davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-04

Adyices from Russia say that the
imperial government proposes to ban
ish Count Leo Toistoi shortly
For months past the min
lister of the interior has been collect
ing evidence against the great novel
ist, and it is believed that enough ma
terial is at hand to condemn him ac-
sording to the Russian idea of justice.
Within the past year Tolstoi has
been particularly aggressive in his
task Of educating the Russian peasan-
try to his unconventional ways of
thinking. The holy synod, body of
immense importance in Russia, has
been stirred 10 deep wrath against the
refCImer because of his biting criti-
cisms. The Russian army is against
him because of his intolerance of mil
itarism as it exists in Russia, and
royalty is more than displeased be-
Cause Of his most recent condemnation
OF the despotism of the Russian sys-
TEN.
Tolstois resources in Russia are
vast, the generation of the common
people for him is deep, but these can
make but feeble resistance when ar
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-04

several times yesterday and demaa ied
the letter, and emphasized my request
by expressions as strong as it was diS-
Greet to employ, but he was immovable
II | had had force Of any reliability
with me | would have had that letter
yesterday, but this is one of the great
drawbacks of having only a small force
Today l am to see him, when his
majesty feels inclined graciously to
grant the interview. At s o'clock this
morning Kasembi sent two men to
wait near my tent, and when they
should hear drums in his village I was
TO go down and see the chief. His
three head men escorted me down to
the stockades. Before entering the
gate a messenger was sent in to ask
if we might enter. Receiving permits
sion, we passed through the gate. Upon
entering we found a big clear space,
and crowds of people lining it. A
dozen drums Of different sorts were
being beaten gently and several double
gongs were sounding. At one corner
of the square Kasembi was seated on
an immense litter; his body was wrap
ped in bright handkerchief stuff. He
wore a fine necklace of big lions claws
immense ones-and had a. fringe of
long hawks feathers standing up from
lis head.
| was not allowed to approach near
him, being told to seat myself about
fifty feet away, so I could not get a
detailed look at him. Difficulties were
added by his being in the shade as he
held over his head a red and white
umbrella. He had the litter lifted high
on the heads of his bearers. so that
he might the better see me. The litter
was made of thin bamboo, firmly lash
ed to two parallel bamboos. the ends
carried out on each side seven or eight
feet. This affair was carried by twenty
men, five at each handle. The litter
was covered with handkerchief cloth.
on which Kasembi sat cross-legged. He
sent across a messenger to ask me
Wnere came from and where I was
gong. gave the necessary informa-
tlon, at the same time saying I wanted
Two OF his people to act as guides to
the Kalungwizi; also that I was an
Xlous to have my letter. Both were
promised me, but it is now late in the
afternoon, and I have not seen the
letter yet.-Century.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-04

rayed against that trinity Of powers
the church, royalty and the military.
1t is officially claimed that he has be-
ing class against class. 1t only needs
substantiation of this claim 10 make
him an exile for life. 1t is not be-
Heved that the government would have
the temerity to Danish him to Siberia
and kill him by inches with hundreds
of other political prisoners. That
would raise a hue and cry all over the
world. More likely he would be
banished from the country and would
spend the remaining years of his life
in Paris or London, both of which
cities have great colonies of exiled
Russians.
Tolstoi's threatened Punishment is a
fresh example of the determination Of
the young. ear to manage the affairs
of the Russian empire as he pleases.
He is his own prime minister and his
own councillor of state. His father
tolerated Tolstoi and his grandfather
not only tolerated but respected him,
and III their reigns the internal cCndi-
ten Of Russia was much more danger
,us to ro> atty THAI it is today. In
fact bo,E Of these sovereigns w1 I'D
have regal ded it as a loss if Tolstol
had ceased his activity for the reform
CT the l,ation.
Although an enemy to the govern
ment, Tolstoi was and is one of the
strongest bulwarks against nihilism
as his doctrine of non-resistance by
violence to evil has deferred hundreds
of thousands from joining the ranks
Of the dynamiters and governmental
retormers of that like.
Pamphlets explaining his views on
this subject have been sent into nearly
every home in Russia, and their inflU-
ence upon the minds of the readers has
been great. In these he claimed thai
the doctrine of non-resistance to evi
was in accordance with the teachings
Of Christ. He declared that violenct
as a means of redressing wrongs J:
not only futile, but an aggraVatiCn 0
the original evil, since it is the nature
of violence to multiply and reproduce
itself il all directions. In one of theSt
pamphlets he said: THE revolution
lists whom you see in Siberia under
took to resist evil by violence, ant
what has been the result? BITTERNESS
and misery and hatred and blOOdshed
The evils against which they took II
arms still exist, and to them has bee
added a mass of previously non-extst
ent human suffering. 1t is not in tina
way that the kingdom of God is to b
realized on earth.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-04

