davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-07-30
Practical Life.
New York Advocate.

Daily and hourl y we meet questions that
demand an immediate answer - questions
that relate to food and raiment, to the
hand-to-hand conflict with earthly neces-
sites. Preplexities arising from these
sources are sometimes the occasions of
greatest perils TO Christian faith Many
soul has overcome in spiritual combat,
only to fall before the enemy assaulting
him through outward and visible circum-
stances. They have forgotten that Christ
is their Lord in material good as we'll as
in spiritual. They have failed to follow
him in principles revealed for practical
life, and have regarded Christ a Saviour
only in spiritual things. One has former
ly said: "'He that f0lloweth me shall not
walk IN darkness That saving has a
lower and higher fulfilIment. In the lower
1t refers to practical life and its perplex-
tiles. Nobody who has not tried it would
believe how many difficulties are cleared
out of mans road 10y the simple act of
trying to follow Christ. No doubt there
will still remain obscurities enough as to
what we ought to do to call for the best
exercise of patient wisdom; but an enor-
nous proportion of them vanish like mist
when the sun looks through, when once we
honestly set ourselves to find out where
the pillared Light is guiding. 1t is a re-
luctant will and intrinsic lik-ngs and dis
likings that obscure the way for US, much
oftener than real ohscurity in the way
itself. It is seldom impossible to discern
the divine will when we only wish to know
1t that we may do it. And if ever it is
impossible for US, surely that impossibility
is like the cloud resting on the tabernacle
"a sign that for the present His will is
that We should be still and wait and
watch"
The 13-year old daughter Of Mrs. Caro-
ger, of Hazleton, Pa, was murdered and
the family savings stolen.
A fabulous gold strike on the Red river
"a rpnortod
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-07-30
Then when at last I pass beyond the mist

It's looking downward that make ont
dizzy
If there is death in your heart tier,
will be death in your life.
1t is well to think well; it is divine t.
act welI.-HOrace Mann
The evil thai is most dangerous is tina
one that looks most harmless.
The only joys which live and grow are
those which are shared with others.
That virtue which requires to be ever
guarded. is scarce worth the sentinel
Goldsmith.
1t is not so much the being exempt
from faults as the having overcome then
that is an advantage to US.
Spend as much time in counting youl
blessings as you do in worrying over your
troubles and will soon be rich.
Endeavor to make the work as easy as
possible. Lives have been worn out by
unnecessary toll caused perhaps by lack
of system or lack of thought.
lmpetuous fathers and mother, who
have no more control of their tempers thar
Niagara has of its waters, get maddel
than March hares if their children show g
similar disposition, as if thorns could bean
figs.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-07-30
FARM AND GARDEN,
DREAMING OF HOME.
EUGENE FIELD.

1t comes to me often in silence,
When the freight sputters low
When the black uncertain shadows
Seem wcaiths of the long ago;
Always with throb of heartache
That thrills each pulsive vein,
Comes the old, unquiet longing,
For the peace of home again.
I'm sick ofthe roar of the cities,
And of faces cold and strange;
| know where there's warmth of welcome,
And my yearning fancies range
Back to the dear old homestead,
With an aching sense of pain,
But there'll b. Joy in the coming,
When l go home again.
When 90 home again! There's music
That never may die away
And 1t seems the hands of angels,
On a mystic harp to play,
Have touched with a yearning sadness
On beautiful broken strain,
To which is my fond heart wording
When l go home again.
Outside of my darkening window
Is the great worlds crash and din,
And slowly the autumn shadows
Come drifting, drifting in,
Sobbing, the night wind Il urmurs
To the splash of the autumn raiD
But dream of the glorious greeting
When l 60 home again.
Chicago News.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-07-30
Running Out.

If our farms are running out" such
should not be the case. In England,
where the soil has been cultivated for CEN
turtles, the land is richer today than ever
before This is due to the farms being
small and well-manured. Every square
foot of land in England is made to yield
something, if used for farming, and the
aim is always to add more plant food than
the crop removes.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-07-30
The Best EnsiIage.

