davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-06-25
FINANCIAL PANIC OF 1887
Year That Many Banks Failed and
Specie Payments Were Practical
Iy Entirely Suspended.

Political rancor was at its height
when Andrew Jackson vetoed the bill
renewing the charter Of the United
States bank and removed the treasury
deposits, under which opposition the
bank collapsed and a vast number Of
state banks competed for the busi-
ness, which included the issue of bank
notes. In 1887 there were 634 banks,
with an aggregate capital Of $751;
600, 900.
In the history of banking the year
of 1887 is prominent for one of the
worst panics that was ever known in
America, which resulted in the failure
of many banks and universal suspen-
sion of specie payments throughout
the country, which were not renewed
until over year and half later, says
the National Magazine. During this
trying period, when banking opera
tons were practically wiped out Of
existence, all the banks but three con-
tinued doing business in Boston. There
were temporary suspensions Of specie
payments in 1857, known as the panic
of 81; also in 81, when Boston fol
lowed the lead of New York, since
it was evident that further attempt
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-06-25
LEOPARD GUARDS DEAD MATE
Sultan Greves When Captivity and
Homesickness Kill Sultana
in Zoo.

New York-Iron bars broke the
heart Of Sultana, the big leopard
brought from Tibet to the Bronx ZOO
a year ago, and recently she crawled
to her outside cage, where the sun
was warm, and died Her big mate,
Sultan, at once stood guard over the
body.
Persons who stopped in front Of
the leopard's cage wondered at Sui
tan. He would walk few feet from
his mate, turn nervous1y, and go pad
ding back A big soft paw reached
tenderly down and touched Sultana's
coat, and then was as softly with
drawn. His head twitched restlessly,
and the eyes would move from side to
side and then turn and gaze off into
the woods.
It was nearly dusk when the keep
ers learned that Sultana was dead.
Then they tried to coax Sultan away.
He would not pay any attention to
food, and when Keeper Schwartz tried
to get into the cage and reach the
body Sultan turned on him with
snarl and drove him back.
Finally Sultan lay down beside the
body, the only thing to remind him OF
the far mountains Of Tibet, ana
watched through the night.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-06-25
Hard Luck Esrerienoes-

Two New Workers Of some expert
ence in travel other than by the rapid
transit lines of the metropolis were
telling hard luck stories.
About the worst l ever got up
against, said one, was buying from
a Connecticut Yankee what was rep
resented to be q pullet, and. by gravy,
it turned out to be hen so old she
couldn't lay fresh eggs.
Hard lines, hard lines" sighed the
other, who had red nose, but think
OF me being marooned for a whole
month in a Kansas town which was
so teeotally temperance that even the
cows had gone dry at the last cleo
ton"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-06-25

ran through hell bareheaded. I'm
about thousand years old, reckon!T
Meanwhile the two figures above
had pushed through the tangle into
a circular sunny space where stood a
short round pillar Of red onyx. It was
z sun-dial, its vine-clad disk cut of
gray polished stsne in which its metal
tongue was socketed. Round the outer
edge of the disk ran an inscription
in archaic lettering. Valiant pulled
away the clustering ivy leaves and
read: Z count no hours but the hap
py ones"
If that had only been true!" he
said
1T is true. See how the vines hid
the sun from it. 1t ceased to mark
the time after the Court was. de-
serted"
III put moonf1owers at its base and
where you are standing. Madonna
lilies. The outer part Of the circle
shall have bridal-wreath and white
irises, and they shall shade out into
pastel colors-mauves and grays and
heliotropes. Oh, shall love this spot!
perhaps sometime the best of all"
Which do you love the most now"
He leaned slightly toward her, one
hand on the diars time-notched rim.
Don't you know?" he said in a lower
voice. Gould any other spot mean to
me what that acre under the hemlocks
means?"
Her face was turned from him. her
fingers pulling at the drifting vine. and
a splinter Of sunlight tangled in her
hair like lace of freflies.
I could never forget it, he con-
tinued. The thing that spoiled my
fathers life happened there, yet there
we two first talked, and there you"
DON'T" she said, facing him
DON'T"
"Ah, let me speak, ] want to tell
you that shall carry the memory of
that afternoon, and of your brave kind
ness, always, always If I were never
to see you again in this life, I should
always treasure it. If died of thirst
in some Sahara, it would be the last
thing l should remember-your face
would be the last thing l should see!
If L"
In the silence there was the sound
of slow football on the gravel walk,
and at the same moment he saw
magical change. Shirley drew back.
The soft gentian blue of her eyes
darkened. The lips that an instant
before had been tremuIous, parted in
a low delicious laugh. She swept him
a deep curtsey.
Il am beholden to you, sir" she
said gaily, for most knightly com
pliment. There's the major Come
and let US show him where we've
planted the ramblers."
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-06-25
CHAPTER Xxx.
The Gardeners

