davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-08

my COOK Guys ten POUNDS or Deet ana
charges me y cents a pound for it,
how much does it cost him. and what
is the amount of his squeezed"
Or perhaps it takes another form.
somewhat like the following: IF |
60 to store and buy ten yards of silk,
which [ bring home under my coat
when my butler discovers the fact OF
the purchase and goes to the store
how large a squeeze does he extort
from the merchant"
Again, perhaps it takes another form
and reads as follows: Il sent S. the
other day to Chinese woman who is
very poor. How much did the servant
who carried my gift actually hand to
her and how much did he keep as a
Squeeze"
The sufferers by this system call it
stealing, while those who practice it
regard it as a sort of commission.
The Chinese in their dealings with
one another, all suffer from it, and all
practice it. The system is as old as
the empire, and is said to have had it's
origin in al ancient custom under which
household servants were paid no regu-
lnr wages, but received food, one suit
of clothes year and, in addition, O
sum of money raised in this manner:
From the price paid for every article,
OF whatever sort. used in the family
the gate-keeper or porter retains one
piece of cash" in every fifty. At the
end Of each year the sum was distrib-
uted among the servants in proportion
to their positions in the service of the
family.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-08
yyomcD:s sE2erior Courage,

"Most people think that men are
more courageous than women, said DR..
). D. Black, of New York. but the
dentist knows that this is not true As
L rule man will groan and swear
when dentist tries to fill his teeth,
squirming, gripping the arm of the
chair and making a big row about it.
And the heavier the man the bigger
coward he is. I've seen a strapping
pig athlete sit down to have q tooth
bulled and almost faint while | was
looking at it. On the other hand, a
light, littl g bit of woman will calmy
close her eyes, lean her head back in
he chair and submit to tortures that
would make the Sphinx swoon into in
;ensibility. No, sir; woman can
stand a dozen times the pain that a
nan will undergo
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-08

name OF each guest who approaches
the royal presence. The lord chamber
lain has the palace key in his custody,
and conducts the queen to her carriage.
There is also vice chamberlain. The
| lord steward has the whole direction
OF the royal household below stairs"
Ihe treasurer of the household. the
master Of the horse, and the master of
the buck bounds have duties which
their titles mark out, and they carry
wands of Office. The master of horse
is the ''only one wi can use the SOW
ereigns horses, carriages, pages, or
tootmen. There are also attached to
the royal person a captain of the yeo-
man OF the guard, a private secretary,
a keeper of the queens private purse.
master of ceremonies, lords in waiting.
gentlemen ushers of the private cham
Der, equerries, pages of honor, etc.
Those last are dressed in antique
costume and attend at receptions and
on state occasions. The groom of the
robes and the young pages carry her
malestys train on state occasions.
There are also maids of honor, mistress
of the robes, ladies in waiting, etc.
The maids of honor have the title of
honorable" and when they marry
receive present of FL. 200 from the
queen.
Foreign ministers are received at
court after complicated order of pre-
cedence, which sometimes causes irri-
tation between these representatives
OF different nations. In former wears
actual hostilities have been provoked
by disputes concerning rights of favor.
Only ministers, among diplomates, can
ask an audience of the sovereign. A
consul or charge d'atfaires may, when
representative of the minister, in his
absence only. At the present time
there are no fixed rules as to classes,
but there are as to the process of get
ting permission. Full dress" is pre-
scribed the lady guests wearing trains
which are carried on the left arm,
'until the door leading across the
picture gallery is reached, when it is
spread out by the ladies in waiting"
and then the progress for a few wards
is very slow, regulated by the wearer
OF the preceding train. Persons of
high rank among ladies have the
privilege of being kissed by the queen.
Other ladies make a low courtesy and
kiss the queens hand, which she places
in the palm of their hand. If the
queen condesends to kiss an untitled
person, this person must still not ex-
pect to return kiss in kind, but must
kiss only her hand. OF course, a lady
before reaching the queen must have
her right hand ungloved.
Visitors require two cards to attend
q queens reception, lone to be left
with the queens page in attendance in
the presence chamber, and the other
to be delivered to the lord in waiting.
who will announce the narne to her
majesty" To other members of the
royal family who stand near the queen
In receiving only a courtesy is made, in
a general way, to ali.
After passing the royal company at
ievees only the ministers and great Of
ficer Of the household remain long in
the throne room" And cat the
drawing-rooms only the ladies of the
ministers, of the great officers of the
household and of the foreign ministers
can remain after the procession passes
along and separates"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-08

