davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-05-21
MUSHROOM IN DEMAND
GOOD PRICE MAKES CULTIVATION
WORTH CONSIDERING.
Exercise Great Care in Making First
Bed, Using Horse Manure, With
a Small Proportion of Long,
Strawy Litter.
(By E. KNEELAND, Agriculturist Copy
right 1917

(By z. KNEELAND, Agriculturist. Copy
right, 1914)
The great demand for mushrooms is
not only constant, but far below the
supply, and as they sell for from 20 to
so cents per pound their cultivation is
worth considering.
Any one who has bit of space in
the cellar where the temperature can
be kept at 81 degrees Fahrenheit can
easily raise mushrooms Make a first
bed on the ground IN semi-dark cor
ner, using great care in the selection
Of material to be used for the bed.
Use horse manure, composed largely
of short manure, with a small proper
ton Of long, strawy litter, adding loan
or rich soil at the rate of one bushel
of soil to four or five bushels of ma
nure. This mixture should be pre-
pared by stacking, turning, shaking
and restocking every three or four
Gays until it is in condition for pre-
pairing the bed. These operations per-
nit of the escape of noxious gases and
prevent burning. Keep moist, but not
too wet, and in about two weeks the
material will be ready for use. The
bed should be II to IA inches thick
1.-TWO to three feet wide, and long as
des1red) after being thoroughly pound
ed down so as to become firm
level and compact, and then cover
with long straw. If the material is
in proper shape the mercury in the
thermometer (Which comes expressly
for this work. will rise to 100 degrees
or more, then slowly fall
When 80 degrees is reached time
for planting the spawn has come. If
English mushroom spawn is used
break it into pieces two inches square
and plant nine inches apart each way
and two inches deep. Be sure to firm
the manure over the spawn, and
week or ten days it should begin run
ming" then spread a coat of rich,
loamy soil an inch thick over the bed,
the surface being made smooth and
firm; cover it with litter and keep the
temperature at 81 degrees Fahrenheit.
The bed should be kept covered until
exhausted. Many failures are caused
by overwhelming. While mushrooms
thrive best in a soil which will not
crack, but, kept moist enough to press
together nicely, still it should not be
wet. On the other hand, if allowed
to become too dry the bed becomes ex-
hausted before the crop is harvested.
Always use lukewarm water. The
mushrooms should appear in six or
eight weeks unless there is some de-
feet in material, temperature or moist
ure, in which case they may remain
barren for two or three months and
then turn out excellent crops
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-05-21
"NobIesse ObIIoe."

The Duke de Richelieu one day Wis
tied his son, who was a student in the
University of Paris. do you need any
money!" he asked In the course of the
conversation.
mo-" said his son, 81 still have 20
louis from last months allowance"
On hearing this, the duke took the
boys purse, and handing 1t to his
servant, said: There, John, are 20
louis. My son, the Count de Fonsac,
presents them to you. Go and drink
Ills health"
But to his son he said: Young man,
remember that you are the son of the
Duke de Richelieu. Be more generous
with your money!"
How many youths in college today
would like to have SO thoughtful a
father!-Youth's Companion.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-05-21
WOULD HAVE HAD THE MONEY
Shah's cold-sIooded Suggestion to
English Monarch-Why the
Prince Left Whites Club.

An amusing story of particular in
teTest at the moment is told concern
ing the dIl-,e Of Sutherland by Lord
Suneld in My Memories" When the
shah of Persia visited this country, the
late King Edward, who was then
prince OF Wales, told him that the
duke of Sutherland owned large es-
tates in Scotland, as well as in Eng
land. The shah is alleged to have
said: He must be very rich. Of
course, when you come to the throne
you will" And here he made an ex-
pressive gesture with his finger across
his throat
Lord Sumeld was on close terms of
intimacy with the late king, who, al
though he had the reputation Of affa-
bility and geniality, drew very plainly
the limits which guarded his dignity
On one occasion his late majesty was
leaving Whites club, and began to
light q cigar in a room in which people
did not usually smoke. Some offcious
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-05-21
CHAPrER xII-cnntInmed