action The entire fleet drill book
will probably be overhauled and allow
ance made for the ease with which
signals can be used.
1t has been only for the last few
years that the authorities Of the war
and navy departments have turned
their attention toward perfecting a
brand of powder capable of high vel
ocities, quick burning and at the same
time producing little or no smoke.
In the last few months both depart
ments have found a formula which,
they declare, will give this government
the strongest and best power known
to the military powers of the world.
In a few weeks the navy will pur-
chase upwards OF 100000 pounds Of
the new powder for the vessels in
service, and this will be followed later
by still larger orders, until there is
good stock on hand for all emergencies.
At present the factory at Newport can
not furnish the power as fast as the
ships require it, so that it will become
necessary for the department to send
| its formula to some private power
mandatory in order to facilitate de-
| liveries and increase the supply.
The last war shows that during some
of the great fleet eyolutions in the
south ships frequently ran foul of one
! another through their inability to
navigate properly when obscured in
smoke, and that many a mistake was
! made because the signals could not be
! seen from the flagship. There were
! instances also when one vessel fired on
a ship of her own squadron, believing
her to be a ship OF the enemy. With
the new power twenty vessels might
engage an equal number, but every
ship would be able to read the orders
of the admiral accurately. The same
number of vessels in an engagement
where the present black slow-burning
powder was used would develop a
smoke-cl0ud which, in five minutes
after the action began, would practic-
ally shut out of sight each vessel from
the other. The confusion on board
when the men are not able to see those
at the next gun is said also TO have
led to mistakes resulting in some in
stances in the loss of the vessel.
The adoption of the new powder by
the army will necessitate alterations
in the tactics applying to operations
on the field of battle The infantry
man who fires with this powder a.
once obtains tine advantageof having z
clear field of fire But. on the Other
t hard, if he is unprovided with cover
: either natural Or artificial, there vii
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-04
WAKING UP TOWN.

There were six men in front of the
village post-office talking in a friendly
way, and using their iackknives on
the hltching posts, and as many more
sat On the steps of a store opposite in
brotherly attitudes. All was peace
and harmony and good will. when a
man came riding up the street ON a
weather beaten horse. He was a
stranger in town but without a word
TO anyone he dismounted, hitched his
horse to post and walked off into
side street. Twelve men looked aft
That horse for two minutes without
saying word. Then one remarked:
He's bin foundered sometime"
Its just spaVins,' replied his neigh
bour
That shows all you know about
horse! tell you he's bin foundered.
l saw it when he was quarter of a
mile away"
Nothing ails that horse" put in
third man as he stood up to get a bet
ter look.
Nothing but the worst case of CLAN
OAh O'cl ottN Ctuucu d lUuIIl,
Then the six men on the steps went
over and joined the other six, and all
began critical examination of the
beast. They looked into his mouth.
pulled his ears, poked his ribs and lift
ed his feet, and one man finally OBJ
served
He's at least fifteen years old. and
L wouldn't give S. for him.
IL you don't know more than that.
you'd better keep out of the horsesp'
sneered the village blacksmith. who
was loafing when he ought to have
been at work.
'Mebbe you know his age?"
L dc. He isn't a day over seven"
Say! He's got six ringbones in
plain sightr' exclaimed the carpenter.
'Ringbones be hangedr' put in the
cooper 'The horse has got poll evil
Every one of the twelve men had an
opinion to express, and having express
sed it ne was determined to stick to it.
About half the crowd insisted that the
equine was the victim of a half dozen
different diseases and ailments, while
TIC cIhcI Hall put lOTJH indignant
denials. After a few minutes of this,
the cooper called the blacksmith a liar,
and was hit on the chin, and that
started the row. Everybody went in
to lick everybody else, and the mob
surged back and forth, and up and
down, and used fists and feet and
clubs and cobblestcnes. At the end
of quarter Of an hour there was a
cessation of hostilities, and men limped
away to wash off the blood and repair
damages. Just one man was left to
"hold the fort and as he got his breath
he defantly exclaimed
81 say that boss has got ringbonas,
spavins and poll evil combined and
any man who disputes me is a Iiarr'
What boss are you talking about?"
asked a man who had taken no part
in the row.
why, that boss over"
But there was no horse over there.
During the row the stranger bad re-
turned, mounted him and ridden
away.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-04