The best ensilage is made from corn
planted thin enough to mature It's leaves
in the sunlight, and such will produce ears
if given time enough. The more grain that
goes into the siIo the richer the ensilage.
But the small early varieties of corn will
give too little material for profit A
larger, later variety that will grow ears
nearly glazed before the season for frost,
gives the best satisfaction to the owners of
sil1s
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-07-30
Good Thoughts When Alone.
Standard

Keep up your spirits by thoughts En-
Joy the pleasant company of your best
friends, but in all employment be temper
ate. Learn the art to be preferred before
all others of being happy when alone
which consists in the encoura cement of
good hopes and rational pursuits-in lead
ing an Industrious life, and in having con-
stantly before you some subject of attain
ment. In your converse with the world
be ever careful for the sake of peace, to
speak i'll of no one. treat your known enemy
with civility and to shut your ears against
evil reports of all kinds.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-07-30
Prices of Australian Wool.
Period

The explanation of this fall of Is per
cent. in Australina wool is apparent In
the table. Nearly as much wool was mark
eted during the first five months of our
new tariff as was sold during twelve pre-
ceding months.
Although prices of American wool have
not, on the whole, advanced under the
Mckinley law, yet the benefits of that
measure to our wool growers are none the
less real. Without it nothing could have
prevented American wool from going
down in sympathy with the worlds mark
ct. As it is the increased demand for
wool created oy it has kept prices here
just about up to last years level in the
face of a fall of 25 per cent. in the worlds
market, and an increase in Importation of
wool during the first seven months of the
new laws existence of 81, 259, 1872 over the
imports of the corresponding peorid of last
year. The error of the trainers of the
Mckinley law was due to the fact that they
could not foresee the abnormaliy low
prices which have of the late prevailed In
the worlds wool market. But for these
low prices American wool would now be
much higher When Australian wool re-
gains its last years prices there will be a
boom in American wool growing.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-07-30
Looking at Both Sides.
Selected.

my son" said preacher to his nine
year-old boy, Il wish you would always,
if possible. select, as your most intimate
com panion, boy that is above yourself,
so that you may be made better by his as
ISOLATION with you After little
thought the boy replied. "Well, but how
about the other boy?"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-07-30

Fast Nan Line with vestibuled 3fa210 -
tween Chicago, Milwaukee, b. ra1l aoe
Minneapolis.
Trans-Continental Route between OAisA4e
Council Bluffs, Omaha and the Pacific C>aA
Great National Route between ChkAgo. Kas
sas City and st. Joseph, 10.
800 Miles Of Road reaching al principe
points IN II inois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa
Missouri and Dakota
For maps, time tables, rates Of passage ant
freight ETC. apply t. the nearest station Agent ..
the CHICAGO. MILWAUKEE, q ST. PAUL RAHWAI
or to any Railroad Agent anywhere in the WsGA<
BOSWELL MILLER, A.V Fl. CARPENTER,
General Manager. Gen1 Pass. and Tit Ags
~For information in reference to Lands ~
TowGs owned by the CHICAGO, MnwAuKu 4 81.
PAUL RAILWAY COMPANY. write to 81. g. HAuaAx
Land Commissions. MilTeuke- WiscoKin.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-07-30

One million tubes for Koch's lymph is
the work which is at present engaging
the attention Of a German glass works.
The tubes are made of fna quality Ct
glass, and are closed with q glass stop
per.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-07-30
Paris SIrIkerS kesnme WORK

PARIS, July 21.-Most of the railway
strikers have resumed work The COM
panies will take back all the men who
went on a strike.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-07-30
THE HOUSEHOLD.
Beyond the Mist.
VIRGINIA B. CLAUSEY.

Two childish hands are clasping mine tonight.
And tender voices fill the evening air;
l hear the sound of eager little feet,
And see face most wonderously fair
The memories that fill nv heart tonight
Are heavy with the weight of bygone pain;
live again the years that now are dead,
And have my darling close to me again.
Each heart its lonely bitterness knows best,
| And God in justice judges each and all;
He holds US in the hollow of His hand
| And hears however faint a cry or call.
Then when at last I pass beyond the mist
Into the land where shadows are no more,
| need no words to tell that over there
My darling waits to lead me gently ore.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-07-30

1t has been shown that if the sun was a
burning sphere of solid coal it could not
last six thousand years.
The morning call., 1891-03-01
SEVERAL STINGS
THAT ARE FATAL.
A Story Of Rather Bill" Who Enjoyed
Killing RdttlRSnakGS.
The Tarantula Will Not Do to Fool With-The
Centipede is Dangerous, and the scor-
pion Is Not at All Desirable.