arbitrator settled the boundary, and
gave us the island of San Juan, the
most important OF the group. The
city OF Victoria confines nearly all the
population on that corner of VAN
couver Island; the city of Vancouver
is the main settlement on the British
Columbia shore: and on our borders
are such little places as Whatcom, New
Dungeness, and Port Angeles, in the
state of Washington. Port Townsend,
On Puget Sound, is the principal Amer
lean town near by, and the headquar-
ters of the Scanty force of customs
officials who are supposed to guard
against the smuggling, and who are
entitl ID to the presumption that they
are doing their best in this direction.
Victoria has only 10000 population,
Vancouver fewer still, and the islands
only here and there house. Deer
abound upon there islands, which are
heavily timbercd, and the waterways
betw ~eu tl>am feel the keels of but few
vessel5--,of nohe at all, except the
smallest craft, outside the main chan
nels. 1t would be hard to imagine a
more difficult region to police, or a
fairer field for smugglers. Old London
itself has scarcely greater tangle of
crooked and confusing thoroughfares
than this archipelago possesses, and
these waterways are so narrow and
sheltered that mere oarsmen can safely
and easily travel many Of them. It is
o smuggler's paradise.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-08
LincoIn,s Way.

The Washington Post credits Secre-
tary Blaine with telling a story illustra-
tive of President Lincoln's somewhat
free manner of receiving dignifed off,
Gals.
At the beginning of session of con-
gress Mr.. Blaine had been appointed by
the speaker of the house of representa-
tives a member of the joint committee
to wait upon the president and inform
him that congress had duly assembled.
Senator Foot Of Vermont, one of the
most dignifed Of men, was chairman OF
the committee.
On being ushered into the presence
of the president. Mr. Foot involuntarily
struck an attitude and proceeded to say
in his stateliest manner.
MIR. President, we have been ap-
pointed a committee on the part OF the
two houses of congress to apprise you
that they have met and organized, and
are ready to receive any communica-
ton which it may be your pleasure to
make to them.
AS he conclude xM.r. Lincoln stepped
up to him, and taking him familiarity
by one button of his coat said:
.Now look here, Foot, if it is mat
ter of life and death with you I can
send my message in to-day; but il Ii
isn't, i should like to keep it till to-
morrow to slick it up little"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-08
Saw Six Chinese Lose Their Heads.


Mr.. j. Crawford Lyon recently re-
turned from China and Japan, and
talks in AN interesting way of matters
In those lands. The most horrible
thing he saw in China was an execu-
ton, in which fifteen human heads
were Topped off in as many minutes.
Once, about noon, on what in Amer
Sca would be a spring morning, a num-
Der of war junks arrived in Kowloon
Bay and the mandarins in command
visited Hip Tol, the governor AS a
result OF their interview, the latter
official quickly called out his ragged
army, who soon lined the ill-smelling
beach. Shortly the object of the turn
out became apparent by several boats
pulling off from one of the junks with
scores of soldiers guarding six dirty,
unshaven wretches in baskets bound
for execution. All looked emaciated
to the last degree, but none appeared
to have been dosed with opium, as is
sometimes done III such cases. Their
queues were braided with stripes of
white cotton, upon which were written
their names and their crimes. The
eXecutioners-two fellows wearing
white Jackets and straw hats, around
the latter of which were braided their
queues 10 keep their hats from blowing
otf-had been waiting on the beach for
an hour or more, handing their swords
around to be examined by the crowd,
an inspection which evoked frequent
jests. When the victims were seen
approaching, the weapons were gripped
and ready for action.
The prisoners were placed in two
lines list above the high-water mark.
Each Of the lines of victims was as
signed to ono of the executioners, who
made ready by removing his broad
brimmed hat. The first head flew OF
like lightning. Either the first blow
weakened the arms of the man swing
ing the sword, or else the neck of the
second man was thicker and tougher
than that of his predecessor, for when
the blow fell upon the neck of the sec
ond man the head still hung on, the
man falling on his face.
The swordsman passed on, Topped
off the head Of the third, and then re-
turned to the second man. Lifting the
partly severed head by the queue he
began to saw at the throat. When the
executioner had carved all around the
neck, he caught hold of the mans
queue and struck the neck repeatedly,
until the head flew off. The prisoners
in the second line, who had witnessed
the horrible scene were then dealt with
by the eNecutioner after the same fash
ion. The first and third were dccapi-
tated expeditiously, but the second re-
ouired two strokes.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-08
Farmers and insanity.

