davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18
HERE AND THERE.

Several decades ago "Foney's Pro-
gress," a Philadelphia publication of
some consequence and much origin
ality, raised the question Of 'Why
Women Work" AMI commented upon
the curious fact that the world had yet
to be convinced that women do not
love work any better than men. They
are credited with dependence, with a
love of ease and luxury. and when a
salaried position is in question the
woman has 10 take less because "she
needs less It caDnC- be because she
spends less, for the extravaganza of
woman was dwell upon by Solomon
and jeremiah, and II is a song that has
never know a rest. The reason for the
difference in wages is generally found
to be in the assertion that women who
do not need q support. or who have few
possibilities. crowd into the paid
occupations. There is an incOnSi5t-
ency here. If she loves ease, why
does she work? If she spends more,
how is it she eeds less? The truth is
that very few work from any other
reason but necessity. Here and there
is one who loves Independence, works
for it, and deserves it, and here and
there is another who would rather
work than forgO certain Iuxuries, and
she earns them, but the majority Of
women work because they have re-
sponsibilities.
In buying china with a view to the
little after-cheater supper, there are
most attractive lobster sets The plates
are Of German ware, decorated with
red Holsters in bold relief and an exact
imitation Of q lobster, both in color and
shape, is used for the dressing
A Welsh rarebit dish, which is a de-
cided novelty, looks Ike a tin sauce
pan with a handle, and a rabbits head
peering out Of the cover. 1t is really
of china however, porcelain lined.
Women who can afford it have at least
one or two sets Of china among their
painted by an artist of note.
Fish and game sets are usually deco
rated in this manner. It is not IN
for a dozen plates Of CoalpOrt
china, hand-painted. to cost anywhere
from $500 to$500. Odd and rare pieces
Of china are much sought for at pre-
sent. The greater their age the more
they are priced. The woman who can
boast Of china service which once be-
Longed to her great-grandmother is the
to be envied. She will even be
forgiven for using it on the most for
nal occasions. If it is impossible to
secure an entire set, odd piecer be-
onging to ones va1i Ous ancestors are
not to be despised.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18
EvoLUTIoNs OF CONVENTIONS.
American Political Gatherings Have
No Counterpart in Other Countries.


No feature of American politics is
more characteristic or has a more curl
Gus evolution than the national nomi-
mating conventions. There is nothing
like them in any other country. and in
their present form they have been OF
slow growth here, says the Indian
apolis Journal No doubt they had
their origin in the germ which was the
beginning of all our popular assem-
blages and almost the cornerstone of
our government itself, the New Eng
land town meeting. though it is a long
call from the little meeting Of a score
or two of persons to discuss and decide
questions of township government and
the great quldrennial assemblageS of
thousands which formulate party plat
forms and nominate candidates for
president and vice-president
In the first three presidential cleo
tions after the adoption Of the con-
stitution the electoral college operated
in the constitutional way. The electors
were untrammeled b. pledge of nomi-
nations, and voted for who they pleas
ed. In the election of the fourth term
in 1900, and thereafter until 1924, can
Cidates were selected by the congress
ional caucus and The electors were its
mere puppets. The congressional eau
Gus of the members of congress of
either political party which named the
candidates for whom the electors were
expected to vote. This was bad sys-
tenn, and would not be tolerated now.
In the nature of things, it would not
last very long. In 1920 the democratic
congressional caucus met, but took no
but dead. In 1924 less than one-fourth
of the democratic members of congress
attended the caucus, and in that year
the system came to an end. AT the
next election the various state legiSla-
lures nominated the candidates for
president and vice-president, and in
1882 the president system of nominal
ing conventions came into use. Be
fore the era of national conventions
there were no national platforms. The
congressional caucus sometimes
adopted a declaration of principles,
and as rule candidates ran on their
party and personal records. Washing
ton did not need any platform. In 1900
the democrat caucus adopted a sort Of
platform, but there was no federal plat
form. For the next twenty years
neither party had any platform except
it's public acts. The first democratic
national convention was held in 1889
though the latter party was not fully
organized until 1874. The national
conventions of those days and for many
years afterWard were small affairs
compared with those of to-day. The
number of states were fewer, the popu-
lation smaller, travelling was difficult
and expensive, and the modern COM
plete sustem of complete representa-
ton had not been devised
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18
THE SKULL OF RUFE BRONSON.

