Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-06-23
Positive People.


There is a certain merit, and even charm
about positive people, though they are
sometimes merely obstinate. Positive
people have at least the merit of having
opinions of their own; they may not be the,
best opinions founded upon knowledge and
guided by reason, but they are opinions,
and as such are to be preferred to the uu-
certain, vacillating and weak expressions
of mind of the good ,natured folks who
escape the charge of obstinacy by agreeing
with everybody. The joke about the
eleven obstinate iurymen is not all a Joke.
Sometimes the twelfth juryn,au who dis
agrees is right, and the eleven are with
out real opinions, and are obstinate on
that account. 1t is fact that ohstincy
does not accompany strength and cearness
OF opinion; 1t is more often characteristic
OF those who accept the opinions of others,
and being incapable of reason cannot be
convinced of their error. Positive people
belong to another class. They are positive
because th y reason and settle in their own
minds what Is right. Even positive peo-
pie can have their opinions changed but
the merely obstinate are immovable.
There are, however, various classes or dis
Positions of positive people. Those who
are most generally recognized ar agrees
slva. They express their opinions on
slight provocation and in very positive
terms, very often making themselves dis
agreeable TO others by the way in which
they shoulder along against all kinds Of OPP
position, much after the manner OF ag-
gresslve men pushing themselves to a
front place through a crowd. Contraated
with these are the positive people, gentle
of manner, who avoid controversy, listen
IN silence to opinions with which they do
not agree, can scarcely be provoked to
pays the CHILEAN government a small tax
for the privilege. A tramway brings to
the town the coal, which is considered a
GOOD steam article.
Formerly steamers had to go to the.
Falkland islands, 500 hundred miles dis
tant, to get their supplies. Now they
find them at Punta Arenas The crop Of
potatoes is considerable, cattle thrive,
mushrooms are oDtainabe in large guam
titles, and in various seasons parrots,
geese, ducks, snipe, woodpeckers, ibis and
other birds are found.
Punta Arenas is the largest town in
southernmost Chill, and the only one on
the strait. From the nearest settlement
on the CHILEAN coast to the first one on tho
eastern side is a distance of about 1000
miles, and the voyage lasts from fifteen TO
sixteen days, and Punta Arenas is the
only stopping place
The population is of the most varied
kind, including ex-convicts, fugitives of
all sorts, of all confines. Cinnamon, ne
groes, Polanders, Irish, English, Italians,
Germans, Russians, Portuguese, Span
iards, Hebrews-men from all climes,
types of humanity. Every tongue seems
to be spoken, and each language seems to
have It's interpreter. English largely
predominates.
1t is market for queer relics, Shells.
flying fish, sea lion S tusks, serpent skins,
Cape Horn agates, turtle shells, armadillo
tails, in which the Patagonian carry their,
war paint; guanaco, seal and ostrich skins,
and ostrich rugs. The last named are
made from the breasts of young ostriches,-
and are of softest down and of loveliest
plumage. The plumes are pluckel from
the birds tails and wings while alive, but
to OBTAIN the rugs the little ostriches are
kiiledaand skinned. Then the breasts are
sewed together. Different colors are artis-
tlcally blended. The rugs are used for
carriage robes, for the backs OF couches or
chairs, for panels in front Of dress skirts,
and for opera coaks.