are guiltless Of rugs or carpets, and
the tables are CT plain white wood.
Tolstoi's dress in the country is
always the same. 1t consists Of heavy
of coarse homespun linen, white
cotton undershirt without collar Or
necktie, an old SLOUGH hat, a coarse
gray blouse, or tunic, belted around
the waist with a thick leather strap.
His own room contains an iron bed,
a washstand and q table. Here he
wrote Anna Karenina, The Death of
Ivan Hitch, Katia, The Cossacks,
Peace and War, The Kreutzer Sonata,
Childhood, My Religion and the other
works which will make his fame as
enduring as the world.
In this house his wife and five chill
dren and several devoted followers
live, eight or nine months in the year.
All Of these follow in the footsteps Of
the father and leader The children,
even the young ladies, work in the
fields alongside the rough and kindly
peasant women. Wherever help is
needed, they go and give it, no matter
how arduous the labor may be.
The peasant folk regard Count Toll
stoi as one of themselves, not as a
great and powerful landowner. They
shake hands with him and talk over
their little domestic cares with the
certainty of receiving kindly interest
and advice. If their shoes need mend
| ing they leave them at his house,
| knowing that he will sit up half the
night to put new soIes and new heels
on them. If the widow, living in the
| nearby cottage, is unable to attend tC
! her fields, she sends word to the count
and he goes there and labors until the
work is done. If three or four send
at the same time, the children and the
followers divide the work between
them.
Time after time the unfortunates il
the Siberian mines have sent mos
narrowing proofs of their awful suf
ferings and misery to him, in thu
hope that they would cause him t
drop his doctrine of non-resistance anC
lead a revolt with his powerful in
f1uence and strong personality. Thei
sufferings bring tears to his eyes, bT
he has never abandoned his doctrine
He says: 1.-The whole history of tn
world is a history of violence, and yo1
can. of course, cite violence in supper
of violence; but do you not see tina
there is in human society an endles
variety of opinions as to what consti
tutes wrong and oppression, and tina
if you once concede the right Of an
man to resort to violence to resist wha
he regards as wrong, he being tn
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-04
DATES OF CONVENTIONS.
Meetings of County Superintendent of
Schools for Current Year.

Supt. J. @. Emery Friday sent cop
county school superintendent in Wis
consin:
ITO County Superintendent of
Schools-Pursuant to chapter IS, Of
the laws of 1885, conventions Of coun-
ty superintendent of schools are here
by designated for the current school
year as follows: February 2 and 3, at
Madison, capitol; February 4 and 5, at
Stevens Point, normal school; February
% and "A, at Oshkosh, normal school;
February 25 and 26, at Menomonle,
Stout manual training school. County
superintendent are required by law
to attend one convention. Each SUI
perintendent should be present prompt
ly at 9 o'clock on the day designated
for the convention to open and should
remain the entire time until the close.
The state superintendent will certify
the facts as to attendance. Any Of
the legal duties of county superintend-
ents may be made the subject of dis
cussiOn at these conventions. County
superintendent should come prepared
to present their views upon the yari-
Gus topics that may be considered and
discussed, or to lead in the discussion.
Please bring your school codes. The
following topics are specially men
toned: Examination and certifcation
of teachers, school inspection, teachers
institutes, township school libraries,
miscellaneous topics. Respectfully
yours, J. @. Emery,
Estate Supt."
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-04
DUTCH MASTERS OF THE SEA.

