davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
HONORABLE THIEVES.
Curious Stories of the Men Who WayIaid
the Oriental Express.

The narratives of the Germans cap
tured on the Oriental express by a
band of highwaymen some time ago.
and recently returned to their homes
contain some curious chapters on rob-
Der etiquette in Europe. In the first
part Of the robbery says the New York
Sun, Herr Kotsch was deprived of his
watch and chain. Subsequently, while
tramping up the mountain side to the
robber den, he asked the chief fearful
ly for the chain, as it was, he said a
momento of a dead friend
The chief at once called the man
who had got the first plucking of Herr
Kotsch and ordered him to return not
only the chain, but also the watch.
This so affected Herr Kotsch that he
repented his cheating the highway
men by tucklng some $50 worth of
bills into his shoes, and he sat right
down by the wayside to make good his
supposed violation of highway Ell
quette. He drew off his shoes and
handed the money to the chief who
took it. with the remark that Herr
kotSCh was an honorable man.
When the ransom money arrived the
chief expressed deep regret that he
must part company with his new Ger
man acquaintance. He gave each one
$50 for travelling expenses. embraced
and kissed them, and, after leading a
cheer for them all, marched his ban
dts off through the thicket
Herr Graeger was greatly impressed
during his captivity by the amount of
time devoted by the brigands to de-
veloping their possibilities as lady
killers. After sleeping" he says,
they made toilets with the greatest
care. They seemed never to tire of
admiring themselves in hand mirrors
Each carried such a mirror and a hair
brush with him. So as to get every
possible view of himself each one
would turn and twist in every imagin-
able position. Frequently he would
throw himself fat on his back, so as
to see his face in a stronger light"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20

From early childhood Princess Will
helmina has been trained to prepare
her for her royal duties. She has
been carefully educated under an
English governess. having been re-
quired to master the English and
French languages as well as the
Dutch, and great attention has been
given to her diet exercise and all
that could contribute to her health.
She has also received the constant
supervision of her mother, a woman of
amiaole character and excellent iudg-
ment who is greatly aud deservedly
beloved in Holland, and who acts as
queen regent during her daughters
minority. As princess, Wilhelmina is
dressed plainly, wearing simple white
gowns, and having as her only orne~
ment turquoise or pearl necklace.
She will not take up the full duties
of queen for six or seven years to
come, and probably there will be no
great change in her habits and privi-
leges in the interval.
The people of Holland have well
coined her to the throne with feelings
OF tender pride and interest akin to
those with which more than half a
century ago Great Britain greeted the
accession of their ''Bonny English
Rose, the Princess Victoria, then a
girl still in her teens. That Queen
Wilhelmina has already won the love
of the Dutch has been shown by the
fact that even during her fathers lite
her birthday, although not a regular
fete. was usually celebrated with pub
lie rejoicings by the people.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
BRUINS LOFTY BED.
back of the other

From talks with the keepers and in
vestigations made along toward day
light it was learned that tigers sleep
differently from lions. panther5 or
leopards. Panthers and leopards have
more Of the characteristics of the do
nestle cat curl up into balls and snug
gle their heads under their paws Or
bury them under their armpits, while
the tiger, disdainful of cuddling.
usually lies down deliberately, at full
length, usually with his or her head
resting against the side of the cage.
Among the bears it is no unusual
sight to see one or even two of the
animals perched upon the branches Of
q tree aSlnen
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
THE WOUNDED SPARROW.
The Birds sympathy for Each Other, and
the Kindness of "A Family.

tho hiHiheSS Oh II
Two families in adjoining houses in
the upper part Of Brooklyn were re-
Gently treated to e. little drama in bird
life, says the New York Sun. Four
sparrows had built their nests under
the caves and when it came time for the
young to go out into the world one was
unable to fly. 1t hoped about on the
grass Of one of the yards, and several
times came near being the prey OF the
neighboring cats. One of the neigh
bors, q kindly old lady, took compass
sion upon it, and hung it in a cage on
the clothes~line. The parent birds soon
discovered the new abode, and the rest
of the day flew back and forth with
dainty bits for their nesting. which
they fed to it between the wires. At
night the cage was taken in, and
more than one puss cast longing eyes
at the tempting nOr5el and kept prOwl-
ing about much to the distress of the
old birds The old lady spent the
greater part Of the morning driving
the intruderS out Of the garden.
In an evil moment, however
large tiger-skinned cat gave one
spring and, bringing the cage to the
ground. pulled the little bird out be-
tween the wires with his claws, and
was over the fence with it in his mouth
before any one could interfere. At
the approach OF the cat the father and
mother had flown away, but they now
came flying back. They lowered
about the empty cage for while and
then disappeared. In a few moments
they returned, perching on the clothes
line. To the establishment of the
spectators they were followed by as
many as twenty-five or thirty others.
They flew about the cage ard then to
the mother bird, touching her beak
with theirs, expressing their sympathy
in the most marked manner a few
days later another young bird was
found in the grass unable to fly, and
the finders, taking warning by the
misfortune of its brother. shut it in
the cellar-way under the bars, where
the old birds could fly in and out to
feed it, and where il could still be safe
from harm. When it was strong
enough it was taken Up Tito the gard
en-. and it few away.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
Little Use for Them,