lie saw them coming through the
gate on the Red Road-the major and
Shirley in a lilac muslin by his side
and strobe TO meet them. Behind
them Ranston propelled a hand-cart
filled with paper bundles from each of
which protruded a bunch of towering
stems. There was a flush in Snirley's
cheek as her hand lay in Valiant's.
AS for him. his eyes like a wilful
drCnkards, returned again ana again,
between the majors compliments, to
her face.
You have accomplished wonders,
sab! ! had no idea so much could be
done in such a limited time. You
have certainly primped the old place
up. | could almost think I was look
ms at Damory Court in the sixties,
saht"
That's quite the incest thing you
could have said, Major" responded
Valiant But it needs the flowers"
He looked at Shirley with sparkling
eyes. How splendid of you to bring
them! I feel like a robber."
With our bushels of them? We
shall never miss them at all. Have
you set out the others2"
4 have, indeed. Every one has
rooted, too, You shall see them He
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-06-25
INSURED GOOD FOOD
Officers and Sailors of u. S. Nav
Well Cared For.
Lavish Entertainments Furnished on
Board American Battleships at
Home and Abroad-Trained
Cooks Are in Galley.

Washington.-Five million dollars
was spent last year in buying and
shipping, preparing and serving the
food of the enlisted men in the Unitel
States navy, 100000 of this amount
being for the food alone. Each day
10000 pounds Of meat is consumed
by.them. One and t. ree-fourths pounds
is the daily ration for each man al
lowed by the regulations, but about
pound is the actual amount used. The
vegetable allowance is also large.
Five million pounds of bagged flour
and 100000 pounds of coffee are
used annually.
The food supplies show vast
changes from the old days of hard
tack, salt pork and beans, those sta
pies that sound so much worse than
they really are, says the New York
Sun. Plenty of old sailing men like
the substantial trio and disdain light
er foods.
The cooking is good. A commits
sary officer inspects all supplies and a
doctor also looks them over before
IuSy 81 10 the HESS h0LIlSS- I1OAC
is a sample Sunday bill of fare such
as is served to the enlisted men:
Breakfast-Baked pork and beans,
bread, butter and coffee.
Dinner-Roast beef or veal with
gravy, stewed tomatoes, mashed pota-
toes, bread, butter and coffee.
Supper-Bologna sausage, cheese,
potato salad, bread, butter and tea.
The bluejacket dimes off white
oilcloth table cover and uses white
enamel dishes. AS for the officers,
the best in the world is theirs. There
is a great deal of entertaining on war
ships when in port, at home as well
as in foreign waters, and the hospital
fly Of Uncle Sam on these occasions
has become proverbial
While the Utah was at Newport
last summer many luncheons and din
ners were given on board that were
marvels Of culinary elegance and per
feet service, the officers returning in
this way a constant round of enter
tainment in their honor given by the
leaders of the fashionable colony.
Women of course were in the majority
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-06-25
CHAPTER xlx-continued.


