davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-10
A LiIliputian Railroad.

A wonderful railroad is the one which
connects the towns of Bedford and
Bellevue, Mass, says the Albany dr.
gus. 1t is nine miles in length. and is
probably as unique as any on the globe.
The distance is not so astonishing, ex-
cept when the gauge of ten inches is
considered.
In the short distance traversed by
the pigmy it crosses eleven streams,
with bridges from five to thirty feet in
height. The rails weigh but twenty
pounds to the yard, about the size of
those used in the mines of Missouri
and Illinois. The cars and engines are
constructed so as to be very near the
ground, insuring greater safety. The
cars are provided with single seats on
each side of the aisle.
The Car itself weighs but four tons,
the weight of an ordinary car being
twenty to twenty-six tons. The en-
CINE, without the tender. weighs seven
tons, and runs with two passenger or
freight cars at the rate of twenty miles
an hour There is a smaller railroad
than this in the United States-the one
in Bucks County Pennsylvania-but it
is only kept as an expensive toy by a
rich farmer who has made a fortune
out OF OIL
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-10
ANOTHER NEW STORY OFLINCOLN.
He Played Ball the Day Before He Was
Nominated.

One among many memories of
prominent public characters stored
away by Mr.. Edward w. Cox of the
Dennison House is a recollection of
having played hand-ball at Springfield.
ILL.,, with Abraham Lincoln the day be-
fore the latter was nominated for the
Presidency.
Before the nomination of Mr.. Lin
coin, Mr.. Cox was travelling in the
West for an oil house. During his
which were full of people bound for
the Chicago convention. Mr.. Cox and
fellow drummer, who was out for a
GAINESVILLE ink house, polled all the
travellers they could reach and found
the utmost enthusiasm for the Illinois
LAWYER
Thoroughly convinced that Lincoln
would be the nominee, the pair of
drummers took a run down to Spring
field to see the coming man. They
found no excitement there, and on ask
ing to see Mr.. Lincoln were told he
could be found the next day, which was
the one before the convention. down at
the ball park playing hand-ball.a game
OF which Mr.. Lincoln was passionately
fond. Next day they visited the park
and there they found the man of destiny
busily engaged in batting ball against
blank brick wall and endeavoring to
strike it in such way that it would re
bound out of reach of his opponent
There was quite crowd sitting about
watching the game.
Mr.. Lincoln wore. among other gar
ments, a long-tailed. black coat and an
old felt hat, which tended to magnify
his tall, ungainly form and prominent
features and he looked quantity pictur-
esque as he danced about, now hitting
the sphere a hard blow and again
"babying it, so easily that it barely
reached his antagonists. When Mr..
Lincoln sat down on the players bench,
having finished triumphant turn, Mr..
Cox was introduced to him. Mr. Lin
coin received him cordially. asked if he
ever played the game, commiserated
with him when Mr.. Cox said he didn't
understand it and offered to teach him.
Mr.. Cox, however, was thinking of the
convention and said:
Mr.. Lincoln. l believe you will be
the nominee" Mr.. Lincoln laughed
and said: Il think not. l believe
those Eastern chaps will euchre us out
of 1t. but you are very kind to think /
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-10
THE USE OF THE EYES.
List of Rules to Regulate That Matter
and Preserve the Sight.

