davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1879-12-04

After cropping along some forty frct,
writes 4 New York correspondent,
found myself in 4 small yard walled up
oNa every side hy tho backs Of other
houses, each trying to ouldo the others
III degrees Of uuco1th, .diI#pidatcd aud
squaIId poverty. The light Of day
scarcely got in here, because from every
window looking into thisyard ropes wero
stretched to some other window, and
along them were hung rag Of every
color and description, in every stage of
decay. The yard WIS occupied by q
dozen italian rag-pickers, who started up
at my appearance and then went on SUI
ienIy with their work. Heaps Of rags
T"rc everywhere, under foot and over
head. Rag picking and rag cleaning is
the principal busjncssof Mulberry street.
The very atmosphere is imprcguated
with rags A very little Of it WIS
enough, and l stumbled up some ricIety
stairs to seq what the rooms were like;
She ofl y one had the strength of mind
and Of nose to venture into will have to
serve as specimen OF all, pushed open
the ilrst door came to, and found q
woman cooking something over fire.
The room looked out on the yard below.
Tins woman did not sccm to mind nv
intrusion; she went on with her work. I
learned afterward that the rag-pickcrs
are so used TO the inspection visits Of
health oiljcerslooking for smallpox cases
and Of policemen looking for criminals,
that they never make any objection.
The room that I got into cannot havo
been more than twenty fcct square, and
yet by means Of rough wooden hunks
built one over the other, like on ship
board, some twenty men made this den
their home. Every bunk was filled with
rags, which constituted the main frrni-
turc; there was also stove, chair, |
and somo tubs and some tin pans Tho
smell, untcnanted ~ the room was then, |
was atroCiOus. What it must be on
hot night with twenty occupants, must |
be lett TO the rcaders Imagination. Il
got out again as sOona Ms could and made |
my way toward the front of the building, |
almost walking over the children who |
swarmed and played in tho puddlcs on
the ground. These poor little oncs are
the offspring Of drunken, besotlod par
ents Dickens used to say that the
poor children Of London were not
brought up, but dragged up. / might
truthfully say that these children are not
dragged up, but kicked up
The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1879-12-04
The Uses Of the Tongue.

tHail.l
TO taste and talk Of course 1t does
neither. An liberated tongue was
lately cut entirely out at the Royal Free
Hospital, in London. Within week
the man was heard distinctly 10 say, II
should like some more beef tea" Blind
fold man, ask him to open his mouth
wide and keep it open, put salt on his
tongue, or drop Of worm-w0od oil; he
cannot tell thedigcreuce.
Take half n toacupful of ice water,
pour it into the center Of dose Of
castor oil; open the mouth, put the rim
Of the cup far back on the tongue, toss
up the cup, down goes the oil without Il
taste Of it, as long as you keep your
mouth open, or do not allow the oil to
touch the lips, Is taste then jf the lips2
But, reader, where have you been al
your life that you should know no better
than t0 believe that the sense Of taste is
in the tongue OF the lips? This may
show how unobserynnt most persons are.
The great and lamented Agassiz was
brought by a painter to look at n fish;
the artist himself thought it was ms near
perfection as possible. I'm IN instant the
philosopher giid to him, "Don' you see
yoG have left out three scales?' 10
pro 20 the sensation Of tasto, tho
tongue, the lips aud tie substance must
ell come in contact at the same time, or
in the process Of smacking the lips
The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1879-12-04

Under the recent pension act, if de-
ceased soldier was n pensimcr Mt the
time of his death, and at the time had
two children under the age Of sixteen
years and left no widow, the tho child
rem are entitled to the arrearaees Of pen
sion under the act, If such soldier left
a widow, she is entitled TO the arrearages
and they are not IL he was not pen
sioner ut the time Of his death, neither
she nor they are entitled to q pension
and arrearages, even though he may have
been. His failure to obtain O pension for
himself bars the widow and children.
But if, before his death, he has made
an application for pension, the widow
or children, as the case may Be, aro en-
titled to the pension and arrears if bis
application IS granted. In other words,
the fact Of his death nowise Affects an
application, but carries with It the
right to enter an application. The com
miBsionef8 FAY that 1t Is impossible to
give u general decision which will cover
all cases. Almost every question raised
q. new and knotty question a8 to the
construction Of statutory law. out Of
this uncertainty there rises much mis-
conception. The claimants best plan is
TO state his or her case, and patiently
await decision, without relying impliC-
lily upon what may have, in Other cases,
been imperfectlY understood.
The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1879-12-04


