davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-12-12
ALASkA'S BIG BEARS.
The Largest Flesh Eating Animals in
the World

Very few persons really know that
the largest flesh eating animals in
the world are found in America. Peo-
pie generally believe that the African
lion is the king of beasts, but he is
not nearly as large or as powerful
an animal as the large brown bear
of subarctic America
The bears are not as ferocious or
combative as the lions, nor are they
nearly as vicious as they are given
credit for being; but the largest Of
them are much larger and more pow
erful than any of the lions. 1t is
safe to say that the largest of the
brown bears of the North would
weigh three times as much as the
largest specimen of lion, and is be-
yond all question greatly superior in
strength.
If brought together in combat, the
bear would at first appear very clum
sy, says Scribner's Magazine. 1t
would not be capable of the quick
rush or the catlike spring of the lion.
main entirely on the defensive, meet
ing its adversary with blows of such
rapidity and terrific force as at once
to illustrate its superiority not only
in strength but in action. I do not
believe that there is an animal in the
world that can act more quickly or
effectively or can aim its blows with
greater certainty than the bear.
The large brown bears of the Alas
ka peninsula, south of Boring Sea,
are among the largest bears of the
world, and it is evident that there is
no part of the world outside of Amer
lea, in which such large flesh eating
animals are found The bears are
flesh eaters, or carnivorous, yet there
are none of them that depend upon
fish for food. and with most of them
flesh comprises but a very small per
centage of their food
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-12-12
Twas in later Time.

The late Senator Plat of Connecticut
enjoyed funny stories and could tell a
good many himself. Notwithstanding
his long public life, he always remem-
bered yarn that he carried from his
school days
One year when the district schools
opened In his town one Of the teachers
in making a record of the ages of her
pupils, as required by law, found that
one little girl, who came from {. family
not noted for being especially bright,
was unable to say when her birthday
came.
So in order to complete her records
the teacher walked two miles to see the
girls mother one afternoon after
school. Asked If she could remember
just when her daughter was born, the
woman thought for some little time
and then, with sort Of puzzled look,
said
well, the gal was born in later time,
that's sure, but l can't member wheth-
er they was a-plantin' on EN- or a-dig-
gin on 'em."-Boston Herald.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-12-12
SUGAR in Mortar.

Experiments have recently been
made to prove that sugar is a val
liable ingredient in mortar and ce-
ment having strong binding quail
ties. Equal quantities of finely pow
dered lime of a very common kind
were mixed with an equal quantity OF
good brown sugar, with the addition
of water, and the result was a cement
Of exceptional strength. This has
been tried at Peterborough Cathedral.
two large pieces of stone of the brok-
en- tracery of a window having been
Joined firmly together by sugared NOR
tar. The severest test is joining
glass. which gives no hold to mortar
without the use of sand; yet this
has been successfully done. The fact
appears to be certain that sugar pro-
duces an extraordinary effect on lime
when the latter has been allowed TO
fell into a fine powder and has been
thoroughly Stacked. Particles of un-
Stacked lime would destroy the re-
suit. because Of their expansion,
which would make the mortar life.
The sugar mortar thus made viii be
found to be as good as Portland ce-
msnt. and the only question, there
fore. is one of cost. It is even prob
able that Portland cement itself
would be made much stronger by the
edition Of sugar. Treacle might
have the same efect.-Detroit News
Tribune.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-12-12
A Spurgeon Ruse.