One no sooner gets into New Mexico than
he begins to hear snake stories. CT course
the rattlesnake furnishes the subject for
most of these, and not without cause, for it
is naturally very lively reptile, and the
climate of New Mexico seems to keep him
in his liveliest mood. The one redeeming
feature of the 'rattler" is that he gives an
alarm by shaking the rattles at the end of
his tail. This is not due to any particular
desire on his part to warn the approaching
person of his presence, but from peculiar
habit, seen in some cats. for instance, of
shaking the tail when excited.
An old stage-driver at Prescott, Ariz., has
a novel method of killing rattlesnakes.
Il hain't no snake-charmer. said he,
"but Pm no more afraid on 'em than moth
in. I've killed hundreds on 'em, and have
got down from the box many's the time to
kill RATHER when were a stagn' it.
That's how l come by my name, Rather
Bill. l alters druv tour, more of'en six
horses, to my stage, and had a whip with
han'le ont eight feet long. Mint I'd see
a RATHER I'd clap my feet on the brake iron
and bring up the horses all standin', f fear
the RATHER ID get away. Mint I'd strike
the ground he'd know / meant business,
an would curl up to strike at me. I'd take
my whip by the butt, hOldin' the lash in MY
The morning call., 1891-03-01
OH, THEY ALL
KNEW HIM WE'LL.
Some Points on Personal Identification in
The Courts
How the Mystery of the Burglary in the
Dwelling-House of Mr.. John Flukes
Was Cleverly Unraveled
Written for THE SUNDAY CALL.

I should not think it worth while to tell
SO simple story as the one which 1 now
propose to grind out, if it did not give me an
opportunity to speak instluctively about
two or three subjects on which have long
been a crank. The most important of these
is personal identification as it is practced in
courts. -. r.:
1 remember seeing a woman positively
Identify the thief who stole half bushel Of
potatoes out of the back cellar of her house
in the middle of the night. She recognized
him by thecolor of his eyes. Cross-exami-
nation failed to shake her certainty. but it
developed some interesting facts.
Itappears that the husband of the wit
ness, Mr.. John Ftukes, came home from the
club about 2 o'clock in the morning on the
night of the robbery; and after unlocking
the door with his watch key. he paused in
the hall moment trying to decide whether
the front stairs led up or down, 1t was
quite essentialto solve his problem in ORDER
that he might get up to bed without creating
unnecessary disturbance. --''rs :.
He removed his plug hat so that his foot
steps might not awake his wife, and then
took hold of the stairs to steady them. They
kept still lcng enough for him to become
The morning call., 1891-03-01
TWAS A CORY EPOOK.
Il Caused d Family TO Move Out Of a House
al LeIilgtOn. EE

An old substantial brick residence located
on one of the principal thoroughfarcs of this
city has been considered a haunted house
since the war, says a special from Lexing-
ton, KY, to the Chicago Inter Ocean Old
citizens claim that during the war a Union
soldier, who had been wounded in the battle
at Richmond KY, and was being taken care
oil by the family that then lived in the house.
was Orutally murdered by Southern sympa-
TIMER In the cellar of the residence.
Ever since then, so the story goes there
have been uncanny doings and mysterious
noises seen and heard in this old mansion at
regular intervals Of six months At these
times, when the families occupying the house
would be at supper, lights LEFT in the living
room and other parts of the house would be
eXtlngul5iled and sounds very much like the
gr0ans of person IN agony would be dis
tinctly heard. No one ever saw anything
other than this until few evenings ago.
The family that has been occupying the
"hOuse for the past three months, who did
not know of the supposed existence Of this
:. peculiar ghost, were sitting at the table eat
+ ing supper at about a quarter to o'clock.
The parlor had been lighted up, as there
were some. young people visiting the house,
ana the lamp was brightly burning in the
IlVlng-room. Fhe servant girl had occasion
70 go lnto the parlor and liYing-room dur
Ing the progress of the meal, and when she
returned she exclaimed: -: -
MISS oaille, who dun blowed ont dem
ngnts In Yer room an in tue parler ?''
Miss Sallie did not know. of course and
before the astonlshed household could re" ra
cover from their surprise deep groans ,yaro
heard as if coming from the Iiyinr-roon,
which was: separated from the dininp'
room by folding doors. The groa6s
grew louder and more. agonizng in
their tones until suddenly the folding
doors opened backward, and in the CEN
ter of the threshold the now thoroughly.
frightened family and friends behelda sight
which is usually supposed TO freeze the
blood with terror. There stood the formo of
man with his hands uplifted; he seemed
enveloped in a white gauze, through which
could be seen bloody and apparently bleed
ing breast. The apparition only remained
in sight of the terr0r-stricken people for
few seconds, and then slowly disappeared
into the gloom of the darkened room behind
1t. The supper was left unfinished, and
there was no.sleep in that house that night.
The next morning the head Of the house
hold notified his business partners that he
would not be at the office that day, and be-
lore night he had secured another house,
into which he moved his family the next
day. = :.
This story is told by. a neighbor. and
friend OF the family, who is thoroughly re-
liable man.
The morning call., 1891-03-01

