davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10
ELECTRICITY IN RAIN DROPS
German Scientist Has Measured the
Charge-Describes Results of His
Investigation.

Rain drops are almost always
charged with electricity. The charge
is often positive, rarely negative
Many observers have measured the
charge approximately and made it
from 100000, 900, G0O,000,01 to 0000.-
100000, 000,001 amperes per square
centimetre Prof. F. Herath of Kiel
describes in the Revue Electrique the
experiments by which he has meas
ured them.
He received the rain on fac me
tallic cloth Is metres square insulat-
ed and attached to galvanometer in
a cellar. The galyanometer registered
geographically. Among the facts he
proves are these:
Rains with constantly positive
charge are much more fl eQuent than
those that change to a negative. The
passage from a positive to a negative
charge corresponds to q momentary
cessation of the shower The quaint
ty of positive electrici y brought by
the rain is fifteen times greater than
that Of the negative. The positive
currents in a steady rainfall are about
5000 900, 900 000,000.1 amperes per
square centimetre; tie negative cur
rents never exceed 1000, 900. 900 ,000.
001 amperes per squire centimetre.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10
OkOnA IS THE
GRhaDEST OLD
MAN Of JAPAN
Popular, Though Long Kept in
Background Politically.
AGE Is NO BAR TO ACTIVITY
Founder of Waseda University and
Now Premier of the Empire, He
Had Wonderful Career
Likes Newspaper Men.

Tokyo, Japan.-There is only one
Okuma in Japan or in the world He
is positively unique character As
far as years go he is called an old
man and should long ago have been
Oslerized. But he IS really only sew
enty-six years young and has declared
that he expects to live fifty or so
years longer, says Ernest w Clement
in Chicago News. And in spirit he
is certainly still a young man
He has never been called one of
the elder statesmen" but he de-
served the appellation as much as
they did. He was prominent in pub
lie service before any one of them;
but he was sidetracked into private
life because he dared to differ with
the policies of others who later rose
into prominence and he has been kept
in the background because he was
considered too liberal, even too radi-
cal. He has survived all except three
or four of his old colleagues and RI
walls, namely, Yamageta, Matsukata,
lnouye and Oyama, the only remain
ing Genro. And, in the opinion of
many, it is an instance of the survival
Of the fttest; although, in perfect
fairness, 1t must be stated that some
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10

of his health, and there is reason
that he keeps good one. He is sew
enty-seven years old, but strong as
youth, nay, the womanish young men
OF today must feel ashamed Of their
weakly constitution. AS it is, people
think that he will perhaps live one
hundred and twenty-five years. as he
says frankly.
After taking exercise, he sits for
breakfast, and reads newspapers aft
erward. About $50 or 8, he sees
numbers of visitors-politician bust
ness men, educationists, religious men,
newspaper men, civil officials, military
officers, people from the country, and
others, with whom he likes to con-
verse much. OF course. he does not
sink into monomania His topics of
conversation are rich and many-sided;
he is fond of talking on any subject
whatsoever as much as he listens to
others.
In the afternoon, he starts from his
mansion by motor car to be pres Mt at
several kinds of meeting. and in many
cases he addresses public speeches.
Coming home at 4:30 or so, he
takes bath. Cleanliness seems to
be what he makes much of. Look!
he has always a bright countenance.
There is no bit of the bad habit with
the so-called eastern great men. WHO
are rather proud of paying no atten-
ton to dirtiness. Refreshed by bath
ing, he takes dinner, after which books
and magazines are read. By the way
his hobbies are playing the go and
potted plants. Needless to say, his
greenhouse is we'll known among Jap
anese as we'll as foreigners. The
time when he goes to bed is ten. by
which o'clock he does not fail to come
back.
"As for food, paper says, he is not
particular, though he sometimes or
ders for a special kind of meat, such
as the meat of wild boar or the like,
and Japanese meals are generally pre-
ferred to foreign food. He does not
drink much, nor does he smoke"
Count Okuma is Sc hospitable that
he is doubtless the best-known to for
eigners of all the public men of ia
pan, unless it is possibly the late
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10

