davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26
WILD MONKEYS IN EUROPE.
Gibraltar is Their Stamping Ground
They Are Not a Thriving Lot.

~ 1hetf Stamping
They Are Not Thriving Lot.
Gibraltar is the only place in Europe
where monkeys have been seen in a
wild state. There may be nc wild
monkeys at Gibraltar now. though
four lived there while ago, and 1t
was proposed 10 replenish the stock by
importa ions from Africa Few
Monkeys live along the north coast OF
Africa, but Gabel Musa an important
mountain near Tangier. is also called
Monkey mountain. because in the
woods that clio he its sides a small
variety of monkeys have lived ever
since the country was known 10 white
man. They have been gradually de-
creasing in numbers. 1t is probable
that the monkeys at Gibraltar were
originally brought over from Tangier.
Some scientific men partly derive
from the fact thai lie bones of ele-
plants AID other African animals have
beea found in Southern Europe the
theory tha5 within recent times Africa
and Europe We're connected by land
and formed the same continent 1t Is
rot IL cessary, however to ascrioe the
presenc1 Of monkeys at Gibral ar to a
former union of the contin snts. 1t is
well Known that one OF the early Brit
ish governors of Gibraltar Sir William
COdri1gton, brought number of mon
keys from Africa and turned them
loose at Gibraltar. They had existed
at Gibraltar, however. long before his
time. For many years it was a favor
lite diversion of visitors to Gibraltar to
watch the antics Of the monkeys. who
lived there in a free sta and seemed
to be nearly as wild as any of their
African relations. The fac also that
they were he only wild monkeys in
Europe enhanced tn interest and Gu
riosi y which they excited. 1t has
been proven, however, that though
they propagat3 here for generations,
the nd 9ncy is to die out, ard unless
the stock is replenishcd Europe will
not locg have wild monkeys
The Arab geographers and historians
OF the middle ages wrote quite ex-
haustively of the Spanish peninsula .
and they do not mention such thing
as wild monkeys at Gibraltar, which
is pretty good proof that monkeys
had not been introduced there in those
ages, or if they had, that they had
completely died out. 1t is believed.
therefore, that the Gibraltar monkeys
were introduced into the country from
the north coast of Africa later than
the thirteenth century
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26
IAN DIMINiSH HING.
Slowly Becoming Less and Less in Stat.
ure and St~e@ tn.

Slowly Becoming Less and Less in Stat
ure and St~e1 9Th.
A French statistician who has been
cords with a view Of determining the
height Of men at different periods has
reached some wonderful results The
recorded facts extend over nearly three
centuries. 1t is found that in 1910
the average height of man in Europe
was f.75 meters or say feet inches
In 1920 it was 5 feet 5 inches and
fraction.
At the present time it is 5 feet 81
inches. 1t is easy to deduce from these
figures a rate of regular and gradual
decline in human stature and then to
apply this working backward and for
ward TO the past and to the future.
BY this calculation it appears that the
stature OF the first man attained the
surprising average Of 16 feet inches.
The race had already deteriorated in
the days Of Og, and Goliath was quite
degenerate offspring of the giants.
Coming down to the later times we
find that at the beginning of our. era
the average height OF man was feet
and in the time of Charlemagne it was
s feet 8 inches fact cutie sufficient
to account for the heroic deeds of the
paladins.
But the most astonishing result of
this scientific study comes from the
application Of the same inexorable law
of diminu ion to the future. The cal
cula ion shows that by the year A. d.
1000 the stature of the average man
will be reduced to fifteen inches. And
the conclusion OF the learned statisti-
clan is that The end Of the world will
certainly arrive, for the inhabit ANTS
will become so small that they will
finally disappear finish disappear
ing" as the French idiom puts it.
"from the terres rial globe. San
Francisco Examiner.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26
Sinners, Social Standing.

