davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-02-12
NICARAGUA AND WALKER.

A letter received at Truxillo, makes some
statements in regard to the capture, by
Walker, of the Town of Granada, Nicara-
qua, (said to be the strongest place in the
country, having a population of ten thou
sand,) which we have not seen before
When Walker entered the place at the head
of about fifty Americans, he found Chomor-
ro, the President of the Republic, with his
officers i'll ball room. Entering the room,
Walker waved his sword in the air, crying
out, ''Hurrah for Democracy" and took all
present prisoners. Before he left the room
Chomorro was compelled to sign articles of
capitulation but afterwards, finding how
small was the force to which he had sur
rounded, he sent written orders to the Off
Ger in command not to give up the place.
This letter by some means reached the hands
of Walker, as he was entering q church
with Chomorro. He read and placed the
letter in his pocket, and after the services
were over he inquired of Chomorro if he
wrote it, and he did not deny it. A drum
head court martial was summoned, by whose
sentence Chomorro and fifteen of his officers
were shot.
The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-02-12

Gen. Walker, of Nicaragua, has provided
well for all the officers of his army. He
pays the following salaries: Commander
in-Chief, $500 per month; Brigadier Gen
eral, $500; Colonel, 5000; Lieutenant
Colonel, S175; Major, $40; Captain, $1OO;
Lieutenant, $50; Second Lieutenant, $40 :;
First Sergeant, $3.50; Second Sergeant,
S27.5O: soldiers in the ranks, S25. The
clothing and rations to be the same as in
the United States Army.
The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-02-12
SHOCKING TRAGEDY.

A most shocking tragedy was enacted at
Jefferson city, Missouri, on Tuesday even
ing, of which the following are the particu-
lars: Mr.. Francis Turner, middle-aged
man, and house painter by profession,
and who amassed a comfortable property,
beautiful woman; to whom he was tenderly
attached. OF late, however, it is said, he
had become jealous of her, and treated her
with great harshness. For several days
past he had been very melancholy, andneg
lected his business, and was constantly un-
der the influence of liquor.
On Thursday evening, about 6 o'clock,
he went home, entered the parlor where his
in q ferocious manner, and exclaimed,
''Ne've lived long enough ~ and instantly
drew revolver and pointed it at her, but
as he hesitated somewhat, it gave her time
to fly through an open doorway and close
the door after her. He attempted to push
open the door, but she placed herself firm
ly against it, and successfully resisted his
efforts. In few minutes she heard the dis
charge of a pistol anda fall upon the floor.
She then raised an alarm, and some of the
neighbors entering the apartment with her,
found the unfortunate man in the last ago
nies of death. He had fired ball through
his brain. The deceased was, ordinarily,
a temperate, industrious and respectable ci-
tiZen.
The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-02-12

y A railroad is in process of construc-
ton from Fernandina to Cedar Keys, Flori-
da. There are four hundred hands now at
work upon it, and two hundred more on their
way out. The whole distance is 150 miles.
The cost of construction is estimated atthree
millions of dollars. The State gives the
right of way.
The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-02-12

RAILROAD ACCIDENT AND Loss OF LIFE.
The IL o'clock train which left Philadel-
phia for Harrisburg, Pa, on the 4th instant,
was thrown from the track near Whitehall,
and one man killed and 81 wounded. The
accident occurred from the breaking of a
rail. The passenger car took fire from the
stove and was destroyed. The gentleman
killed is believed to be Abraham B. Hart,
of the firm of Hart g. Son, Cincinnati.
The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-02-12

DEATH OF PROFESSOR HENRY.-The
Columbia papers record the death of Pro-
fessor Robert Henry, of the South Carolina
College. which occurred on the 9th instant.
after a short illness.
The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-02-12

RAILROAD AcCIDENT.-When the pas
senger train on the Charlotte and South
Carolina Railroad, yesterday morning, was
about seven miles from Columbia, two cars
few the track, one of which was thrown
down bank. No one was seriously injured
though the cars were considerably broken.
The cause of the accident could not be as
certained, though it was supposed the
locomotive displaced bar of iron on the
track.-[ Cdrolinian, Februdry6.
The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-02-12

LARGE HoG.-Maj. A. J. Hix brought to
Barnwen Is. c. market, on Wednesday
last, hog weighing $40 pounds, which, at
8 cents per h., netted $45.6O.
The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-02-12

FEBRUARY ID, 1856.
The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-02-12

FREE LOVE IN MIssoURI.-A Dr.. Rich
man recently attempted to lecture in St.
Louis in favor of free-loveism. He was
compelled to escape through back door to
save himself from being maltreated.
The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-01-19
The Blr1ntse Ruby.

