davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25
Mrs. CleYeland's Double.

Mrs. Cleveland has her double in Wash
ington. The lady is Miss Mullen. She is
employed in one of the departments, and
the joke of the resemblance is that Miss
Mullen has been innooent of it until
quite recently. You know that the Ma
rine band plays every Saturday afternoon
in front of the white ouse. On these oc-
oasions the grounds are crowded with
visistors, and these of the middle classes
of Washington society. I believe it is
not the proper social caper for the
elite TO attend these concerts. Soon
after the marriage of Mr.. Cleveland
the concerts seemed TO grow in popu!a r
ity. A better class of Washington So
ciety attended them than had been the
wont. Then it began 30 be whispered
that it was all on account OF Mrs. Cleve-
lands presence at them. This. of course,
increased the attendance, and then it was
discovered that Miss Mullen, who went
to the concerts with great regularity, had
been mistaken for Mrs. Cleveland. Il is
said that Miss Mullen has not lost her
senses on account of the resemblance.
You ask why she shouldf All! but most
women wouid.-Cor. Chicago Times.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25
The ORIGIN of Tea

The tea-plant grew for endless centur-
les in Central Asia, and the guileless Ce-
lestials blandly assert that the drink was
invented By Chin Nong some FIVE thous-
and years ago. A poetic version makes
it sixteen hundred years ago, and gives
the following account of its earliest ap-
peerance: SIN the reign of Yuen Ty in
the dynasty of Tsin, an old woman was
accustomed to proceed every morning at
daybreak carrying cup of tea in her
hand. The people bought it eagerly, and
yet from the break of day to the close of
evening the cup was never exhausted.
The money received was distributed
among orphans and beggars. The peo-
pie seized and confined her in prison. AT
night she flew through the prison win
dows with her little vase in her hand" If
you care to do SO you can read this story
and enjoy it in the original Chinese OF
the "Cha Pu," or "Ancient History OF
Tea" and will nc doubt find the transIa-
ton exact.
Tea was not heard of in China again
for three centuries and half, when 9
$50 hi'' priest is said to have advised its
use as medicine. In the ninth century
an old beggar from Japan took some OF
| the seeds and plants back with him to hit
native land. The Japanese relished the
| new drink, and built at Osaka temple
| to the memory of those who introduced
it. This temple is still standing, though
now almost seven hundred years old
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25
Those Gushing Chinese Dudes.

The members of the Chinese legation
in Washington, strive very hard to make
themselves popular in Washington soci-
ETY., and they are exceedingly generous in
bestowing their gifts upon the young Ia
dies of the west end. They think moth
ing Of presenting valuable articles of
jewelry, rare pieces of silk and other
souvenirs to casual acquain tances. They
also delight in distributing their photo
graphs when out making social calls. At
an official reception last winter, several
members Of the legation were introduced
to party of young ladies who are we'll
known IN social circles. The Cinnamon
requested permission to call, and
that privilege was accorded them.
Several evenings later they put on their
most gorgeous gowns aud proceeded to
make a round of visitations. At several
places the young ladies of the house were
not at home, but upon their return they
found cards, accompanied by photo
graphs of their visitors, awaiting them.
The callers thought, perhaps, that their
photogra phs would be more easily reoog
nized than their peculiar names.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25
Two Pictures of Farm Life.
THE OLD HOME INNEw HAMPSHIRE.

