davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-02

"Oh, yes, of course you'd say 80.
expected it. How much do you charge
for the book?'
Three dollars and half"
"Three dollars and half,' repeated
the woman. You seem to think people
are made of money"
Il don't fix the price, madam" said
Walter, rather provoked; "the publishers
do that"
Il warrant they make two-thirds profit
Don't they. now:''
II don't know said Walter Il don
know anything about the cost of publish
ing books But this is large one. and
there are great many pictures in 1t.
They must have cost considerable"
Seems to me it's ridiculous to ask
such price for book. Why. it's enough
to buy a nice dress pattern. -
THE book will last longer than the
Dress said Walter.
But it is not so necessary. I'll tell
you what I'll do. I'd like the book well
enough to put on my parlor table. III
give you two dollars for it."
Two dollars" calculated Water.
scarcely crediting the testimony OF his
ears.
Yes, two dollars: and l warrant you'll
make money enough, them
Il should lose money" said Walter. Il
couldn't think of accepting such an offer
In my opinion there isn't any book
worth even two dollars"
Il see we can't trade" said Waiter,
disguised at such meanness in a lady who
occupied so large house. and might be
supposed to have plenty of money.
Ito be continued
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-02

two she had her attorneys bring suit
against him in the Ontario courts. She
made him pay, too. and stuck him for
the costs of the action, though she was
obliged to fee her own lawyers. The
total expenses Of this 16-cent lawsuit
were said to be exactly $612, most of
which fell upon the economical son-in-
law.
The most expensive lawsuit in the
world Is said to have been that over
the will Of Antonio Traverse, a mer-
chant who lived at Milan. He left a
fortune of $3.OOO.OOO. and there were
large number Of heirs with conflict
ing interests. The case was in the diff
ferent courts Of Italy for years, and
the 1O5 lawyers engaged in 1t ran up
costs aggregating more than S2,0OO,OOO
The estate lost in value, too, during the
contest, so that the winning heirs found
themselves with a small sum to their
share when the final decision was rem
dered
One Of the most persistent complain
anus VI IcNOiu was dSeu
lawyer who once tried to ride in an
Antwerp street car or 'tramway" on
ticket which he maintained was good,
but which the company refused to
honor. He brought suit against them
next day and the court decided against
him. He paid his costs. only trifle,
and the next time he got on the car he
offered the same ticket 1t was refused,
and again he hailed the company into
court.
As he was his own lawyer and the
ticket was his witness, it was not an
expensive course of litigation for him,
but it cost the company something. As
often as he would be thrown out of
court he would offer the ticket again
and establish grounds for a new case.
At last the tramway company saw a
great light They accepted the ticket
one day and let the LAWYER ride
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-02
THE FIREPLACE.
One Thing that Helps Most to Make
n Home HOmely.

n Home HomeIy.
This | say: Go back and pick up
lost good habits-the omitted amenities
of life. Especially put back into your
house the fireplace. 1t is the one thing
that helps most to make a home home
ly. Build it big and broad. Let there
be no gimcracks of fancy woodwork
anywhere near it. Let it be only brick
or stone. Then let the hearth be broad
and wide Make it so large every way
ping coal Away with mats, for they
are combustible, But a stool-that is
another thing. Here you can forget
the stocks and the office and the store.
Here you can dream of rest and peace.
Here it is possible that some of you
have Tom and Harry and Bessie about
your knees There is no better way to
reconstitute the family. 1t is the chief
want of these modern days.
The world is never quite so independ-
cent or we quite so care free without
fire. There are vastneSS and lack of
outline TO a summer day. We get our
feelings mixed up with the cosmos The
fireplace narrows our lives somewhat,
but it completes and unifies things We
are happy TO be just part of the little
warm home circle Did anybody ever
commit suicide who had fireplace?-
f. ?. Powell, in Outing Magazine.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-02