Sturgeon, the famous English divine,
once passed a stone mason who, after
each stroke Of his hammer, cursed and
swore Mr.. Sturgeon laid his hand
on his shoulder and, looking kindly at
him, said: You are an adept at swear
ing Can you also pray?"
With another oath ne replied, Not
very likely"
Holding up shillings, Mr.. Spurgeon
said If he would promise never to pray
he would give him that.
''That is easily earned" said the
man, with a fresh oath, and put it u
his pocket When Sturgeon left t.o
man began to feel little queer. When
he went home his wife asked him what
allied him, and he told her. 1T is Jul
das' money" said the man, and on a
sudden impulse he threw 1t into the
fire. The wife found 1t and took 1t out
and discovered who had given It to
him. The man took it back to Spur
geon. who conYersed long with him,
warning him, and at length was the
means of saving him. He became an
attached member Of his flock.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-12-12
d down his nose. You amt mad, are

ed down his nose. You amt mad, are
your he says.
NO says Sam, a-spittin' on his
hands. I hain't mad a mite, but I'm
jest goin' to waller you around a spell
to teach you to mind your own affairs
an to quit tattlin' On gals An with
that he lit in an done it,
Did he marry the gal afterward ~
inquired Baker.
"Co'se he did" replied Hancock.
why wouldn't hep"
You said he had a heap o. sense"
urged the storekeeper.
Not regardin' them matters" said
Hancock. mo man has. But there
wasn't no more wrong about that gal
than there is about any gal, an I reck-
on they got erlong about as we'll as
most, her an Sam-mebbe better
Chicago Daily News.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-12-12
HIS OWN ICEMAN.
Highly Scientific Ice Manufacture OF
Milwaukee Grocer.

Determined that he would not be
alleged ice trust, a Milwaukee grocer
and market man has discovered a
method of making his own ice at i'm
material cost He has no costly ice
machine, no lake, not even a pond in
his back yard. yet he is piling away
day by day fine transparent blocks
which shall be brought forth when
next summers sun grows hot.
Peter Hansen, at Sixth and Cen
ire streets, has no patent on his meth
cd and he invites all who will to visit
him and learn how to outwit the
ice dealers. He declares that he will
henceforth save several hundred dol
lars summer.
Mr.. Hansen has been making his
own ice only a week. He has not
invested in any expensive ice-making
machine but has depended upon the
weather to do the work. His only
machinery consists of six galvan-
lied iron tanks about two feet square
and from Il to Is inches deep.
While Mr.. Hansen has only started
the experiment, he has met with
enough success to warrant him in
making plans for a more expensive
equipment next winter and to hire
a man to assist in making the supply
of ice. He estimates that a sum
mer's supply can be put up for not
more than S25. In former years, he
says, he was compelled to spend at
least $3.50 in filing the refrigerator in
his meat market during the year.
Those who hay never tried to make
ice that IS more than we or six in
ches thick should - imagine that
all Mr. Hansen has to do is TO pour
the water into the receptacles and
let the weather do the rest To
freeze II solid Mr.. Hansen has found
that it is necessary TO have the tanks
about half full OF water. This is al
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-12-12

Secretary Hurry, of the Indiana
State Board of Health, has started a
movement to establish goat farms in
Indiana, to save the lives of the States
babies. His idea is that goats milk
will reduce, to a great extent, the NOR
tally of infants, and he wants to give
Indiana babies all the chances pos
sible. 1t is claimed that goats milk is
much healthier for the infant than the
milk from the COW, the two principal
reasons being that goats milk is more
nearly the composition of the human
milk and that. as goats do not have
tuberculosis. the milk is never infected
with tubercular germs. Those favoring
goats milk are also largely response
bic for the crusade against feeding in
fants what is termed as dead milk
milk that is not fed until several hours
after it comes from the COW; while
goats milk is always fresh because it
is MIXED in front of the patrons house
each morning.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-12-12
Crab Has 100000 Joints,

The crab known as the scale-tailed
apus was believed to have become ex-
tinct in Great Britain 80 years ago.
the last recorded specimens being taken
in the ponds on Hampstead Heath. But
now it has turned up again in some
numbers in two ponds on Preston
Merse, near Southwick, in kirkcud-
bridgeshire. About two and a half
inches long, the apus bears very strik-
ing likeness to that remarkable crea-
ture, the king crab, and this because
the fore part of the body is covered by
a great semi-circular shield, or cara
pace, while, as in the king crab. it
swims on its back. In the great num-
Der Of its legs the scale tailed apus has
few rivals, while in the number of the
joints which these share between them
no other creature can compare. The
naturalist Schaffer once essayed the
task Of counting them and made the
magnificent total of 1902, 6O4 Latrelle
put down the number at a round 2,OOO,-
0O0.-London Daily Graphic.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-12-12