l. Sit erect in youi chair when read
ING, and as erect when writing as posi-
BILE. If YOU bend downward YOU not
only gorge the eyes with blood, but the
brain as well, and both suffer. The
same rule should apply to the use of the
microscope. Get one that will enable
you to look at things horizontally, not
always vertically.
2. Have a reading-lamp for night
use. n. BIN reading, the light
should be on the book or paper and
the eyes in the shade. If you have no
reading lamp, turn your back to the
light and you may read without danger
to the eyes.
3. Hold the book at your focus; if
that begins to get far away, get specta
cles.
4. Avoid reading by the Pickering
light of the fire.
5. Avoid straining the eyes by read
ing in the cleaning.
6. Reading in bed is injurious as a
rule. 1t must be admitted, however,
that in cases of sleeplessness, when the
mind is inclined to ramble over a
thousand thoughts a minute, reading
steadies the thoughts and conduces to
sleep.
Z. Do not read much in a railway
carriage. |, myself, always do, how
ever, only in a good light, and | in
variably carry a good reading-lamp to
hook on behind me. Thousands of
people would travel by night rather
than by day if the companies could only
cor TO hoa - 4 L.,
electric light.
s. Authors should have black-ruled
paper Instead of blue, and should never
strain the eyes by reading too fine
types.
g. The bedroom blinds should be
red or gray, and the head of the bed
should be toward the window.
10. Those ladies who not only write
but sew, should not attempt the black
seam by night
IL. When you come to an age that
suggests the wearing of glasses let no
false modesty prevent you from get
ting a pair. If you have only one eye
an eye-glass will do. Otherwise it is
folly.
II. Go to the wisest and best optician
you know of. and state your wants and
your case plainly, and be assured that
you will be properly fitted.
13. Remember that bad spectacles
are most injurious to the eyes. and that
good and wellchosen ones are decided
luxury.
IA. Get pair for reading with. and.
If necessary, a long-diStance pair for
use out OF doors. CassetPs Magazine.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-10
The Poultry Interest.

DR.. j. w. King of Kent, Conn.,, is
one Of the most enthusiastic and sue
cessful OF the poultry-raisers in the
country, says the n Y. Star. Besides,
he is an acknowledged expert on all
the economical questions connected
with the business Speaking upon the
subject at the poultry show be said:
1T is wonderful the lack of knowl-
edge and appreciation the general pub
lie have as to raising chickens and
keeping poultry, which is frequently
demonstrated in a contemptuous sort
of inquiry about the chicken business
Few interests in the United States are
of greater Importance than the chicken
business. | mean in financial sense.
If L were asked how near the gross
cash return for poultry and eggs per
annum in the country comes to the
same income from the production of
wheat IN this coantry each year, my
answer would be that the two indus
tries can not be compared with each
other. Government statistics show
that $3.50, 100000 are required to rep
resent the annual expenditure for the
chicken crop of the United States and
that 100000 dozen of eggs, worth
s., 677, 900, are imported to this coun-
try per year. Show me Il wheat crop
result that can touch those figures. If
you can l will step down from my
poultry perch.
'sIhe expenditure in this country
each year for poultry and eggs will
amount to much larger sum than
that which comes to the credit OF either
the wheat crop, the cotton crop, or the
dairy product"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-10
The ChOpSticks.

They cut their food with their dag
gers, and they eat with pitchforks!n
cried the Mortified japanese who first
barre and revolving manner with the
knife and fork.
Light-tingered. deft. and initiative as
the japanese and Chinese are it takes
them as long to learn the proper and
graceful use of the knife and fork as It
requires for us to master the evolu-
lions and etiquette of the chopsticks.
1t is a pretty sight at the beginning
of japanese feast to see the host help
his guests to sweets as then is dis
played the best and most graceful play
of the chopsticks. One can take a
lesson, as the master of the feast daint-
lily lifts cakes or CONNECTIONS and places
them on paper before the guest. The
Chinese chopsticks are longer than the
japanese, often metal-tipped and
decorated, and are used again and
again. Mandarins carry their own
silver-tipped ivory chop-sticks to a
feast, wipe them clean, and carry them
home again when it is over. In the
common restaurants in Chinese cities,
the chopsticks constitute lottery for
the patrons. All the sticks are kept to-
gether in deep, round box, and GER
tain ones are marked on the lower end
with Chinese character or number.
The ones who select these chopsticks
from the box, are entitled to an extra
dish or portion without charge. In the
old city Of Tien-Tsin, particularly, one
is half deafened when he passes a
restaurant by the rafting of the boxes
of chopsticks and the shrill voices of
. the proprietors screeching the merits
of their adjustments at the top of
their lungs.
In Japan, where exquisite neatness
and daintiness mark every part of
household living, the same chopsticks
are used only once. At feast, or at
an ordinary tea-house, a long paper
envelope laid beside ones bowl con-
tains a pair of twelve-inch sticks no
thicker than lead pencils whitfield from
clean white pine, To show that they
have never been used the two sticks
are whitfield in nepiece and split apart
only half their length .-EiizG Runan10h
ScjdnOre, IN st. Nicholas.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-10
LOCkJAW GERMS.
An Interesting Theory as to the Cause
That Produces Tetanus.