THE OLD HOME IN NEW HAMPSHlRE.
I have Just returned from brief
visit to my old home among the noun
tains and granite hillsides of New
Hampshire. The average farm in that
country is say 100 acres, of which, per-
haps, fifteen to twenty acres may be
called, in q sense, arrable. On the old
homestead which | visited 1 found
growing say one-half acre of oats,
three. quarters Of an acre of corn, one
quarter to one-half acre of wheat, a
few potatoes, and q small garden. Not
to exceed twenty acres had been mown
and the hay nicely stored in the barn.
The buildings were in excellent repair
and both inside and outside were as
neat as could be desired. In the wood
shed | noticed nicely stored away a
years supply of fuel. The man who
now owns the place did not inherit it,
nor, if l remember rightly,e any other
farm. The farm is fair sample of
the average in that township, twelve
miles from the nearest railway station,
and no manufacturing village in the
vicinity. 1t is purely an agricultural
district and not considered by any
means first class even in that State.
There are no mortgages on those farms
and almost every proprietor has some
little money at interest.
THE NEW HOME IN THE WHEAT BELT.
The world is led to believe that the
wheat capacity Of the Northwest is In
exhaustible The fact is that northern
Minnesota and Dakota are pass
ing through the same state that
southern Minnesota and Iowa have
suffered; whereas the average wheat
yield used to be twenty bushels in the
Red River valley, the average yield of
the State now is but twelve bushels.
It costs s. to raise an acre of wheat.
Where is the profit? The history of
wheat farming in other portions of the
country is this: The prairie lands, the
first year they are broken, will yield
twenty bushels. This, perhaps, pays
for the farm. The second year it is a
little better. This pays for the ma
chinery and buildings. The third year
it falls off somewhat. The fourth year
is still worse. The sanguine farmer
says, "Well, this is bad year," and
tries it again. 1t is still worse, and SO
on till the farms are actually mort
gagged for the living cxpenscs.-1li1arae-
dp0Jis Pioneer Press.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25
FELL ONE THOUSAND FEEL.

Thomas Wensley, a Canadian Butcher, Car
ried HeayenWard by Balloon.
The fair ground was the scene of a
fatal and thrilling accident to-day.
Thomas Wensley, a young butcher of o.
tawa, Ont, fell distance OF 1000 feet
from an ascending balloon and was
literally dashed TO pieces in the presence
of 10000 Mortified spectators. The IN
fortunate victim was engaged with a
number OF others in holding the ropes
attached to a monster balloon. When the
balloon was sufficiently inflated and the
aeronaut had taken mis- position in the
basket, the order was given to the men
holding the ropes to let go. All obeyed
with alacrity save Wensley, who apparent
ly failed to understand tae directions.
as the balloon slo WY assembled the man
was lifted from the ground, and thous-
and voices shouted to him to release his
hold pom the rope. He appeared, how
ever, to be perfectly dazed by the perilous
position he was in, and needless of the
cries Of the frightened men around him
chung tenaoiously and with frenzied
grip to the rope. The balloon continu-
ed to ascend, carrying the desperately
frightened Wensley along with it, and the
crowd watched with horror his perilous
flight. When the balloon was about 600
feet in the air, and the dangling
human being appeared to mere speck
sbrill cry arose from the assembled
thousands who had been watching his
flight in awe-strpck silence. The man
had released his hold upon the rope and
was descending with terrible velocity.
While falling he turned several somer
saults in mid-air and then Yves dashed
headlong to the ground.
The scene was horrible. Hundreds of
ladies tainted at the CHASTITY sight.
Strong men stood spellbound, and it was
some minutes before any one could
muster courage to approach the spot
where the unfortunate man had fallen,
which was only about on hundred yards
from the spot where the ascent took
place. The man had struck upon his
shoulders, and was virtually dashed to
pieces. He was simply an unreoogniza-
BILE mass of lacerated human flesh. The
remains were taken charge of by the
police authorities. Some of MS com
panions stated that the man had an
nounced his intention of ascending few
feet with the balloon and then dropping
TO the ground in order to create a sensa-
ton, and it was thought that he had be
come entangled by the rope and could not
release himself as he had intended. The
aeronaut had a narrow escape from fall
ing, but he managed to open his para
chute and descend insafety to the
ground.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25
Americas Dead Sea.