say it l don't want for you to git mad
an prance around on your ear
"'Certainly not says Sam. IF
you've got anythin' on your mind you
say it.
Its about Berthy,' says Ben.
81 hain't goin' to git mad says
Sam. What about Berthy?
ITS this away says B,n. 4
wouldn't say nothin' at all if l thought
you'd had the chance to know for your
self jest what kind of "a gal she wus.
But you hain't, an l have. l hired
out to her paw all through one harvest
an l know what I'm talkin' about
That gals mighty shif-less, Sam-jest
shif'less
"'Is that sou says Sam.
al wouldn't tell you if it wusnt So
says Ben. AN l wouldn't say nothin'
against her neither if you wusn't a
friend O. mine. She'll shirk off an
leave her nanny to do the work if she
kin, an if she can't she'll Jest about
ha'f do it.
IhatS too bad, says Sam, loOk1n'
thoughtful.
1.-The meals she cooks 'ud sicken
YOU says Ben. Harvest time a Teller
hain't partickler, but they sickened me.
An when she's around the house she
amt slicked up the way she is when
she goes to a church soshubble, tell
you that
"'Shov says Sam.
eyes, stree, an her temper hafn't
none O. the best. 1 seen her belt her
young brother one day an knock him
endways. If you take my advice, Sam,
you'll dror Off
Sam studied moment an then he
got up an shucked his coat Ben look
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-12-12

A farmer says his hens are badly
troubled with scaly leg, and wonders
what causes the disease and how to
cure it. The trouble is caused by a
small parasite which burrows into the
scales of the birds legs and causes
them to protrude.
The cure is not at all difficult Fill
an empty fruit can with coal oil and in
this keep the legs of the bird immersed
for a few minutes. Do this every day
or two. This treatment alone will
usually kill the parasites, but it is well
to supplement this by using lard or
fried meat grease as an ointment for
the legs. rubbing it in well. When the
scales commence to peel off, grease the
legs with vaseline every day or two for
about a week.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-12-12
TILE PARADOX.

There grows a weed so gossips tell,
To wound the hand that lightly plucks /;
Bat bind it with a proper spell,
And poison from the vein it sucks.
Twas Cupid's self that threw the dart,
Gave me the simple for my smart.
When storms are high, so seamen tell,
And pillows crumple all the main,
But dive beneath the angry swell,
And thou wilt find it calm again.
Since, Love, thou art troubled sea,
My only refuge is in thee.
A chapman, Holy Writ doth tell,
Found treasure in the earth concealed
But all he had he needs must sell
Ere he might have the precious field
Since thou has cost me all I own
o Love, what riches have l known
Century.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-12-12
owl Forecasts Weather.

Hancock, just over the Lebanon
Mountains. west Of Pittsfeld, on the
New York State boundary, depends
upon a boot owl for it's weather re-
ports. Every night the villagers listen
for the owl, which roosts in the forests
Of John Taylor's farm. If the owl gives
SEXES of long, mournful boots, rain
is expected the next day; if sharp and
clear are the boots, the weather will be
clear. The OWLS forecast has never
failed yet.
The owl is called Big Ben. Its mate
was shot 10 years ago and now adorns
the show window of Frank Hadwell's
store. Robert j. Gillespie of New York,
touring through Hancock the other
night, listened to the owl for nalf an
hour. He says all Washington weather
forecasts have been thrust aside In
Hancock Pittsfeld (MasS) Cor. New
ysRk Herald.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-12-12
Retaliation.