A correspondent of the Calcutta Citizen,
speaking of the reception Of the English En-
bassy by the Birmese King, says: "The only
thing remarkable at this interview was an
inanimate object, and that was a ruby in the
center Of the pagoda crown of his Majesty. 1t
was as large, if not larger, than hens egg,
and far more valuable than the great Kohinoor,
it was beautifully cut, and almost as round as a
marble 1t was torn off the ear Of the Karen
Queen, by Alompra. 1t was pendant being
suspended by wire casing through her ear.
1t is of the purest water, and more than two
thousand years old, if the traditions concerning
it are to be believed. 1t came originally from
Assam, and belonged to the great Garrow
King Moung sa, who ruled the whole Of
China India,
The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-01-19


but ] /. exclaimed, =, toaming with rage. "why
Ah," beloved the huge Amazon,
The guardian naiad of the strandn
II you havnt got it in your mouth, w don't
Iyou speak plain?" y
Upon this the mob, the policemen and ALL
put me to trial. Never were cross questions
more fatal to culprit, than the consolidated
Ione,pound-one at that moment between nv
teeth was to me.
l. =, Give the boy his money!" cried one /;
. shame cried another. You'd better give
u up !" said the policeman when seeing sew
ieral OF the more active Of the mobocrncy fall
ing to the rear, and arming themselves with
sundry handfuls Of thick Macadam pudding
from the highway, 1 made merit Of necessity,
gave the jew boy my gold for Ransom, and
skunk off to Morlands to write a check for nv
lost twenty pounds. f'5
The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-01-19
A Yankee Boast.

A correspondent furnishes the following re-
port of conversation which recently took
place in stoe'in Boston. He says:
An innocent and pure-minded Jonathan, in
n warm argument with John Bull, on our
National institutions, was endeayoring to floor
his antagonist, who had sneeringly remarked
that i" fortunately Americans couldn't go fur
ther westward than the Pacificshore." Yankee
searched his pregnant brain for an instant. and
triumphantly replied, "Why, good gracious,
they're already leveling the Rocky Mountains
and carting the dirt out West; / had letter
last week from my cousin, who is living two
hundred miles west Of the Pacific shore-on
auade lnud"
The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-01-19
Curious Plants.

Almost every body has heard of the wonder
tul walking leaves Of Australia. For a long
time after the discovery Of that island, many
people really believed that the leaves of cer-
tain tree which fourishes there could walk
upon the ground The story arose in this way
Some English sailors landed upon the coast
one day, and after roaming about until thew
were tired, they sat down under tree to rest
themselves. A puff of wind came along, and
blew OF shower Of leaves, which after turning
over and over in the air, as leaves generally d.
finally rested upon the ground. As it was mid
summer, and everything appeared quite green,
the circumstance puzzled the sailors considera-
bly. But their surprise was much greater, as
you may well suppose, when, after a short time,
they saw the leaves crawling upon the ground
towards the trunk of the trees. They ran at
once for their vessel, without stopping to exam
Inc into the matter at all, and set sail away
from the land where every thing seemed to be
bewitched. One of the men said that /" he ex-
pected every moment to see the trees set to
dance jig" Subsequent explorations of Aus
tralia have taught us that these walking leaves
are insects. They live upon the trees. Their
bodies are very thin and flat, their wings form
ing leaRlike organs. When they are disturbed,
their legs are folded away under their bodies,
leaving the shape exactly like leaf with it's
stem and all complete. They are of q bright
green color in the summer, but they gradually
change in the fall with leaves, to the brown Of
frost-bitten vegetation. When shaken from the
tree, they lie for a few minutes upon the ground
as though they were dead but presently they
begin to crawl along towards the tree, which
they ascend again. They rarely use their Winos
although they are pretty well supplied in this
respect.
Another eccentric production of nature,
which we find mentioned in Miners Crmca, is
the "Steppe WITCH"
This curious plant, which grows in the Cri-
mea, is in that country the theme of many a
tale and ballad of childhood. The plant rises
to the height Of three feet, and ranifies con-
siderably upwards, so as to form a thick round
bush, bearing pretty little flowers When sap
less and withered in autumn the main stalk is
broken close to the ground by the first high
wind that rises, and the rounded top is carried
rolling, hopping and skipping over the plain
under the control Of the breeze. Other small
withered plants become attached to the mass,
and it gradually forms huge misshappen ball,
while several being driven together, adhere like
enormous burrs, and have some witchcry in
their appearance, as they go dancing and
bounding before the gale, Hundreds of these
objects may be seen securing the steppes at
the same time, and may easily be mistaken at
distance for hunters and wild herds Heavy
rains put an end to the career of the witches,
or the Black sea, into which they are blown,
summarily arrests their course,
The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-01-19
An Extraordinary Case.