Eight sinners camo forward for
prayers the other night, said d gen.
tleman conducting revival services.
"eight sinners-some Of the highest
social standing, and some of no stand.
ing at all"
What would John Wesley have said
to such a speech as that or what his
inspired brother, Charles? Social
standing discussed at the altar!
A story is related that, when one day
the Duke OF Wellington was kneeling
at the altar 20 partake Of the CON-
munion, peasant knelt by his side
for the same religious purpose.
An ofcious person standing by whis-
pered. in words the Iron Duke could
not but overhear: Come away from
there. Don't You know you are kneel-
ing by the Duke OF Wellington? Let
him remain, " interrupted the Duke;
there is no rank at this altar. Gin
cinnati Times-Star.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26
SMOkELESS POWDER.
1t Seems Likely to Cause Decided
Changes in Tactc,.

Changes in Tact.ci.
An English officer who has been q
spectator at the late French maneuvers
on the Italian frontier after mention
ing the difficulties he experienced in
the character Of the country and the
lack OF roads. writes as follows: An
other very great difficulty in the way
OF properly judging OF the maneuvers
is the use Of smokeiess powder 10
seems to be hardly sufficiently realized
what an extraordinary effect this must
have in war. Again and again found
myself in a position where | could
hear volley after volley, field guns, tou,
sometimes being fired probably within
500 yards Of me, and yet have gazed
intently for minutes trying in vain TO
discover the whereabouts of the firerS.
Noise is ever deceptive, and one mo-
ment you Shink the men must be close.
but puff of wind or some such cause
may make the sound appear to como
from miles off. If tho men are at
all hidden who fire. and are stationary,
1t would seem almost impossible to
discover them at, say, 500 yards. In
Wal Gll1c OuS WOulu SOOl kuON W0CUils
err they were firing at one but in man
euvers the case is different. | was
with small party of men who deserted
number Of the enemy moving across
the open about five hundred yards of.
Our party lay down and began firing
volleys. The enemy stopped and
turned in our direction. We noted
certain movements Of theirs, but could
not make out for certain whether they
were merely looking round 10 see
where the firing came from or wheoher
they were firing back at us! The din
of ba55ile was going on all around. and
it was impossible 10 tell by sound. and
the flash was too indis inc 10 sea-
Surely the Introduction Of smokeless
powder will afiec5 tactics even mora
than did the employment of breech
load rs or percussion caps!-N. Y.Ad-
yer,iSar
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26
ONE OF NATURES FREAKS.
A Man Total y Lacking Ears Yet Never
in a Dim1 Museum.

in DIM Museum.
Ezekiel Eads. who died in Greene
county New York, in the spring of
1880, was surely a lit subject for dime
museum. even though he never de-
scended to that level Strictly speak
ing Eads was in several respects a
most re:aarkable creature. He was
born without ears, not even having
aper,ures where his ears should have
been. His Geformi5y, sad as it was, may
be said 10 have been Far tally allevi-
ated by the cu~i"us construction of the
inn portion OF his ad, which en-
ton through his mouth. When ad-
dressed he would ms antly oEen his
mouth and readily give answers to in
terrogatiols put to him in an ordinary
tone of voice. But Ezeaiel's lack OF
ears was not his only lack of distlnc-
ton. He had a heavy crop OF black
hair sroded with white, the spo,s
themselves being in the exact shape of
human ears feet, hands, etc. When
he was quite small baby it was no.
ticed that his black hair was inter-
spersed with oddly shaped spots Of
white, which, however, did not take
On their distinctive shapes until after
he had PASSED his fifteenth year.
When Mr.. Eads died he left one son.
aged 10, WHOSE har was black as q
coal not single gray hair being dis
cern1ble, and another son, Is years of
age. whose hair was as gray as that Of
a man of 7O.-St Louis Republic.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26
A CLEVER CANARY,
full Of Mischief, But JOY En- the
Household Where He Lives.

