davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-01-02

I than the cyclist, as his work brings
some of the back muscles into play.
The abdominal muscles of the skater
are also we'll developed and the leg
from the hip to the knee is wonder
| fully strong.
Speed skating differs from ordinary
skating in several marked particulars.
The skate itseIf-about eighteen inches
long-has a fat blade, almost as thin
as knife, set into a light tube support
ing two uprights, circular, but hollow.
These short upright tubes fasten it to
the boot by means of a plate, the
whole purpose being to combine the
greatest strength and Hghtness The
boot laces tightly, giving firm support
to the ankles.
This form has evolved from the orig
inal skate, made of the lower jawbones
Of horses and cattle carved to the pro-
per shape and polished. In the British
museum the visitor can still see a pair
Of these primitive instruments, and the
Workmen occasionally disinter them
about MoOrfields and Finsbury.
Inc racing posture Oh all the skaters
is practically the same. The back is
kept straight and horizontal, the arms
folded across the back, except when
squirting; then they are swung from
side TO side, keeping time to The stroke.
Thighs are fieXed to a right angle,
while the knees are kept in half feXion,
or almost straight.
In a championship race last year five
OF the best amateurs in the world were
strung out in line, and their rhythmical
swing and stride were as if one brain
was moving the whole combination.
The crouching position, while it does
not interfere with respiration, dimin-
ishes resistance to the Wind-an i'm
portant adyantage-and also gives the
best position for using the powerful
muscles Of the loins and back.
The stroke of all the best men is
practically the same, and differs from
that Of ordinary skating both in it's
direction and in the way it is taken.
It's direction is more forward and back
ward than one from the ordinary short
skate, and with the long, fiat blade the
stroke is given by the whole of the
foot fiat. Any lifting Of the heel in
striking CIT is impossible on account of
the length Of skate blade.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-01-02

New York, Dec. 29.-It looks as if
the gods and society had entered into
combination this year to boom the
grand old sport Of skating and make
it as popular as bicycling or golfing
The weather sharps all over the skate
able parts of the country agree that
there will be an abundance of ice this
winter and the skating sharps say that
this means the smashing of all records
from fifty yards to one hundred miles
The fact that the society folks of
New York have built a fine skating
rink where they can enjoy the fun, pro-
tected by a steam-heated temperature
and sheltered by stone and iron walls
from the rest of the world, gives the
sport an official social distinction which
it never before enjoyed.
More than that, the bloomer girl has
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-01-02
AN IMAGINARY ILLNESS.
The Needle Cure Proved the Physi-
clans Diagnosis Correct.

Physicians often meet with people
who are carrying around imaginary
ailments and who really believe them
selves as badly afflicted as they assert.
Some serious cases have been noted.
A lady had been confined to her bed
for many months with an illness which
wholly deprived her of the use Of her
her failed to discover the nature of
the affection, which might ordinarily
have been attributable to several
causes. Examination, however, re-
vealed nothing calculated to throw a
light on the matter, and the medical
practitioner, after patient and exhaus-
tive analysis and attention, came to
the conclusion that the illness was i'm
aginary.
Although he discreetly kept this
opinion to himself, proof was eventu-
ally forthcoming as to. the accuracy of
his view. Being lifted, in the sheets
out of her bed one day, while the mat
tress was rearranged, the lady sur
prised her attendants by suddenly
jumping from the couch on which she
had been temporarily placed, with a
loud expression Of alarm. 1t was
discovered that she had been laid upon
a needle cushion inadvertently left on
the sofa, and that the sharp points of
several needles had p-esssd violently
into her back. The contretemps re-
vealed the fact that she could sta
easily.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-01-02