Till the sun was high John Valiant
lay on his back in the fragrant grass,
meditatively watching a bucaneering
chicken-hawk draw widening circles
against the blue and listening to the
vibrant tattoo Of a "pecker-wood" on
far-away tree, and the timorous wet
whistle Of a bob-white The whole
place was very quiet now. For just
one thrilling moment it had burgeoned
into sound and movement: when the
sweaty horses had stood snorting and
stamping in the yard with the hounds
scampering between their legs and the
riding coats winking like rubies in the
early sunshinel
Had she recognized him as the
smudged tinkerer of the stalled car?
She saw me drop that wretched brute
through the window" he chuckled. 81
could take oath to that. But she didn't
give me away, true little sport that
she was And she won't. l can't
think of any reason, but l know. Was
she angry? I wonderi"
At length he rose and went back
to the house. With a bunch of keys
he had found he went to the stables,
after some difficulty gained access.
and prOpped the crazy doors and win
dows open to the sun. The building
was airy and well-lighted and con-
tanned a dozen roomy box-stalIs, a
spacious loft and a carriage-house.
The straw bedding had been unre-
moved, mice-gnawed sacking and
Totted hay lay in the managers, and the
warped harness, hanging on its pegs,
was a smelly mass of mildew and
decay. He found stick moved away
the festooning cobwebs, and moved
the debris piece-meal.
"There!" he said with satisfaction.
There's a place for the motor-if
Uncle Jefferson ever gets it here"
1t was noon when he returned, after
a wash-up in the lake, to the meal
with which Aunt Daphne, in a costume
dimly suggestive of bran-meal pouI-
tice with a bingham apron on, RECALLED
him. Fried chicken, corn-bread so
soft and fluffy that it had to be lifted
front the pan with a spoon, Drowned
potatoes, and to his surprise, fresh
milk All done druv ouah Of COW
0yah, sub" explained Aunt Daphne.
Case she gotter be MIXED. er she
run dry ez de Red Sea TO de chillon
oh Izril."
Aunt Daphne" inquired Valiant
with his mouth full. what do you call
this green thing?"
Dat? OATS jes' turnip-tops, sub.
wild er hunk er bacon in de pot. Laws
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-05-21
0HeNLIANISgfVIRGIN[A
1919 III T1NLIT TRMINIT PIVTS &c
-= ILLUSTRATIONS Sc LAUREN STOUT

ing recollection of a rose, which from
her horse that morning at Damory
Court, she ha- glimpsed in its glass on
the porch
Both laughed little He imagined
that he could smell that wonderful
hair, a subtle fragrance like that of
sun-dried seaweed or the elusive scent
that clings to a tuft Of long-plucked
Spanish moss. "Chum stands alb
solved, then" he said, bending to
sweep together the scattered iessa-
mine do you-do you run like that
when you're not frightened?"
when I'm caught red-handed.
Don't your"
He looked puzzled.
She pointed to the flowers. 81 had
stolen them, and l was trying to
Escape off wild EN- as the negroes
say. Shocking, isn't It? But you see,
nobody has lived here since long be-
fore I was born, and l suppose the
f1ower-thieving habit has become in
grown"
But" he interrupted, there's acres
of them going to waste. Why on earth
shouldn't you have them?"
"Of course l know better today, but
there was IA special reason. We
have none and this is the nearest
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-05-21
WITH THE AID OF SORCERY
Women CT Sardinia Thought They
Had a Chance to Recover a
Buried Treasure.

An old Sandman woman named
Anna Romano has been arrested at
Sassari charged with obtaining money
under false pretensiOns.
The Italian penal code has no pro
vision dealing with magic and conse-
Quently when Anna Romano was sur
prised at midnight by the police sur
rounded by several women holding
torches over q hole she had excayated
in the courtyard of a house, despite
the fact that the women was openly
engaged in magical practices, she was
accused of swindling money from the
credulous torch bearers.
The women admitted that they had
given the sorceress money and all OPP
posed her arrest, as they were con-
WINGED she was on the point of discov-
eriDg great treasure, The police DO
not believe in treasures, however, and
very likely Anna Romano will be SEN
fenced to long term of Imprisonment.
Strange as it may seem, the exist
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-05-21

