davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-12
NEW CURE FOR SNAKE BITES.

The task to artifcially render
animals immune from snake poison
was not an easy one, for the process
depends upon training the animal to
gradually withstand larger and larger
uoses Of the venom; and considering
the intensely toxic character OF the
substance which had to be handled, the
danger was ever present of the animal
succumbing to venom poison before it's
serum had acquired the requisite pitch
of protective power to render it of
service as an antitoxin DR.. Calmette
tells US that he carried out a very
large number of experiments before he
net with success. But it is not nee
essary here to discuss his various eff
forts; suffice it to say that at length
his labors were rewarded, and the
following extract from one of his
memoirs describes the methods which
he now adopts for his purpose:
The best method of procedure for
the purpose of vaccinating large ami
mails destined to produce antivenomous
serum consists in injecting them from
the outset with gradually increasing
quantities of the venom of the cobra
mixed with diminishing quantities of
Ia 1-to-60 solution Of hypochlorite of
lime. The condition and the varia-
tiCns in the weights of the animals
are carefully followed, in order that
the injections may be made less fire.
quently if the animals do not thrive
well. Quantities Of stronger and
stronger venom are in turn injected,
first considerably diluted, and then
more concentrated; and when the ami
mails have already acquired a suf-
fciently perfect immunity, the venoms
derived from a large number of differ
ent species of snakes as possible are
injected. The duration of the treat
ment is of considerable length-at
! least fifteen months-before the serum
| is sufficiently active to be used for the
! purpose of treatment"
During the past three years an i'm
menSe number Of animals have been
yaccinated by this method at the Pas
teur institute at Lille, where DR.. Cal
mette is now director; and in a paper
published a few weeks ago we are told
that they have horses there which have
yielded for the past eighteen months
serum extremely active against venom
These horses receive in "a single in
oculation, without suffering the least
Inconvenience, doses of venom suf-
ficient to kill fifty horses fresh to tbs
! acknowledgements Magazine
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-12
THE DUTY OF REST.

Of all the tired men and women
know, the one who appeals to me
most is a public school teacher. Forty
five eager, active, growing minds to
guide and control al inter, to salts
fly and stimulate! Not many tasks
have equalled it. l was condoling with
enc the other day, when she said she
wished the world would understand
better the duty of rest.
The duty of rest!
| confess that the idea was new to
me. | had thought of rest as a
pleasure and as a privilege; | had
regarded It az necessity; and | had
even at times looked upon it as a
temptation when obligations drew me
one way and fatigue dragged me down
in another.
But rest as a duty opened quite an
other point of view.
1t must have beer meant as a duty,
seven would never have been COM
manded!
But the why" of it's being duty
we have been left to discover for our
selves. 1t was Bishop Brooks who first
Tade me see that recreation might
mean recreation. | had a little of
the Puritanic idea, which he helped to
dispel. | recognized, too, as he spoke,
til at the universe was full of great in
spirational and renewing forces, which
were always playing in on us, as the
air is breathed into our lungs before
we are able to make conscious effort
Be receptive, and they fill u.s.
Our duty, then, l suppose, is toward
these forces; to rest from our human
activities until they play in on us,
and so rebuild us. For most of us,
after all, are so eager in the pursuit
of one idea-an idea sometimes of
pleasure, sometimes of gain-that we
detach ourselves, as it were, from
the main purpose of our lives, like a
wheel of a coach that breaks away
from the main body, and goes off
nerrily on its own account down hill,
to find itself at the end of it's journey
without power and without place
Harper's Bazaar.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-12

Attorney General Mylrea has pre-
pared papers in a suit to be brought by
the state to test the constitutionality
Of the law enacted by the legislature
last wilmer requiring goods made in
penitentiaries outside of Wisconsin
and offered for sale in this state to be
plainly labeled "convict-made." The
law is being quite generally violated in
the northern part of the state where
thousands Of dollars worth of prison
made goods are sold annually. Some
of the violators of the law boldly as
sert that the law is unconstitutional
and base their assertion on a recent
ruling of an Indiana court on statute
claimed to be similar to the Wisconsin
law. The papers prepared by the at
torney general make st. CroiX county
merchant the defendant. Halford Err
ickson, commissioner of the states
bureau of labor, census and industrial
statistics, recently sent out several
thousand circulars giving the text of
the law, warning merchants against it's
infraction, and asking information con-
corning and aid in detecting yiolators
OF it. AS a result he has been flooded
with letters of all kinds, some COM
planning bitterly Of the severity of the
law, others asking for a construction
of it, and still others giving the names
of violators. The commissioner has
collected a mass of evidence against
a large number of v'olators and if he
prosecutes them all he is likely to
have the legal department of the state
working overtime for many
months to come The pei atty for a
violation of the law is not less than
500 nor more than $500. The law is
very strict, even prohibiting the pos
session of prison-made goods intended
for sale unless labeled. The burden
OF the complaints is that
to label goods "convict-made''
detracts considerably from their
value and purchasers who otherwise
would take them, pass them by with
out considering their real worth. A
rumber of merchants stocked up
largely on these goods before or about
the time the measure became a law.
Their loss is likely to be considerable.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-12