taken hold of skating and whatever
that daring young person attaches her
self to is bound to be a success. Not
a single, solitary pair Of boomers or
namented any of the skating lakes or
ponds around New York last year, but
a twelvemonth has worked a wonder
full difference. And they are not Or
binary bicycle boomers either, al
though many young women have con-
verted their wheeling toys into skating
costumes with few alterations.
The skating boomers are nothing
more than loose-itting knickerbockers
made of heavy woollen stuff of any
ing halfway to the knee, a Tam-O'-
Shanter hat and leggings complete the
dress. This is an extreme costume.
The other, and the more popular, is
quite similar to the dress Of the cycling
bloomerite. The boomers are hidden
by a skirt which comes within an inch
or two of the shoe tops. Leggings are
also worn, for the New York girl, no
matter how advanced her ideas may be
on the dress question, will never ex-
hibit the fraction of an inch of her
stocking, though she thinks nothing Of
showing to a critical world consider
able length Of Logging.
The skating dress is always cut
shorter in the back than in the front.
This does away with the annoyance Of
having the skate catch in the back
of the skirt and perhaps cause an ugly
fall Besides. the present mode de-
mands that the edge Of the skating
skirt be trimmed with fur, also the
shoe tops, when the dress is not short
enough to demand the use of leggings.
The speed skaters are now in active
training for the amateur championship
matches which will be held in st. Paul,
between Jan. % and Jan. 80, under the
management of the winter carnival
committee. The regular championship
races will be one-quarter mile, one
mile, five miles and ten miles, and in
addition there will be number Of
handicap races to give the second
raters a chance against the crack
skaters.
The two great cracks who will meet
in these races are Olaf Rudd, the ten
mile champion, of Minneapolis, and J.
F. Donoghue, of Poughkeepsie. 1t will
be the east against the west with a
vengeance, for when these two cracks
met last year, the results were not
satisfactory Ly any means, and young
Dcnoghue and his excited friends and
relatives were credited with desire to
land him a winner at any cost.
At st. Paul Donoghue will not have
his own way in everything, but will be
forced to strictly comply with the rules
Of the races. He is a grand speed
skater however, and even without the
ilI-advised assistance of his friends,
should give good account Of himself.
Distance skating is more in his line
than the short races on the st. Paul
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-01-02
THE BRIDEGROOM.

There is a modern definition of
bridegroom which is little cruel, GER
tainly, but which pretty well describes
the position of that parsonage. A bride
groom is said to be a thing in a black
coat who attends Weddings And it is
quite true that in point of Importance
he ranks very low down indeed in the
eyes Of the spectator Yet there is not
the slightest reason really why he
should appear in such a very poor light
as he too often does.
He need not, for instance, come into
church or the room as if he were being
led to execution. He need not hang
his head as if caught in the commission
of a crime, or blunder about with an
awkwardness which makes every girl
present feel thankful she is not in the
brides shoes.
No doubt his position is painful and
trying. He feels that he is the target
for all eyes, when, in fact, he is moth
ing of the kind. Let him start by con-
vincing himself that no one is likely to
waste a glance on him when there are
the bride and the bridesmaids to be
looked at, and he will find it easier to
preserve his self-possession. He must
try to look happy, no matter how he
feels.
Can a worse compliment be paid to
the girl he has induced to marry him
than looking as if he regretted his
folly? He must try to look manly not
only for her sake, but his own, for she
is very likely to regret her decision at
the last moment when she sees how
it seems to affect him. He should look
proud.
Surely it ought to be the proudest
moment of his life; he should be elated,
and not ashamed. He should be in
good spirits, yet not carried away by
them. A jocular bridegroom is a thing
one has only to see once to remember
with horror for the rest of ones days.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-01-02

ton from the duty Of the act of 1890
has been because the restoration of
the full duty in that act might seem to
be too great a change from the pres
ent law to those whose cooperation it
is necessary to secure in order to have
any legislation, aSd not as a measure
of what might be done when all
branches of the government are in
harmony with the majority of the
house on protection lines. The duty
an manufactures of wool is increased
by specific duty equivalent to the
duty on wool. The duty on carpet
warp is left at 30 per cent. ad
valorem, where it was placed in 1890.
This is purely revenue duty, as we
raise very few carpet woods
Such lumber as was placed on the
free list by the act of 1890 without the
slightest justification, is restored to
the dutiable list, but with a duty of
only 60 per cent. of the duties provid-
ed by the act Of 1S90-giv1ng an
equivalent of only about Is per cent.
Such reduction from the low rates
OF 1851 IS JuStlneQ only on the ground
that the object of Sour committee has
been to frame bill mainly on reve-
nue. grounds, in the hope that it
would secure the approval of those in
official places whose cooperation is
essential to legislation, and who may
be supposed to feel.that in such an ex-
igency as now exists, the public neces-
Sity must control.
believing that such an increase of
revenue as is proposed is essential,
and the first step in the restoration of
confidence and the restoration Of the
treasury to a sound condition, and
that other legislation to be proposed
to this end cannot be effective without
adequate revenue to meet the expendi-
lures of the government, your COM
mittee recommends Fhe passage of an
accompanying bill to temporarily in
crease revenue to meet the expenses of
the government and provide against a
deficiency"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-01-02
BIBLE ARITHMETIC.

