Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-04-21
The Ancients. Both Men and Women,
We're Adopts in Decorating
Their Persons.
Professional Husband Killers En-
ployed in Hungary by Festive
and Vicious Wives.
Persecution of the Jews in Russia
Statistics Regarding the Poor
of London.

the precious metals and the precious
stones. In no age of barbarism or of
puritanical simplicity has the jewel been
entirely discarded. The ages of barbarism
were those of unexampled splendor and
decorations. Conquering hosts rifed the
treasure chests Of their victims and car
| ried home in triumph their jewels and
| jewelry. The ancient Greeks, Persians,
Egyptians and Romans were adopts in
decorating their persons, and their men
were no less demonstrative than their
women. Masses of gold chains sparkling
with jewels, earrings and fnger-riLgs
adorned the person Of the Roman dandy,
while the warrior studded his breast
plate, helmet, sword, and shield with
emeralds rubies, sapphires, pearls and
| diamonds. The jewels of the crown are
great show pieces in every kingdom in the
world. while family diamonds or
pearls, as the case may be, are just as
jealousy guarded and handed down from
generation to generation, priceless heir
looms, souvenirs of the past In the Jew
! eler's art of to-day two widely different
nations probably excel all others IN the
| originality of their designs-France ana
Russia. The former not only originates
designs OF her own, but calls upon her
varied art Imagination to adapt all the
fancles and c-udities of the anclents, until
her jewelry sets the Patterns from which
all others save Russia copy. The king
dom which Peter founded presents greater
contrasts of art culture and barbarism
than any nation within the pale of civillza
ton. While the world rings with the
heart rending cries of a people prosecuted
for the love of their God, and millions Of
Russia's peasantry cry aloud for bread
and rot by the wayside, her musicians.
poets, authors and painters invade the
wonderland OF culture, carrying all before
them. Quite recently the sale and dis
posal of the Verestchagin..c collection pointed
clearl to the estimation and value of
great mind; last year Tschaikowsky
revealed to us how rich in melody
Russia's folk music is: and yeG another
Russian only, it is true, by domination
Paderewski, is now delighting the public
by the fire and depth of his musical art.
The centennial exhibition made the
American people first aware of the value
of Russian art in the treatment of the
precious metals. 1t savors almost en-
tirely of the Byzantine period of the art
world; its workmanship is excessively
fine and horid, delig hting in er-elabora-
ton and detail; especially strong, too, in
the decoration of church vestments,
mlssals, and regalia, which, as the Greek
church is so closely allied to the Catholic
in the elaborateness of its pomps and
ceremonies, provide the jeweIer with many
opportunities for the display of his art
workings.
For the ornamentation of the person
the Russian does not, except among tie
peasant class, follow his native style in his
jewelry, but rather affects the Persian Ell
egance. In Italy they are celebrated for
their delicate tligree work, but In other
parts of continental Europe jewelry is
GELS in watches. England is very strong
in silver, j=welry, manufacturing some
gold, principally chains, bracelets and
brooches, all of which are heavy, clumsy,
and not at all refined art. London is the
headquarters of the trade, where the hor-
rors Of the Sweating system" among her
wretched jewelry workers were the sub
iect of Legislative Inquiry.
PROFESSIONAL HUSBAND KILLERS.
From the time of the Empress Agrip-
things says the London Graphic, but the
art Of husbandicide, in which the ami.
able spouse OF Clrudius was already so
tionary. Whether this is to be accounted
for by Agrippina having been very much
in advance of her times or by the mex
orable requirements of the laws of Grim
inal statistics which Mr. Buckle has so
deliberately eXpounded it is difficult to say
Suffice it that husbandicide is what the
scientists would call a constant" phe-
nomenon. Even its methods are unvary-
ing. 1t might legitimately have been
hoped that in this cultured age the en-
ployment of professional prisoners by res
tive wives was no longer possible. This
is a mistake, if we are to credit a tele-
gram from Buda -Pesth published this
morning. In Hungary it appears that
the married state is so little of asssuccess
that demand has arisen for professional
prisoners. Several elderly ladies are
said to have qualified themselves for this
agreeable calling, and three Of them are
about to take their trial for having as
sisted ten peasant women to the weeds of
widowhood. This is very shocking
disclosure, ano it is to be hoped that it
has no bosis in fact Still it is to be rem
embered that it is not without precedent,
assuch ill-omended names as Locusta and
Toffania can testify, and if husbandicide
itself endures why should its methods not
survivor
ExcEssEs AGAINST THE JEWS.
The Vienna papers publish details of
the latest prosecutions of the Jews in
Russia, including those in the govern
ment of Pensa and Saratoy. In the gov
ernments named nearly two thousand
families have been reduced to beggary,
several persons have been badly wounded
and ninety houses entirely destroyed. The
prosecutions began last October. Thou
sands of hungry peasants, out of work,
marched through the streets, and where
they did not get food for the asking they
took 1t. Recently band of these Migrants
went into the town of Samozansk, and
asking help of the mayor and town council.
What there was of corn had already been
distributed, and they were told 10 wait un-
live. But they had learned at the station
that there was train of corn and -four,
nd, REINFORCED by all The poor of the town,
they marched thither. Some of the town
council then had the terrible idea
of directing the peoples attention
to the Jews, who, they SAID. had
stored victuals. The excited crowd
turned back from the station, went to the
market place, and began to rob The Jews.
A fur store was emptied IN FIVE minutes,
and before half an hour was over all the
shops In the market place had been rob
bed of everything in them. Then the
mob burst into the Jews lodgings, where,
however, they did not find the stores they
expected. The Jews had to pay for the
disappointment, and women. old men and
children we're cruelty iil-treated The po
lice did not appear, IN the meantime the |