They gid. She keeps them in a
little pasteboard box like wedding cake
with blue ribbon around it. She was
showing i to Miss Matte Sue yester-
day. She was telling her ali about it
She said all the women there showed
each other their cuts and Dragged
about how long they were"
You certainly have highly devel-
oped taste for the dramatic" said
Shirley. 81 wonder what your next
effort will be-"
her. Were going to have the duel
between Valiant and Sassoon."
The smile was stricken from John
Valiant's face. A due1-~-the duel-be.
tween Valiant and Sassoon! He felt
his blood beat quickly. Had there
been such thing in his fathers life?
Was that what had blighted it?
only not here where it really hap
pened, but in the Meredith orchard.
Greenie's going to be"
"Ah ain'i" contradicted GREENE.
"Ah ain gwineter be dat Valiant. no
howl"
You are, tool" insisted Hickey,
wrathfully. "Ycu needn't be SO pickety
and choosety-and after she kills Sas-
soon, we put the bloodhSNnds on her
trail''
GREENE Uttered. ''Dey ain no 0asVg
aroun' heah'd tech me-" she said, zen
sides"
But, Hickey" Shirley interposed.
that wasn't murder. That was a
duel between gentlemen. They don't
Il know it." assented Hickey cheer
fully. But it makes it more exciting.
Will you come, Miss Shirley. deed and
double? 1 won't charge you any ad.
mission"
81 can't promise" said Shirley. by
the way, isn't it about time Miss Mat
tie Sue had her tea?"
1T certainly is, Miss Shirley" said
Hickey, with penitent emphasis. Il
clean forgot it, and Shea row me up
the gump-stump! Come on, GREENE"
and she started off through the
bushes.
Shirley looked at Valiant with
deepening of her dimple. hickey
isn't an aristocrat," she said; she's
what we call here poor-white, but she's
got a heart of gold. She's an orphan,
and the neighborhood in general, and
Miss Matte Sue Mabry in particular,
have adopted her"
He hardly heard her words for the
painful wonder that was holding him.
His father had taken q mans life
Was it this Observation-Disclosures the
provocation, however justified by the
customs of the time and section
that had driven him to self-exile? He
recalled himself with an effort, for
she was speaking again.
you've found Lovers Leap. no
doubt?"
No. This is the first time I've
been so far from the house. Is it near
here?"
I'll show it to you She held out
her hand for the bunch of jessamine
and laid it on the broad roots of
tree that were notified with Hchen.
Look there" she said suddenly;
isn't that beauty"
She was pointing to a jimson-weed
on which had settled, with CLASSY
wings vibrating, a long, ungainIy,
needlelike insect with an odd sword
like beak What is that?" he asked.
"a snake-doctor. If Unc' Jefferson
were here he'd say, Bettah watch
Quit Dah's er snek roun' erbout heah,
shot! He'll fill you full of darky
superstitions
Suddenly the slim path between the
trees took quick turn, and fell away
at their feet. There" she said This
is the finest view at Damory Court"
CTO BE CONTINUED
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-05-21

ERNIE, ct cer'n'y do me good ter see
70 git aTter it dat way, sub. Reck'n
20 got er appetite! Hyuh, Hyuh!'
Il have. never guessed it before,
and it's a magnificent discovery. How
ever. it suggests unwelcome ref1ec-
tions. Aunt Daphne, how long do you
estimate a man can dine like this on
well. say on hundred dolIars?"
"Er hun'ed dollahs, sub? OATS er
right smart heap O money, deed ct is!
Wen sub, pens on whut yo' raises
Eff 70 raises yo' own gyarden-sass en-
chick'ns en- aigs, All reck'n yo' kin
live longah dan dat ar Methoosalum,
en- still hat mos of it in de oil stock
in"
All! can grow all those things
myself. you Think"
'Yo' cert'n'y kim" said Aunt Daphne.
"Ev'ybody do. De chick'ns done peck
TO deyselves en- de yuddah things-yo'
O'ny gotter courage EN- en- dey jes'
grows"
Valiant ate his dessert with a
thoughtful smile wrinkling his brow.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-05-21