EzekieFs reed was nearly eleven feet;
a cubit was nearly twenty-five inches;
a hands breadth is equal to three and
ive-eighths inches; a fingers breadth
is equal to little less than one inch !;
2. shekel of silver was about two shiI-
lings and eightpence; a shekel was two
pounds; a talent Of silver was four
hundred pounds; a talent Of gold was
nearly six thousand pounds; a piece of
silver, or a penny, was eightpence
half penny; a farthing was equal to
halfpenny; a mite was less than
farthing; gerah was three ha1fpence;
an ephah, or bath, contained four gal
puts. Il cab Nas five pints
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-01-02

program, for in anything from twenty
one hundred miles he is almost in
Mobile. At the close of the "a season
he held more records than any other
amateur skater in the world.
Donoghue is in fine shape this year
and hopes to do we'll in the short races.
He has been training regularly, conf1n-
ing most Of his work to squirting. He
believes that if he can do as we'll in
the sprint races as he did when he
established his other records that he
will be returned a winner in most of
the events
1t is not probable that John 5. John
son, the wonderful cyclist, will do
much at skating this year, as his
trainer does not care to jeopardize his
cycling speed, which is more valuable
as a moneymaker than skating.
Johnson is an interesting illustration
Of the fact that an expert cyclist is in
variably a fast skater. Both sports
bring into play almost precisely the
same muscles. The position of the
body assumed by the skater and wheel
man are much the same, except that
the former clasps his hands behind his
back, while the other keeps his hands
in front of him.
Athletic experts who have examined
the physical makeup of the cyclist and
the skater find that they both have
comparatively weak arms, small chests
and generally undeveloped upper
bodies. From the waist down, however,
their muscular development and
strength are above the average The
skater is slightly stronger in the back
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-01-02
HUMAN HAIRS GROWTH.

Authorities differ as to the rate of
said to be very dissimilar in different
individuals. The most usus lily accepted
calculation gives six and half inches
per annum. A mans hair, allowed to
grow to its extreme length, rarely ex-
ceeds twelve or fourteen inches, while
that of woman will grow in rare in
stances to seventy or seventy-fve in
ches, though the average does not ex-
coed twenty-five or thirty inches.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-01-02
GONE TO \ BETTER HOME.

A Thomas cat on a back fence sat
His wall disturbed the breeZes,
When a double-1arreled gun
Put an end to the fun
ReQuies cat in pieces.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-01-02
CHILDISH AND BLAND.

Child-'-Do you think we will have
thunderstorm t0night:"
Mother-"No."
ChiId-"Tnen 1 needn't bother say
ing my prayers. I'm only afraid Of
thunder. Truth.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-01-02
LITERARY ACHIEVEMENTS.

so she rejected Herbert and chose
Will"
Yes. They both did their best to
please her. She has literary tastes,
you know. and Herbert sent her 4
beautifully written volume of POEMS :
THAT should have made good i'm
preston"
1T did. But VIII showed her his
carefully edited bank book."-Wash-
in-tnn Star.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-01-02
SKATE IN BOOMERS
NEW WOMAN INVADES EVEN
THE ICE POND.
COMING RACES IN ST. PAUL

All the Crack Ice Kings, Including
Olaf Rudd and Donaghue, to Meet
There-Wheeling and Skating De-
velop Same Muscles-Big Event in
January.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-01-02
THE BILL is PASSED
CONGRESS MAKES A NEW TAR
IFF MEASURE.
PARTY LINES ARE DRAWN