The following is going the rounds--as true
story-having occurred in Cincinnati not long
since. 1t is a sort of second edition Of the
Ernest Ataltravers fiction:
About twenty years ago, man and wife
(of prominence by fashionable position,) who
had been welded long enough to be blessed (?)
by female babe, discovered that they did not
love one another as they should, therefore sepa-
rated for ever. The wife took the child and
sought home in an eastern city, where her
parents resided, resuming her maiden name and
giving the child the same. After divorce had
been agreed upon and obtained by due course
of law, the lady married, and the little girl was
sent to relative in the interior Of New Y ork
State, where her education was attended to, and
where she lived until a few months since.
The man has continued to reside in the
west, and being young when separated from his
wife, of hale constitution, and particularly
careful to remove from his countenance, as far
as possible, all traces of times footprints, has
kept up very youthful appearance, consider
ing his age. Being in afliuent circumstances,
of good address, and decidedly agreeable in the
little niccties that continue to stamp the gen.
tlemen of fashionable line, he was always re-
garded as o desirable prize by designing
mammas. Nevertheless, he had escaped their
snares, to the great annoyance Of pretty girls
and charming widows who really thought it
was the duty of Mr. to get married. 1t
might have been settled aversion to the sex
or it might be attributed to his early lesson
yet, q fact it was, that he did not marry.
But not to be too prolix, we'll cut off some
of the little unimportant items and proceed to
the story. In last June Miss J-arrived
here from the east on visit to relative who
had been resident Of Queen City but few
months ago. The second week Of her sojourn
threw her in company with thisgra widower Of
twenty years standing, who showed by his at
tentions that he was more than usually i'm
pressed by the charms Of the fair stranger.
Every evening found him at her side, and she
was thought not to be entirely insensible to his
charms Of person and mind. A month gided
away-a month of courtship, which was care
fully noted and meaningly winked at by her
relative. At length her hand was asked in
marriage, and the matter referred to her con
nection.
lie seemed to favor the project, and appoint
ed an interview for the trio the same evening.
They met in the parlor, when more formal
solicitation for her hand was made, and while
the ardent suitor was waiting with breathless
The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-01-19
Botany.

The editor of the Lynn (Mass) Register has
been edifying his readers by giving them the
Latin names of flowers, plants, etc.. all Of
which is very interesting, and the articles are,
no doubt, read by as many US one or two Der.
sons. The News, published in the same Mace
not wishing to be thrown in the shade by such
scientific displays, comes out with the following,
from correspondent: ~
FLOWERS, PLANTS, VEGETABLES, ETC., OF LYNN.
Mr.. Editor: have been much pleased in
reading several articles on wild Flowers Of
Lynn" Flowers of Home" and, thinking it
the duty of every natural" list to give the
public the benefit of his researches will name
u few OF the wonderful productions of nature
which have come under my eye. Some of the
plants, l am aware, have been noticed before
but they are such rare specimens that it is
well to fix them on the attention of the lovers
of the beautiful. give you the Latin as well
as the English names:
Ring EN- sno,tt Pig weed.)
, Egytorum creep Eel grass.) Found on Lynn
Beach.
Energeticum apply (Smart weed.) s-.
High tan touchalorum (Nettle.) May l.
Tread on EN- jump (Thistle)
C,ysum tearo (Onion.) .s...5.
Squirtem gingerpop (Hops) u, .
ianglc EN- legsbus kelp.) This is beau.
tiful plant, found in great abundance in the vi
cinity of Egg Rock "Ihe alkaline calcinet
ashes of the weed used in the manufacture O.
glass" Worcesters Dictionary, p. 4O2.
Redicle logabus Nong red.)
Bellyacha euro (Peppermint.)
Smotlcrum o!fact,m skunk cabbage.) IL
low lands. This specimen is one Of the earliest
Spring plants. Mr. Gray, the Lynn Hermit
pronounced it the most powerful green ht
had ever found.'
Eat up holden hot (Green corn.) b.
Puckerem no,aho Choke cherry)
Chenangorum tir (Chenango) Sheldon's
market, at all seasons.
Mintjulepibals straarsuckem (Horsemint.)
1urnopia boalaJus (Mangel wurtzel.)
AN uinter eartho (Parsnip.)
1icklcnose en- sneeso (Barbary root) Ir
Rocks pasture.
Juvenile digem (Dandelion.)
High cochaloran, (Blob.)
Ieethit on ed gem Grab apple)
Toad EN- squaticle (Ioad stool.)
have many other specimens which may
notice hereafter, if the public can appreciate
the beautiful The " smasll-head (he Englisl
of which is brickbat) an interesting minera
substance, found in profusion wherever the
+" Angel Gabriel makes his appearance, may
be noticed in future
The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-01-19

