davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-02
BAGGAGE STUNS THE CLERKS
Sixty-three Dogs, Sixteen Trunks,
Horse, Golf, Tennis and Photo
Outfit Only a Part.

Los Angeles.-When Mrs N. Bran
Der, widow of wealth. arrived in the
station from Atlantic City, the bag
gage carried in her name consisted of:
Sixty-three barking dogs, sixteen
trunks, five bundles Of golf sticks, a
full-grown horse, Photographic and
tennis equipments and five boxes of
dog rations.
1t was explained after the head Of
the baggage crew asked feebly, is
that all?" that automobiles and other
luxurious equipment were coming by
freight. The baggage force also
learned that the horse was the prop
erty of Mr.. and Mrs. C. Klotz, who
had been in charge of Mrs. Bramber's
kennels for years Outside of that,
however, the first lineup was correct.
Mrs Bramber travelled incognito
Mrs. Klotz met all the emergencies at
the transfer points, where there were
sixteen trunks, five bundles of golf
sticks and other contributions to the
bagagge-car jam.
I'VE are glad to have that night
mare of a trip over said Mrs. Klotz,
as she superintendent the loading of
the dogs and puppies. Calculative
express employees figured that it cost
Mrs Bramber 1000 to move her ken
mel and other baggage, while Klotz
paid s470 to bring along his prize
trOtter.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-02
The Spider Cheat,

Many species Of spiders are interest
ing on account of their physical con-
struction OF their habits, but the most
found in the woods Of Sumatra; and
these naturalists call, not without rea-
son, spider cheats" This insect, in
order to trap the flies, etc, on which it
leeds, hides on a leaf and spins a web
of neutral color, making an Illusion so
perfect that the prey not only does not
fly, but seems attracted by the peculiar
termination of the web on the edge OF
the leaf. This is perfect knot in ap-
pearance and gives to the trap the gen.
eral shape of a miniature palnIeaf fan
with indented handle. - Harper's
Weekly.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-02
"But-but-" I protest,nglv began


Il asked you to do what | requested
NE that you loved me. If that is the
case ! know you will do what I ask
without trying to force my confidence.
Isn't it enough for you to know that
wish you to do it?"
Louise, dear" I said firmly, "a mys-
ferrous trail of hidden evil in SONS
way has crossed your home. It has
stricken your sister and your father.
You yourself asked me to try to find
the secret and / vowed that l would.
| don't know waat your motive is in
making this strange request, but l
can't believe you are doing it Of your
own Volition. / am certain that you
are influenced by fear-fear lest some
greater evil will befal1, if my efforts
to unmask the criminal are success
full. Is it not so?"
Don't ask me, Harding" she begged
piteously. 4 can't tell you. It is not
my secret. l can tell you nothing
Please don't ask me"
More than ever now I was convinced
that fear Of Crandall dominated her
Quickly following on his telephone
message he had come to the house
and had cast over her the same m<s-
ferrous spell as had fallen on her sis
ter. More than ever was l determined
to follow the trail of mystery to its
end, no matter where it lay or what it
What life n ma If no
an | loved was to be for ever under
shadow, in the power of some hid
den criminal who might prey on her
as he had done on the other members
of her family felt it my duty toward
her to go on and, IL | could, compel
her to divulge something of what she
was holding back from me.
why did you want that BIT Of the
yellow letter? What were you going
to do with it?"
4 can't tell you. Please don't ask
me-"
why do you want me to stop my In
quiries?"
81 can't tell you. Please don't ask. +"
What was Hugh Crandall doing
here this morning."
The question, direct and blunt as
put it, had almost the same effect as
if l had fired bullet at her She
caught her breath quickly and her
face turned pale. I thought that she
was going to faint. With a great eff
fort she recovered, and looking me
straight in the eye, she answered soft
ly: Mr. Crandall was not here this
morning. What made you think he
VASE"
I did not try to conceal the open
eyed amazement with which I stared
at her as she gave me this unequivo-
cal reply. What could it mean2 I
could not, would not believe that this
high principled, honorable girl would
wilfuIIy deceive me, yet l was as sure
as that | was standing there that
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-02

know they are in working order or l
would have heard about it
There is or there must have been"
1 said slowly, some traitor in the
house, some thief, some one who had
an object in getting hold Of that pa
per"
There has been no one here" said
Louise with a painful effort, mo one
answering that description
How did you come to look for the
paper in your desk?"
Z wanted" she stopped short.
MI Kent" she said, her entire
manner toward ne stiffening as she
withdrew her hands from mine, 81
asked you last night if you would not
cease your inquiries at once"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-02
SYNOPSIS.