Salt Lake, Americas Great Dead Sea
is mysterious, because covering as it
does $500 square miles with an aver
age depths of forty feet, no man has
yet found its outlet. Fresh streams
pour into it from all sides, and yet to-
day it is briny as when first discovered.
1t is one fifth pure salt, and so dense is
it that 1t is impossible to sink in it. 1t
has puzzled scientists from all quar-
tiers OF the globe to tell what becomes
of the water that constantly flows into
its capacious nav, and while some
have given as solution the possibility
of subterranean outlet, and some
have accounted for its disappearance
by solar evaporation, no absolute salts
factory theory has yet been assigned
for the lake maintaining its average
volume since its first discovery.
Strange to relate, while there is no
outlet to this saline mass there is yet
strong current found IN two places.
Old seamen who have navigated the
lake for years have always held to the
theory that this was the fastest water in
the world for rowing, for two reasons.
One of these was that the water being
so buoyaut a boat would naturally float
higher and therefore displace less wa
ter; and the other, that the water be-
ing so dense the blade of the oar neces-
sarily had muchmore purchase because
of the great resistance of the heavy
water. 1t is further argued that the
greater the speed of the boat the less
the displacement, and hence the faster
ought to be the time made in covering
certain distance. One of the pecu-
liarities of the lake is its proneness to
sudden and totally unexpected storms.
On the clearest possible day, when not
cloud can be seen overhead and the
sun is shining brightly, q squall is liza
BILE to rise on the water, and the wind
has been known under these circum-
stances to blow at the rate of sixty
miles an hour. These winds come
from the mountain tops and hillsides
which are only few miles to the east
ward. Sometimes they rush down the
narrow canons, and, stealing silently
across the plains between the noun
tains and water, spend their force on
current of air coming across the lake
from the north. At the point of con-
tact the storm will be terrific, and
then there is great danger to unsea-
worthy vessels.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25
Hindoostanee Mothers.

HindOOStanee women are passionate
~ attached to their children, especial
" to the sons, who are the crown and
glory of their lives. Nor are they
without affection for their little daugh-
tiers, who must be transplanted so
early to other households. They try
to take good care of them all. If
prayers and offerings to the gods and
to Brahmins could keep the the little
ones in health, then would Hindoo
children never know a pain; but IN
their ignorance of the simplest rules
of health, the mothers otter cause sick
ness to come to the beings they love
more than life. Diseases of the eyes
are very prevalent in India, and the
children suffer even more than adults,
says writer in De77aoreSts Monthly. A
curious custom prevails of drawing a
black line at the base of the lower eye
lashes with preparation called surma.
They think this protects the eyes from
Inflammation, and also that it adds to
their beauty.
In sickness they formerly depended
upon their priests, who have little
knowledge of roots and herbs. Now
there are well-educated native doctors
in all the cities, who are employed by
government to take charge of hos
pitfalls under the superintendent of an
English physician. But the poor peo-
pie in the villages suffer greatly from
the lack of medical treatment. When
a child is sick, the anxious mother gets
the best advice and medicine she can,
and redoubles her prayeas to the gods.
If the child dies she is overwhelmed
with sorrow and despair, fearing that
some sin of her own has caused the
death of the child, or that its sin has
hurried it into another existence
where, as savage beast or yenomous
reptile, it must expiate its guilt. The
vague doctrine of the TRANSPORTATION
of souls does not afford much comfort
to the Hindoo. No hope OF recognl-
ton or reunion is held out, and yet,
with the utmost inconsistency, the peo-
pie often speak of paradise and OF
meeting dear ones there.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25
Colonel Scott on Lincoln.
Century.