clover that has been introduced into
the colony
A record in courtship and proposals
has occurred in Lubec, Germany,
where resides a hotel proprietor with
family of six children-four sons and
two daughters-who were all betrothed
in one day The half dozen happy
couples were also married on the same
day and one wedding breakfast served
for them all.
Machinery of every conceivable sort
has been introduced irto the shoe
making industry, and yet it would be
folly to say that is has proved detri-
mental to the laborer In New Eng
land, according to the census OF 1890,
there were $4,000 people engaged in
shoemaking, against $4,000 in 1860,
while the average wages per capita
have risen from 246 year to s469.
A certain collection of pictures in the
South Kensington museum in Chicago
is yelled on Sunday, out of respect
to the religious scruples of the donor.
The result is that visitors to the gal
lerv think the pictures must be tough.
and are so anxious to see them that
they don't enjoy the Others This
simply illustrates how a good inten-
ton may be defeated.
The Swiss government has sanction
ed the manufacture and use of weights
made Of glass. They are of slightly
cCniCal shape, with round bottom edge
and provided on top with a knob to
facilitate handling The DESIGNATION
is moulded into the knob. The glass
used for these weights is of special
composition, highly refined and care
fully annealed so as to reduce to
minimum the danger of breakage.
Genreal Horace Porter, who has Just
been appointed minister to France,
tells story of passenger who was
steering a ship. The captain told
him to steer for a certain star and
keep the helm steady. and went down
stairs to get little sleep. He had
been snOozing comfortably for a couple
of hours, when his new helmsman
came down to his bunk and woke him
up, saying: Captain, give me another
star to steer by; 1 have passed that
one"
AS has already been noticed In the
dispatches, no wine was served at the
state dinner given by President
Mckinley, and this is to be taken as a
precedent, except for dinners given to
the diplomatic corps, to whom a con-
cestom and conventionality. When the
president entertains his countrymen he
will give them all the cold water they
want, but nothing stronger Washing
ton Letter Chicago Record.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-12
OUR POSTAL DATES.

l639-Postoffice established in Bos-
ton.
l672-A monthly mail to Boston es-
tablished by the government
of New York.
l692-Postal system for the Amer
lean colonies projected
l71O-Postal system for the Amer
lean colonies established.
l717-A mail route put into opera
ton between Boston, Mass,
and Williamsburg, Va, trans
hitting letter in four weeks.
1737-Benjamin Franklin made
deputy postmaster for the
colonies.
l153-Franklin becomes deputy-post-
master-general in America.
1756-Stages carry the mails between
Philadelphia and New York.
l76O-Franklin establishes mail
coaches from Philadelphia to
Boston
I75-The continental congress
elects Franklin Postmaster
general.
l777-Continental congress passes a
resolution appointing an in
spector of dead letters.
17S2-Rate of postage fixed by Con-
tinental congre~~ for single
letters ranging ION At cents
under sixty miles to 14S cents
for two hundred miles and 3.4
Cd
dred miles.
1794-Letter-c carriers are employed
at the discretion of the post
master general to deliver let
tiers on the payment of two
cents for each letter.
1S1O-A general postoffice is estab-
lished at Washington.
1829-The postmaster general be-
comes a member of the pres
ident's cabinet
1S34-Railroads first carried the
mails.
1S39-Envelopes for letters first
used.
1847-The use of postage stamps
authorized.
1S51-Three cents per half ounce for
distance under three thousand
miles, postage prepaid, be-
comes rate Of letter postage.
1S52-Congress passes an act pro-
viding for stamped envelopes.
Registration of letters intro
duced.
1S53-St1 eet letter-boxes are set I'D
in Boston. In the same year
the first overland mail was es-
tablished from ST. Louis to
San Francisco.
1S61-Merchandise admitted to the
mail.
1868 Receiving boxes authorized.
1hf4- Money order system establish
ed.
1868-Uniforms authorized for letter.
carriers.
1S72-Free delivery by letter-carrfers
in cities of fifty thousand
population.
1873-One-cent postal cards made
their appearance.
1883-Postage on first-class mail re-
duced to two cents per half
ounce.
1885-Special delivery system
authorized. In the same year
letter postage reduced to two
cents per orr ce.-Northern
Budget, Troy, N Y, June 20,
1897.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-12

