the ingenious de-
vice Of describing the conversations
which had taken place among the
dogs of the town about his clients
adversary and the opposing witness.
This speech occupied greater part Of
the day.
4 farmers wife, living in the country,
had sent her negro boy to town on an
errand, with orders to return as
rs soon as it was completed. The boy
however, did not appear again until
nightfall, and MS mistress, out OF all
patience, asked her husband to take
him out for a whipping.
The master, intending to comply,
thought he would nevertheless. hear
what the negro had to say in self de-
Tense.
III tell you how it was. massa, "
said the boy. 81 went to town, aud
was starting home. and 1 heard AIr.
Hardin speakin. put my head into
the courthouse door, just to hear what
he was talking about He was telling
what some dogs had said, and got 10
listening, and the first thing knew ii
-
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-02-16
Worth Its Weight in Gold.

The PrOvincetown, Mass, whalemen
have been unusually successful in theiI
voyages within the last 10 or 20 years,
not only in the amount of oil obtained
but in that of ambergris. Ambergris
is 4 peculiar secretion found in dis
eased whale, and is worth its weight
in gold. 1t is not buoyant article,
and is only obtained by killing the
whale, or the whales dying and drift
ing ashore, when the lump of amber
girls washes upon the beach after the
carcass is decomposed. The amber
girls Cor sick) whales are usually found
near the land, and when the stuff is
picked up on shore the carcass of D
dead whale is usually somewhere in
the vicinity. When an apparently
healthy whale is killed, and on exam
ination appears to have very little oil.
4 search for ambergris is made. In
appearance it is dark gray. sticky
substance, and very vile smelling. Ii
is principally used in making per
fumes, to ''set" the od0r, and as a re-
finer.
It is related that one afternoon,
years ago, the schooner Gage Phillips.
III a 10y LANCSONli. w CS OIIlOlu2 OH Tue
whaling grounds, when the man on
lookout reporter that a small, pecul.
iar-looking substance was floating Of
the port quarter. 1t was taken on
deck and pronounced to be some pc.
culiar kind of West Indian gum.
After being kicked around the decB
for some days, it was thrown careless.
~ into the steamboat. The Phillips
fell in with another wbaler, and the
crews exchanged visits The visiting
captain noticed the ''gum," declared
its was ambergris, and revealed it,
value. 1t was taken care Of, and
when the vessel arrived home the sale
of that lump OF gum added Sc, 600 Il
the general stock of the voyage.
Another captain Of merchant YES
sci, lying at anchor of. one of the isl
ands in the West Indies. discovered
lump rs large rs his two fists in thu
possession of a negro, who sold it t,
the captain for one flannel shirt anl
an old pair of pantaloons. 1t was sol,
in the States for $500. s whaling
crew having secured and killed
whale, cut it in two and found darl
gray mass about the size of half
barrel. In the effort to get it on decl
the lead-like mass shot downward int,
the fathomless sea, and at least $50,
900 slipped neatly away, leaving 4 ma,
CAPTAIN and mad crew. There ur,
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-02-16
Surprised the Lad.

A rather amusing little bit of gossip
is going the rounds of theatrical and
musical circles. A couple of days
since Miss Ellen Terry had the pleas
ure of meeting the little boy pianist,
Josef Holman. who is now attracting
the attention of the town by his mar
velous skill on the piano. In the
course of few minutes pleasant chat,
the young yirtuoso inquired:
''Do you speak French, madame?"
~ am sorry to say l do not, replied
the actress with one of her sweetest
smiles.
.tOr German" pursued ths boy.
81 regret to confess, now
You play the piano, then?" per.
sisted little Hofmann, his face lighting
up.
..There you have me again. my
child" replied Miss Terry, with a
touch Of regret in her smile. ~ dc
not play"
Little Hofmaa's face fell as he said.
at is too bad, madame. You are SO
bright thoughtyou knew everything.
-Ac1C York SIN.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-02-16
How Indians Killed Deer.