Full OF Mischief. But JOY to the
Household Where He Lives.
I'VE have owned. says bird fam
eier, several canaries, and we have
never found any two of them alike in
their intellectual characteristics
though much or the same in their
loving regard for all the permanent
members of the household. But ono
is perfect bundle of feathers and fun
as full of m schief as bird can be-
not malicious in his manifestations
but merely frolicsome. He is taught
to call his mistress.
He is kept in an old-fashioned
wooden cage. quite large lit is simply
brutal to keep birds in the small cages
now faShionable), and with four sta
uonary perches running across at right
angles swing perch and a short
perch in one corner always to the
front so that the bird may come to the
wires to caress or be caressed. The
swing perch is hung say. one and one.
quarter inches above the stationary
perch, and one of the birds tricks is
TO snap the swing with his bill set il
rapidly in motion and then rush under
it on the stationary perch four or tivo
times singing in his loudest tones all
the while. Perhaps in few moments
his next trick will be to knock the
swing from its support Zone day tho
little rascal did it six times in success
sion. a member of the family replao-
Ing it to see what the bird would do)
to the floor of the cage.
"Time and again he has caught tho
swing in his bill and attempted to fly
up with it but in vain whether to re-
hang it we leave to some one wiser in
bird movements than lis to decide.)
but his cutest trick was in finding
one of the four conical tips on the
corner posts loose, and he set to work
to throw it off in the most business
like manner. He tried at first to pull
it inside; that would lot do, for it 10
set down at least three quarters of an
inch on the wire. When he removes
it he thrusts his bill through
the wires under the corner OF
the tip, lifts it and throws it off. and
then sets up a loud chatter, perhaps
to call some one to replace it But
the canary's song is so sweet Che sings
almost every hour. even up to or 10
o'clock p. n.y. and his spirits are 50
Joyous that he repays Il thousand fold
all the labor in caring for him. Chi
cago News.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26
Where Is EOur Mouth.

Ithas been discovered that the HUI.
man mouth is slowly but surely and
steadily moving towards the left of tho
face. which will, in time. bring It
somewhere in the neighborhood of the
left ear. All the five great races OF
man have an unaccountable tendency
to eat only with the teeth which grow
from the left jaws. This wears out
The left teeth more rapidly than those
on the right side of the mouth, and
this in turn gives the upper and lower
Jaws an inclination towards the left
1t is the expressed opinion of many
scientists who are foremost in the
worlds roll of professional honor that
in the course of time the mouth from
causes above mentioned. will havo
completely changed its position. and
that it will be situated rather nearer
the left ear than the nose!
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26
HAWAIIANS OF OLD,
They Were a warlike Race and Fought
Like Devils.

Like Devils.
In old days the HawaIians seem to
have been always ready for fighting.
and to have set about it in a most de-
liberate way. As matter Of course
every man was regularly drilled in the
use of spear javelin. sling and stone,
and all other means of offense and de-
Tense. In time of war, says the Para
disc of the Pacific. all were required
to follow their CHI EFF to the field. and
any man who showed any symptoms Of
cowardice had his ears slit and was led
into the camp with rope around his
body-a measure which greatly as
sisted the nervous in overcoming their
fears.
Some of their war customs were al
most Identical with those of the Fijians.
as. for instance. the boastful shouts of
defiance. and the advance OF scouts,
or OF a single warrior. deridingly car
rying only a fan, as il to brush away
harmless flies and challenging the foe
to attack him singly. Perhaps in
reply. a dozen spears would be cast at
him at once; and these he avoided by
nimbly twisting or jumping aside or
STOPPING. Sometimes he caught them
in his hands and hurled them back at
his assailants. Truly. civilized war.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26
Folapuk in Use.