Some interesting points regarding
lock jaw were brought out by DR.. Hen
ry Lehman in the course of his lee
ture on the chemical causation of dis
ease at the Academy of Natural
Sciences recently, says the Philadel-
phia Inquirer.
He considered lockiaw or tetanus to
be caused by the development of an
organic poison in the system. The
tetanus bacilli," he observed, "are lit
tie rod-lille vegetable forms of great
minuteness, looking under the micro
scope not unlike pieces of broken-up
match-sticks. This bacillus adhere to
various objects, such as rusty nail or
rake left laying out in the air or 9TH
er similar things, and when these
pierce the skin the poison is intro
duced into the body.
at is incomprehensible to many
people that puncture from a rusty
nail in the foot or little cut or scratch
in some part of the body can cause
such terrible suffering and death. but
when the bacilli are taken into the
system and get into the warm blood
they multiply with wonderful rapidity
anu are soon scattered through every
part of the system in great numbers.
1t is a curious fact that there is some
what of an analogy between the action
of the tetanus bacillus and that of
strychnine upon the system, many of
the symptoms and commissions of teta-
nus being present in case of strychnine
poisoning"
Dr. Lehman related fairly we'll au-
thenticated case to prove the germ
origin of tetanus. During an earth
quake which occurred within the last
few years a number of people who .lad
taken refuge in a couple of churches
were injured by the collapse of the
building, 1t was found that many of
the wounded from one of the churches
were stricken with tetanus while those
from the other edifice were unaffected
A careful examination resulted in dis
closing the fact that the walls and in-
terror parts, of the former church were
swarming with tetanus germs, while
the other was free from them. Every
person in the infected church who was
wounded by flying bits of plaster or
wood ran the risk of being stricken
with lockiaw.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-10
A Member Who Saw 1t.

In the Wisconsin Legislature of
three or four years ago there was a
certain member who had been elected
by the grangers with the understanding
that he should vote against anything
which partook of the nature of mon
opoly, trust, or combine. and favor
everything which didn't. Certain
parties wanted to dam certain
stream, and certain other parties were
bitterly opposed to it. Each had its
lobbyist, and the opposition got hold
Of the granger member first. They
stuffed him full of figures as to acreage
of land which must be overlooked, the
financial loss to farmers, and gave in
an estimate that the slack water
would increase the death rate along the
stream 80 per cent. When the lobby
ist for the mill dam got the ear of the
member he was ungraciously received,
but proceeded to say:
Il don't deny that our dam will raise
the water and flood some land-per-
haps the two hundred acres claimed.
In Summer time the slack water may
also add triie to the sick list; but, sir,
what inspires the opposition"
"Public spirit for public good, I be-
lieve.n
Does it? Have they made you be-
lieve any such nonsense as that? Can't
you see through the gauze which wells
their efforts?"
lis there any-any trickery here?n
us there? Dead loads of it, sir. and
[ wonder you haven't discovered it.
These parties own a big cat-tail swamp
half a mile above where the dam is
to be. Our water will cover the swamp.
They have discovered way to mix
cat-tail fuzz and geese feathers together
to make feather beds, patented the idea,
and propose to bull the market and run
one-half the geese of America out of the
country"
mol"
That's the scheme; and even while
keeping it as quiet as they could,
enough has leaked out to boost the
price of goose oil 80 per cent
why, it's a monopolym
''That's what it is--the biggest kind
of monopoly-a corporation without
a soul. Why. you can't buy a goose
bone now for less than % cents, and
quill tooth-picks will soon be a nickel
apiece!''
Il see-I see. The scoundrels! Well,
you shall have my vote and influence,
and | thank you for setting me right.
[ might have played into their hands
the wretches!"
And he not only voted for the bill,
but worked for it and secured its pass
age, and the opposition could never get
his ear for any denials or explanations.
N. Y. Sun.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-10
Killed in Battle in the Last So Years.