The Co-Yukon Indians of Alaska
kill the moose in large numbers while
swimming across the Yukon river dur
ing their periodical migrations, ''man-
eUverin@ around in their birch-bark
canoes until the animal is fatigUed,
and then stcalthily approach and stab
it in the heart or loins." Another and
more ingenious mode of capturing deer
adopted by these Indians is thus de-
scribed by Mr.. Whymper in his
Travels in Alaska: "A kind Of
corral or Enclosure, ellipticaI in form,
and open at one end, is made on q
deer-trail, generally near the outlet OF
wood. Th@farther end of the inclosed
space is barricaded; the sides are built
OF stakes, with slip-nOoses or loops be-
tween them. Herds of deer are
driven in from the woods, and. trying
to break from the trap, generally run
their heads into the nooses, tighten
them, and so get caught, or are shot
while still hewildered and running
from side to side. Near the opening it
is common to erect piles Of snow with
portfolios through which natives, hid
den. shoot at the passing deer"
We will notice lastly the deer
fences of the once numerous and
powerful, but now extinct, Beothic
nation, the aboriginal inhabitants OF
Newfoundland. They are thus de-
scribed by Mr.. Harvey in recent IN
teresting book on Newfoundland:
1.-The deer-fences were made by telling
the trees along the ridge of the rivers
bank without chopping the trunks
quite asunder. taking care that they
having been guided so as to coincide
with and fall upon the last. Gaps
were filled up by drying in stakes and
Interviewing the branches and limbs Of
other trees. They were raised to the
height of six or seven feet, as the place
required, and were not to be forced or
ieaped by the largest deer" It is in
teresting to notice that portions Of
these deer-fences still remain in some
parts of the interior of Newfoundland.
principally, however, in those lying to
the northwest, the usual headquarters
of the Booths. The intrepid Cormack,
when travelling in Newfoundland, saw
those which lie on the bank of the river
Exploits, and in the narrative of his
expedition he thus refers to them:
''What arrests the attention most while
gliding down the stream is the extent
of the Indian fences to entrap deer.
They extend from the lake downward
continuously on the banks of the river
at least thirty miles. There are open
ings left here and there in them, for
the animals to go through and swim
across the river; and at these places
the Indians were stationed, to kill
them in the water with spears, out of
their canoes, as at the lake. Here,
then, connecting these fences with
those on the northwest side of the lake,
are at least forty miles Of country,
easterly and westerly, prepared to in
tercept all the deer that pass that way
in their periodical migrations. 1t was
melancholy to contemplate the gigan-
tic yet feeble efforts OF a whole print
tive nation, in their anxiety to provide
subsistence forsaken and going to de
cay. There must have been hundreds
of the red Indians, and that not many
years ago, to have kept up these fences
and pounds. Chambers Journal
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-02-16
Ear1nvards are something's rarae-ed |

FarmyardS are sometimes raYaced
BIZ true epidemics of this species, the
propagation OF which is doubtless due
TO the injecting of the soil and food by
the eXcrements of those which are first
seized with the disease. | fancy that
the same would happen in the case Of
Ia bbits, and that returning to their
burrows 10 die there, they would com
municate the disease to others, which
in turn would spread it. But how
could the destructive germs be con
veyed into the bodies of the first rab-
bits? Nothing is easier. I would
make an Enclosure including certain
space where the rabbits look for food.
experience has shown that it is easy 10
cultivate in q state of perfect purity,
and on as large scale as is desired,
microbes Of chicken cholera in some
extract of meat. With this LIQUID, fall
of microbes, the food Of the rabbit
should be watered, and they would
scatter TO die in various places and
thus distribute the poison everywhere
| will add that the microbe of the
disease in question is harmless to farm
animals. except, OF course to chickens,
but these need not be allowed TO be at
large.
do not doubt that there are in the
pin gue-stricken countries persons pre-
pared to apply the method suggested
heTe-a method which is very simple,
and which, in any case, IS worthy OF a
trial.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-02-16
Beau Hickman's Secret.