UNINIPROVED LANDS
AT PRIVATE SALE.-The undersigned offers
at private sale, on reasonable and accommodating
terms, the following described Tracts Of Lands
l. $50 acres lying east of the Bayou B9uf, and /
miles of the junction Of Bayous Bnuf and
Crocodile, adjoining lands of DR.. l.. Webb
and Moore & Prescott.
2. 396 acres on the west bank of Bayou B1uf, ad-
joining lands of Mr.. Littell above and G. L.
Swayze below.
8. 400 acres on the west bank of Bayou Waxic.
4. .442 acres the east bank Of same, bounded on
the east by the plantation OF the undersigned.
.724 acres bounded on the west by the plantation
of the undersigned, on the south by G. r.
King, on the cast by A. Wartelle, and on the
north by lands of d. II. Can't and others.
6. 200 acres on the Elm Bayou, near lands of Mr..
Foreman.
The new State road, as surveyed and partly COM
pleted runs through the center of the lands on and
east of the Wake, which are not surpassed by any
lands in the Parish for fertility of soil and timber
having been selected especially by the proprietor
after first seeing all the uncuttiyated lands Of the
Parish.
Apply to Jonathan Harris, Opelousas, TIC. Ander-
son. Washington or the undersigned at his residence
on Dry Bayou. JAMES MORGAN.
The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-01-19
Higher water.

.1.mes W. Ward, an Ohio poet Of SON
'shrity, s has produced capital parody o
Hiawatha. The following de
IF ;nt;on Of o freshet in the Ohio river, is til
,pppiest passage in the dy:"
Be not weary and I'll tell you; ~
Tell you if You are not weary, 5a=-.
Ofthe mighty Higher-W Water;
Hicher-W Water swelling proudly,
Proudly swelling down the valley.
IN the white wave he descended,
On O.wah.te-paw the white wave
with him come the whirling eddies,
4 Came with him Ker-chunk the big stump;
Came the rolling logs O-wah-sis, G,
Came the snags the Jag-gernaggerz;
Came Sca-wot-te.che the drift wood;
Came Ka-rick-e-ty the fence rails;
Game the corn-stalks, came the hardwood
Came pitching mass of plunder-
Rig sticks, little sticks and shavings;
Swimming, driving, butting, pitching,
Rolling, piling, humping, smashing,
Heaying, tumbing, spinning, crashing,
Hither, thither, this side, that side
What confusion, what o tumult,
What a roaring, what surging,
What mighty rush of water,
What an army of destruction, ...
Coming down in wrath and fury,
Coming down the handsome river,
Coming down with Higher-Water,
Filled with raging, mad with fury,
Rushing down to fight the big rats,
To o'erwhelm the skulking wharfrats.
The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-01-19
Inaprolnptu Marriage.