$STRONG AND STEADY
BY

'You are mistaken in the person." he
said.
NO. I am not / advise you to re-
store the money forthwith
Without a word the thief. finding him
self cornered. took from his pocket roll
OF bills. which he handed to Walter
is that right" asked the conductor
Yes" said our hero. after counting
his money.
so far, so good. And now, Slippery
Dick" he continued, turning to the thief
Il advise you to leave the cars at the next
station or | will have you arrested. Take
your choice"
The detected rogue was not long in
making his choice. Already the cars had
slackened their speed, and a short dis
lance ahead appeared small station. The
place seemed to be of very little impor-
lance. One man, however, appeared TO
have business there. Walter saw HIS
quondam acquaintance jump on the plat
form, and congratulated himself that his
only loss was a pocketOook whose value
did not exceed one dollar.
The conductor on seeing the pocketbook
thrown away had thought nothing of =.
supposing it to be an old one, but as soon
as he heard of the robbery suspected at
once the thief and his motive.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-02
CHAPTER Xv.-fcontinued.)

~
The boy, who had made sure Of sale.
took back the fruit reluctantly. and pass
ed on. crying out Here's your oranges
and apples ~
Walter set about thinking what had
become of his money. The more he
thought. the more certain he felt that he
had put his pojcketbook in the pocket in
which he had first felt for it. Why was
it not there now? That was a question
which he felt utterly incompetent to an-
swer
Have you lost anything" inquired a
gentleman who sat just behind Walter.
Looking back. he found that it was a
gentleman of fifty who addressed him.
Yes. sir he said, Il have lost my
pocketbook."
Was there much money in 1t
About forty dollars, sir"
"Who was that young man who was
sitting with you few minutes since:
II don't know. sir"
HE was a stranger, them"
eyes, sir; never met him till this
morning"
Then l think l can tell you where
your money has gone
Where sir?' demanded Walter, be
ginning to understand him.
81 think your late companion was a
pickpocket. and relieved you of it, while
he pretended to be reading. l didn't like
his appearance much"
Il don't see how he could have done 1t
without my feeling his hand in my
pocket"
They understand their business and
can easily relieve one of his purse unde-
tected. | once had my watch stolen with
out being conscious of it. Your pocket
book was in the pocket toward the man,
and you were looking from the window.
1t was a very simple thing to relieve you
of it,
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-02
Canine Advertisers.

A merchant in State street took a
novel method Of advertising his wares
last week. Two show cases of the up
right variety stood in front of his
door, and on each was planted a dog
dressed in gaudy blankets and be-
decked with miniature plug hats.
Each held a stick in it's mouth, from
which were suspended in banner fash
ion placards setting forth the merits
Of the merchants goods. One of the
dogs was a splendid specimen of a
brindle bull; the other was an Irish
terrier, the saucy expression of whose
face was accumulated by the plug" hat
cooked rakishly over one ear. The two
eyed the crowd somewhat bashfully
and anon looked at each other as
though to say: TO what base uses
may we come at last?"
Judging from the expressions heard
in the crowd, which almost blocked the
thoroughfare, the dogs were more a
detriment to the storekeeper's trade
than an aid. They shIvered In the
keen air, despite the protecting blan-
kets, and looked so wistfully toward
the store door, as though begging to
be released from their exposed posi-
ton, that the people were more moved
to pity them and condemn the store
keeper than to purchase his goods
Chicago Inter Ocean.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-02
EVERYBODY LIKED HIM.