Harding Kent calls on Louise Parrish TO
propose marriage and finds the house In
great excitement over the attempted SUI
eide OF her sister Katharine Kent starts
an investigation and finds that hugh
trandall, sutton for Katherine, who had
been forbidden the house by General Far
Tish, had talked with Katharine over the
telephone just before she shot herself
torn piece Of yellow paper IS found,
81 sight OF which General Parrish Is
stricken with paralysis. Kent discovers
that Crandall has left town hurriedly
Andrew EIser, an aged banker. commits
suicide about the same time as Katharine
attempted her life yellow envelope IS
found in EIser's room. Post Office IN
sDeCtoT Davis, Kent's friend, taxes up
the case. Kent is convinced that cram
dan is az the bottom of the mystery.
Katharire's strange outcry puzzles the
detectives. Kent and Davis search Gran
dalPs room and find an address, Lock
Box II. ArdWay. y. J. Kent goes 20 ARD
way 70 Investigate and becomes suSpl-
ci0us OF Henry Cook A woman
yellow letter also figures in this case
Kent calls Louise on the long distance
telephone and finds that she had just been
called by Craudau from the same booth
Cook disappears. The ArdWay post
master is missing. Inspector DAVIS ar
rives at Ardway and takes up the lnEes,
tigati0n He discovers that the dead
woman is Sarah Sacket Of Bridgeport
IoUise telephones Kent ImDlorlng MN 70
drop the investigation. kent returns U
New York to get an explanation from
Louise He finds the BODY of a woman n
Central Park and more yellow letters
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-02
CHAPTER X.
Who Was the Thief?


~ unbidden and unwelcome guest,
jealousy came and sat by the altar of
my heart, stirring the fires of my love
for Louise into furious darts of fame
that SCARED my soul. That Crandall
for l was positive now that the Wis
itor who had entered the Parrish home
had been he-shouid have been admit
ted to the house with so many things
pointed to his guilt, while l, an ac-
cepted lover. and certainly Louise's
faithful servitor, had been barred with
such scant courtesy, filed me with
dumb, unreasoning rage, I felt that
all claims of friendship and of service,
even disreg arding the still stronger
claims OF honest love, entitled me to
far different treatment.
Yet even in the burst of anger that
overwhelmed me there was not a
single thought of harshness toward
Louise. / felt that if l could but see
her she would explain everything sat
isfactorily. 1t was toward Crandall
that all my wrath was directed. Feel
ms as I did, sure that he was respon-
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-02
CHAPTER Ix-(continued)


| was puzzled beyond expression.
Why should Louise refuse to see me?
! was conscious of having done moth
ing to offend her If only | could see
her for just a minute to find out what
was the matter! I felt that | must
reach her. For an instant | was
tempted TO brush past the maid and
force my way in. Surely Louise OF
her own accord would not treat me
thus. She must be beside herself with
grief Perhaps she was under the
same malign influence that so dis
tressed her sister Yet even in the
depths of despair We observe the con
yentionalities.
viii you ask Miss Louise when
she can see me?" 1 found myself say
ing in calm tones to the maid.
Again she closed the door in my
face Again I waited.
Miss Louise says that she will see
you If you viii return in an hour, "
was the message that was brought me.
left the Parrish door and stumbled
blindly up the street. The plight in
which | found myself seemed ineXpli-
cable. maddening. l was sure Louise
loved me. Had she not turned to me
in the first hour of her distress? Had
she not telephoned me when her sis
ter shot herself? Had she not permit
ted me TO take her in my arms? Had
she not commissioned me to solve the
mystery of the yellow letter? Yet
why had she babe me discontinue my
search? Why had she shut her door
TO me? What could be her motive?
What could have Influenced her
against me?
Torn by a hundred conflicting emo
tons, | traversed street after street,
not knowing or caring whittier my
feet were taking me. | must have re
traced my steps, for l found myself
in the block where the Farrishs lived.
| looked at my watch and saw it was
still half an hour before the time l
had been told to return. l turned
away from the house and wandered
aimlessly en-. There was some mys-
terry in Louise's conduct | could not
fathom She refused to see me, yet
Just ahead of me some one else had
been admitted to the house. A wave
of jealousy swept over me. Who was
this other man? l racked my brain,
striving to recall his appearance, try
ing to remember what there was that
was familiar about him.
All at once 1t came to me. A wild
rage filled me. I knew now who he
was A picture of the office in that
little hotel in New Jersey came to
my mind, as it looked when l stood
by the stove drying my clothes A
man had come to the desk and got
his key and had walked past me as
he went to his room. l knew now
where / had seen that man who was
admitted to the Parrish home. 1t was
the man called Cook.
1t was Hugh CTan6an
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-02
Composite Work,