He sat down on a messed boulder,
breathIess. his eyes sparkling. He had
thought himself almost a beggaT, and
here in his hand was a small fortune!
Talk about engagement rings." he
muttered why, a dozen of these
ought to buy a whole tiara,"
At length he rose and climbed on,
presently turning at a Tight-angle to
bigect the strip to its boundary before
ne paused to rest. I'm no timber
cruiser" he said to himself as he
wiped his brow, but I calculate there
are all CT three hundred trees big
enough to cut. Why, suppose they are
worth on an average only hundred
apiece. That would make-Good
Lord" he muttered, "and I've been
incoming about poverty"
The growth was smaller and sparser
now and before long he came, On the
hills very crest, to the edge of a
ragged clearing. It held a squaIid set
Element, perhaps a score of dirt-daubed
cabins little better than novels, some
of them mere mud-walled Iean-tos,
with sod roofs and window-panes of
flour-sacking. Fences and outhouses
there was none Uttered paths ram
bled aimlessly hitheT and thitheT from
chip-strewn yards to starved patches
of corn under-cultvated and blighted.
Over the whole place hung an indie
scribable atmosphere of disconsolate
filth. of unredeemed squalor and vile
ness.
With one hand on the dogs collar,
hushing him to silence, Valiant. IN
seen, looked at the wretched place
with a SILVER. He had glimpsed many
wretched purlieus in the slums of
great cities, but this. in the open sun
light, with the clean woods about it
and the sweet clear blue above, stood
out with an unrelieved holiness and
contrast that was dOubly sinister and
forbidding. He knew instantly that
the tawdry corner was the community
known as 's-Half-Acre, the place
q which Shirley had made her night
ride to rescue Hickey Snyder.
A quick glad realization of her cour-
age rushed through him. On its heels
cane a feeling of shame that a spot
Ike this could exist a foul blot on
such a landscape. 1t was on his own
l'-nd. Its denizens held place by
sqratter sovereignty, but he was.
nevertheless, their landlord The
thought bred a new sense Of response
bility. Something should be done for
them too
IS he gazed, an uproar in a cabin
reached a climax. A red-bearded fig
ure in nondescript garments shot from
tho door and collapsed in a heap in
the dirt He got UP with a dreadful
oaSh-a jug thrown at him grazing
his temple as he did so-and shaking
his fist behind him, staggered into a
nearby lean-to.
Valiant turned away with a feeling
almost of nausea, and plunged back
down the forest hillside
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-06-25
CHAPTER XXI.
Tournament Day,

The noon sun of tournament day
shone brilliantly over the village,
drowsy no longer. for many vehicles
were hitched at the curb, or moved
leisurely along the leafy street: big,
canvas-topped country wagons drawn
by shaggy-hoofed horses and set with
chairs that bumped and jostled their
holiday loads from outlying tobacco
plantation and stud-farm; sober. black
covered buggies, long narrow, spring
less buckboards, frivolous side-bar run
abouts and antique shays resurrected
from the primeval depths of cob
webbed stables, relics of furnished
grandeur and faded fortune
At midday vehicles resolved them
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-06-25
LEAVE THE PATHS OF TRUTH
Newspaper Accuses Its Correspond
ents of INDUCING in What Might
BE Called "White Lies"

We have had IS or 80 people tell US
"as an actual happening" to some
boy or girl of their personal acquaint-
ance. that episode of the boy Tor girl
who hit and kicked and finally spit
upon a companion, and who, when
chided for these indignities and told
that it was the devil prompted such
iniquities, replied:
1T was the devil told me to kick
and scratch, but the splitting was my
own. idea"
Somebody lies,
We have had 40 or 80 people tell US,
as an actual happening to some boy
or girl of their acquaintance, that old.
old classic about the child who, having
been told that God followed her every
where, child her dog by saying:
go away. Fido! It's bad enough
to have God tagging me around with
out you doin' it tool"
Somebody Hesi
We have had 10 or Il people each
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-06-25
BABY LANGUAGE MADE STUDY
Declaration by Expert viii Make Him
Unpopular With the Fond
Mother.

Baby language is the latest study.
The child first. uses its voice, says an
expert, to express. hunger, temper and
feelings of pleasure, Noises alone
suffice for such expression. Then the
baby utilzes its voice as a plaything,
and afterward as a recognized mode
Of expression.
Trilling of lips takes place only at
teething time Gradually there is less
variety of sounds, as the child learns
definite associations with definite
sounds Some little people can hum
tunes perfectly, yet are too young to
pronounce the accompanying words.
On tbs other hand, they are often
credited with words they never say.
Mum" is an instructive sound, not an
intentional call. Doubtless fond moth
ers will protest, but a wise professor
laid it down that the child of any ma
tionality when in need cries Mum. F"
The mother comes After a time the
infant associates Mum" with the ar
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-06-25
Radium in the Arts.