Plucky little Holland is about TO
undertake the reclamation of 1877
square miles of land now lying under
the Zuyder Zee. A dixie is to be built
from a point near Helder, north of
Amsterdam, to the island of Wier-
ingen. From the east end of this is
land, which is ten miles long, the dixie
will extend eastward to the mainland,
connecting at point just south of
Workum. The basin thus created will
be drained by colossal windmills.
which will raise the water into a net
work of canals covering the reclaimed
area. Top soil and fertilizers are 20
be brought from the Dutch colonies,
and where the sea now flows there will
be gardens and farms, dotted with vii
lagos and towns and the wealth-creat-
ing canals. The engineering details of
this tremendous feat have all been
wrought out, and with the expenditure
of s5O,0OO,O 900 it is believed Holland
will add 100000, 900 to her national
wealth.
During the last 500 years the Dutch
have increased the area of their king
dom from 800 square miles to nearly
$4,000 square miles, or more than
twenty times the original area. This
has been accomplished by the patien'
building of bikes until as a nation
Holland has become the recognized
master of the sea. Earth has been
compelled to yield her most fruitf
treasures in large areas where for
merly there was no earth Unlike the
English king, who commanded the sea
to stand back and then fed before its
power, the Dutch have made old ocean
do their bidding through the centuries,
and have reared like coral builders one
OF the garden spots of the world out
of a dreary waste of waters. They are
now preparing to cut off another slice
from the ocean bed that will in future
years support million or two Of the
most frugal, Industrious and moral
people on the face of the earth
Hollands triumphs over the restless
and aggressive sea will furnish an OBJ
ject lesson to future generations when
the growth of the worlds population
renders the reclamation of sunken
land areas imperative. Even in the
new world, where there is still an
abundance of unused territory, the
time may come when the constantly
shifting coast lines on the seab~
and along the borders of the great
lakes will need to be regulated. Hol-
land has already taught the world the
usefulness of tame submission to the
destructive forces of storm and tide,
which unchecked are a constant men
ace to national wealth. The lesson
may be proftably studied by those
economists who see in the constant
diminution of available land areas for
the uses of the poor a. threatening dan
ger to the stability of free institutions.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-04

Tolstoi's life has been equally divid-
ed between condemning the govern
ment and preaching the futility of vio-
lence to reformers of a more active
kind. He believes in combining re-
sistance to the evils under which the
people of Russia live, to PERSUASION
protest and argument. In the end, he
hopes these will win.
Tolstoi will be SO years cid on Aug.
% next, and today he is as hale and
strong as man of fifty. He has a
home in Moscow, but the greater part
of mis- time is spent on his estate, Vas
maya Polyana, fifteen miles from the
city of Tula. 1t was on this estate
that he was born, and it is here that
the picturesque side of this forceful
personality is most clearly brought
out. Here he labors with the peasants
in the fields in the day, and then does
shoemaking at night.
The estate of Yasnaya PoIyana is
worth 900, 1000 rubles, but he lives like
a man who does not own six rubles.
No fine palace adorns his estate. In
stead, hidden among the woods, is
terribly plain two-Etory brick house,
with not sign Of ornamentation On
the facade. The main entrance is
considerably to one side of the center,
giving the house a one-sided look.
This main entrance does not deserve
such dignified title. Strangers in
making their FIRST visit to Tc1Stoi in
variably take it for the kitchen door
and go around to the back of the
house, only to find a still less preten-
tious entrance place.
The interior Of the house is con-
sistent with the exterior, Plainness
almost to point of discomfort
marks every room. Chairs are few
and they are of the simplest. There
are some pictures, but these are sim
ply portraits of men whom the great
reformer admires. Many of the floors
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-04

an don't be too bad. De too good man
am puddin' fur de dull world to eat
at, while de too bad man has to put
out all Of his money to de lawyers to
keep him outer prison. Jest find out
de betwix and between-de pint whar
We kin make about twenty per cent
profit on all 70 do fur mankind an yit
be so we'll thought of dat yo' will be
prominent at county conyenshun an
de postmaster won't ak fur any refer
ence when yo' go to rent a box Let
us now break de meetin' in two an go
home"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-04
WITH A SPOILED CHIEFTAIN,
Europeans Encounter With a Petty
African Potentate.