An Iron-cIad Rule Prohibited Amend
ments-Forty Millions Expected to
Be Raised-A Genuine Protective
Measure When Republicans Can
Make 1t, Is Predicted.
Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1896-07-16

the Hoosier State; Mclean, Sibley of
Pennsylvania, Bland and others were
canvassed, and Senator Jones and
some of his associates of the silver
leaders came to the conclusion that for
geographical and other reasons the
Maine man was the most available
man for the place on the ticket with
Mr.. Bryan.
The strongest argument in his favor
perhaps was that his nomination
would at once silence the cry that the
silver cause was sectional--an impu-
tation the Arkansas Senator was quick
to rebuke when Senator Ben Tillman
avowed that such was the case in the
convention on Thursday. Mr.. Nc
Lean decided pot to be a candidate,
and gave directions to his friends in
the Ohio delegation not to present his
name, but the Mclean sentiment was
so strong that it could not be sup
pressed. Just as the convention had
narrowed down to a race between
Sewall and Mclean the latter, through
a personal telegram, which was read
from the stage, withdrew his name,
and there was a stampede for SewalL
The latter was nominated, as Bryan
was, on the fifth ballot. w. G. Burke
of California nominated Sewall
On the first ballot fifteen candidates
were voted for, Sibley of Pennsyl-
vania receiving 1853, the highest num-
Der of votes. The other votes were
divided as follows: Mclean, 40; Sc
wall, 100; Harrity, 81; Judge Walter
Clark Of North Carolina, 50; Senator
Daniel of Virginia, IL; Bland G2;
Black burn, 20; ex-Congressman Will
Jams of Illinois, 20; George Fred Will
Jams of Massachusetts, 16: Boies, 90;
Pattison, 2; Senator White of Cali
fornia, /; Fithian of Illinois and Sem
aEor Teller of Colorado, each.
Attempt to stampede to Bland.
On the second ballot there was an
attempt to stampede the convention
to Bland, who on this ballot received
29I votes, Mclean moved up to 1888,
Sibley fell back to 1l3, and Sew4ll
dropped to 81. 1t looked as if
the latter was dIsastrously beaten,
but Senator Jones with his 16
Arkansas votes stood firm. He
rallied the followers of the Maine
man and on the next ballot Sewall
secured 81 votes. Meantime there APP
peared to be general movement in
favor of Mclean. Some of the Bland
men deserted him and went to Nc
Lean, who led on this ballot with sl0.
| After the announcement of this vote
Bland was withdrawn by Governor
Stone of Missouri, who read a message
from the Missourian positively declin-
ing to allow his name for the Vice
Presidential nomination.
The Bland votes on the fourth bal
lot went to Sewall in large blocks,
but Mclean captured enough to give
him seemingly a safe lead Of 29i
against 26l for SewalL During this
roll call there had been trouble In the
Ohio delegation, which was polled
and showed fourteen anti-McLear
votes locked up by the unit rule,
There was also a big revolt against
Governor Altgeld's domination in the
Illinois delegation. Ex-Congressmar
Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1896-07-16
THE VICE PRESIDENT.
Arthur sewaI OF Maine Nominated on
the Fifth Ballot


CHICAGO, July 13.-The Democratic
National convention completed its
work Saturday afternoon. Arthur
Sewall of Maine, Bath ship builder,
and an ardent free coinage man, was
named for vice president on ticket
headed by William j. Bryan, the elo-
quent young orator from the prairies
beyond the Missouri.
Over $50 gold delegate decliued to
participate in the nomination for vice
president. Many of the delegates had
left the city. Whether the seceders
will place third ticket in the field,
as the minority did at Baltimore in
1860, is matter for future develop
ment.
The nomination OF Sewall for vice
president was more of surprise than
that of Bryan for president. Bryan
had set the convention adame with
his eloquence and his name was on
every lip when the balioting began,
but Sewall's name in connection with
the vice presidency had hardly been
mentioned.
The names of Sewall, of Exon
gresham Shively of Indiana, who has
recently been named for Governor of
Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1896-07-16