convinced that they led up, in a general
way, and as that was the direction in which
he wanted to 60, he assembled half a dozen
steps. Here he sat down to reflect. He was
aware of slight noise, but the house was
turning over and over so fast that he could
nos tell whether it came from the cellar or
the attic. He bestowed so much attention
upon listening that he forgot TO hold u. I"
the stairs, and, as a result, he fell to the
bottom with a resounding crash.
This frlghtful rumpuS in the still watches
of the night awoke Mrs Flukes, who yelled
burglars" in voice like fifty wounded
elephants. Flukes, not desiring to contra
diet his wife at time when he felt himself
to be somewhat at a disadvantage, also
yelled burglars" whereupon Mrs. Flukes
buried her head under the bed-clothes, while
male servant whose room was IN the gar
ret fired double-barreled shotgun through
the roof and locked himself into closet.
l do not pretend to know how the house
hold Strengthened itself out but nothing was
done until morning, when search OF the
premises revealed the fSct that nothing was
missing but tie half-bushel Of potatoes.
With this clew to work on the police soon ar
rested n tramp who was heard to say that
he hadn't eaten anything except one potato
during the past ten days. ....:=.
"CleveI detective work, too" said the Of
fiePr who made the arrest to the reporters at
headquarters. Then he winked mysterious
" and remarked that he expected to have
big story for the boys in a day or two. - -
at the Central station Mr.. Elukes unhesi-
tatingly picked the suspected man out of a
group of policemen who were all notic6ably
Oyerled, while the tramp-well. 10 judge by
his emacation, the potato to which he mad
referred must have been a very small one.
This Identification left no doubt in the mind
of anybody but the tramp, who began. to
wonder whether he might Il OF be guilty after
all. However, to make assurance doubly
sure, the servant Lagos was sent for by the
police in the course OF tue afternoon. He
was loaded for an identification. He had
Mrs Flukes the formidable and desperate
appearance of the man with whom he had
struggled in the dead of night in defense of
their home The vilainOus physiOgn omy
pictured by Mr.. Flnkes made such deep
Impression on the mind of Lagos that when
he arrived at the station he promptly iden-
titled Ward Detective Plug" Swagly as the
criminal. -
The alleged feelings of Mr.. Swagly were
so much hurt by this mistake that he offered
to prove that Lagos had committed bur-
gary, highway robbery or treason in March,
1884, or on any other date that was conve-
nent to the authorizes. All that Mr..
Swagly asked was an hour and half To col
lect his witnesses. This liberal offer was
rofused,. but it frightened Lagos so badly
that he could not ee found on the day when
the tramp came up for preliminary eX-
animation. | am inclined to think that his
alarm was unnecessary, and that the ward
detective had overeSlimated his powers
because, q week later. when Lagos was
dubbed half to death in an alley, near the
Flukes residence, Swagly was wholly una
BILE to discover the perpetrator Of the deed.
The morning call., 1891-03-01