DIR. Bombaugh says, in his Clean
ings for the Curious:" Dictionary
English is something very different,
not only from common colloquial Eng
fish, but even from that of ordinary
written composition. Instead Of about
forty thousand words, there is probably
no single author in the language from
whose works, however voluminous, so
many as TO-, 900 words could be collect
ed. Of the 40, 900 words there are
certainly many more than one-half
that are only employed, if they are
employed at all, on the rarest occasions.
We should be surprised to find, if we
counted them, with how small num-
Der of words we manage to express all
that we have to say, either with our
lips or the pen. Our common literary
English probably hardly amounts to
ten thousand words; our common spoken
English hardly to five thousand"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
Mistaken on One Point.

Matthew Arnold, next to Whistler,
was, perhaps, the most colossal egotist
Of his time After his return to Lon
don from his first lecturing tour in this
county, he visited old Mrs. Proctor.
widow of the poet Barry CORNWALL
and mother of Adelaide, Proctor Mrs.
Proctor, who was then eighty years
old. in giving Mr. Arnold cup of tea.
asked him:
And what did they say about you
in American
Well" said the literary autocrat
they said I was conceited, and they
said my clothes did not fit me"
We'll, now," said the old lady. Il
think they were mistaken as to the
clothes"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
A Snake Which Knew Its Business

The Crawford, Ca, Herald attrib-
utes to delegate to the Baptist asso-
citation at Crawford last fall the follow
ing snake story:
He and his uncle were sitting by a
creek-side in the state of Kentucky,
fishing, and were surprised by seeing
a black snake dash out of a thicket,
and running to a weed standing near
them, bite leaf from it and quickly
return. This he did several times,
when, their curiosity beng excited,
they followed him TO see what he
meant by such strange conduct and
found him engaged in a fearful fight
with a moccasin several times his own
size. As often as his antagonist sue
ceeded in biting him he ran to the
weed for his antidote, and was at him
again. At length the uncle pulled up
and removed the weed to see what the
snake would do. He soon came a.ain,
and finding mis- remedy gone, he looked
eagerly from side to side a perfect
picture of despair, and fell stone dead
on the spot. The moccasiD, already
badly disabled. they dispatched
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
A Lost Ring.

A New York paper has a remarka-
BILE story about the recovery OF a lost
engagement ring. 1t belonged to Mrs.
Brickell, of Jersey City. Two years
ago. soon after drawing some water at
a sink, she missed the ring. She
searched the house for it, but the ring
could not be found, and, as she de-
SPARED OF ever again seeing it, an
other was obtained. A friend recently
noticed something glistening in the
gutter, and picking 1t up found it was
the long lost ring. He restored it to
the owner. The supposition is that
the ring slipped from her finger at the
sink, and going through the pipe en-
tered the gutter and had remained
there ever since.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
THE QUEEN OF HOLLAND,
A Sketch OF the Child Who NOMINAL!
Rules Over the Netherlands

Sketch OF the Child Who Nominally
Rules Over the Netherlands.
Wilhelmina queen of the Neither
lands, was born at The Hague on Aug
ust 81, 1880, and received the full
name of Wilhelmina Helena Pauline
Marie. says a writer in St. Nicholas.
The monarchy of the Netherlands in
cludes not only Holland but its colon
ial dependencies in South America and
the East and West Indies These
colonies are both rich and extensive,
covering an area of 800, 900 square
miles and containing a population of
more than $4,000, OOO, six times that
of Holland itself!
The youthful Dutch queen is the
daughter of William Ill, who died on
November %, 1890. and OF Emma
Adelaide Wilhelmina, princess OF
Waldeck-Pyrmont. Her father was
the last descendant in the 4 irect line
of one Of the most famous families of
Europe, the house OF Orange Nassau,
which has given to history three
splendid figures; William the Silent,
the first Stakeholder Of the Dutch Re-
public; his son Maurice; and William
Ill. who became also King of Eng
Lard
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20