The NewYork Mirror states that few
days since, Rev. Mr.. Gillet united in the
(" holy bonds of matrimony,' Mr.. Charles r..
Adams to Miss Jessie NJ, daughter of the late
Thomas NJ. Woodruff. Some friends, in the
early part of the evening, challenged the maiden
with promises of sundry valuable settings
out" to marry at once-and as she contempla-
ted doing so zone of these days" she bravely
accepted the challenge, and beau and person
were called in, and the whole affair was "done
up" in the course Of three or four hours.
The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-01-19
oPELoUsAs, SATURDAY MORNING, JANUARY 10, 1866.

anxiety for the answer that was to seal his
iate, the young lady was led forward and pre-
sented to her father the lover.
1t is needless to add that both were as
founded however, it has resulted in good, the
father has settled liberal fortune upon the
daughter, and ere this both are in Paris, pre-
paratory to making the tour Of Europe This
romance of every day life is but another in
fiction. ','''
The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-01-19
SALES AT AUCTION.

lGUCCESSION SALE.-Will Be Sold at
~ public auction, to the last and highest bidder,
BY the undersigned, Testamentary Executor Of W.
". Bowen, deceased, or some duly qualified auc.
tioneer, at the store Of James Akenhead, at Bayou
Chicot, in the Parish Of st. Landry, ON
TUESDAY, February IL, 1855,
the following described property belonging 70 the
The undivided sixth part Of certain
TRACT OF LAND c
situated in said Parish, and lying in the Bayou Chi
cot Settlement the whole of which tract is supposed
to contain about six hundred superficial acres more
or less bounded north and east by lands Of John D.
Grimball and Charles Ferguson, on the south by
lands Of John A. Gaze and on the west by lands ii
John W. Singleton; being the same purchased by
the deceased from Ann Tear wife Of John Decker
by acts passed on the 10th Of November and 4th OF
December, 1847, and inscribed on the Sth of Decen,
ber, 1856, in the Recorders Office. "
Terms cash.
Parish of St. Landry, January IL, 1856.
GEO. R. KING, Testamentary Executor.
DUBLIO SALE.-Will be sold, by the un.
Parish of ST. Landry, to the last and highest bidder
at the last residence Of Louis Normand, deceased,
On TUESDAY, February 8, 1850,
the following described property, belonging to the
estate Of said deceased, to wit:
A TRACT OF LAND,
containing about 65 acres situated near Grand Pra
rie, in the Parish of ST. Landry, and bounded on the
north by lands of Leandre Guilory northeast by the
Crocodile Swamp, east by Lucien Soileau, south by
jackson Stevens, and west by jackson Stevens and
Leandre Guillory,
With all the Buildings and improvements thereon
' ....ALSO....
A lot of CORN and FODDER;
A HORSE.CART;
Two Double-barrel GUNS;- a.s,
HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE:
FARMING and KITCHEN UTENSILS,
etc. ETC. etc. -9 t.
CONDITIONS. The above property will be sold
on credit Of one and two years from and after the
LIST day of March next 1856. The.purchaser to give
the Administrator, and the Land and Improvements
to remain specially mortgaged until full and fina
payment.
Parish of st. Landry, January 5, 1856.
LOUIS SfAGG, Auctioneer.
The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-01-19

NOTICE.-'Those persons who were pur-
IN chasers at the sale Of the estate of Don Louis
Sounier and Carmelte Carrere, his wife, are hereby
notified that the first installment their purchases
must be made Immediately, II they would avoid
costs to ULYssE GABEREL, In this town. 57SF
Opelousas January IL. 1855. -.,4-.s4 e...
FLORIAND SONN1ER, Administrator "
The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-01-19
JUDICIAL NOTICES.

NOTICE. WILLIAM HurFpowER, of the
~ Parish of St. Landry, has applied by his petit
ton to be appointed Administrator Of the estate Of
Susan Welch, widow Of Jacob Welch, deceased, late
Of said Parish; . l
Therefore, any person intending to make opposi.
in my office, in the town Of Opel0usas, within ten
days from the date of this notice. -
Clerks office, Opelousas, January ~. 1867
L. LASTRAPES Clerk.
The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-01-19
lGTATE OF FLOUISIANA-Dist Court

GTATE OF LOUISIANA-District Court
~ Parish Of st. Landry. No. 76l6. Estate Of
Joseph ?. Guillory and Emile Deshotels.
DAx!EN Gu1LLoRy, Of the Parish Of St. Landry,
Administrator Of the Estate of Joseph p. Guillory
and Emile Deshotels, deceased, having filed his
final tableau of the said estate, accompanied by his
petition praying for the homoogation and approval
othe same; and Whereas the prayer Of said petition
uary 8, 1856;
Now, therefore, notice is hereby giveu to all per-
sons interested to show cause if any they have
within thirty days from the date hereof, why said
tableau should not be homologated and approved.
Clerks Office, Opelousas, january IL. 1855.
L, LASTRAPES. Clerk,