The peaceful and presumably in
dependent occupation of farming is
represented in the insane asylum of
Oregon by over two hundred men and
women whose reason has fled. This
occupation, indeed, leads all oEl38rs in
The annals of the insane, in this state
1t least-a fact that does not agree
With the generally accepted idea that
he increase Of insanity is due to the
Increasing spirit of speculation, the
everish haste to be rich and the in
crease in the use of stinalants. On
The other hand, it indicates t., at
nonotony isolation and small cares
ire as great and destructive enemies to
human reason az are the more Violent
oes that assail and bear it down. 1ney
irst undermine and sap it by slow
degrees, and this is N . especially
rue in the case where w'.'uen ar9 the
Fictin4s; the last take it by sto-m.-
Cortland Orc:'s uian.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-08
The Cause Of the Difference.

A gentleman who has recently re-
turned from Russia, says the Boston
Courier, relates an incident which, al
together tritiing in itself. is yet moro
pathetically suggestive of the condi-
ton of the poor in Russia, and of the
state of things which has bred SO deep
and so widespread discomfort among
the people.
Being about to leave some station at
which he had been staying for a few
days, the gentleman in question called
in moozhik-tO adopt the spelling of
George Kennan-to strap his trunks.
The man was of enormous build, with
ever appearance Of great strength.
while the traveller is not above medium
height, and while of compact mold is by
no means of muscular appearance.
The trunk was rather owe: full and
the task of bringing the buckle on the
strap into it place was by no means a
light one. The Russian tried again
and again, becoming short Of breath
and red in the face with his efforts,
while the American looked Oh at first in
impatient silence and then with con-
temptuous reproaches. At length,
losing patience, the traveller pushed
the moozhik aside, and with a single
quick effort brought the strap down
and buckled it,
There" he said, 'are you not
ashamed, you great big fellow to be
! all this time bungling over thing
that ! can do in minute, and | only
up to your shoulders?"
There was no trace of anger in the
reply: "Ah, little father, but you
have had meat to eat all your life"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-08
What 1t Costs to Murder i'm Tibet.

/ had arrived at Kane in an evil
hour, writes Lieut.. Rockhill in the
Century, in the midst of the festivities
of the 18th Of vhe fourth moon, when
the people from far and near congre-
gate there and the chiefs review their
men, and when drinking and fighting
are the order of the day. In Tibet
nearly every crime is punished by the
imposition of a fine, and murder is by
no means an expensive luxury. The
fine varies according to the social
standing of the victim-120 bricks of
tea (worth q rupee brick) for one Of
the upper ten,n so bricks for a person
of the middle class, 40 bricks for a
woman, and so on down to two or three
for Il pauper or wandering foreigner.
as Lieutenant Lu Ming-yang kindly
informed me. He said that there was
hardly a grown-up man in the country
who had not murder or two to his
credit; and later on Mgr. Biet, the
bishop of Tibet corroborated this
statement.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-08
CHILLY FANATICISM.
English Cranks of the Bath Taking Their
Frigid Plunge.


found myself at the Serpentine at
an unusually early hour the other
morning, says writer in the London
Graphic. A little way out in the
water, in front of the diving board,
was ladder lying On the ice, and in
front of this ladder were two trestles.
Between the two trestles the ice was
broken away, leaving a space to dive
into about ten feet long by five Or six
wide, the tre5tles being placed there
for the purpose of keeping the misera-
BILE little plunge bath select from the
skaters. To the left of the trestIes was
another ladder lying on the ice. Near
the bank found policeman who was
communicative. The bathers form a
kind of a club and number about
twenty, he told me- They battle every
morning. No matter what the weather
is, in they go, just the same. All
classes Of people belong to the club, l
was further told, and some came from
a good distance. One enthusiast is Is
years old. His hair and beard are
white as snow.
just behind us was a very fine old
elm tree. That" said the police
man. lis their favorite tree. That is
where they dress and undress."
soon found that this was the case. as
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-08
A Cataract in Labrador.