Did you ever think how few people
are killed during wars?" asked Thomas
Sloane of Boston as he sat in the Colon
made last evening. well, here is a
memorandum l made recently regard
ing deaths in battle since 1856. The
entire number killed during these thir-
ty-four years-exclusive of those who
died from diseases about 2,253, 900.
In the Crimean war $50, 900 were killed;
the Italian war of 1859 resulted in the
slaughter of $4,000; in the American
civil war. 800, 900; in the Danish war
QS64), 5000; in the Austro-Prussian
war, $4,000; in the Franco-German
war-France 155, 900. Germany 10000;
in the Turko-Russian war, 250, 900; the
South African wars, $4,000; the Afghan
war, $4,000; the Mexican and Cochin
Chinese expedition, $4,000, and the
ulgarian-Servian Instruction. 25,-
600. Philadelphia Press.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-10

question in the person of Morgan
Kittredge, who is quite well known in
the eastern section of the CITY. Though
reluctant to have his name mentioned,
Mr.. kittredge was persuaded to exhibit
his curious birthmark. and finally to
talk about it, giving the following de-
scription of what may truly be called a
freak of nature:
1T lies on my right thigh and is the
image of a fish, perfect in every re-
spect even to the scales" he said, land
is of dead white color like the meat
of a brook trout. 1t causes me no pain
or Inconvenience except when | at
tempt to eat fish of any description,
when it will begin to ache and burn
until | am obliged to make use of an
emetic.
Il believe that, were / to persist in
eating fish, death or madness would be
the result, for after every attempt l
have made my curious mark remains
red and irritable for days. When in a
bath, however, it will throb and culver
almost as if it were alive and so as to
be perceptible to the eye. 1t is nearly
four inches long and rises a quarter of
an inch above the surrounding flesh,
from which it is quite distinct, as if
merely laid upon it. 1t lies head down.
ward with the tail slightly elevated as
if laundering, and the fins distended.
The fish is perfectly distinct only
the eye is missing, being only repre-
scented by small pit. l know of no
reason for the mark, but while there
does not seem to be particle of blood
in the mass, | believe it 10 be closely
connected with my vitality, for when
ever l am i'll it takes on a pallid, livid
hue, and seems to shrink. Philadelphia
Times
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-10
FOOLED THE MAGICIAN.
An Amateur Gets the Best of Hermann In
Performance Off the Stage.
It is related of Hermann. the ms

1t is related of Hermann, the magi-
clan, who is fond of playing his tricks
Off the stage, to amuse his friends, that
he was accosted one evening in an up
town cafe by conceted-looking man
who had been Watching the prestidigi-
tateur do some clever Straightforward
work, and finally broke in with:
You're a pretty clever man, Mr..
Hermann, but | can do trick as good
as any of yours. | can change a D.
cent-piece that you may hold in your
clenched fist into a one-dollar gold
coin"
why, my dear fellow" laughed the
magician, 'that's one of the simplest
tricks in my profession. one that an
adept would think it beneath him to
perform. He might amuse a child
with it, perhaps, but so could a mere
beginner"
You may laugh at it." persisted the
man, 'but III bet you can't do it,
Nonsense, said Hermann, Il
wouldn't"
You're stuck, old man." sneered
the conceited one, ''I'll bet [ could play
it on you and you can't play 1t on me,
and | amt in the 'perfesh either.
do it for him, Hermann, if just to
shut him up, and get rid of him. said
one of the bystanders.
well. where your five-cent piece?"
said the magician, rather YEARLY.
There it is replied the rival Won
derworker, ''now change it to one
dollar gold coin if you cam
Now I'll show YOU" said Hermann,
chow an amateur magician or a tyro
in the profession would proceed to per-
form this idiotic little trick before
ing crowd of country pumpkins at
county fair"
Extend your arm" he commanded
with a wave of his hand, assuming a
mock-heroic attitude.
The man showed out his hand, in the
palm of which lay scent piece.
''Ihis is your own coin. my friend?"
Yes
YOU'RE sure of that?"
Yes
Tell the audience whether there is
any collision between us to deceive
them in any way"
There amt any,
s.All is fair and above board. gentle
men and ladies. No fraud, collision,
or anything of that kind whatsoever
Shut your hands, tight. nv friend.
Now take care not to let your coin slip.
Clench it. Presto--r' and Hermann
made several theatrical waves and
passes with his arms.
Now open your hand"
The man did so, and there lay a
bright, new one-dollar gold piece.
We'll, you did it after ALL said the
conceited one cunningly, little crest
fallen, and as slick as l could have
done it myself" and he turned to 90
away.
Goodbye said Hermann you may
leave me my gold dollar, though, before
you 60"
What do you mean?" said the man,
with twinkle in his eve
Why, the gold dollar palmed off
on you. Here's your fve-cent piece"
Nonsense" said the man, You
changed my tiye-cent piece into gold
coin without its leaving my hand. I'll
leave it to the crowd if YOU didn't
The crowd promptly burst into a
roar, declaring that the laugh was fair
ly on Hermann, and compromise
was effected by which the apparently
conceited stranger passed the gold coin
over the bar and all drank to the clever
magician, the amateur remarking with
a grin: Here's luck to you. old man,
till you're tired of it. -
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-10