Late yesterday afternoon Rufe BrOn-
son, colored, drove down below the l..
c. incline to dump load of trash il
the river. About the same time Cap
tain Newt Roberts, the Well-knOWn
steamboatman, repaired TO the bottom
on the north side TO try a new Win
chester OF 3S-caiiber. Just as Captain
Roberts drew a bead on . stalk Of
iron weed and pulled the trigger Rufe
moved into range from behind gravel
bank, about 275 feet away. There wa
a crack from the rifle and an eXclama-
ton from Rufe. The heavy ball had
hit him on the forehead, somewhat
above the eyes, with all the force OF
a heavy charge of powder. The negro
did not even fall down. He wiped his
brow with an old handkerchief and
drove on toward the river bank. This
morning he told a News" reporter
about it:
s'Yessir, somethin' hit me oil der
head aud den 1 heard a gun go off.
At fus' I thought hornet had stung
me ii felt kinder that away"
Did you fall down, Rufe?'
Nav sir; but de bullet sorter pushed
my head over ter one side, but dat
az all. Dis mornin my head kinder
ached a leetle, but Use been workin'
all day. My heads peeled a little bill
an skinned up, but not huff ter hurt. -
-Pahucah Ky, News
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18
4 CHAPTER ABOUT CHILDREN.

My gran'pa is a funny man.
He's Scotch as he can be.
tries to teach him all l can,
But he can't talk like me.
I've told him forty thousand times,
But faint a bit of use,
He always says a mans a mon,
And calls a house a ''hOose."
He plays with me most ey'ry day.
And rides me on his knee.
He took me to d picnic once.
And dressed up just like me.
He says 1 am a "bonny BARN
And kisses, me when
l asks him why he can't talk right,
He says, Il dinna ken
But me and him has lots Of fun.
He's such a funny man.
l dance for him and brush his hair,
And loves him all l can.
l calls him AnjreWthat's his name
And he says l can't talk,
And then he puts my pladie on
And takes me for a walk.
l tells him forty thousand times,
But faint a bit Of use;
He always says a mans a mon"
And calls a house a moose"
Philadelphia North American.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18
A BIOGRAPHY.

The world awCke in gusty spring
TO hear the sCng bird caroIing,
And every dell and every glade
Echoed the melodies he made.
Then came the ardent summer hour,
Where cherished buds burst into
flower.
When reveling roses drank the dew;
When days were long and skies were
blue
And fortune bade our dreams come
true.
And next the days of autumn sent
The dignity Of calm content,
And frosty tintings touched the wood.
And nature, all-belcved, stood
CARRIED in glory vast and good.
And last Of Ill comes the caress.
The summer-touch Of WEAKNESS;
And to his couch Of sheltering SHOWS
With duty done II - world goes
And smiles that he shall find repose
Exchange.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18
IMAGINATIVE CHILDREN.

| once knew little cniId VINO with
perfect seriousness would make the
most remarkable statements about the
various condIuOns OF her lie and
family When she was four years OLD
she Told me, as ! was walking Wien
her, that she had a sUep-m0ther who
was cruel and who locked her UP III
INTO the woods some kind old woman
gave her things 20 eat; mat she never
mad any dinner DIT nome. A gOOd
doctor, who lived near Uy, came TO her
house one day when | Was standing Il.
the doorway With the child. She mac
just told me some tragic story aDou,
his Vile and dog OF which she had
been an eyewitness. l asked him
about it, being tull of sympathy. He
laughed, ana Unen looked suddenly
serious. You must not blame her,
ne said, for what else are you to eX-
poet. We oder people are always
stimulating the imagInaCiOns OF chill
dren, inVenting situations for them
giving them fiction for fact and then
we take them to task for doing the
same uhing tor themselves. Children
who talk in this way are not liars.
They nave simply been taught hoW TO
make up things without dlscrlmlna-
ton"
zach OF us knows this to be true,
only we forget it in our judgments OF
the young. We blame The natural de-
praylty OF the chiId-nature, forgetting
that We ourselves have planted Jh5
seeds from which these alarming Shoots
have sprouted.-H arper's Bazar.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18
A BABY'S EYES.