OF all war-studnets none was so we'll
qualified to speak with authority on this
point of military ability as the late Col.
Robert n. Scott. His ultimate personal
acquaintance with the prominent actors
in that war, his varied personal expert
ence of military service, and, above all,
his relation and familiarity with the
rebellion Records" gave him the right
to speak with authority.
Having to call upon him some years
since at his "War Records" office, the
business in hand led naturally to some
discussion of the leaders of the army.
Colonel Scott showed me letters, tables
and documents, then unpublished, that
led him to certain conclusion in respect
of certain men. Then looking up, he
said, with enthusiasm and vehemence, 81
tell you, NJ, the biggist military man we
bad was Abraham Lincoln" He dis
claimed for him, of course, knowledge OF
military technique; but in respect to
what should and what should not be done
and when and where, he said Lincoln
"was more uniformly right and less fire.
quently wrong than any man we had"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25

so Alice Ardley and Marius Gray
were quietly married, and on their
wedding-trip they went to bring the
old mother home.
Mrs. GRAY, senior, was a trim, erect
little woman. dressed in black serge,
with her rosy old face surrounded by
the neatest of caps.
And she took a great fancy to Aunt
Alethea, who was waiting on the door
step to receive them-a meek, soft
voiced old QuakeresS, who moved noise
lessly about and looked like a human
dove in grey plumage.
Il wonder" said she. ''h0w Friend
Alethea-for she won't let me call her
Miss Ardley-would like situation as
companion and reader? She reads
aloud charmingIy. That bit of the
daily paper she read US yesterday,
Alice, I declare thought I could see
with my own eyes everything that hap
pened."
Il think she would be delighted,
mother" said Alice Its dreadful
trial for her to be dependent on any
one for living; but there are no such
nice places to be found"
81 know of one" said Mrs. Ardley,
'WhereP" asked Alice.
I'm Learmount."
''But [ couldn't trust Aunt Alethea
with anyone but very kind lady"
"Well, this lady is kind. At least,
she'll try to be. For she is myself,
daughter Alice"
you, mother? But 1 thought you
were going to live with us?" exclaimed
Alice.
my son Marius and you seem to
take that for granted said the old
lady, with a twinkle of her black eyes.
but you are wrong, nevertheless.
No, l am not going to live with you.
I'm very glad to have caught a glimpse
of you in your happy little home, my
dear; but I've an idea that young mar
ried people are better by themselves
for a year or two at least. And my
father left me some real estate which
has increased very much in value, and
[ can live as | please now. Some day
it will be yours; but in the meantime
I shall take Friend Alethea back with
me, and We'll be company for each
other. Once in a while we'll come and
visit you, and mind you both take ex-
cellent care of each other.
So vanished Mrs. Gray and quiet lit
tie Aunt Alethea from the scene.
''And here we are, just exactly where
we originally planned to be-" said
Marius, as he and Alice stood at the
door where the moss-rose was in bloom
watching the wheels of the carriage
that bore the two ladies away.
'Y-yes,n faltered Alice, with a teal
in her eye; .but 1 never thought /
could be so sorry to see q mother-in-
law 90 out of the house."
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25

Gradually the people of Tarta-y and
Persia also learned to love the drink, and
serve it at all -ours of the day.
The honor of introducing the herb
into Europe may be considered due
equally to the Dutch and Portuguese.
Early IN the seventeenth century tea be-
came known among persons of quality
in Europe, and in 1902 some Dutch trad
ers carried a quantity of sage (which was
then used to make drink popular in
Europe) to China, and by by some iugen-
ious device succeeded IN making the al
mond-eyed tea drinkers think it fair
exchange for an equal quantity of very
good tea, which was brought home in
safety, and without the loss of a single
Dutchman.--E. q. Libby, in st. Nicholas
for October.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25
SUNSET.