Throughout the ten years of their
existence the Leggitt twins had in
variably shared joys, clothes, and
gifts Of candy or toys. Apparently
their mother, the brisk and capable
guardian Of seven half-orphans, never
thought Of them separately.
What are you planning to do this
afternoon, Martha?" asked a visiting
aunt, who had witnessed a strenuous
morning. Rest, hope"
Rest" said Mrs. Leggett, in a tone
Of scorn. Il guess not, i've got to
take the twins to the dentist to have
that tooth out, and then to the oculist
to get a pair Of glasses fitted. and
then TO the shoemaker's to see if he
can stretch one of their boots SO they
can wear it without making such a
fuss and saying it hurts every time
they put it on."-Youth's Companion.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-02
His Army Uniform.

A young man was being entertained
at luncheon at young girls one Sun
day evening. Little Jimmy, the girls
brother, broke the silence of the soup
course to remark:
Say, Mr.. Smith, you certainly did
look fine last night, sitting beside
sister on the parlor sofa, with your
arm"
Jimmy, be quiet!" the girl scream
ed, blushing scarlet.
well, he did look fine" said jim
my. "He had his arm"
Jimmy, will you be still?' exclaim-
ed the mother.
"Why?" whined the lad. HE did
have his arm"
James" said the father, go straight
upstairs to bed!"
The boy arose. He began to sry.
AS he left the room he said:
Il don't know what's the matter
with you folks. l was only going to
say he had his army uniform on--and
he had, tool"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-02

Hugh Crandall had been in the house
that morning. Could it have been that
he had entered without her knowl
edge? Was it possible that one of the
maids in the Parrish home was in
his pay and had permitted him to en-
ter without Louise's knowledge? That
might explain the rifling of the locked
desk. The maid might know of Lou
ise's habit of hiding the key in vase
1t began to look as if l had a solution
Of this new mystery. Yet it could
hardly be possible for CrandaH to
have been in the house for fully Malt
an hour without Louise knowing it.
Furthermore, why had admittance
been denied me when l first called?
(TO BE CONTINUED0
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-02
WAR TOLL IN FIFTY YEARS
Over Two Million Men Have Been
Killed in Battles of Modern
Times.

London.-The Balkan war has given
the generation some idea of what war
means in detail 1t is significant OF
the growing horror that a Bavarian
newspaper should present its readers
with a striking record of the wars of
the last so years.
Under a series of little pictures of
fallen soldiers on the battlefield it
gives the number killed in each great
war Of the past half century, with the
strange exception of the Boer war.
Here is the record:
Crimean war, 10000; Italian war
of 1890. $4,000; American Civil war
og 1866, 100000; Danish war of
1864. 5000; Austro-Prussian war Of
1866, $4,000; Franco-German war, 215,-
900; Russo-Turkish war, 100000: Rus
so-Japanese war, 100000.
The addition of these figures shows
that no less than 2,313,000 men were
killed in these wars.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-02
The "MudsiII" Legislators.