Baby, in whose coal-black eyes
Glints the light Of starry skies,
Baby Helen, | would know
How you learned to read me so.
When you lift your eyes to see
What my inmost thought may be,
How my heart unveils for you!
How you search me through and
through!
Twelvemonth pundit, in What school
Did you learn such mystic rule?
Who hath taught you to unroll
Secret Vedas of the soul?
All, l know your teachers three,
Love and Trust and Purity!
Skill more precious who can teach?
Sweeter wisdom who can reach?
Oh, that eyes like these might look
Ever on a stainless book!
Oh, that all within my breast
Were but worthy of your quest!
Precious baby, for your sake
Cleaner paths my feet shall take;
You shall make me pure and good
By your might of babyhood.
M. E. Bannister.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18

A certain teacher OF a class in a mis-
sion Sunday school has difficult task
imparung scraps Of religious instruc-
CiCn 20 her young charges, and often
amusing answers are unconsci0usly re-
turned TO questions which she asks.
On one occasion she asked her pupils:
What do the high priests dor
And received the reply:
They burned insects before the
people"
But one of the funniest experiences,
Which we'll shows the queer ideas
which the children receive in their les
sons, was given when, after a discus
sion OF shipwreck which followed a
lesson three or four weeks previously
on the well known story of Jonah and
the whale, she happened to ask:
Suppose a big storm arose at sea,
and it looked as though you were go
ing to be drowned, what would you
do?"
L would throw a man overheard for
the whale to swallow" was the reply.
London Figaro.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18
AN AUTUMN SONG.

The song birds are flying
And southwark are hieing.
No more their glad carols we hear.
The gardens are lonely
Chrysanthemums only
Dare now let their beauty appear.
The insects are hiding
The farmer providing
The lambkins a shelter from cold.
And after October
The woods will look sober
Without all their crimson and gold.
The loud winds are calling,
The ripe nuts are falling,
The squirrel now gathers his store.
The bears, homeward creeping,
Will soon all be sleeping
So snugly, till winter is DER.
Jack Frost will soon cover
The little brooks over;
The snow-cloUds are up in the sky
All ready for showing;
Dear Autumn is going,
We bid her a loving goodbye.
Emile Poulsson.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18
GOLDEN-ROD.

When the year is growing sober.
When September nears October,
Still the summer sunshine fingers,
Treasured up by unseen fingers,
In cheerful sprays of golden-rod.
When October leaves September,
Pressing onward toward November,
When the chilling blasts grow stronger
Summer clings a little longer
To yellow sprays of golden-rod.
AS November days grow duller
Golden-rod then changes color;
Suits itself to time and season
With a tact akin to reason,
And filings a faded banner out,
Then flaunts it as the winds grow
colder.
And gracefully grows old and older
Though the storms are overbearing
And the wintry chill unsparing,
v ithOut a sign of fear or doubt.
So may age touch us with lightness,
Though youths gold must turn to
whiteness,
If we early, with persistence,
Prize the good things of existence
And turn orr faces toward the sun.
And of what there is that's left US,
When sands sinking have bereft us,
Gather what we may of sweetness
Till our days have reached complete
ness,
we'll done
Charlotte a Rar0n
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18
a CHASTITY NECKLACE.

A strange and curious personal or
nament is now owned by a Chicago
merchant. It is a necklace COM
posed Of three rows of human eyes IN
a state of perfect preservation, polished
and set in a costly mounting OF virgin
gold. The eyes we're taken from the
mummies in the burial places of the
Incas in Peru. Although il is said
nothing can equal the grace and sol
ness of this CHASTITY ornament, so far
but single young woman has had
the temerity TO wear it.
This type of ornament is very much
in vogue in all completely savage
tribes as, for instance, the Zulus and
the Bushmen, who, when they suffer
the misfortune of losing their better
halves, deprive the dead of thos
charming weapons, their eyes. But
savage men are not alone in their
fondness for human eyes as ornaments.
Jewish Review.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18
WAS NOT CHICKEN-HEARTED.