speaking Of clever things" said
Capt. HassIer of the Interior Depart
ment, who enjoys the reputation OF
being one of the best story tellers in
public life. ''you all remember dear
old Beau Hickman, the notorious beat
Of ante-bellum DAYS? [ shall not soon
forget my first meeting with him. 1t
WAS in the early days of the war. One
day a crowd Of soldier boys, myself
among the number, stepped into the
rotunda of Wizards Hotel. The first
person we met was Beau, faultlcsly
dressed and serene, smiling as usual.
The boys gathered about him and be-
gan plying him with questions.
- Tell Us, Beau, SAID one Of the
youngsters, 'how you manage to live
without working.
''Ahn said Beau, drawing himself
up stifily, that's a secret, and don't
tell my secrets without being paid for
them"
He paused for q moment and
coolly counted us over and said:
There are just sixteen of you. If you
will chip in q quarter apiece I'll tell
you
''In less than thirty seconds, sixteen
shining 25-cent pieces were laid in
Beau's hand. He satisfied himself that
the number was correct, and then,
sliding them deity into his trousers
pocket. he faced about, and as he
stalked majestically away he addedi
You wanted to know, gentleman, how
l live without working. Well this is
one way. Ia. tai
"And then as he disappeared in the
direction of the bar. the boys, with
one accord, shouted: Sold, by JoveT
--UTashjngtop Letter to Ne1y York. Her
aid.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-02-16
Rose From Small Beginnings.

Senator Vance was hotel clerk.
Secretary Bayard was a clerk in
New York.
Judge Kelley, father of the House,
was jeweler.
Tom Reed, of Maine, was a pay
master in the navy.
Leland Stanford was q country law
yer in Wisconsin.
Senator Dawes was a school teacher
and country editor.
Senator Morrill, of Vermont, kept a
country grocery store.
Senator Stewart, of Nevada, mined
with 4 pick and shovel in California.
Senator CullOm was famous as q
corn-husker in early days in Illinois.
Senator Sawyer ''bought his time"
when Is years and ran a saw-mill.
Justice Bradley taught q district
school every winter from his 10th to
his Dist year.
Bancroft, tie historian, once thought
Of entering the ministry, and preached
several sermons.
President Cleveland once compiled
the american Herd Book" and re-
ceived $50 for the service.
Samuel j. Randall, whom nobody
supposes had war record, was a pri-
vate in a company of cavalry.
Senator Sabin, with his trousers
tucked in his boots, used to stand on
the streets of Springfield, Mass, all
day to sell cord-wood that he had
chopped and hauled twelve miles.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-02-16
Odd Travelling on tho Pacific Coast.

Some of the brakemen on the South
ern Pacific are reaping a rich harvest.
AS times grow better, the bOX-car i'm
migration increases. BOX-car passen-
gers are persons who travel at cheaper
| fares than passengers who purchase
tickets from the company. Every
! freight train arriving in Los Angeles
contains from one to dozen passen-
gers of this sort. These passengers
can not be classed as among the regu-
lar tramp order, but are persons who
are willing to pay Il portion of the fare
charged by the company for transport
tation to different points throughout
the country. a general box-car pas
senger tariff exists among railroad
brakemen. Passengers travelling in
this style are usually well informed as
to the existing tariff rates. They well
know that these charges are not right
full fares, but are perfectly willing to
abide at these rates for the sake of
travelling at a cheaper rate than the
regular company fare. Passengers of
this class are sought after at divisions
by brakemen, who make this their reg
ular business. The s'bums," as they
call them. are stealthily slipped into Il
box-car through their instrumentality,
while the general impression prevails
among the public that they are per-
sons who are styled as ''beats."
After leaving the division the box
cars are "rustled" and the beats are
asked to produce ''stuff." They are
generally prepared to do this. All
kinds Of fares are demanded. and in
case Of lack Of finances, jewelry or
clothing is taken. If the person IS
well dressed, frequently the brakemen
force him to exchange new clothing
for old, with the alternative, upon re-
fusal, of being elected from the train.
In the instance of the lack offunds the
unfortunate traveller is forced to walk
or await the arrival of the next train
and take chances of passing over the
road upon it undiscovered. These
fares revert to the pockets of the
brakemen, and are regarded as per-
quisites. No record of these fares APP
pears upon the books of the company.
As rule, the money thus collected is
usually equally divided between the
conductor and brakemen.
These fares are called ''head-end'
fares. The fares taken by the con-
ductor in the cabOose are known IS
''hind-end" fares These fares usually
cover all the incidental expenses Of
the average railroad man working in
the train-service department. The
amounts thus collected foot up large
sums during the course Of months
time Frequently the perquisites thus
acquired exceed the salaries OF the men
in the train service. This practice is
30 uncommon one. 1t is daily grow
ing in popularity, and viii continue to
exist as long as empty cars with I'M
focked doors continue to pass over the
road. The practice encourages the
youth to form unsettled habits, and is
the only sequel to the origin of the in
creasing tramp species now spreading
to so alarming an extent.-LoS angeles
Times.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-02-16
The Rabbit Pest in Australia.