On our march to the sea we stopped
at Milledgeville, the capital of Geor-
gia. The legislature had been in ses-
sion, but that honorable body adj
journed in hurry upon the approach
of Sherman's army, and about 200 OF
US took possession Of the house of
representatives, says writer in the
National Tribune. We elected full
set of officers and made laws govern
ing everything. We passed bill unan-
imously condemning the invading
Northern Mudsills" to death. After
a stormy" session we discussed
whether it was best to move the CAPT
toll on wheels or horseback. We con-
cluded that the latter was safest, as
it might in that manner be possible to
escape from "Sherman's bummers."
We then voted thanks to everybody,
from the president down, and ad-
journed to meet when the invaders
were driven from the Sacred soil' Of
Georgia
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-02
LIKE PATRICK CASE
Mrs. Hetty Green Was Actor in
Rowland viii Affair.
Charge of Forgery Was Made-Fact
That Signatures Were identicaIIy
Alike Alleged to Have Proved
They Were Not Genuine.

New York.-Did you ever hear the
story of Sylvia Ann Howiand's will?
Mrs. Hetty Green, today's queen of
finance was one of the actors in tnis
6rst great will case in America The
story is fifty years old, but 1t has
dramatic interest because in certain
features it is analogous to the case Of
Albert Patrick, recently pardoned
from Sing Sing by Governor Dix. 1t
was in the contest Of the Rowland
case that handwriting experts were
first used to effect before an American
court. The next similar case was that
Of Millionaire Rice's will, in which Pat
rick appeared as claimant. It is
worth noting that the methods of the
handwriting experts seem not to have
advanced measurably in half a cen
fury. They have been refined, peS
haps, but otherwise they have been al
tered very little. Even in their diff
ferences the experts Of today resemble
those of 1868. Each is still able to
demonstrate that the thinking appa-
ratus of all the other sides experts
have been clogged by blue mud.
Patrick owed his four times repeat
ed death sentence to the handwriting
experts. The states case Cd lis in
dictment for murder was technically
weak. 1t rested on the confession of
Valet Jones that he had chloroformed
Rice at Patrick's orders. But the in
dictment was dramatically strong, be-
cause the experts proved conclusively
that Rice's will had been forged. Each
Of the four pages of this document
bore a signature which was presum-
ably that of Rice.
The experts showed that these four
signatures were identical-so ad-
mirably identical that when superim-
posed each fitted the other to the
thicknsss of an eyelash. The experts
contended that no two genuine sigma
lures are ever just alike. They even
found the true signature from which
the four false ones had been traced,
and found that on the day Rice was
supposed to have signed the will he
had signed five other documents The
five genuine signatures differed widely
from each other and from the four
forged ones.
Sylvia Ann Rowland, an aged spin
ster, died in New Bedford, Mass, in
1863, leaving an estate of more than
100000. Two wills were produced
In the will of 1863 her niece and COM
panion, Hetty Robinson, afterward
known as Hetty Green, was generous
ly remembered. By the will of 1860
Hetty Robinson inherited practically
all. 1t consisted of a single page,
marked second page" inserted after
the first page of an admittedly genu-
inc earlier will. Miss Robinson testi-
fed that Miss Rowland had dictated
this second page to her in dupli-
cate. Both pages were in Miss Robin
sons writing, but each bore the sig
nature Of Miss Rowland. The hene-
dciaries under the will of 1863 charged
that the signatures on this duplicated
second page" had been forged by
Miss Robinson. Every handwriting
expert of note in the United States
was engaged.
Through experts Miss Robinson met
the contentious of the defense, point
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-02
Didn't Tell 1t RiQht,

The major of a regiment in SigeI.
command, taking a morning ride, met
some cavalry officers returning from
the picket line, and asked; Well,
poys, volts de news by der 'front.'"
Its hot as blazes out there, major;
Smelling all along the line one of
them answered
Smelling. Dots strange. L heers
no wiring"
That's straight, major; the boys
are Smelling corn for their horses.
The major joined in the laugh that
followed and rode away, thinking:
dot vos goot one; fools de gurnel
nit him"
When he reached camp the colonel
was entertaining some officers, but
the major butted In with: ''Goot
morning, quincy. Did you heer der
news by der front?''
mo, major. What is it?"
Ivy, der poys is Smelling corn for
der horses"
Then he waited for the laugh that
didn't come, and walked out, mutter-
ing: we'll, veil, dere vos Something's
funny about dot ven l heer him."
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-02
Character of the Kaiser Revealed &c
Expert by Close Analysis OF
His Signature