The animals, the birds and the fish
had met in solemn conclave to devise
ways and means to prevent the EXTERN
ination of the great American turkey.
1--WE have met" said the president,
F'to prevent imposition upon a noble
race. Christmas, New Years and
Thanksgiving have made the turkey
the sickest bird in the country. We
must petition these New Englanders
to select some other luxury for their
Thanksgiving table,"
This was easily carried. Then the
question arose as to what creature
would be willing to immediate him in
the cause of saving the necks Of a
Loble race.
A hush fell on the assembly and
wiry little chicken stepped to the ros-
trum.
''It is only fitting" said the noble
domestic fowl, that l should be the
victim, for had it not been for me these
New Englanders would never have
landed on these shores and Thanksgiv-
ing Days had never been"
Hence it was decreed that from that
day forth the Plymouth Rock should
be eaten on Thanksgiving Day
throughout all the length and breadth
of New England.-New York Herald,
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18
OLDEST CHURCH IN THE COUNTRY

In Sante Fe are the military head
quarters for New Mexico, it being also
tie oldest military establishment IN
America, created by the Spaniards in
1902. and in almost continuous occupa-
ton ever since. Here, too is the oldest
house in the United States, in which
Coronado is said to have lodged in
1910, and perhaps even more interest
ing, here is the oldest church, San
Miguel built about 1913, partially de-
stroycd in $780, wholly restored in ITO,
the restOrers leaving intact all that was
possible of the old roof, hewn by IN
dams under the guidance Of the fathers.
In this church is the great bell, al
most solid, cast in 1856, and having
an inscription in Spanish round it as
a band the letters and figures being
still we'll raised in the solid casting.
This bell was brought over from Spain
and hung in the tower, but finally, be-
ing thought too heavy for the tower,
was removed to a substantial timber
support in the entrance to the church.
In the cathedral and other churches are
remarkable redoses, paintings and vest
ments, many of them of considerable
antiquity, all inviting the visitors to
linger in this home of the past.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18
REVENGE.

From one of our fashionable suburbs
make a Sioux Indian turn green with
envy, A young man just home from
an eastern college invited young
lady of the village to a Sunday morn
ing ride on his tandem bicycle. She
was delighted, and could scarcely wait
to carry the news to her particular girl
friend, who, it happened, had hereto
fore occupied the front seat on that
tandem. Then the plot was laid.
Glow nice" said her chum "Have
you a bicycle suit? Why not wear
mine? Don't you think this will look
lovely?"
Now, the garment exhibited happen
ed to be bathing suit Of pronounced
colors and unique design, but as the
first young lady had never been with
in sight of salt water, and was a guile
less nature, anyhow, the bunco game
worked to perfection.
The young mans breath suddenly
left him that Sunday morning when
his companion came out ready to
mount, but that was nothing compared
to the panic they created along the
route. PioUs matrons on their way to
church threw up both hands and prayed
feryently, and the male population
on the streets stopped spelIbound and
watched them out Of sight The young
man had little to say, but it is claimed
he broke Zimmerman's record getting
to the unfrequented streets.-Cincin-
natl Enquirer.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18
AUSTRALIANS SUMNER.

As is generally known, the Austral-
ian summer of 1886 was a record
breaker in the way Of great heat. Some
facts that have just come to hand in
the way of government statistics kind
ly arranged for the press by H. c. Rus
sell, the government astronomer, of
Sydney, New South Wales, point out
some of the more extraordinary feat
ures Of the hot spell which broke the
record in Sydney. That city's hottest
day ranged from 1916 at O'Clock in the
morning to 100 at 10 o'clock, 100 at
noon, 1888 at 2:30, when the breeze
shifted around to the sea and the
temperature fell, reaching SO at 6
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18
THE CASE OF MRS. CAREW.

The sentence of death recently
passed by a Yokohama court on Mrs.
Carew for the poisoning of her husband
has been committed to imprisonment
for life by the British minister, sub
ject to whose revision the sentence was
imposed.
The case has attracted unusual no.
tice, both in Great Britain and the
United States as we'll as in Japan, the
scene Of the crime. The Carews were
English people and moved in the best
society, both at home and in Yoke
Lama They went to Japan about
wen years ago and at the time of
death Mr.. Carew was an officer of
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18

clock in the evening. Bourke, an in
land town northwest of Sydney. how
ever, is the banner hot town, with
record of 127 degrees. This year it
struck 119, and in January twenty-six
days were above 100 and nineteen
above no. Only Arizona and the Cali
fornia deserts can equal these figures.
Philadelphia may be warm, but it can
not keep pace with Sydney.-Philade1-
phia Press
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18
3~fA N&~<--N-A ~
YpIi
Wy IN SINGIN' so.