The interior of Labrador undoubt-
edly is the largest unexplored area on
this continent. Up the Grand river,
which empties into the Atlantic ocean
at Hamilton Inlet, are the Grand falls,
which, if every thing is true about
them that is reported, are the most
stupendOus falls in the world. They
are only about one hundred and sixty
miles Up the river, but only two white
men have ever seen them. Mr.. r. F.
Holme three years ago went from
England to visit the Grand falls. He
organized a little party to accompany
him inland and arrived within about
fifty miles of the falls, when he was
compelled to return on account Of the
failure of his provisions. The Labra-
dor indians say these falls are haunted,
and they carefully avoid them, believ-
ing that they will die if they look
upon them. The two white men who
have seen them are Mr.. Maclean, who,
as he was ascending the river in 1889,
was stopped by the falls, and Mr.. Ken
nedy, who over thirty years ago had
charge of Hudson Bay post. in Labra-
dor. Mr.. Holme says the height of
the falls is not certainly known, but in
ONE respects there is little doubt they
are the greatest in the world. Though
inner Labrador is SO inadequately
known, we are aware that it is vast
tablelan3 whose limits are clearly de-
fined. In the southeast the descent
from the tahieland IS quite sudden, and
almost Immediately after leaving the
plateau level is reached that Is very
little above that Of the sea. Thu a and
falls are the place where the Grand
river tumhles over the edge of this
tableland, and almost the whole of the
great drop is effected in this one de-
scent. Prof. Hind gives the height of
this plateau as 2,24O feet. 1t has been
estimated that the region at the foot Of
the falls is only 200 feet above the sea
level, and that the waters of Grand
river have d perpendicular descent of
about 2, 900 feet.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-08

the oatners came up. The first man
10 arrive lost no time in undressing.
but went to the tree and threw off his
clothes chatting to the policeman the
while. Then he sped gayly to his lit
tie patch Of water between the trestIes.
Into the water he iumped-it IS very
shallow here-and. dipping. under
meath 1t, began to throw out some very
large blocks of ice to the right and
left. of him. This done he leapod
nlmoiy on to the diving board. poised
himself, plunged, and disappeared be-
nea1 the water, but only for few
moments. He was out again in that
space of time and ran nimbly to the
tree, where he quickly dried himself
and rather shyly dressed. The others
also undressed quickly. mounted the
board and divcd, but only once, and
they We're out like the other man and
rapidly drying themselves, They
never take more than one plunge in
the cold weather. This was tho goner-
al routine OF all tho bathors, who
seemed to ENJOY their bath immensely,
uttering delighted "Ahs!" as they
went in and came out.
'How do you feel?" said to ons
who was drying himself '.coldp"
No; all of a giow-warm ali over.u
How do you feel when you 60 In
frst-cold?"
No not at al. or course. it's
use"
He went on to say that he had in
dulged in tho cold plunge bath for
twelve years and had never missed a
day. Nor did any of the others miss IL
they could help it. RAIN hail or snow
in he went and in they went. I've
been in when it's been 20 degrees be-
low freezing point" he said delighted
ly; "lt's only about 5 now and he
seemed sad because it was too warm.
''And you like it?"
''Rathcr-most healthy thing in the
world-feel quite fresh for the day.
A-a-ah!"
The bathcrs arc allowed by tho au-
thorities to havo this special lot OF
water all to themselves, and very ieal-
ously they guard their privilege.
Christmas day they have a swimming
race of 100 yards, with first second
and third prizes, but not for money.
Last Christmas they did not race. As
1t was so cold they only dived.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-08
A Hint TO PE;itanthropis