consider Okuma a garrulous old man,
untitled for further public service
Generally, however, he is called a
grand old man." like Gladstone
Okuma's career has been a long
and versatile one. He has been poll
tician, statesman. educator, orator. au-
thor, horticultural, ETC., and he has
shone in every capacity, in every po-
sition. In his political life, he shares
with Count Itagaki the honor Of pio-
neering in the agitation for constitu-
tional government and in the organ
ization and development of political
parties. He has held the portfolios
of finance, agriculture and CONNER &c.
foreign affairs and he has been pre-
mier, though it was only for a few
months in 1898. In the present cabi-
net he temporarily assumes also the
post of home minister
When Okuma was driven out OF Of
fee into the ranks of the opposition,
he began to devote his leisure (if
such a word is appropriate concern
ing a man Of his activity to educa-
ton and literature. He founded the
great Waseda Institution of learning
as protest against the narrowness
and bigotry of the official system of
education And that institution has
ever since been great center of
academic freedom. He has also en-
gagged in authorship and will prob
ably be especially famous for his
Fifty Years of New Japan" amCng
many valuable literary productions
And he has been probably the most
popular orator in Japan; he has GER
tainly been in great demand for public
addresses on the greatest variety of
subjects. And he always seems to be
so well prepared on all his subjects,
that it Is a cause of much wonder how
he keeps so well posted. He has
large private library, and is very well
read, a very widely read scholar In
Who's Who in Japan" his recreation
is given, doubtless on his own author
ity, as horticulture. He certainly has
a fine collection Of tropical plants,
especially of orchids; and he is al
ways ready to open his gardens to
visitors.
A Tokyo daily has given us the fol-
lowing account of his daily life, the
interest Of which is not diminished,
but rather enhanced. by its Japanese
English:
Every morning, leaving his bed at
five. he takes a stroll in his nice gar
den with his wife, aged sixty-fve, who
takes his hand, for about an hour, in
order to breathe in fresh air in the
morning. or walks in the house, sup
ported by a crutch. From this one
fact we can learn what care he takes
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10

likes to joke them, too. He is said
to have remarked to a group of report
ers, 1T is remarkable how you fell
lows like to come here in these days
of the high price of rice!"
1t is reported that when Kiyours
was interviewed by some Journalists
about the rumor that he was to be
premier he replied: Il have only
been smelling the cells, but have not
had the dish offered me yet"
When Okuma had been only talked
about a little as candidate for the
premiership, he said: Il have not yet
had even smell of the eels!" Later.
when he was said to have been offered
the post by the elder statesmen, he
remarked: II am Just smelling the
cells and have even been allowed to
look at them. If one smells them too
long and looks at them too much, he
may come to wish to eat themi" And
when he arrived home from the palace
after he had received the imperial
order to form a cabinet, he remarked
to crowd of reporters: 81 have Just
eaten the eels!" Gels are favorite
dish with a delicious odor.)
The weakness of the new cabinet
lies in the fact that it is composed of
rather heterogeneous elements, which
may not be able to work long In har-
mony. Although General Okla. minis
ter of war, is popular, Viscount Oura,
from his former affiliations with the
bureaucratic elements, is unpopular;
there is suspicion that his CONVEX
sion to party politics is not genuine.
But the strength of the minority Is In
It's premier, who is SO popular, and in
whom the people in general have great
confidence. In fact, this administra-
ton is an interesting combination of
personal and a party ministry, whose
real premier, or head is surely Okuma.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10
SPEAKS IN TEN TONGUES
Young Foreigner Who Began as
Telegraph Messenger Boy Seeks
to Be an Interpreter.