Al an auction In storage warehouse
the auctioneer had but just restored
harmony between two females, each OF
whom believed herself q be the pur-
chaser of two pigs in blue china
automobile, when a small voice piped
up, demanding to know when the kit
tens were to be put up for sale. The
auctioneer paid no attention, says q
writer in the New York Sun, because a
roll-top desk was In danger of going
for six dollars and a half. Again the
small voice arose, and as no one an
swered, it died down.
The roll-top desk finally brought
twelve dollars, and in the triumphant
moment that followed, the auctioneer
heard the small, persistent person say
ing:
please, aren't you going to put up
the kittens?"
''kittens?" said the auctioneer, won
dering II he had missed a lot
Here the small person was raised on
some ones shoulder. He proved to be
a black-eyed, curly-haired little chap.
Every one smiled and asked him what
kittens he meant. He was quite abashed
by so much attention, but managed to
lisp out:
1.-The men that drive the horses said
the kittens what lives in the box are
going to be sold, and 1 want one.'
AS a grimy fist containing four cents
was held out for the auctioneer's IL
spection, the small person grew so in
popular favor that the kittens were
sent for. and he was allowed to take
his choice. He trotted off. having
bought the only live stock of the morn
ing. but holding 1t so tightly round Its
fat little walst-lne that it stood small
chance Of being live stock long.
Men smiled tolerantly after the re-
treating little figure, and even the auc-
tioneer was moved to momentary ST.
lence, all Of which goes to show that
the simple, natural child is never real
ly out Of fashion.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-02


rations governed by small body OF directors whose
chief function is to select experts These directors have
to be capable of directing grand policies the
corporation.
We want in cities who have proved their
competence in their private business. The cOmmonest
objection is all in the word 'un- American. So many
good things nowadays un-American So many have
heard called that when first proposed have later proved
their worth and been adopted Undemocratic is another
such word.
Whatever policy VIII get the work of the people we'll
done ought to be democratic if it isn't Those
the very conditions of the life of democracy But
OF government will be good unless there be
behind it the voting population which desires good
eminent.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-02
TIL. Over-strict Librarian

Postmaster General Meyer, at din
ner in Washington, was advocating
postal banks.
These banks" he said, shave so
many good points and so few bad ones
that they who find fault with them
have to exaggerate and dwell on their
defects like an old librarian l used to
know. This librarian was very strict
and censOrious. Once, when l was a
boy, returned a volume OF Scott to
him. He, as usual, looked closely into
the books condition before marking 1t
off on my card.
Page &c. he said, glaring at me
over his spectacles, e hole Then ha
turned the leaf Page So he added,
another hGles
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-02

pieces masterpieces Therefore longer attempt
to read them But the time do not make prca-
tice i'll quest of enjoyment of dscardng every
that threatens prove tedious.
The main principle which Should undere the reading
of every is the esthetc intellectual bliss to be
derived from reading His persals should fall two
diyisionsthe disciplinary and the purely joyous
he is beginning to form his in imaginative liter
his disciplinary reading should consist
imaginative masterpieces AS time proceeds the mex
perenced student growing experienced will discover that
his joyous reading approximates and his
disciplinary reading He will that the verdict
Of the ages right, even though it did accord
with his early views. He will discover that the
why the classical writer's from Homer to whom you
please esteemed and immortal is primarily be-
they deep and correct. and restrained and
shapey but primarily because they give joy sheer JOY
to the largest number of cultivated readers
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-02

in his and they will accomplish final vic
tory for his aspirations.
The Teutonc nations in many respects it appears
the most successful peoples in the world because their
ethics of undaunted struggle to which they have
adhered since prehistoric times. 1t disgrace for
the Teutonic warrior to be slain diShonor
qushed; but it infamy than death TO be a
coward 1t disgrace TO gain victory by
The enemy relentlessly combated, maybe he
hated, yet it would have been a blot on ones es-
cutcheon to treat him with 1t was not I'M
among these barbarans for the victor to place
laurel wreath upon the grave of foe whom in life
he had combated with bitterest hatred
A wonderful harmony results from the conflict Of an
tagonstic principles All order proceeds from the an
tagonsm OF factors that in opposite directions
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-02
Cut Out the RObber COVE.