One of the most reassOring signs OF
the times is the grea5 number OF
wealthy men who find the uplifting OF
their fellowmen a sweetcr pastimc than
horse races or base ball. Philanthropy
has capital at comm;, d Whenever it
proves a scheme feasible. Colleges
churches, libraries, n Gums, hos
pitfalls, aims houses have >'r'g been the
staple products of libr- 'lity- Some
wise heads have devised model tene-
ment houses. But perhaps there is 40
great presumption in thinking that in
point of necessity, feasibility. and
efficiency, the first claim on the a5tan-
ton of the munifcent and apostles o.
every kind is held by the girls board
Ing homes.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-08
MUSIC A NATIONS LANGUAGE.
The Power of Harmonious Sound Speaks
to Nations, individuals a, 4 Races.

to Nations, individuals al Races.
We may call music" the language
OF the world for it speaks as many
tdioms as there ire nations, races and
even individuals. One single detached
note, intoned by different voices or in
struments, will convey as many mean
hgS as there may be ears to hear it.
1t may sound martialup the trump
ct, sylvan upon the horn, feminine
lpon the clarinet" naive upon the
"hautboys, " sublime upon the ''organ, "
mysterious upon the ''aeOLian harp"
prosaic upon the ''street organ and
common upon the banjo" The spe-
cific timbre of these instruments and
their handling may invest that one
tone with volumes of images and poems,
to certain degree akin among cult
waited listeners, and quite contradictory
to others.
Sweetest remembrance may be re-
called by it upon the banjo, terpscicho-
rean inspirations reused upon the street
organ, and chorus of angels may de-
scend from it upon the worldly comet
a-piston. The simplest song, although
provided with words, viii scarcely ever
repeat analogous sensations in the same
person, and probably never in a large
audience, in which traditions, associa-
tione, historical or national Influences
will more or less increase or lessen the
receptive powers.
AddiGE TO this the numerous c0ndi-
tions under which the performance OF
that song may take place-such as the
singers voice, disposition, art and per-
sonal magnetism; the audiences num-
Der and kind; the locality it's atmos-
phere, light, etc.-it is evident that
even if the en- gros effort may be of a
homogeneous nature, in details it will
be quite kaleidoscope.
The 'pibroch," the 'Marseillaise. :"
ode Yacht am Rhein, the '.Rakoczy
March, " speak each its own special
language untranslatable in its real
essence, 1t takes a Scotchman, a
Frenchman, aGerman and Hungarian
to understand their full meaning, al
though their governing spirit may be
valued by everybody. This is, OF
course, more applicable to national
N1A1"H w No0hlo PoLltcdl LluSlC' WHICH may
be also tho subject of local, political,
or other influences. National music
the source Of all cosmopolitan music, is
In the same measure attached to lam
guage and poetry as race character
tstlc5 fine art, and sciences depend
upon climatic, geographical, and politi-
ca conditions.
Thus it is a nations language which
generatesits musical rhythm; It's poetry
which creates its melody; and its tenn
permanent, the spirit of it's dignity, ten
derness, mirth, sadness, or fightiness,
whichever may express the respective
peoples national character.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-08
A New Bfsea-p.

Mrs. Nose Schaumberg is o very
candid woman. There were several
lady friends at the house few days
ago. Nose was not present, being
down at the store.
How is your husbands pishness
coming on?,' asked one of the visi-
tors.
mot so good as / wants. Every
once in vile he gets one of doze hon
est spells and den we hardly maig ex-
penses. You don't know how pad I
feels ven Nose gets one of dose honest
spells. "-Texas Siftings.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-08
VoIapuk,s Life Threatened,

The language called VolapuS. which
has been so carefully cultivated by
many students in various countries, Is
threatened with extinction. The
trouble has arisen from the action Of
Its originators in altering its forms SO
that it may be used as the universal
literary, as we'll as the universal COM
mercial, tongue of the world. These
changes the Volapuk academy refused
to accept, and the alterations are thus
causing serious split in Volapuk cir
Giles, each side ignoring the writings
and proceedings of the other.