many parts, now desert and no more,
were at no very ancient period fertile.
bearing a good growth of vegetation
of some kind. The remains of trees
found buried along many of the wadis
or dried water courses are evidence Of
this, as likewise the abundance of
human implements scattered about in
centers is proof of n;n's Judgment in
the wilderness. Under the guidance of
committee of the Royal society CO
London number of borings have been
sent through the deposits of the Nile
delta, and concerning the latest Of
these, sunk at Zagazig, a report ha.
just been published by Professor ]. w.
Judd, f. R. S. The boring penetrates
the alluvial deposits to a depth of 345
feet.
Fer the first lis feet the strata
passed through consisted of aIterna-
tions Of desert sand and Nile mud.
Beyond lis feet a noteworthy change
was found to occur, the beds first
penetrated and extending down to ISL
feet being a mass of coarse sand and
shingle. With slight Interruptions
the single beds continued to the
deepest point of the boring, the in
dividual fragments, nearly all per-
fectly rounded, being all sizes up to
that of a hens egg. This section con-
forms very closely with one that had
bene previously obtained at Rosetta
The conclusion reached so far from the
evidence, and one that is firmly held be-
Professor Judd, is that the subdeItz
formations represent a series of de-
posts which were formed under to-
tally different conditions from those
which prevail in northeastern Africa
at the present time The land must
have stood at an elevation aft least
from 100 to 800 feet higher than at
present, and the lower Nile, instead of
forming an alluvial fiat, as at present
must have deposited coarse sands and
graVels. Under the very uneaven sur
face of the subdelta deposits the allu-
vial muds and sands of the delta were
laid down as the surface gradually
subs1ded below the level of the Medi-
terranean. The behring's have not vet
reached bottom rock, nor were anv
organism found that could give a clew
as TO the age of the deeper deposits
or the length of time that was occuniad
IN the making of the formation
| Washington Star.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-12

observed, laying the tray on the table
ut almost serves me right, James, for
keeping any sort of a secret from
you; but l did not want to distress
you the moment you came home
There was a man in the house the
night before last
Aha" chuckled Mr.. Baldock. tri-
umphantly A moment later he eyed
Mr.. Hankinson, and prudently moved
toward the door of the room.
'Tessy got another attack Of Group
The local doctor was engaged and
could not come, so I telegraphed for
your brother Jack. He came late in
the afternoon, and he had to get away
early in the morning, as he had to see
a patient in his own district at seven
o'clock. The poor child had q very
1ad night Of it, but as I need not tell
you he pulled her through splendidly."
Mr.. Ba!dock had by this time escaped
from the parlor Of No. II, and was
opening the hall door himself.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-12
NAPOLEON'S HORSES.

The horse that the Duke of Yelling
ton rode at Waterloo was name6
copenhagen. When that fearful bat
Tie was over, the horse appeared to
sympathize with and appreciate his
masters success, for when the Duke
arrived at headquarters, and, after
tossing the bride reins to a groom
dismounted, the horse kicked I'D his
heels in an apparent ecstasy of delight,
saying as clearly as it is possible for
horse to say anything, Tired as I
am, [ will make you see that I as
we'll as the rest can show my Joy in
the victory which my master has
achieved"
The duke saw to it that Copenhagen
was well provided for in his old age.
He had abundant rations, the best of
care, and was allowed to roam at will
in the park at Strathfieldsaye. His
name lives with his masters, for it is
linked with his in history"
Napoleon, when at st. Helena, once
said Of his horse: "He has memory.
kI owledge, and judgment. He dis
tirguishes his master from his SER
wants, although these are more con-
stantly about him. I had a horse
which distinguished me from the rest
OF the world, and which manifested.
by his bounding and naughty gait
when | was upon his back, that he
carried man superior to those around
him. He would not suffer any one to
mount him except myself and the
groom that took care of him. When
l had lost my way threw the bride
upon his neck and let him pick his
way, with the inevitable result of find
ing the right road. "-Harper's Round
Table. ~ =. .
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-12

The free port of Stettin, built by the
town, is nearing completion. The two
basins are each % feet deep, over 300
feet wide. have wharf frontage of
1880 yards, affording wharfage for
about sixty vessels The water area
will be Sc acres, and the area Of the
free port 80 acres. The completion
of the Northeast Sea canal has given
Stettin a great impetus, and it's in
habitants are jubilant over the free
port which will so largely increase
their trade.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-12
WATCHES SHOULD BE OILED.