A man who was a guest at one of
the summer resorts in West Virginia
tells of a wedding ceremony he wit
messed in the town near by.
The minister was young and easily
embarrassed. 1t was the first wedding
he had ever undertaken. The prospec-
tive bride and groom were both young
er and still more easily embarrassed
than he.
When the minister had finished the
service and muttered a few kindly but
hating words to the young couple he
had just united, the bride looked at
him, blushing, but confident.
THANK yer" she said clearly. Its
shore kind o yer to congratulate us.
an as long as you haven't ever been
married yit maybe we'll have chance
some day to retaliate. Harper
Weekly.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-12-12
OLD COINS NEW TO HER.
Cashier Refused to Take 2-Cenf Pies

Cashier Refused to Take 2-Cent Piece
and Three eagle" Cents.
How little is known by the general
public of the United States coins which
are not now current was shown ths
other day in an uptown restaurant,
says the New York Times, when coin
collector in a spirit of fun handed to
the cashier in place Of a nickel one. old
fashioned bronze two-cent piece and
three small copper-nickel flying eagle
cents.
The cashier, a young woman Of
about 20, looked disdainfully at the IN
familiar coins. and then refused to &C.
cept them, saying she had never seen
any such money as that before; that
she didn't believe they were good, +"
and didn't propose to accept them.
The patron protested that the coins
were genuine, and pointed to the in
scription United States of America
as a verification. But the young wom-
an remained unconvinced, and summon
ed the manager. He, too, was dubious
about the authenticity of the pieces,
looked them over carefully, and said
he had never seen anything like them
before. He finally told the cashier to
take them anyhow, and he would re-
lieve her of all responsibility in case
they turned out to be spurious
The last two-cent piece was issued
by the United States mint in 1873,
while the flying eagle cents we're struck
only in 1856, 1857 and 1853 Nearly
100000 eagle cents and more than
100000 two-cent pieces were coined.
To collectors it is odd that in a pc
Rod of fifty years this vast number
o. coins should have disappeared to
such an extent that the present genera
ton never heard of them.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-12-12
AROUND THE WORLD PosTALs.
They Cost Only Cent and Are the
Latest Fad of the Souvenir
Hunter.

The around the world postal card
is the latest thing in the souvenir
postal card fad, and although it is a
joy to the recipient, the postal clerks
call it only another pest, for its face
is so covered with addresses that it
takes valuable minute to figure out
what it means.
1t is sent out in the first place by
the person who is to be it's final re-
cipient, and it travels widely before
it comes back. An ordinary plain
postal card is used. Across the back,
running the short way of the card,
the directions are written
They simply request the person
whose name appears at the top of
the card to send it along to the sec
ond name and SO on, in a sort of
chain letter style. In addition each
recipient puts the date when she re-
ceived the postal opposite her name
on the back Of the card.
AS the card travels along it's face
is covered with lines where one ad-
dress has been crossed off and new
one written on, and it is also covered
with cancelling marks and stamps,
for this card must go all the way
around the world to be success.
When the original sender receives
it back it is worn with travel. One
that started from Scotland went first
to Montreal, then to Worcester, Mass,
next to Buenos Ayres, and before it
reaches Scotland again it will travel
to Melbourne, Australia; Rangoon,
Burmah; Kirakully, South India;
Cape Town, South Africa.
If the girl who longs for an around
the world postal card has no friends
or relatives in places to which she
wishes it to travel, she addresses it
to her country's Consul at that place
or to some missionary stationed
there.-New York Sun.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-12-12
lowed to stand until it freezes, when
more water is added