a higher price than he could get nearer
home. He wanted a high price, and declared
he would drive the hogs back home, which
he did at a considerable cost. Then he sold
them at home at price very much less than
that offered in the city. One of his friends
asked him why he had acted so unwisely.
wanted to get even with them city hog
buyers" he replied.
but did you get even?"
Dwell, they didn't get my hogs"
"What, pray, did you get out of the trans-
action?" ..Ea
"Getl Why, bless your thick sknlled
head. l got the society OF the hogs back
home!'
VICE-PREsIDENT M0RToN's BULL STORY.
Vice-President Morton now and then per-
petrates joke or story by way of illustra-
ton upon his listeners. He knows it well by
heart before he begins.
Not far from where | live in the country.
there is a farmer noted for his fine, large
cattle. Durhams and Attorneys roam over
his extensive lands, and people come from
long distance to view his stock. But Wis
ttors have to he careful about walking
around alone in the clover fields on account
of the number Of ferociouS bulls owned by
the farmer A certain Aiajor-General, who
was very proud Of his title, visited q neigh
Dor of the farmer, and one day he str0lled
out and began to cut across the clover fields
in order to save a little distance. Before he
knew what was up, a big bull, below ing
and shaking his head, began to chase him.
The General was a swift runner and he
made good time in front of the pursuing
animal. Butthe animal was swift too, and
every time the General would get near
fence the bull was TOO close furhim TO even
attempt to Climb over. At last. the General
The morning call., 1891-03-01

previously noticed, she recognized him by
that. Then the policeman on the beat was
called, and he told what he had been dream
ing about at 9 o'clock on the morning in
question. 80.
Swagly. who made the arrest, also gave
testimony which was very damaging-in
fact there is no telling how damaging, not
to say damning; such Testimony may be
when the records which do not lie are I'M
rolled in a higher court, and Swagly ct al.
are committed without bail In the case at
hand, however, the damage was inflicted
upon the tramp, and he was held in the sum
of $1,000. NOIie of his friends came forward
to give this bail. partly because he had no
friends; and further, because if he had had
any, they would. not. probably, have haaa
so much money as that, He. went to jail. '
/ am happy to say, however, that before
the trial Mrs. Flukes discovered that there
had been only half. a .bushel of potatoes in
the cellar on the night, of:NOyember Sd, and
consequently. the tramp could not have
stolen peck in each hand, and left two
pecks behind him 0n:learning of this fact
Mr.. Flukes, who was ,serupulouSiy just
man, secured. the. release of the tramp
through the influence of a ward politician,
and he also gave the unfortunate man his
forgiveness and the unused. portion of
meal-ticket emitting the holder to three
The morning call., 1891-03-01

But where Lagos failed. Mrs. Flukes was
strong. At the preliminary examination
she did not hesitate for an instant His
Honor asked her to fix her eyes on the pris-
oner, and she did so, with a severity that
should have been good for a communication
of his sentence on the ground that he had
been punished enough already. She was
going TO tell how how she happened to buy
the bushel of potatoes. half of which were
stolen, when the Justice interposed and said:
"DO you recognize the prisoner as the
man who entered your house on the night of
February Goth last past and stole peck of
potatoes ?"
-Four pecks in a bushel, your Honor"
whispered the clerk.
Certainly, sir; do not interrupt me. l
was about to say to the witness: Do you
recognize the prisoner as the man who en-
tered your house on the night of February
Goth last past and stole peck Of potatoes in
each haud?"
1t is nearly impossible to find subject
which a police justice does not thoroughly
understand, if you give him leisure to tell
you what he meant to say when he spoke
| the first time.
| Mrs. Flukes was willing to swear to the
| prisoner OF at him, as it pleased the court
| Every time she discovered peculiarly Of
his features or clothing which she hadn't
The morning call., 1891-03-01

came to America They met with poor sue
cess. drifted apart, and finally one took
position as waiter in cheap restaurant;
appeared at the dinner. The meeting was
not over-joyful.
"Why, old man, you down to waiter. ehP
Gracious, how you have fallenI And in a
Bowery restaurant, tooW
YES" replied the waiter, turning on his
friend. sarcastically. but don't eat here.
thank Godp
A TRAMP STORY BY GENERAL PORTER.
General Horace Porter is noted after
dinner speaker, and has fund Of anecdotes
and humorous incidents. Here is one of his
stOries:
Lady Ito Boston tramp)-And now you
want something to eat?