place where they grow. My mother
wanted some for this particular day."
Good heavens!" he cried You
don't think you can't go right on TAX
ing them? Why, you can Escape off
with the whole garden any time!"
A droll little CLEAN of azure mis-
chief darted at him suddenly out of
her eyes and then lodged back again.
Aren't you just a little rash with
other peoples property?"
Other people's?"
What will the owner say?"
He bent back one of the long jessa-
mine stems and wound it around the
others. Il can answer for him. Be
sides, owe you something, you know.
1 robbed you this morning-of your
brush"
She looked at him, abruptly serious.
why did you do that?"
Sanctuary. His two beady eyes
begged so hard for it. Twenty raven
Gus hounds they said, and a dozen
poor shivering little red-brown NOR
sci l ami"
For just an instant the bronze gold
head gave quick imperious toss, like
a high-mettled pony under the flick
Of the whip. But as suddenly the
shadow of resentment passed; the
mobile face under the bent hat-brim
turned thoughtful. She looked again
at him. do you think it's wrong to
81 Oh
''Oh, dear, no." he smiled. 81
haven't a single ism. I'm not even a
vegetarian"
But you would be if you had to kill
your own meat?"
Perhaps So many of US would.
As matter of fact. l don't hunt my
self. but I'm no reformer."
why don't you hunt?"
81 don't enjoy it." He flushed
slightly. 81 hate firearms" he said, a
trif1e dif2cu1tly. 81 always have. l
| dor't know why Idiosyncrasy, I sup
pose. But I shouldn't care for hunt
ing, even with bows and arrows. l
would kill tiger or a poisonous rep
tile, or anything else, in case of neces-
enjoy it. 1 know some animals are
pests and have to be killed. Some
men do, too But don't like to do it
myself
Wouldn't that theory lead to a
wholesale evasion Of responsibility?
Perhaps. I'm no philosopher. But
a blackbird or a red fox is so pretty,
even when he is thieving, that I'd let
him have the corn. I'm like the
Lord High Executioner in The Mi
kado' who was so tender-hearted that
he couldn't execute anybody and
planned to begin with guinea-pigs and
work up. Only I'm afraid l couldn't
even manage the guinea pigs"
She laughed. you wouldn't find
many to practice on here. Do you
raise guinea-pigs up North?"
All" he said ruefully, you tag me,
too. Have l by chance a large letter
N tattooed upon my manly brow? But
I suppose it's the accent, Uncle JEFF
ferson catalogued me in five minutes.
He said he didn't know why I was
! from de Norf,' but he knowed' it.
| I've annexed him and his wife, by the
way"
You're lucky to have them. Unc'
| Jefferson and Aunt Daph might have
slipped out of plantation of the last
century They're absolutely ante-bel-
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-05-21
CHAPTER XIII.

John Valiant Makes a Discovery.
I'm so sorry" was what he said, as
he kneeled to release her, and she was
grateful that his tone was unmixed
with amusement. She bit her lips, as
by sheer strength of elbow and knee
he snapped the offending bole short
off-one of those quick exhibitions
of reserved strength that every wom-
an likes.
81 don't know how I could have
been so silly-thank you so much"
said Shirley, painting slightly from
her exertions. I'm not the least bit
hurt-only my dress-and you know
very we'll that wasn't afraid of that
ridiculous dog" A richer glow stole
to her cheeks as she spoke, a burn
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-05-21
FACTS ABOUT RUNNER DUCKS
lily Than Any Hen-Proposition
for Any Poultryman.
nv M BENNINGTON !

Among all the openings for making
money On the farm, doubt that there
is another to which so many are look.
ing with eager interest and with such
real hope as hundreds are giving to
the raising Of Indian Runner ducks.
This is largely because nearly every
farm produces eggs, every family in
our land eats eggs, and the Runner is
pre-eminently an egg producer.
Given a duck that will lay 200 eggs
far more easily than any hen can do
it, and the fact that the eggs of TIE
mature bird are one-half larger than
those of the average hen, and we
have a proposition calculated to make
any egg producer sit up and open his
eyes, and one which every egg-pro-
Queer ought to try out to see whether
for him the Indian Runner is a better
money producer than the hen.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-05-21
Eirinn Hinh

Bishop Boyd Carpenter, as report
ed in the London Times:
Instead Of saying to the children,
You shall not do this or that, they
should say, You should keep the
whole of that great organism which
God has put into your care, with its
delicate forces, physical, moral, AMI
intellectual, in such state of health
full activity that they shall be com
bined in your own individuality in
such sort as to be real powers for
good through the whole length of your
days.
Harold continuing to pull the cats
taiD-''What did you say, mother?'
(She says it again Punch
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-05-21
SYNOPSIS.

John valiant, a rich society favorite,
suddenly discovers that the Valiant cor
pOration. which his father founded and
which was the principal source of his
wealth has failed. He voluntarily turns
over his private fortune to the receiver
for the corporation. His entire remaining
possessions consist Of an old motor car, a
white bull dog and DamOry court, neg
Iected estate in Virginia. On the way 70
Damory court ne meets Shirley Dand-
ridge an authenticated beauty and de-
cIdes that he is going to Ike Virginia i'm
mensely- ShirIey's mother, Mrs. Dand-
ridge, and Major BristOw exchange rem
inisCeuces during which IL is revealed
that the major, Valiant's father, and a
man named Sassoon were rivals for tbs
hand Of Mrs cambridge in her you'll
Sassoou and Valiant fought q duel on her
account in which the former was killed
Valiant finds Damory court Overgrown
with weeds and creepers and the build
Ings in very much neglected condition
Valiant explores his ancestral home He
is surprised by a fox hunting party which
tnVades his estate. He recognizes Shirley
at the head of the party He gives sane
tuary to the cOrnered fox. GOssips dis
cuss the advent Of the new owner and re-
call the tragedy in which the elder Val
liant took part.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-05-21