The establishing of test accommoda-
| tions in Wisconsin will enable the
| dairymen to eliminate the Improbable
cows from their herds and help them
| TO get better cows and make half the
number produce as much milk and but
| ter as the whole number Of the aver
! age cows on the farms Of Wisconsin
are now doing.
We must weed out the robber cows
and the only way TO do that Is through
| the use Of the milk scale and that sure
and unerring detective. the Babcoct
tester | doubt If there is more than
one farmer in twenty that knows the
amount of butter fat each COW in the
| herd is producing every year.
Every farmer should have milk
| scale hanging in the barn. and by the
| side of this milk sheet with names
| or numbers Of cows, enabling him 10
keep a daily record Of each animal
! 1t costs but very little more TO keep
| s COW that will produce 400 pounds Of
| fat per year than one producing 100
mounds. The most extravagant thing n
dairyman can do is to head his herd
with a scrub sire This is a step back
ward and becomes a continual slide as
| long as he continues such methods
| There can be no advancement or grad
| ing up without a pure bred prepotent
/ sire Improvement comes only through
| the superior quality of the male used
Experience in my work shows that
COWS kept at good profit to their
| owner are not allowed out of the barn
in winter more than one-half hour per
day in fine weather, and are kept in
warm. well lighted and well ventilated
stables.
They are watered In stable cold days
and fed food Of slIcculent nature.
such as ensilage or mangels, with all
the alfalfa or clover hay they Will con-
sumo without waste, and a balanced
| grain ration of not less than one pound
to every three pounds Of milk given
| Fl. C. Searles.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-02

represented in them and their selfrespect must s
by any degradation Of the Instruments of their self
government. And this is why chosen represent
alive rulers afford to forget whom they
of of Governors that ''the people
want governor rule them" the opposite of the
truth II could be reversed and be true. The people
should Governor. They make the laws and the
Institutions and they determine the who shall be
called Governor. And he rule nobody. He can
simply for the people in carrying out their ruershp
and enforcing under well-defned limitations their laws
He absolutely nothing that they have not given him.
Ard any assertion Of other authority usuration
and impertinence Even his discretion buoyed
unmistakable channel.
The citizen is supreme. Onehalf and one of the cti-
zens control it absolutely by the choice
of one of number execute their will And they
have said what number of the whole shall amend const
ttions or make All of the Governors and Judges
and Presidents and Cabinets combined cannot do it
The people, however humble and unlearned and OBJ
scre can do what persons by virtue of any office
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-02
LAWSUITS OVER TRIPLES.
Famous Cases that Cost Much More
than They Were Worth.

Famous Cases that Cost Much More
than They Were Worth.
Many men, level-headed enough about
other things, seem to lose their wits
entirely when they get tangled up in a
lawsuit. In n case recently concluded
in the German courts a Berlin bust
ness man paid out over $500 to recover
the value of a five-cent postage stamp,
and now everybody Is laughing at him
because he didn't even get the stamp
back 1t seems as if this claimant had
justice on his side. too; he had written
q polite letter asking for an address
and inc!osing postage for reply. Fail
Ing to set au answer, he sued for the
stamp.
The famous Missouri watermelon
case was just as trifing and even
more disastrous. The seed was planted
or one farm. but the vine crept through
a crack in the rail fence and the melon
grew on the other side. Both farmers
claimed 1t and instead of seeing the
joke they went to law. To add TO the
puzzle of ownership an additional COM
plication, the fence was on a county
line and question of the jurisdiction,
of course. was involved. The farmers
bankrupted themselves without decid-
ing the question of ownership. The
melon, worth about 10 cents in the first
place. had disappeared long before.
How the costs run up in these trivial
actions was shown In Canadian case.
By one of those queer marriage settle
ments sometimes made in England a
young man agreed to pay his wife's
mother 500 on the first day of every
year He settled n Canada. and when
he came to make the remittance he de-
Quoted the amount OF the money order
and sent her only $39.S4. The mother
in-law insisted that she must have the
other 16 cents. and after & month or
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-02
Instructixa Sfafistics