While the most important use Of "a
dunn is undoubtedly that of cura-
tive agent for cancer and skin dis
eases, it is also of great value in 9th
er ways. & disk carrying a minute
quantity of radium is attached TO q
special voltmeter and used for meas
uring at distance the electric po-
tential of a conductor, which it does
at a distance of 80 centimeters in
the case of a current of not more than
500 volts and at a distance Of three
meters in high voltage.
Another use is the prevention of
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-06-25
ROB ROYS HOUSE PRESERVED
Glasgow Water Scheme, Which Meant
Its Disappearance, Rejected by
House of Lords.

London.--By the rejection Of the
Glasgow water scheme the house of
lords has met the objections urged on
esthetic and sentimental grounds.
Glasgow sought by the bill to draw adj
ditional water from Loeb Voil and
Loeb Dome. To enable this to be
done the levels of the lochs would
have had to be raised about fifty feet
and large area possessing many In
teresting landmarks would have been
submerged.
Rob Roy's birthplace and the place
where he Is said to have died would
have disappeared under the waters,
while his grave in the churchyard Of
Balquhidder and cave where he is
supposed to have taken refuge would
have been endangered. Lovers Of
Scott and Rob Roy alike rejoice that
precious associations have SO for
tunately been preserved.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-06-25
KING IS CAUGHT In "MOVIE"
Danish Monarch, Rushing to "Res-
cue," Finds Himself on Film
Wanted 1t DESTROYED.

Paris, France.-King Christian of
Denmark, who, with Queen Alexan-
dria. recently paid an official visit to
President Poincare and Nine Poin-
care, is supposedly the only sovereign
who has played the role of an actor
In moving picture drama
The incident occurred at Hornback,
a small watering place near the cap
ital. A cinematograph company had
arranged the setting of an unusual
scene for the films. 1t was to be q
shipwreck, in which young woman,
her child and the womans mother
were participants. The king was
promenading on the beach. Suddenly
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-06-25

a Greek castle on it in the Aegean
Little colored memories for me to
bring away to dream over But al
ways come back here to Damory
Court For this is-home~
They walked beneath the pergola
to the lake. where Shirley gave a cry
of delight at sight of its feathered
population. Where did you get them
from?" she asked.
Washington. In crates"
That explains it." she exclaimed.
One day last week the little darkies
in the village all insisted a circus was
coming. They must have seen these
being hauled here. They watched the
whole afternoon for the elephants"
Poor youngsters" he said. It's
a shame to fool them. But I've had
all the circus I want getting the live
stock installed"
They won't suffer" said the major
Hickey Snyder'u get them up three
rlnged show at the drop of a hat and
drop it herself. Besides. there's tourn-
ament day coming, and they can live
on that see you've dredged out
some of The lilies"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-06-25

selves into luncheon booths
slowed away beneath the seats, dis
closing all manner Of picnic edibles-
the courthouse yard was an array of
grass-spread table-cloths. and an air
of plenty reigned.
Within Mrs. Merryweather Mason 5
brown house hospitality sat enthroned
and the generous dining-room was
held by a regiment of feminine out-of-
town acquaintance.
The yard, an hour later, was an &C
tive encampment of rocking-chairs.
and a din Of conversation hoated out
over the pink oleanders whose tubs
had achieved fresh coat of bright
green paint for the occasion. Mrs.
Poly Gifford-a guest of the day
here shone Respondent.
The young folks are counting
nightly on the dance tonight" OBJ
served Mrs. Livy Stowe of Seven Oaks
Even the Buckner girls have got new
ball dresses"
'Tmprovident, l call it." said Mrs.
Clifford. They can't afford such
things, with Park Hill mortgaged up
to the roof the way it is"
Mrs. Mason's soft apologize alto
interposed They're sweet girls,
and we're never young but once.
think it was so fine of Mr. Valiant
to offer to give the ball | hear he's
motored to Charlottesville three or
four times for fxings. though I under
stand he's poor enough since he gave
UP his money as he did. What a
princely act that was!"
''Y-e-e-es," agreed Mrs. Clifford, "but
a little-what shall l call it?-pre-
cipitousi If l were married to a man
like that I should always be in terror
Of his adopting an orphan asylum or
turning Republican or something
equally impossible"
The doctor shut his office door with
a vicious slam and from the vantage
Of the wire window-screen looked sour
ly across the beds of marigold and
nasturtium.
81 reckon if Mrs Poly Clifford shut
her mouth more than ten minutes
hand-running," he said inadvertently,
the top of her head'd fly from here
to Charlottesville"
The major, ensconced with 8 cigar
in the easy chair behind him, -four
ished his palm-leaf fan and smote an
Grant fly.
Speaking of Damory Court" he
said in his big voice. THE dance idea
was happy thought Of young Va
liant's. I'll be surprised if he doesn't
do it to the queens taste
The doctor nodded This place
can't teach him much about such fol
derolings, l reckon. He's led more
cotillions than I've got hairs on my
head"
I'D hardly limit it to that" said
the major, chortling at the easy thrust
And after all, even folderolings have
their use"
who said they hadn't? If people
choose to make whirling dervishes of
themselves, they at least can reflect
that it's better for their lives than
cane-bottom chairs. Though that's
about all you can say in favor of
the modern ball"
''Pshaw!" said the major 81 re-
member time when you used to rig
out in claw-hammer and
" Dance all night till broad daylight
And go home with the gyrls in the morn
ing
with the bravest of US Used to like
it, too"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-06-25