| lum. Most of the negroes are more
or less spoiled, as you'll find. In
afraid" She turned the conversation
bluntly. Had you seen Damory
Court before?"
No, never
DO you like the general plan of the
placer"
DO I Ike it?" cried John Valiant
DO like it,"
A quick pleasure glanced across her
face. Its nice of you to say it that
way. We ask that question so often
it's become mechanical. You see, it's
our great show-place."
At that moment a patter of foot
steps and shril shrieks came flying
over the last-year's leaves beyond the
lilac bushes. It's Hickey Snyder" she
said, peering out smilingly as two
children, pursued and pursuer, burst
into view "Hush!" she whispered !;
81 wonder what they are up to-"
The pair came in a whirl through
the bushes. The foremost was a
seven-year-old negro girl, in a single
short cottonade garment, wizened,
barelegged and bareheaded, her black
wool parted in little angular patches
and tightly wrapped with bits of cord.
The other was white and as freckled
as turkeys egg, with hair cropped
like a boys. She held a carving
knife cut from a single, whose edge
had been deeply ensanguined by poke
berry juice. The pursued one STUN
bled over root and came to earth in
a heap, while the other bounced upon
her like wildcat
Hold still, you limb Of Satan" she
scolded. How can do it when you
won't stay still?"
ooh, lawd," moaned the PROSTATE
one, in simulated terror; "oh, Doctah,
good Doctah Snydah, has All gotter
hab dat operation? Is yo sho' gwine-
ter twitter aroun' nah insides wild
dem knives en- saws en- things?"
''It won't hurt" treasured the would
Poly Clifford. And I'll put your liver
right back again"
Wait er minute. All jes' remem-
bahs All fo'got ter make nah will. All
leabs-"
"Nonsense!" objected the other irri-
tably. You made it yesterday. They
always do it beforehand"
mo, sub; All done clean forgot ct.
All leabs nah thimble ter de Mefodis'
church, en- nah black en- wife kitten
ter Hickey Snyder, en-"
A twig snapped under Valiant's foot.
Both scrambled to their feet, the black
girl to look at them with wide self
conscious grin. Hickey, tossing her
short hair back from her freckled
face, came toward them.
my goodness, Miss Shirley" she
said, 1--WE didn't see you at ALL" She
looked at Valiant Are you the man
that's going to fix up Damory Court p"
she inquired, without any tedious for
malities
yes" said Valiant
Well" she said critically, you've
got your job cut out for you. But I
should say you're the kind to do it,"
"Rickey!" Shirley's voice tried to
be stern, but there was a hint of
laughter in it.
What did I say now?" inquired
Hickey. I'm sure I meant it to be
complimentary
1T was said Valiant 81 shall try
to deserve your good opinion"
But what a CHASTITY play!" ex-
claimed Shirley, Where did you
learn it?"
I'VE were playing Mis- Poly Clifford
in the hospital" Hickey answered.
She's got a whole lot of little peb-
bles what they cut out"
'Oh, Rickey!" expostuIated Shirley
with a shudder.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-05-21
PLOW SHOE is QUITE HANDY
Device Shown in Illustration Makes
the Task of Moving Cumbersome
Implement Easy.

When taking pillow to and from the
fields, it is no easy matter The pillow
shoe device illustrated makes this
much easier, writes Creel @. Chandler
of Darrow, Ia, in the Missouri Valley
Farmer. To make it you need a piece
of scrap iron one-quarter inch thick,
one inch wide and II inches long.
Bend it as shown in the first diagram,
after making hole in each end. Next
take board 2x10 inches, six feet long,
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-05-21

ence of the treasure is corroborated by
fact Anna Romano is in possession
of a document written in the sixteenth
century in which it, is related that u
wealthy woman of Sassari, fearing a
French invasion. hid all the money,
jewels and plate she owned in Sc
Guided place.
This woman was subsequently muir
dered and her body was buried in the
courtyard of her house. a faithful
servant knew that her mistress wore
around her neck a locket containing
the document, with the description of
the place where the treasure had been
hidden.
When Anna Romano was arrested
she had just discovered the corpse OF
the murdered woman and the locket
with the secret document. The police
found the locket but not the document,
New York Sun.