M. Pasteur has written to the editor
Of the Paris Temps the following
letter:
Your journal announced a few days
ago that the Government of New South
Wales was helpless in its fight with a
peculiar plague-the multiplication OF
rabbits-that it offered a prize of
525, 900 francs for the discovery of a
method for exterminating them. Con-
siderable portions of New Zealand, not
less raYaged than Australia, have
been abandoned by the farmers, who
gave up sheep 1aising owing to the
impossibility of finding food for them.
Every winter the rabbits are sIaugh.
tered by the million, but without any
apparent effect on their numbers.
VIII you permit me to communicate
to the distant countries, through the
medium of the Temps, some ideas the
application of which might perhaps be
attended by some success?
Up to the present in combating this
nuisance, use has been made OF min
erai substances, notably phosphorus
compounds. But was not this
wrong method? What can such min
animals which increase and multiply
at fgightful rate? Such poisons kill
on the spot where they are placed, but,
in truth, to reach living creatures, do
we not need rather, if [ may so express
myself, 4 poison endowed with life,
like themselves, and able, like them
selves, to multiply at a surprising
rate?
What wish therefore. is that an at
tempt be made to carry death into the
burrows OF New South Wales and New
Zealand by trying to communicate to
tae rabbits a disease which may be-
come epidemic.
There is one which is known as
chicken cholera Cholera des poules,)
and which has been the subject OF ex-
tended study in laboratory. This
disease is also common to rabbits
Now, among The experiences [ have
gathered is this: ] collected within q
limited space a certain number Of
chickens, and, after I had given them
some food poisoned with the microbe
which IS the cause of chicken cholera,
they died on the spot.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-02-16
i George Remnants Siberian Travels.

Mr.. George KEENAN,, the Siberian
traveller and writer, has been black
listed by the Russian Governplent.
and win not be permitted to reenter
the Cars dominions. Il expected of
course" says Mr.. KEENAN,, ''to be put
on the Russian blacklist. I am only
thankful that | succeeded in crossing
the frontier with all OF my material
and papers coming this way. The
outside of the Russian frontier line is
a good enough side for me at present.
l became satisfied before 1 got half
through Siberia that l should never
be permitted to go there again, and
that after the publication of my papers
no other foreigner would be allowed
to make investigations there, and lost
no opportunity to secure accuracy and
thoroughness. | brought back more
than fifty pounds of notes, papers,
and original documents, many of
the latter from secret Government
archives, besides 500 OF 600 foOlscap
pages of manuscript prepared for me
by political eXiles in all parts OF
Siberia, and covering the most note
worthy episodes of their lives. !
visited every convict prison except
one, and believe know the exile sys-
tenn better than most officers of the
exile administration, and far better
than any outsider. l can regard the
blackiisting, therefore, with certain
degree of complacency. The stable
door is locked, but the horse has been
stOlen-and I've got him."
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-02-16
When People Murder and Steal.

Most criminals are young. 1t is
seldom that 4 grave crime, provided it
be first, is committed after the age
of So A careful statistican has proved
that Of the entire male population of
England and Wales the largest pro-
portion Of criminals is found to be be
tween the ages OF 90 and 25. Five
times as many crimes are committed
in the i've years between these limits
as in the ten years between the ages
of 80 and 60. Dividing the whole
population into groups Of those from 10
wears to 10. from Is TO 20, from % to
p, from p TO so, from 80 TO 40, from
so 70 so, and from 30 to 60 it is found
taat from the age Of 20 the tendency
20 crime decreases at each successive
term So per cent in the case OF men,
TIE Rec. II Timing ia The 4tJaRtjc.