Kasembi is an important creature in
his own estimation. A man cooks for
him. The men who carry water for
him are armed. If anyone careens
against them and spills the water the
offender is killed. Kasembi never
walks; he is carried. 50 If one of his
villagers kills an elephant the tusks
are brought to him. He picks out the
finer of the two and gives the other to
the slayer. Any dead ivory found is
brought to him. He takes all and
gives the finder a little cloth. In con-
versation he repeatedly remarks, Mi
mi Kasembi' (''I am Kasembi") My
man Frogalah told him that the woman
chief of the Watshiwa, of his name,
had larger village than this one here,
which was fib, but it made this proud
creature very unhappy. He has been
spoiled by the whites giving him big
presents.
Before arriving yesterday 1 sent on
ahead splendid present of cloth, with
silk fringe and gilded braid My two
men had first to show it to one of his
urderlings. He in turn took it to two
other interiors. These three discussed
it, dilating upon the smallress of the
gift. Eventually, however, they cam
veyed it to the royal presence, and
after a while my two messengers were
admitted. Kasembi Immediately began
to comment upon the gift Was he
boy, to receive one present only? Did
not the mZungy (white NAM know
how big a chief Kasembi was? My
men assured him I did, and that [ had
sent this cloth in advance, and the
actual present would be forthcoming.
This satisfied him to an extent He
sent one Of his favorite satellites to
show me camping place quarter of
a mile from his stockades-a clear,
sandy place, away from dry wood and
water, and no possible shade My
tent was hardly pitched before Kasem-
bis head man appeared, demanding
the present had promised. The chief
was awaiting it. I sent word that I
promised to give the chief a present ac-
cording to my means; I should suit my
self with regard to the time Of giving.
They were rather taken aback at this.
Kasembi's wishes appear to be attend
ed to without delay.
During the afternoon Kasembf sent
me goat and two baskets of -four
about twenty-five pounds. In the even
ing l sent him down one Kanzu Arab
brown holland shirt, one silk and
cotton cloth for turban, eight yards
Of wide handkerchief, four yards of
American, eight yards Of Kanfckf
about half pound of beads and twenty
assorted fishhooks. He was good en-
ough to accept these things, but i'm
pressed upon my men the necessity Of
bringing another present when I was
permitted to see him. He is too large
an insect altogether been spoiled.
A letter was left in his care for ne
yesterday. I applied for it, but he re-
fused to give it up until we had met.
and yesterday he would not see me.
It was his sacred day, he said. I sent
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-04
NEXT GREAT FIGHT.
New Conditions Under Which
Will be Fought.

The next great fight will be fought
under conditions impossible but for
the discovery of smokeless powder.
Fleet commanders will be enabled to
maneuver in sight of one another, ex-
ecute dangerous tactical movements
and be kept at all times under perfect
cantrol by the admiral commanding,
through the system of flag signals.
The advent of smokeless powder,
therefore, promises to revoIutionize
the evolutions of modern war ships in
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-04
MYLREA LOSES A POINT.
National Manufacturing Company
Scores Against Him.

Oshkosh, Wis, Jan. 31.-The attempt
on the part of Attorney General Mylrea
to dissolve the sash and door combina-
ton, the issue being whether or not
the National Manufacturing company
is trust, has failed. In the circuit
court Saturday the injunctional order
prayed for by the attorney general on
behalf Of the state, was denied. The
temporary injunction granted
some months ago was left in force.
This injunction prohibits the declaring
by the defendant company Of any for
FIXTURES against members for violation
of the rules as to terms and prices.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-04
DAKOTA STATESMAN DIES.

Bismarck, n. D., Jan. 31.-James C.
Gill, secretary Of state, and former
speaker OF the house, died suddenly Of
heart failure Saturday evening.