The government Crop Reporter for
| January contains some very interest
ing data In tables which show the av
| erage yields Of grain per acre in the
] United States during the forty year pc
Rod beginning In 1868 and ending with
the close Of 1907. During the first five
years of this period the average yield
of the leading cereals was as follows
! Corn. 27.6 bushels; wheat, 1913; oats.
29.2; barley, 23.S; rye, 1873. In the
| last five years of the period from 1903
to 1907 the yield of the same cereals
was Corn. 27.5; wheat. 1879; oats,
300 barley. 26.5; rye, 10 bushels re-
spcctively. There are some helpful de-
auctions and lessons that may be
drawn from the figures given. Among
them Is this-that a more exact and
scientific type of agriculture has not
during the period served to counteract
the loss in fertility of soils that to be
gin with were marvelously prodigai
and responsive. The figures given also
emphasize the fact that those who are
cISdSCu thc Soob NOih Iiuol 'oh-
tinue preaching the gospel of a better
type of agriculture which Will restore
TO the soil its lost estate of pristine
productlveness. Another fact that is
brought out is that there must be IL
scad of redhanded agricultural sinners
who are prosecuting wretchedly nm
profitable type Of agriculture 10 bring
the yields Of the cereals named down
to so low figure. Every farmer in
the country should consider it his per
sonal, religious and patriotic duty to
raise such crops as will put him on the
upside of these paltry averages-to be
litter up instead of puller down.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-02
Work I'm the Poultry Yard.

Ntglecting to cleanse the drinking
vessels invites disease.
Fall is the best time Of year To pur-
chase geese for next years breeding.
Send all surplus poultry ID market
as soon as the fowls are in proper con-
Gition.
Forgetting to provide grit causes i'll
digestion and after while Z turns TO
cholera.
Some people make the mistake of
selling all good birds and retaining the
poor ones.
Unless one understands the process
Of forcing. it is seldom wise to wait for
prices to go up
Gull out the MISUNDERSTANDING pull
lets, keeping only the best and most
promising for egg production.
Carelessness In the matter OF clean
illness about the roosting quarters is
very common cause Of disease. !.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-02
DINNER SERVED AT OPERA

""eeh sets Fashfon of Giving Box
Parties mt COvent Garden.
by having her dinner brought from
Buckingham Palace and served in the
rear of the royal box during the inter-
val between the first and second acts
OF the opera on Thursday night. the
Queen set fashion that society be-
ileves will not only become popular for
the charm Of the idea, but will also
solve the practical problem of minister
ing to the appetite at early perform
ances without missing parts of the
opera, says the London correspondent
OF the New York Times Owing to the
increasing demand for the rendition of
operas without cuts, the eating prob
lem has recently become very acute at
the long performances. The situation
becomes especially annoying when the
performance begins as early as 6 80.
as was the case with "Siegfried" in
English at Covent Garden on Thursday.
During the general scamper to neigh
boring refreshment bars and sa~dwich
depots between the first an, econd
acts four attendants carefully carried
into the rear Of the royal box a small
table, already set, and containing the
Queens favorite dishes. The food had
been prepared at the palace and kept
warm by means Of patent heat-retain-
ing devices.
Thus Queen Alexandra, with one or
two friends, was able to turn from the
stage tc dinner, which they had time
to enjoy heartily before the beginning
Of the next act. When the curtain
assembled the attendants disappeared
with the dinner table as silently as
they had appeared.
Many persons believe that box dinner
parties will be accepted as really
smart and sensible functions as Co
vent Garden in the future.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-02
ORDER COMES THROUGH STRUGGLES.
By DR.. Paul Carus.

Ethics teaches US all struggle must be I'M
dertaken in the service of a higher and
greater cause than our egotistic self. He
alone will conquer who fights for something
greater than his personal interests; and even
If he is yanquished he will still have the
satisfaction that his ideal is not conquered
with him. He will find successors to do his
work His ideal, if genuine will rise again
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-02

position wealth influence do And II they do
not do these things and prevent things which they do
not approve it is because they indifferent
worthy of their citizenship have sold denla-
sogues the brthright of the primary and the ballot
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-02
EXPERTS TO GOVERN OUR CITIES.
By President Eliot of Harvard.

l believe that a board of five select
men would be safer, more intelligent.
and in the end more democratic, than
an autocratic mayor or our present
system. We need men as agents of
the people who are competent bust
ness men and have proved themselves
to be such. Municipal business has
become very complicated and needs
expert service.
We can only get expert men into
our city business as great business