The white clouds float in the summer sky,
And the sun sinks down in the blushing west
Tired but with his life of light on high,
He sinks to rest
and pause steals over the evening hour,
Like hush in hallowed house Of prayer;
zTis the breath of the calm. Invisible power
That dwelleth there.
Then, creeping in at the easement window,
GRAY shadows drape the darknIng room,
Shrouding the lonely watchers spirit
In their own gloom.
who that fingers to hear the voices
Z Old Thoughts awake in the dreamer's heart,
But lives again in those hours OF brooding,
life apart.
Hours come again from that joyous morning,
When needless of perils beneath the stream,
We take the cleaning delusive bubbles
For what they seem.
Then we are dwellers in unreal worlds;
Our hearts are with the past or far away,
Or in the distant, wild and untried future,
Not in to-day.
Why? Because time has robbed the past Of
Thorns
While the perfume of its leaflets still is there,
And fancy decks the future with gag blossoms,
1t viii never wear,
We have but the dreary present with US;
That alone is ours, and not our dream S IDEAL:
We share earth s tolls for sad and lonely hours,
For life is real
Real for toll and strife, yet unfulflling
The ardent longings of the soul
Striving and yearning for the world Of heaven
Our only goal.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25
When Lucy Larcom Was School Ma'am.

'Wh6t was the most remarkable thing
that happened in the log schools" asked
Chicago Tribune interviewer of the
noted Lucy Larcom.
81 am afraid you will scarcely believe
it," she answered, with merry. shake of
her head. "It was the flight of gil up
the chimney. l had made her sit on the
empty fireplace as punishment, and to
put her 30 far away from the other chill
dren that she could not make them
partners ia her untimely follies. She
sat dem1re and shy at first. But there
was a magnificent spirit in her. It snap
ped in her black eyer and rippled in faint
witches at the ends of her red mouth.
She gradually drew herself nearer the
open fue, and before could catch my
breath, she had seized some jutting bits
Of timber, lifted herself up, and pair OF
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25

flying heels disappearing through the
chimney hole was the last we saw of her
that day"
did you make her cone back the same
way, la Mephisto s'inquired Mrs. Sher-
man.
''Oh nc. We were glad TO get her back
anyway We could. We could not spare a
girl of such possibilities.
Had you any difficulty with the boys
the big felloSs?r
"Miss Larcom's face clouded. 'No5
serious trouble. I-y-s, it is too bad TO
have to own i'll TpaGe them go and get
the rods that helped teach them. I had
to make one strapping rail-splitter &C.
knowledge that I was his master, and Re
was good friend ever afterwards.'
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25

The French superstition about luck
attaching to the rope with which
man or woman has been hanged has
just been sadly belied in the case OF
commissionaire living in the Rue
Baudelique, at Montmartre. He had
for some time been the happy possessor
of bit of the coveted rope. Much
thinking of his treasure made him NOR
bid. Whenever he looked at it he re-
membered the dreadful face of the
young girl whom he had cut down in
q neighbours house one morning. At
last the fixed idea became unbearable.
He got his rope out, tied it to hook
and hanged himself
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25

per head, soap included. The man I'M
dresses, steps into a tray of iepid water,
soaps himself. when jet from two
handed pump plays upon him tepid
water, and he dries and dresses himself
IN i've minutes, against twenty min
utes IN the bath. and with five gallons
OF water against some seventy in the
usual bath.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25

The receipts of the twenty-six Paris
theatres last year were about So, $780,
600, which was decrease of $3.50, 900
over the previous year.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25

The white clouds float in the summer sky,
And the sun sinks down in the blushing west
Tired but with his life of light on high,
He sinks to rest.
Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-10-26

IT is quite noticeable that Governor For aker of Ohio has been invited to take back seat away up in the back gallery during this campaign. The good taste that has been shown in muzzling this chap has moved the Boston Herald to remark: "The lack of prominence of Governor Foraker of Ohio in this campaign has been one of it's redeeming features. He ended his efforts year ago by an attack on the lovely Mrs Cleveland, and he began them in the most congenial manner possible early in the present year by an assault up- on the venerable Mrs Thurman. But either from Encouragement because there were so few women to fight, or from some other cause, since that time he has been com paratively quiet. Somebody rises to call him liar just now, but that is uncivil Besides, there is no use in aiding this man in his role of Mark Meddle."