De mockin' bird a singfn'
In de tip-top er de tree.
En- he singin' right at me,
He singin' right at me,
He say: Il beat you risin'.
Fo' de sun wu7 in yo' do,
1 up an eat my breakfas'
OATS wy I'm singing so,
GO long, lazy niger!
You mighty pow'fuI slow;
You'll never kotch a worm
Eff you don't git up en- gor'
De gray hawk sailin' sailin'
. In de elements so free,
En- he boiler right at me,
He holler right at me,
He say: Il beat you risin',
For de sun wuz in de sky.
l up en- kotch my chicken
OATS wy I'm flying high.
You mighty pow'ful slow;
GO long, lazy niger!
You'll never kotch a chicken
Eff you don't git up en- gor'
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18
PRISCILLA'S FURS.

The north wind bold blows keen and
cold,
The snow ones vision bIurs;
But clear an eye as she goes by
Priscilla in her furs.
Both chic and warm, she braves the
storm.
And ne'eI at cold demurs;
She safely trusts in winters gusts
Priscilla in her furs.
o summer maids. your beauty fades,
For it is naught to hers,
Whose lair cneeks hush with winter 5
blush
Priscilla in her furs!
All! speed the day when l can say
The thought my h1e-Dlood stirs-
That just tor me and love will be
Priscilla in her furs.
Puck.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18

A child is hardened by public rebuke.
If we would help him to grow in sensi-
tiveness to our approval and disappro-
val, let us privately rebuke his errors,
remembering Rousseau's admonition.
you will indeed make a mere animal
of him by this n0rt',~@ if Won are con
tinually directing him and saying: Go,
come, stay, do this: ato- '' A~atr
If your head is always to q,1ide his arm
his own head will be Of little use to
him.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18
HE WAS BORN FIRST.

A Glasgow groce" had to dismiss his
message boy for being lazy. Among
the applicants for the vacant post was
the discharged boys twin brother
When the latter called at the shop to
support his APPLICATION the grocer said:
Il should be afraid to take vow on IN
less you turn cut another like your
brother. You're twins you see"
Yes" replied the boy; "but though
we're twins, I'm mair active than my
brither. for I wis born first" He got
the post-Scottish knights.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18

As the dTunkard, his taste hardened BY
alcohol, has need Of a stimulant con-
stamtly stronger, so in the case of the
criminal, the nervous system demands
stimulus so strong that to the ordinary
steady-going individual it would be
actually painful.-Philadelphia Press.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18
DROVE HIM TO DRINK.

"A woman's scorn drove me to drink,
maddim, an made me what l am" said
Seldum Fedd, wiping his nose tragical-
ly on a rag rent from the gable end
o. a stolen shirt
After he had layishIy RECALLED him
self with milk and honey provided by
the sympathetic housewife. he said:
yes, maddim, 1 sent a written pro-
posal of marriage to one of them Van
derbilt girls an she treated it with
silent contempt. New York World.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18
NEW YORKs NEGRO POLICEMAN.

The happiest man in New York city
is SeIgt. Wellington Schuyler, Grand
Army veteran and ardent sound money
republican of the Fourteenth congress
district. Early in the day he received
the news that the police board, by I'M
animous vote, had appointed him spe-
cial policeman at the new building of
the New York College of Pharmacy, at
lis West Sixty-eight street. The al
pointment is a notable one, for the
reason that Sergt. Schuyler is the first
negro ever honored by appointment
by the police commissioners of the me-
tropolis.-New York Sun.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18
misunderstood.

Mr.. Fusser (picking up a young lady's
umbrella)-I beg pardon.
Young Lady ChaughtiIy)-I did not
speak, siri
Mr.. F.-Oh, I thought you said
Thanks. Yale Record.