A publication has been issued by
William T. Lewis, president of the
Philadelphia Neurological society, on
the fabrication of watches, chronom-
meters and clocks. In these few pages
he emphasizes the fact, among others,
that even the best made watch can
not keep accurate time from year to
year unless fabricated with the finest
quality of OIL Among the sources of
lubricants for this purpose mention is
made of porpoise jaw oil and Blacklist
melon oil as having become widely
ard justly celebrated in all parts of
the world for lubricating fine and
delicate machinery. The blackfish
melon oil derives its name from the
mass from which it is extracted, taken
from the top of the head of the black
fish, reaching from the spout hole to
the end of the nose and from the top
of the head down to the upper jaw.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-12
EGYPT IS GRADUALLY SINKING
Its Surface Was Once Three Hundred
Feet Higher Than Now.

The peculiar interest which associ-
ates itself with the past history of the
Nile valley and the possible changes
that may have marked a transforma-
ton in the physical characteristics OF
northeastern Africa have induced
biologists to make a critical investiga-
ton of the region, with the view of as
certaining in how far the existing con-
ditions are merely modern develop
ment of the continent, or represent the
events of long past period of time.
All the more recent explorations of the
region of the Sahara indicate that the
desert conditions which exist today
have been steadily and progressively
accentuated throughout the historic
period of mans habitation there; that
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-12
A TARTAN BODICE.

The separate bodice will continue in
favor for many a day in spite of
what the modistes say and fashion,
ables threaten. It is custom too use
full to be readily abandoned. The one
illustrated is of tartan plaid taffeta
worn with a skirt of corded cloth.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-12

4 Pet flea has been known tC live
six years.
In Europe there are $4,000 insane;
il the United States 169, 0O0
Since the year 1880 the Paris police
have arrested as many as $4,000 child
rem who were being trained for beg
ging and vice.
General Wallop is the name of the
secretary of the British National
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Children.
Nearly 70 round towers, from 80 to
1875 it. high, are found in various parts
Of Ireland They are believed to have
been used in the ceremonies of fire
worship.
New Bedford, Mass, has twenty
more liquor saloons than the law al
lows, and the police are in a quandry
to know which of them belong to the
illegal excess.
The largest carpet in the world is
in Windsor Castle. 1t is 40 feet in
breadth and contains $3.50, 900
stitches. The weaving of it occupied
% men fourteen months.
A Kansas City barber has put up a
blackboard on which he daily bull
letins the fresh local and general news
brought in by customers and caught
over the telephone.
More persons were killed in the city
of London in 1895 by falling from
buildings or out of windows than were
destroyed during the same period by
all the railroads in Europe.
A new Geographic instrument that
transmits 5000 words a minute has
been invented. 1t is designed for send
ing news from women's congresses
and whist club Chicago
News.
The impossibility of introducing a
universal postage stamp because of the
fluctuations in currency is one more
argument for an international none
tary greement.-Providen Journal.
An exchange, in a generous effort to
help the dairymen on, explains that
whales milk is palatable and whole
some?' Who will go out to sea and
milk the whale? That is the question.
Kansas City Star.
The Lucania puts up a new ocean
record of days IA hours and "a min
utes during which, over the distanced
steamed, 1888 knots, she made the
best time on record, 218O knots per
hour, for that distance.
The tower Of Babel at Babylon was
composed of eight square towers. one
upon the other, the pile being $50 feet
high. Babylon was a square, Is miles
on each side, the walls being 81 feet
thick and $40 feet high.
The grand triumphal arch in Paris,
begun by Napoleon, is 14f feet by rs
feet at its base, and 1872 feet high. The
central arch way is 95 feet high and
As feet wide. The inner walls are in
scribed with the names of 384 generals
and So victories.
Live bees are sometimes shipped on
ice so as to keep them dormant during
the journey. This is particularly the
case with bumblebees, which have
been taken to New Zealand, where
they are useful in fertilizing the red
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-12
FAMOUS SHOT DIES.

Elizabeth, n. j., Aug. 10.-Charles
Trautman, famous rifle shot, died
Monday of dropsy, aged 81. For years
he captured first prizes at schuetzen-
bund festivals.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-12
A CLEXERER BOY THAN OTHERS.

The boy stood on the burning deck
Till all but him had fed,
And then he put the fire out,
And went and cruised ahead.
And when he had enough of that,
He sailed into the slip,
And got a thousand dollars down
AS salvage on the ship.
-Harper's Bazaar.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-12
WOMEN OFF FOR KLONDYKE.

San Francisco, Aug S.-The steamer
NoVo has sailed with 140 passengers
for Dyea, Alaska. Of the passengers
ten are women. who will make the
journey over the Chilkoot pass to the
Klondyke gold fields.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-12
NOTED ARTIST DEAD.

Marblehead, Mass, Aug. 10.-Wil-
liam Lamb Picknell of Boston, cele-
brated artist, died suddenly last night,
aged As years