New York.-After some years Of
strenuous preparation, Alexander j.
Tocath has arrived in America to
make his fortune, writes the Cincin-
natl Times Star New York correspond
ent. He brought with him one com
plete change Of clothes, $42 and ten
languages. Some one over in Smysna
demand in the cosmopolitan city Of
New York for competent interpreters
and Alexander set out to provide him
self with the equipment he considered
necessary. His father had been a
boatman and occasionally a guide for
visitors at Smyrna; Alexander fol-
l9wed in his footsteps, but kept his
eye open for advancement such as
Smyrna did not promise. He discov-
cred the commercial value of knowl
edge Of languages and set about learn
ing as many as he could. From the
time he was twelve until ne was fif-
teen he studied languages in his own
way, mixing with sailors, business
men and tourists who visited Smyrna.
He was finally able to carry on an or
binary conversation in French, Italian,
Spanish, English, German, Turkish,
Armenian, Greek and Polish. In the
meantime, he retained the language of
his father, Russian. After acting as
guide for some officers and jackie5 Of
the American battleship Tennessee, a
year ago, he decided to come to Amer
lea. He slowed away on a ship and
landed in Naples. He went to school
three months in Naples and perfected
his knowledge Of Italian. Then he
visited Athens and Marseilles, by the
same mode of travel and studied
Greek and French respectively for
the same period in each.
When he arrived in New York he
Immediately got a job as a Western
Union messenger boy, to prevent the
depletion of his AZ bones, but also ap-
piled for appointment as Interpreter
in one of the big east side banks. At
the examination which won him the
he proved that he could
speak his ten languages auently and
could write flrst-class business let
ter in five Of them. And he Is seven
teen years old.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10

lashes forming line with her brow
now, and her eyes had the still fame
Of wonder that they had when she
was looking all around a thing and
through it to find what it meant.
Some day you viii be chief of staff,
the head Of Gray ARMY" she suddenly
exclaimed
Westerling started as if he had been
surprised in secret. Then he flushed
slightly.
"Why?" he asked with forced care
lessness. Your reasons? They're more
interesting than your prophecy"
Because you have the will to be-
she said without emphasis, in the i'm
personal revelations Of thought. you
want power. You have ambition"
He looked the picture of it, with his
square jaw, his well-moulded head set
close to the shoulders on a sturdy
neck, his even teeth showing as his
lips parted in an unconscious smile.
Marta, Marta! She isis so ex-
plosive," Mrs. Galland remarked apollo
getically to the colonel.
Il asked for her reasons. l brought
it on myself-and it is not a bad com
pliment,' he replied. Indeed, he had
never received one so thrilling.
His smile, a smile well pleased with
itself, remained as Mrs. Galland began
to talk of other things, and it's Iinger-
ing satisfaction disappeared only with
Marta's cry at sight of the speck in
the sky over the Brown range. She
was out on the lawn before the others
had risen from their seats.
AN aeroplane! Hurry" she called.
How fast the speck grew!
Naturally, the business OF war,
watching for every invention that
might serve its ends, was the first
patron of flight. Captain Arthur Ian
stron, pupil of a pioneer aviator, had
been warned by him and by the chief
of staff of the Browns, who was look
ing on. to keep in a circle close to the
ground. But he was doing 50 we'll
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10

In this story Mr.. Palmer, the
noted war correspondent, has paint
ed war as he has seen ii on many
battIefieIds, and between many ma
tons. His intimate knowledge of
armies and ornaments has enabled
him &c produce graphic picture of
the greatest Of all wars, and his
knowledge Of conditions has led
him to prophesy an erd of armed
conflicts. No man is better quail
fed to write the story Of the final
world war than Mr.. Palmer, and
he has handled his subject with
master hand.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10