leader and the convention turned to
Garfield, who had electrified the del
egates by his matchless oratory and
commanding presence.
Yesterday the support OF the other
candidates simply melted away, and
Bryan won without struggle
The Balloting.
On the first ballot, Bland got 23S;
Bryan, lO5; Boes, So; Matthews, So;
Mclean, 54; Pattison, %; Blackburn,
SO; Pennoyer, 10; Tillman, T.; Steven
son, Z; Teller, s; Campbell, 2; Russell,
2; Hill, /. There were 1s6 gold men
who refused to vote. They declined
to participate in the nomination on
the platform adopted. The latter
realized that the gold men would
probably place another ticket in the
field, or, if they did not actively OPP
pose the nominees of this convention
in the campaign which was to follow,
that they would passively, at least,
give aid and comfort to tine pollLlcal
enemy. Pennsylvania alone OF the
gold states continued to participate In
the proceedings She cast her sixty
four votes for Governor Pattison to
the end. Most of the other gold men
who voted cast their ballots also for
Pattison, but there were scattering
votes for Stevenson, Hill, Russell and
Campbell
On the second ballot Alabama
sought to check the rout that had
begun by changing her vote
from Boies to Bland, but Bryan was
overtaking him with giant strides.
Bland gained rs, while Bryan adj
vanced o. Boies was the principal
loser. His vote dwindled to 81
On the third ballot. Colorado gave
up hope of Teller, the mention OF
whose name had been cheered and
Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1896-07-16

Fithian made fiery protest aga inst
the nomination of the Ohio editor.
1t was at this critical juncture that
McLean's telegram was received Dy
one of the Ohio delegates. The tele-
gram stated it was Mr.. McLean's wish
thathe should not be balloted for
Delegate Sloan, however, after read
ing the telegram, distinctly stated
that, while the telegram expressed
Mr.. McLean's wish. it did not express
the sentiment of Ohio, which on the
fifth ballot, concluded to cast forty
six votes for Mclean. The tele-
gram, however, shattered the Nc
Lean forces, and Indiana, Iowa
and other states focked into the
camp of the Maine man. Sewall's
nomination was unanimous before the
cor clusion of the roll call, amid scenes
Of jubilatlon and rejoicing, in the
course of which the State standards
were paraded about the Coliseum in
the wake of the colors of Nebraska
and Maine.
Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1896-07-16

Kissed by the galleries, and Oregon
gave up Pennoyer. In the Ohio dele
CATION, the Bryan forces lacked but
seven votes of majority, and there
was open rebellion in Illinois and
other states which wanted to swing
into line.
On the fourth ballot, Alabama, the
first state to vote, headed the STAN
pede to Bryan. Idaho, California and
other states followed. The revolt in
the other delegations spread, even
among those bound by resolutions of
instruction. Kansas, Illinois, Ohio
and even Iowa were tottering.
stampede on Fifth Ballot.
On the fifth and last ballot, Kansas
went over. Illinois and other States
came tumbling along In her wake.
When Ohio was reached, Bryan had
446 votes Of the 5O4 required to make
two-thirds majority Of those voting.
Chairman White had ruled that two
thirds Of those voting constituted the
two-thirds majority under the rule,
Ohio hesitated. The Bryan men in
the delegation demanded a poll vote.
The friends of Mclean saw that the
end was in sight, and Mclean himself
mounted a chair. He withdrew his
name as a candidate and cast the for
ty.six votes of Ohio for Bryan. This
gave him 4O2, twelve less than enough
to nominate. Montana changed her
six votes to Bryan, and Oklahoma
followed with her six. To the terri
tory of Oklahoma. therefore, belongs
the honor of nominating the Demo-
cratic candidate for president in 1896,
as to that of Arizona belonged the
honor four years ago
OF course, the other states chen
scrambled over each other. Governor
Stone of Missouri withdrew BANDS
| name, and Senator Turpie of Indiana
withdrew that of the Hoosier gov
ernor, and on his motion the nomina-
ton was made unanimous
Mrs. Bryan an Interested Spectator.
There were frequent Bryan demon
strations throughout the day. The
most dramatic occurred at the conclu-
| SlOu VI Tue lOuIbu OhAlOJ, Wutu IL was
apparent that Bryan would be nomi-
mated on the next ballot. The colors
of the states were again uprooted, and
the Coliseum for fourteen minutes
shook with the storm of cheers, fren-
zied men marched and sang and hys-
terical women became frantic Until
after the nomination, a sweet-faced,
understanding woman sat almost un-
noticed in one Of the chairs to the
right Of the stage, surrounded by a
few friends. She retained her COM
posture amidst all the excitement, but
her face glowed with pleasure as she
followed the proceedings which made
her husband famous. 1t was Mrs.
Bryan.
Immediately after the nomination,
when it became noised that she was
there, and there was a rush to see and
congratulate her, she modestly with.
drew and sought her husband
The night session of the convention
adjourned almost Immediately after
convening, the leaders deciding thai