And that is the study all young
pitchers must pursue, Begin your
work by pitching a straight ball.
You cannot gain control in a better
way. AS you are young in pitching
experience, so also are your opponents
young in their knowledge of batting
If you watch them closely you will
perceive very quickly that nearly
every one OF them swings his bat at
about the same height every time
For instance you will notice that the
first batter will swing his bat just in
front of his waistband. In order to
fool him pitch the ball little higher
or little lower than that point
The next batter L y snap his bat
high Give him a high ball, but a
few inches lower than he is likely to
strike. This rule is by no means in
fallible but it is a good one. 1t takes
long time to overcome the inclina-
ton to swing in the same way every
time he strikes.
There is another important point to
remember. Do not give the batsman
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
Diseases Caused by the Dead,

The belief that diseases are caused
by the dead is of great antiquity. It
was applied in the case of vampires
which were supposed in the middle
ages to be the spirits of deceased in
dividuals, which left their graves at
night and sucked the blood of the llv-
ing. The most horrible part of the
fancy. which set all Europe panic
stricken a few centuries ago. was
the theory that the victims were
obliged themselves to become YAM
pires after death. To prevent this
thousands of suspected corpses were
dug up in order that their hearts
might be transtiXed with stakes to
prevent the fiends from going abroad.
In 1873 the body OF a woman in Chi
cago who had died Of consumption
was eXhumed and her lungs burned,
under the persuasion that she was
drawing others after her into the
grave. Passing over hidden grave
is thought in some parts of England to
produce a rash, while in New jersey
the same cause brings about incura-
BILE cramps in the foot. In China and
Scotland also people are reluctant to
save a drowning man for fear that the
latter, if his life is preserved will do
some dreadful injury to his savior
The Scotch believe that the spirit of
the last person buried has to keep
watch in the churchyard until another
is entombed there TO whom he de-
ivers his charges. The duty of the
latest inferred to stand sentry at the
graveyard gate every night until re-
lieved often gives much uneasiness to
the deceased's surviving friends in
thinly Inhabited parts of the coun-
try.-New York Evening Star
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
vain attempts to find the letter that he

vain attempts to find the letter that he
Y lted.
hat was only the beginning, how
c"%r, for taking the matter up on a
: ntItlc basis, he set out to learn the
c ct location of all the keys. By the
81 of the first day every word he
] ard in conversation set him 10 figur-
- out where each letter would be on
LIS keyboard whether in the first
Tow. or the second or the third, Or on
the left or the right of the middle line
Of he keyboard. And then he would
t,y to recall what little disc he had to
strike to make a per cent mark, and
what for dollar sign, and what for
quotation marks. and what for a dozen
other marks. each one of which had to
be made in special way.
And at the end of two months prac-
tice, when he could strike off the
words at a rate that made the machine
rattle, and was beginning to think
that he was quite an operator he sat
down for little test He had friend
to read to him, and for two minutes
wrote with his pen. The result was
thirty words for each minute, written
very legibly. Then he tackled the
typewriter. The machine made a
great racket and he thought that he
must be making a new record.
When the second two minutes were
up the perspiration was dropping from
his brow. The count showed to the
credit of the second test just forty
words, and of them just nineteen were
spelled wrongly through the striking
of wrong keys, and which had to be
corrected. A typewriter little used
may be obtained at very low figure.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
OutIiVed His Obituaries.

Thirty years ago to-day" said q
veteran soldier, who is also a news
paper man, Il was wounded and cap
tured at Bull Run. 1t happened That
| was taken to hut in the woods and
was not reported for several days.
Missing and supposed to be dead my
obituary was written in half dozen
newspapers and had the satisfaction
of reading several that were sent to
me at Libby Prison. it is not every
man who survives his obituaries Of by
thirty years.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
A Full Meal.

The dietet1c reformer, Cornaro,
lived hundred years by limiting his
daily ration to fourteen ounces of solid
food. and many hard working Hindoos
manage to get along with a pound and
a half. Ali through South Asia ten
ounces would represent fair average
Of a single meal while a Kaffir chief
tain would think nothing OF deyouring
ten pounds Of broiled meat, not to
mention the Siberian seal hunters, who
will snatch lunch Of fifteen to twenty
pounds, merely to test the quality of a
good catch. -Phila. Times.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
The Economy of the Egyptians

A curious illustration of the domes-
tic economy of the Egyptians have been
met with in the unwinding of the BAN
dages Of the mummies. Although
whole webs of fine cloth has been most
frequently used, in other cases the
bandages are fragmentary, and have
seams, darns, and patches. Old nap
kins are used, old skirts, pieces of
something that may have been a skirt;
and once a piece of cloth was found
with an armhole in it, with seam and
gusset and band finely stitched by
fingers themselves long since crumbled
and their dust blown TO the four winds.
-Harper's Bazaar.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
HE TRIED TYPEWRITING.