that he thought he would try rising a
little higher. The SUBMITS of the range
shot under him, unfolding a variegated
rug of landscape. He dipped the planes
slightly, intending to follow the ranges
descent and again they answered to
his desire. The tower doomed before
him as suddenly as if it had been shot
up out of the earth. He must turn,
and quickly, to avoid disaster; he must
turn, or he would be across the white
posts in the enemy's country.
Obi" groaned Marta and Mrs. Gal
land together.
In an agony of suspense they saw
the fragile creation of cloth and BAN
boo and metal, which had seemed as
secure as an albatross riding on the
lap of a steady wind, dip far over,
careen back in the other direction, and
then the whirring noise that had grown
with its fight ceased. 1t was no longer
a thing of winged life, defying the law
of gravity, but thing dead, falling IN
der the burden of living weight.
The engine has stopped" exclaimed
WesteTling, any trace of emotion in
his Observant imperturbability that of
satisfaction that the machine was the
enemys. He was thinking of the ex-
hibition, not of the man in the ma
chine.
Marta was thinking of the man who
was about to die. She rushed down the
terrace steps wildly, as if her going
and her agonized prayer could avert
the inevitable. The plane, descending,
skinned the garden wall and passed
out of sight. She heard a thud, crack
ling Of braces, a ripping of cloth, but
no cry.
Westerling had started after her, ex-
claiming, This is a case for first add"
while Mrs. Galland, taking the steps
as fast as she could, brought up the
rear. Through the gateway in the gar
den wall could be seen the shoulders
of q young officer, a streak of red
Coursing down his cheek, rising from
the wreck. An inarticulate sob of re-
lief broke from Marta's throat, fol
lowed by quick gasps of breath. Cap
tain Arthur Lanstron was looking into
the startled eyes Of a young girl that
seemed to reflect lis own emotions OF
the moment after having shared those
he had in the air.
Il few! flew clear over the range
at any rate." he said. And I'm alive
I managed to ho.i her so she missed
the wall and made an easy bump"
He got one foot free of the wreck
and that leg was all right She shared
his citation. Then he found that the
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10

ened to beat her to death because OF
her attempt to elope with youthful
sweetheart.
Miss Pope, who is seventeen years
of age, left her home on the day Of
the tragedy for Marietta, where she
was to have met her lover. While
waiting she was oVertaken by her IA
Their, who forced her to return home
on foot, a distance Of twelve miles.
Pope rode on horseback, frequently
lashing the girl with a rope.
Before reaching home Pope is said
TO have ordered his daughter to take
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10
GIRL SHOOTS HER FATHER
Oklahoma Maiden Defended Herself
Against Threatened Beating by
Firing Upon Parent.

Marietta, Okla.-Miss Jane Pope Is
under arrest here, charged with the
murder of Ler father, Jim Pope. a
rancher whose lands lie along the Red
river. Pope was killed, according to
the evidence in the hands of county
officials, when he entered his daugh-
ter's room, rope in hand, and threat
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10

that they take 1t for granted that
their wives are also of this order. OF
all the quotations that make me angry
l think that one which declares that
men must work and women must
weep" affects my temper most. Why
must women weep, I should like TO
know? Once Rt an engaged man give
his f1ancee to understand that weeping
does not appeal to him; once let hus-
band explain to his wife that weeping
not only calls out the very devil in
him, but makes her look a positive
fright-leading her gently to q mirror
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10
Public Generators Who Made Dis
coveries in Their Kitchens Are
Unknown to Fame.

Among the sublime sum of human
ignorance may be mentioned the gen
eral Indifference to our domestic he
roes, the men who have made or
marred our famous dishes. Keen to
honor with trumpet and song the man
who dares greatly with sword and pis-
toll, yet are we forgetful of the worthy
who first discovered, say, the Irish
stew, says a writer in the Seattle
Post Intelligencer.
Surely a nation is forgetful of its
great when this name is unknown
and unhonored by worldwide festivi-
ties. And what of him who first
braved the onion and detected its Gu
linary qualities? His memory has per-
ished. Would it not be a beautiful
thing if we could mediate with CRATE
full regard upon the man who ate the
first oyster? We are inclined to harp
too much upon the spectacular and
are prone to slight the great ones
whose self-sacrifice has made possible
our domestic supper joys. When man
first mixed his mulligan did not the
whole tribe put on sackcloth and ashes
and wait with dismal foreboding for
news of his demise by explosion or
expansion or deadly poisoning or
something?
Things that are simple joys to US
must have been historic landmarks to
the age of their inventors. Why is
nothing done to keep green the mem
DRY of the doughty zinc-stomached
stalwarts? There should be fitting
chronicle. thus revealing to US of later
days exactly what moved them to
their ungrateful tasks; why. presum-
ing them to be happy men. they should
have felt called to place their life in
jeopardy for the cause of the cpl
curean?
Possibly it is something that comes
to chosen few, spirits otherwise cast
down and SCARED with losing battles:
perhaps the stew came to it's originator
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10