more water is added.
To stock large supply Mr.. Han
sen is preparing TO buy about thirty
tanks He will then keep them in
place where the water can be Sc
cured conveniently and turned d.
rectly from the pipes into the tubs.
The cakes which have been frozen
during the last cold spell average
$50 pounds in weight. The ice is as
clear as crystal, and Mr.. Hansen de-
clares that it is just as cold as any
that he ever bought. To remove them
from the iron tanks, all he has to do
is to pour hot water on the bottom
and the chunks fall out
Il had the iron tanks made to or
DER said Mr.. Hansen, in speaking
of his new venture "The first was
too large, but seeing where the trouble
was l had the next six made smaller.
l have made ali of my own ice this
winter and l am thinking of storing
enough to last me through the
spring, if not part of the summer.
Next fall, 1 hope to buy at least
thirty tubs, and I will put up enough
during the winter to last me all sum-
mer. will employ boy to look after
the work. If the weather is cold he
can make several thousand pounds
day At this rate, you see how
much we can put up in a week of zero
weather.
Il did not want any one to hear of
my scheme, for 1 feared l would be
boycotted by the ice trust when 1 call
next summer for my supply. No,
don't intend to apply for any patents
on the tubs. Everybody may be
his own iceman and any one may
learn how to do the business by TAX
ing a peek at my backyard. Mil,
waukee Sentinel.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-12-12
Beyond Doubt.

When key entered the shop with a
limp. detected air, carrying a pair Of
checked trousers over his arm, Mr..
solomon looked at him with displeas-
ure.
''Ikey, why do you pring dose pants
backr, he inquired, severely.
"He would not to keep Them" said
key, sorrowfully. "He said they were
not Of any wool pants"
"He did, cried Mr.. Solomon, IN
dignantIy. ''Here, key, see oose mot
holes in dis right leg, my son? Take
dose pants right away back and show
him dose mot kelesl'
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-12-12

Some garden crops make enormous
returns. and if one is 50 situated as to
be able to market the stuff, it il apt
to be the most profitable line of crop
growing. About celery growing Tex
as mes says:
''F-cm one crop Of celery on enc
acre CT ground. sets four inches in the
drill, and rows three feet apart, or S.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-12-12
Apple Scab.

Apple Scab.
An ever present and very generally
neglected pest of the orchard is the fun
gous disease, apple scab, or 'black
spot" as it is sometimes called. The
disease, says Maine bulletin, has been
so frequently described as to be per-
fectly familiar. Spraying is effective
in securing a crop OF fruit relatively
free from this disease, even in those
seasons when the scab is most preva-
lent.
For several years the conditions have
been such that the fruit has been rel
atiyely free from scab, and as q re-
suit many growers who took I'D the
practice of spraying some years ago
have gradually ceased to spray. 1t
should be said, however, that this neg
lect is wholly comparable to the neg
lect which permits the lapse of fire
insurance policy. 1t might be unnec-
essary to spray to secure a crop of fair
fruit one year, or even two or three
favorable season doas come, if spray
ing has been neglected, there is fire.
quently a needless loss of several hun
dred barrels of fruit in orchards of
average size.
The fact has been clearly demonstrate
ed that, in bad season, there was a
difference Of 80 per cent in the amount
of perfect fruit upon sprayed and I'M
sprayed trees, the best results being
obtained from the use of Bordeaux mix
ture. In other words, trees not spray
ed gave on three successive years i.
o and 3S.2 per cent of the fruit free
from scab, while the same years an
equal number Of trees sprayed with
eau celeste "copper" sulphate carbo-
nate of soda and ammonia) gave 5S.8.
3O1 and 72.S per cent. respectively.
The third year Bordeaux mixture
was used and gave still better results
100 per cent of the fruit being free
from scab.
From these and similar results OBJ
tanned all over the country it is evil
dent that spraying has ceased to be an
experiment as means of controlling
certain orchard diseases. The results
above cited have been repeatedly con-
irmed both at this station and else
where. Reference is made to the sub
iect at this time only to emphasize the
Importance of using precautionary
measures. Even though there be no
crop Of fruit. the increased vigor Of
the trees az a result of clean, healthy
foliage. viii far more than repay thu
cost of spraying. This spraying with
Bordeaux mixture should be done first
before the buds burst. and again inn
nedfately after the blossoms fall, If
but two treatments are to be given. If
the season is very wet, however, at
least four treatments at intervals Of
two or three weeks are fcnpd ~ be adj
vantageous
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-12-12

Mr.. W. P. Thurston, q successful
hog grower and feeder, says that salt
and wood ashes should be given to
hogs frequently in order to keep them
in good healthy condition.