Experiences of Young Man Who Es-
sayed to Master the Instrument.
There is a young lawyer in this
city, says the New York Times. who
does little litereary work outside of
his profession, who got himself type
writer as an aid to his labors. and
now he says that he is on the verge Of
insanity. And he lays it all to the
typewriter. When he first sat down
to the machine, he says, he thought
that it would be an easy thing to mas
ter it. but in few moments his hands
ware onino round in circles over it in
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
The Union Jacks

The American Jack is the Union"
of the flag, the term originating with
its application to the Union" of the
English flag at the union of the Saltier
OF s.. Andrews and Cross of St George
in 1906. during the reign OF James the
First; the term Jack, probably a cor
ruption of Jacques or James, also
traceable to INSTRUMENTATION Of the
signature of King James.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
TO PITCH CURVED BALLS.

You May learn to DO 1t with Patience
An Experts Sensible Advice.
1t is not absolutely necessary, there
fore. to curve a ball in order to win
success. The writer wildly calls to
mind the famous games in early sew
entities in the neighborhood of New
York. He was a boy then and walked
miles to see the contests. The curved
ball was unknown then, so far as the
pitching was concerned. And the
pitchers were very effective, too
They studied the weakness of the
batsmen Just as the pitchers do now.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20

a chance to hit the ball with the end
OF their bats if you can avoid it This
is simple enough if the batter stands
close to the" plate. You can keep the
ball well in on him without much
trouble. But when he stands back in
the box you must use discretion. Try
to coax him with a ball or two Just in
side the plate. If he refuses to '.bite, ~
then, of course. you'll have to put it
over.
As you improve in your work you
can begin to practice curves. John
Clarkson, of the Boston League team,
who is one of the most successful
twirlerS in the country, has this advice
to give, in the New York World. 10
his young followers regarding curves:
Curve pitching cannot be taught
by book or other directions. 1t must
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20

nave enjoyed the privilege of gazing
upon the beasts of the forest and jungle
and plain during their waking hours,
in their native haunts and few of
these intrepid gentlemen got away to
tell about it, but not even a Du Chaillu
or Audubon boasts of surprising lions
and tigers and such assertive beasts
while enjoying their natural sleep in
the middle Of the night in the depths
of Jungle and forest.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
DEAF, DUMB AND BLIND.
Opening the World to the Unfortunate
Little Helen x elIar.

For years men and women have won
dered over the story of Laura Bridg-
man. 1t seemed almost miracle the
work that DR.. Howe performed of
bringing tie child in touch with the
world from which she seemed so
strangely isolated. Ii was the open
ing of new realm of possibilities to
those who had seemed SO helpless and
80 outside the pale Of human endeav-
or. But what was done for Laura
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
Deaf MuIR SchnaIS

The State OF New York supports
seven schools for deaf mutes, in which
there are about l. 800 pupils. These
schools have graduated many thou
sands, and most of them are doing
well.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20

be learned by actual
practice and expert
ence, The principles
of making d ball curve
however, may be ex-
planned. Let the young
aspirant grasp the ball
firmly in his hand,
giving the pressure
with his forefnger and
middle finger. The
o t h er two fingers
should be drawn in
towards the palm.
Next let him snap the
ball first out of one
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
The First L ers.

The first canalmaker in England is
said to have been Morton. the bishop
OF Ely, who, in the reign of Henry
VIII, constructed a cut for naviga-
ton between Peterboro and the sea
forty miles long.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
TO THE LAND O'NOD.
How Beasts of he Desert and Jungle
to Sleep.

HOW beasts OF ne Desert ana jungle Go
to Sleep.
Very few people know how wild
animals sleep. There are two or three
reasons why this is so. One is that it
is not healthy to spy upon wild ami
mails asleep or awake, if they are of
savage varieties, and those wretched
creatures that pass lifetime of cap
tivity for the pleasure of man can be
seen ordinarily only at such hours as
they are awake and watching for the
keeper to come around with their food.
There are a few gentlemen who
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
THE LEOPARD OFF DUTY.
a tree asleep,

1t would seem that the bear must
fall from his eXhalted perch, but he
wedges himself there and sinks his
long claws into the wood so firmly that
he is practically nailed there.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20

In collision on the Central Vermont
Wednesday between an excursion anC a
mail train two men were killed and twenty
more or less injured.