A few months ago the hogan, a
Volapuk journal published in Ant
werp. Belgium. gave u list of pc, ons
in nearly every country in the world
who wished to correspond in that
language. The names of some half
dozen Chinese appeared among the
rest, and out of curiosity an enthusi,
astic Nolapukist OF New York wrote
to one Of them asking what prospect
the new international language had Of
gaining adherents in the "Flowery
Kingdom. A reply was recently re-
coived, of which the following is a
translation: Esteemed Sir:-In re-
ply to yours of June 81. let me say
that Volapuk is far easier than the
Chinese language. and when this uni
versal speech is in common use among
Europeans and Americans many Chi
nese will learn it very quickly. But
how can we talk with each other il
the Americans prevent the Chinese
from going to America? With greet
ings, Chun Nun. Tamsui, Aug. q,
1891"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26

IT is one of the noticeable features
OF the present age that a good many
things which all preceding ages have
regarded as settled have not only come
TO be regarded as open to doubS and
argument but have been deliberately
unsettled or resettlei on u wholly diff
ferent basis. In theology. dogmas
which have become most hoary and
venerable with age are attacked with
out corpunction and repudiated with
out remorse. In politics principles
supposed to be rock-rooted and eter-
nal are found to be baseless and unteu-
able and are calmly swept into obliv-
ion while their places are filled with
Few ones.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26
WHEN THE TIDE GOES OUT"
Legend That Received Strange
Notification.
.When the tide goes out be will

"W hen the TIDE goes out he Will
die"
With the assurance born of long ex-
perience beside death beds. the nurse
in sombre gray whispered these words
to one of the sufferers friends re-
Gently in a tenement house in Seven
teenth street.
The man had been working on the
dock and crane had fallen and struck
him on the head. They bore him
away to his squalid home. The COM
pany had sent doctor and a nurse,
but these were now OF small avail.
1T is only a legend"
yes, it is only legend but wait
and see."
There was The faint ticking of the
clock, but that was all that broke the
silence of the next few hours.
The night ebbed slowly away.
Dawn was almost breaking.
The tide-it is very near the full
now" whispered the patient watcher
Come closer if you want to see him
die"
And the little group in the room
moved closer And so. too he died.
died when the tide went out at break
OF day; and out on the bosom Of the
tide had swept away, towards a great
unlighted see. a human soul.
lit is only a legend, | know" said
the nurse. afterwards, but / have
been beside many deathbeds and never
yet have l known the fancy to prove
false. There seems to be even in
death, as in life strange tide and
in the case of death, tide in some
strange sort blended and acting in
keeping with the circle of the tide
SIM
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26

Anything is good enough. il is said
too often. fer the man who has broken
over the law. And the broader ques-
ton OF what we are going to do with
that man later on, and what he is GO
ing to do with us. after he has passed
through a post graduate course in one
Of these dens is entirely forgotten.
Yet it is the main question. after all.
For the restraint of the individual
should be made. and must be made.
unless it is to he life confinement an
opportunity for a growing away from
the criminal life.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26
st. GEORGE OF KHARTOUM,"
A Description of the Burial Place of
General Gordon.

a Description of the Burial Place of
General Gordon.
In the little English church. which
stands amidst its roses and vines in
the new quarter is wall tablet of red
and white marble-the memorial of q
great Englishman. 1t bears the fol-
lowing inscription: in memory Of
Ma or-General Charles George Cor
don c. b. Born at Woolwich, Jan.
%, 1888. Killed at the defence of
Khartoum. Jan. &c, 1885" Above is
a sentence from Gordon's last letter:
Il have done my best for the honor Of
our country"
ST. George of Khartoum, as he has
been called. If objection is made to
the bestowal Of this title it might be
answered that the saints of old lived
before the age OF the telegraph, the
printer the newspaper, and the re-
porter; possibly they too would not
have seemed to us faultless if every
one OF their small decisions and all
their trivial utterances had been SUBJ
nected TO the electric light publicity of
day Perhaps Gordon was IL IA
ratio, and his discernment was not
accurate. But he was single-hearted
devoted to what he considered to be
his duty, and brave to a striking de-
gree When we remember how he
faced death through those weary days
we cannot criticise him. The story of
that rescuing army which came so
near him and yet failed, and of his
long hoping in vain, only to be shot
down at the last must always remain
one of the most pathetic tales Of his
tory.-Constance Fenimore Woolson,
in Harper's Magazine.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26
EWSPAFER DENIALS,
On the Principle OF Expediency-To Lie
Or fo