led the way up the drive till they
stood before the porch.
Cad" chuckled the major. who
would think it had been unoccupied
for three decades2 At this rate, you'll
soon be giving dances, sab"
"Ah," said Valiant. That's the very
thing want to suggest. The tourna-
ment comes OF next week, I under
stand. and it's been the custom to
have a ball that night The tourney
ground is on this estate, and Damory
Court is handler than the Country
Club. Why wouldn't it be appropriate
to hold the dance here? The ground
floor rooms are in order, and if the
young people would put up with it, il
would be a great pleasure to me, as
sure you
oh" breathed Shirley. THAT
would be too wonderful"
The major seized his hand and
shook it heartily. 81 can answer for
the committee" he said. They'll
jump at it. Why, sab, the new gener-
alton has never set eyes inside the
house. It's a golden legend to them"
Then I'll 60 ahead with arrange
ments."
He led them around the house and
down the terraces Of the formal gar
den, and here the majors encomiums
broke forth again. you are going to
take US old folks back, sah," he said
with real feeling. This garden in
its original lines was unique. It had
piquancy and a picturesquenes that,
thank God, are to be restored! One
can understand the owner of an es-
tate like this having no desire to
spend his ,ife philandering abroad. We
all hope, sab, that you will recur to
the habit of your ancestors and count
Damory Court home"
Valiant smiled slowly. q don't
dream of anything else," he said. My
life, as I map it out, seems to begin
here. The rest doesn't count-only
the years when l was little and had
my father"
The major carefully adjusted his
eyeglasses. His head was turned
away "Ah, yes" he said
The last twenty years." continued
the other, from my present view
point, are valuable mainly for con-
trast."
AS a consistent regimen Of pate
de foie gras, said Shirley quizzically.
makes one value bread and butter?"
He shook his head at her. "As star
vation makes one appreciate plenty,
The next twenty years are to be here.
But they hold side-trips. too. Now
and then there's a jaunt back to the
city"
Contrast again?" she asked inter
estedly.
Yes and no Yes, because no one
who has ever known that blazing
changing life can really understand the
peace and bIessedness of a place like
this. No, because there are som things
which are to be found only there.
There are the galleries and the opera.
I need a breath of them both
And mi-occasional longer fights,
too" the major reflected. "A look-see
abroad once in a blue moon. Why
not2"
Yes. For mental photographs-im
pressiOns one can't get from between
book-coyers. There's an old cloister
garden know in Italy and a parti /
lar river-bank in japan in the cherry
blossom season, and a tiny island with
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-06-25
w ce in CIIp+oa,,iII.

To a theatrical trade paper the
manager of a troupe of strollere CO..,
this heart sob about his experiences
To break big jump | was cor,
pelIed to make ClintonyiIle. WbtIs
walking from the depot to the tow.
l asked three people where the onera
house was. Two of ther did NJ
seem TO know; the third one reDljed.
Walk down the next side street
the Worst-looking building on ,bo
street That's it. located said 80
ana WORKED until dark getting ont
tonlgnters- At $3.50 there were five
people IN the house, and We Dackad
up. May the Lord heir any otbe-
show playing here. for It's cynot
the management won't"