= Frau BartoH was twenty-one years
old and a member of the Munich bal
let when the sixty-one-year-old duke
led her TO the altar.
The duke had been Bidower for
a year, his first wife having been a
Darmstadt actress named Henriette
MendeI The duke, who is now eighty
three years old, divorced Frau Bartolf
in 1913, after having been married to
her % years, because she gave birth
to child Of which he asserted he was
not the father.
Frau BartoH Is forty-three years old
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10

and showing her weeping self up in
all its sickening ugliness, and we
should get rid of good many tears
or, rather, we should not get rid of
them, but prevent their showing
themselves.
Men have for many thousands of
years been telling women 1t Is their
part to weep, and until recently wom-
en- have not known any better than to
believe them. Men have told women
a great many other foolish things
which have been destructive to friend
ship between husbands and wives.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10
Worthy, But Denied Honor

in vision during the night watches,
and he arose and mixed up everything
he could find and took it, thinking he
would commit suicide, and instead it
made him fat and happy. But at best
We can only speculate, for of records
there is none.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10

etTon had Quickened But war VIII,
as ever. be won by the bayonet that
takes and holds position. We shall
have no miracle victories, no"
There he broke off He did not &C
company Mrs. Galland and Marta back
to the house, but made his adieus at
the garden-gate.
I'm sure that shall never marry a
soldier!" Marta burst out as she and
her mother were ascending the steps.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10
OBJECTS TO WOMEN WEEPING
Writer Has No Use for Old Saying
Which Declares 1t to Be One
of Natures Laws.

Men hate q weepy woman, and you
can't blame them for hating her, writes
Mary NJ. Maxwell The thing for
which they are to blame is that they
have not discouraged weeping by
making it we'll known that they are
reasonable and reasoning beings and
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10

council will provide for the treatment
of 72,215 medical and dental cases of
elementary school children, this repre-
senting a net Increase Of $50 cases a
year. The children's care sub-commit-
tee report that the number of ear, nose
and throat defects is steadily decreas-
ing, and the provision for these, there
fore, is to be reduced. The total num-
Der Of dental cases to be provided for
will be 49, 720. During last year 81, 1858
children were examined for dental de-
fects, and so per cent were found to re-
quire treatment.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10
DUKES Ex-WIFE WEBS AIDE
Divorced Woman Becomes the BRIDE
of Former Husbands EH-
Adjutsnt.

Berlin.-The divorced morganatic
wife q Duke Ludwig of Bavaria, the
official head of the house of Whites
each, who on her marriage received
the title of Frau Antonio Won Bartolf.
has married Lieut.. Max Mayer, for
merIy Duke Ludwtg's adiutant
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10
Tbouoht IT Was Movie, Maybe.

Minneapolis, Minn.-While a dozen
persons looked on, an armed bandit
held up an employee of bakery com
pany here, seized a satchel containing
nearly $4,000, the company's weekly
pay roll, dashed two blocks to a wait
ing automobile and escaped.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10

Prince Ito. The latter may have been
better known in some ways because
he was a statesman in power, but the
former has been best known person
ally.
Okuma is very popular with the
newspaper men, because he is not
only so frank but also so hospitable.
He evidently believes that reporters
are not overfed, for he always sup
plies them not merely with news but
also with refreshment for the inner
physical man in the shape Of good
food and drink He never lets them
go away hungry or thirsty. And he
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10

OF her clothing, as he intended to beat
her to death with "a rope. She was
in her room, when her father entered
with a heavy rope in his hand. She
fired on him when he raised hand
TO strike her
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10

and her new lieutenant husband is
fifty.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10
WHARF Some Reformers Err.

A refoTmer usually has big ideas
Frequently he insists on proceeding
on a wholesale bass instead of run.
ni=g a small but active business reg
ulating his own faults.