VIII be nominated. and L am much
obliged to YOU
Finally one of the players dropped
out, and Mr.. Lincoln invited Mr. Cox
TO take a hand Mr.. Cox of course
did SO, for he was anxious to play with
the man he was sure would be nomin-
ated, and the game lasted some time.
Mr.. Lincoln displaying great skill and
strength. When the game was finished
Mr.. Lincoln kept score for another set
OF players by notching the points on
stick and calling out score in loud
voice. -Ct7acinnati Times Star.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-10
Mr.. Kittredge's Birthmark.

The publication in recent issue OF
the Times of the description of the
singular birthmark born by a young
man. which was said to be an exact
fac-simile of a blackberry, has excited
not a little interest here. and stories
have been told of the curious mark
that is carried by young man living
in this city. An investigation re-
suited in the discovery of the party in
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-10
Queer Prescriptions.

eve have the queerest kind of pre-
scriptions called for some times" said
pharmacist few days since. mot
very many days ago a reputable ply
stefan sent to ask me if | could get him
some of the virus from bee sting, to
be led, [ think he said, in scarlet
fever. And another physician once
told me that he had secured marvellous
results in case where powerful opiates
had failed by using virus from the bite
of a rattlesnake. But the mass of
queer prescriptions are brought in by
ignorant people, and are not vouched
for by any member of the medical pro-
fession. Not long ago young colored
man brought in a bit of paper that
called for nearly twenty different sub
stances among which were a lock of
hair from the head of baby. five whole
black peppers, the tooth of cat, nail
from the left hind paw of dog, a bit
of gum bezoin, and a drop of blood
from the veins of a living man. All
these were to be put together at mid
night when the moon was in a certain
quarter. To be taken internally? Oh,
bless YOU. DO. 1t was to be worn in a
bag about the neck, and was, | fancy.
the relic of some old darby superstition
of plantation days. ~ 7. Evening
Sun.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-10

A flight of locusts believed to have
covered 1000 square miles recently
crossed the Red sea from the African
shore.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-10

A great show of canary birds was
held recently in the Crystal palace,
London. and it was as popular as
cattle show.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-10

A good many options on phosphate
lands IN southern Florida have bean
surrendered because the phosphates
didn't materialize.
Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-01-10
NREAr rlfPRovEMENrs.

E z nct many ysen ego peeple travssed On
ncssso@sct .s @ q q stssse .Sw hax miIsc e hem
yrote letters that wefe weeks u reaehfn6 tAe1l
sseen1 sSs iof y Soesc ssoSss s'sS aSNSsa' ssss
psusnss Nus eeasiy svssy cosnp!alnt; n0v sosy
Auetin Flint u Bsilsvus Ccllsgs. nysi 1he
yudiclous nsS q sloohelie stim1iantS d one q
practlcs q me1lcins aufing The lkst half een-
tufy." froG Henry Not n. D, p. f,C.s q
RSay': FSss Esit ySisLsy ftss H9m sdsi.s1s; :;
E. &. W. HHtchinsoS. q new Ycsk, ays:
highly rUcummcnd pu6y's Pure Malt Whlskey
and psesMibs u extensively In my PRACTICE"
Rey; 3 1ills, q Princeto1s low. says; have
eene0t 70 my wile, who q 9 ccnffmed invalid,
II know nom oxporten0o % 10 . pure and most
valuable medicine. I am also using u In ths
Go e my son, who z thrsatsned With con;
commend Du9y'e Malt whiskey e the pvrest
experienooils laSgs o0a" d.