There is always a certain amount OF
interest attached to the deductions
drawn by graphologists from the sig
natures of eminent men. Here, for
example, is an Illuminating description
of the kaiser's autograph, supplied by
an eminent Berlin graphologist:
TO begin with, there is crochet a
sign of pertinacity, followed by verti-
cal dash, showing audacity. energy, re-
gardless of any obstacle. Then there
is an acute angle, a sign Of firmness
and aggressiveness. The first stroke
of the w indicates a feeling OF supe-
riority over the rest of the uni
verse. The termination of the impe-
rial w suggests that the sovereign
sometimes finds himself struggling
with the multitude of his thoughts, or
the power of his instincts.
THE other letters forming the sigma
ture show similar characteristics" the
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-02

you and Mr.. Davis were here the other
it upstairs and put it in drawer
in little desk in my room. / locked
the desk and hid the key in a vase
on the mantel l went to the desk
just now to get it and it was gone"
Was the desk locked? 90
She nodded.
Who could have taken it," asked.
Even as l framed the question there
came TO ne the thought Of Crandan's
visit. He had been in the hotel in
ATdway where the woman committed
suicide after reading a yellow letter
and tearing it up. The scraps Of that
letter had disappeared. More likely
he had come here just to get that
scrap of yellow paper lest its evidence
might bring home his crimes
Who has been IN the house,"
No one but the doctors and nurses
and the servants" said Louise, flush
ing uneasily as she spoke.
| waited, expecting her to mention
Crandali's visit, but though she hest,
tated for a second she said nothing
of it.
Il wonder who could have taken it,"
she said after an awkward pause.
What motive could any one have?"
l asked, determined to direct her
thoughts TO Crandau The only per
son who would have a reason for max
ing away with 1t would be some one
who feared that it might be used
against him"
There was a silence while we both
pondered the situation.
You remember" said Louise sud
denly, the agitation my father showed
al sight of that paper. If he were not
lying paralyzed upstairs l think he
would have tried to gain possession
of it,
How is your father, and your sis
ter?' l asked, suddenly recalling that
had asked after neither of them.
Katharine is much BETTER" said Lou
Use. She is entirely conscious, though
very weak, but the doctor says that
she will in all probability recover
quickly. My fathers condition remains
the same, though he seems to have
regained the use of his right hand
He wrote some brief directions to-day
about his business"
Are you sure of all the servants? ?"
| asked.
All of them have been with us for
years; all but one, ever since before
my mothers death. I would not think
Of distrusting any of them
Are you certain the house has not
been entered in the night?"
/ was asking these questions with a
view of convincing her that it was
impossible for any one but Crandall
to have taken the yellow scrap-for
any one else to have even a motive
for taking it.
That would be impossible" she
said. "All the doors and windows are
protected by burglar alarms and I
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-02
AROUND Tue ! Z
CAMPO IN
FIRE Ag& XzA
SAD STORY OF GETTYSBURG
While Colonel Is Leading Men by
Encouraging Words He Stumbles
on Dead Body of Son.

A regiment, after advancing a
skirmish line moved over broken and
boulder-strewn ground to occupy a
yet defended position. In front moved
the colonel, half turned toward his
men, encouraging them in a rich and
hearty voice. Come on, men, Come
on, come on You are all good har-
grain is ripe! Run on, every moth
er's son of you! Run now! Just as
though there were home and children
up there! Come on! Come oni"
The regiment reached a line of fat
boulders. There was large, fiat one
like an altar slab, that the colonel
must spring upon and cross. Upon it.
outstretched, face upward, in a pool
of blood, lay young figure, lieu.
tenant Of skirmishers, killed a quar-
ter of an hour ago. Come on!
Come on" shouted the colonel, his
face turned to his men. Victory
Tonight We'll write home about vic
toryl"
His foot felt for the top edge of
the boulder. He sprang upon it and
faced with suddenness the young
dead. The oncoming line saw him
stand as if frozen, then with a stiff
jerk up went the sword again. Come
on! Come on" he cried, and plunging
from the boulder continued to mount
the desired slope. His men, close be-
hind him, also encountered the dead
on the altar slab Good Godi It's
Lieutenant - It's his son!' But
in front the coloneTs changed voice
continued its crying, Come on! Come
on! Come on Mary Johnson in
the Atlantic Magazine