On the Principle OF Expediency-To Lilo
Or MOI to Lie.
The press makes many mistakes.
The wonder Is that in the rush of it's
presenting an epitome of the world s
daily doings at each breakfast table it
does no. make a thousand errors for
one. 1t makes very few deliberately.
And many of those statements con-
corning which loud mouthed and qu:b-
bling denials are often accepted are
true in their essentials.
Three examples will serve to throw
light on this branch of the subject.
Said a man Of national fame who had
commanded one of The union armies,
and had been the governor of his sta @.
and had served with distinction in
congress. in furnishing some sensa-
tional but true atements for pubica-
ton: This is exact; but il you ever
give me as au hority l will publicly
deny your dispatch"
Said a former dean of the diplomatic
corps, in presenting story of deep
interest: IF you allow this to be
traced to me- l will promptly deny
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26
Paris Perplexed.

Paris is somewhat perplexed about
the Palais Royal once one of its chief
clories. 1t is now rather q white elo-
plant 1t covers a great deal of the
most valuable ground in the city. but
to little purpose. The trade OF tho
arcade is steadily declining. In order
to give il ano her chance of life there
will be built cafe and beer garden at
the lower end of the Enclosure, in tho
hope of bringing back the old-,ime
strollers through the covered galleries
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26
The trouble with all our institutions

of correction is the difficulty CT break
ing away from the old idea of legal
penalties without rushing to the other
extreme. Few tasks are more difficult
than to make people understand the
legitimate object OF these penalties;
which is, primarily Or should be.
neither the punishment of the offend
er nor tie reformation of him, but
the protection of society. That pro-
lection is the only warrant that exists
for restraint upon the individuals; and
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26

THERE can be no shadow without
light; yet those who remain in the one
fail to recognize the other. The ca
lamity looms up so massively and so
darl1ly as to hide the truer and the
larger part OF life. which is bright
with blessings. 1t IS u wholesome
discipline, though often a hard one
to turn the mind from it's sorrow to it's
many sources of joy; and he who can
help one to do this is true friend.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26

any connection with 1t over my omclal
signature, and leave you in the lurch. !"
Said senator of many years service
both in and out of congress. after talk
ing at length for publication: Yes;
write it up. and print it But be care
full. If don't ike it l will deny the
whole of it The Century,
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26
The POpe's Army.

The pope's professedly military army
ut the vatican has the following
streng b, namely: Two generals. two
major. two cap aims and four lieuten-
ants. These thirteen officers have
sixty privates TO keep under discipline.
The papal cavalry consists of thirteen
men with eight horses.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26
At,he bottom of the Sea.

A buried city has been discovered at
the bottom of the Adriatic. little to
the south of the peninsula of Istria
it is believed to be the lost town of
Cissa, which was located on an island
described by Pliny, but which cannot
now be found.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26
Why MILK Turns Sour.

Why milk turns sour during a thun-
derstorm has long been a disputed
question. Professor Tolomei, an
Italian chemist says it is because the
electricity coagulates the milk by
oxidizing it and generates Tactic acid
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26

1t Is as part of such protection. by
the preventing future acts OF crime
that reformation of the offender has
come to play so large part in the
later study of penology.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-26

So FAR AS physical conditions are
concerned ii is perhaps true that
tightly constructed. with steel posts
and girders, bclted together and brac-
sd diagonally. the tall buildings are
better calculated to Withstand an
earthquake shock than are buildings
of less height Quilt of stor4e or brick
One of the tall buildings under
these conditions would perhaps
sway great deal and seem in
danger of going down. it is pro-
bable that the terra Gotta facing might
be wrenched from the iron framework
and fall into the street. But with the
tubsidence of the distuEbanc the
building would become as erect and as
secure as before. The fact is these
iron and steel buildings are elastic
Ind not brittle They resemble a
bird-cage in their structure and in
,ome degree are like the bamboo
houses in which people r,re compelled
TO live in earthquake countries