Last evening. after The nerfarmanee
ssts over II the circus. yonr,r man
called on Chiarini and said he wanted tn
see him on private business. The old
veteran took him into his office, and
received him with his usual politcncss.
" l came up al the way from Carson
TO see the show, and I'd like to ioin,D
said the young man.
Oh, / see," said the circus man.
you are well-formed, healthy-looking
young fellow, and | like to encourage
such as you" The youths face bright
ened
" You don't chew, smoke or drink, I
hopcr"
"Qh, no; honor bright-except soda
and beer"
" You must leave off these bad habits.
They weaken the muscles and paralize
the nerves. You can soon stop drink
ing, but your salary will not be large
until you overcome these tendencies. A
little lemonade circus lemonade-is all
the performers drink. Call at II o'clock
tomorrow morning and | will see what
l can do. You mustn't expect over $50
n week, though, at first We never
pay high salaries until we know what
man can do"
The delighted Car5onite went away,
and this morning was on hand.
Chiarini took him to tent where three
immense Bengal tigers were cagcd.
Handing him Curry-Comb and pair Of
shears, he remarked: ...
Your duties viii be comparatively
light at first. You will 70 into the cage
and curry the tigers down every morn
ing, and about once a week cut their
claws; keep 'em down pretty short. 20
that when they attack the tiger-tamer,
Mr.. Wilson, they won't lacerate him
much. Sometimes, but not more than
once month, you may have occasion
TO file their teeth. You just throw the
animal on his back and hold his head |
between your knees. If he acts rough, |
belt him in the nose few times
Keep betting him until he quiets
down"
Haven't you got any vacancy in the
art Department. asked the young man
from Carson. !
" Is art in your line?" inquired Char
mi.
Yes" drawled the young man. ain |
the circus / always run with was al |
ways employed to paint the stripes on
the zebra. killed SO many tigers keep
ing 'em straight that the boss wouldn't |
let me handle 'em lie said used EN-
too rough"
Chiarini swears that the terror from
Carson shall have the first vacancy.
The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1879-12-04

! Writing from Sweden, correspondent
J Of the London Times says: Of course,
| the whole country is, in a sense, very
poor. That is a natural C0nscuucncc Of
rte latltudc, MS in its physical conforna-
| ton four-sovcnths of its area is covered
with forests. Another seventh il occu-
pied by lakes and rivera Even in tho
J open spaces the granite constantly crops
| up and dctiCs all husbandry. only one
| seventeenth part is cultivated soil.
There are mines Of iron and copper, and
| Swedish iron is tho best the world pro-
ducua. There aro coal mincs which aro
now worked Mt profit. But no coun-
! try, even with resources hundredfoId
| greater, could be rich which il frost
bound and mostly covered with snow
| from October to April every year
"What do you do in Wutcr2" ] asked
OF steamer owner the other day. awe
lie up" was the answer. "Why don't
| you take to a Winter tradeP ] got the
sigfifleantrBpfy Most other trades
are forced TO lie up too" OF course a
country which is thus driven to hberna.
ton, Ike certain cInss of animals, can
not be otherwise than n poor country.
and was not surprised to hear ut Goth
enburg that the number of emigrants
to. America this year from that port
amounted to nearly r.ine thousand. But
in another sense Sweden is by no mems
poor. / have sccn in the last three
weeks Mt least n dozen small towns. Each
had dts school house, its church, its
newspaper, and most of them had their
PUBLIC garden; tbs streets were paved
and lighted with oil lamps swung across
as they we're in old Paris; the houses
though mostly Of wood, were trim and
neat; no broken windows, or diIapidated |
walls, or heaps Of refuse offend thG eve
as they do in English country districts. |
The people were agneat as their houses.
/ have not seen half q dozen bpggnrs !
since | have been in the country. Per- |
hnps some explanation is to be found in |
the fact Chat Sweden is not one Of the |
great powers of the world. She takes a |
low place in the councils Of the nations. |
But her army and navy cost her only
triflc; her taxation ig light md her |
national d, debt is triling (GIO, 900, ,OOOL |
and has been solely employed in the con
structioh Of railways. Finally, all her
children 20 to school, and over 80 per
cent. Of her people can read and write.
There are superstitions in the country
places but they mostly come Eof the
noble North. mythol0gy.nr Children
Whose ifhaginations are fed on such
stories as that Of "Baldcr the Beautiful
may grow up with odd fancies, but |
would not for all that Danish such tales
from the rufTlerv, t... .H# t.HsI
The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1879-12-04
Catching Hnres In America.

EgetmaB Papaf,l
Two German hunters arc out for hare
shooting, but meet with very poor luck.
u wish We could catch them as they do in
the United states,' finally muttered one
of them.p
g How Is that"
The weather must be bitterly cold,
aud you must 60 in the nighttime. All
you have To 10 is to take lighted Ian.
tern and place it where you believe the
hares ard. Thunder say che harcs to
themselves where does the light come
from +? and gradually make up to inves
tfgaic the phenomenon. They sit around
the lantern in q circle and keep gazing
az the light. Pretty soon, however, the
glare nnyes their eyes water, the tears
stream down, and before they know what
they are about they are frozen fast.
Ali that The hunter has TO do Is to break
The ice around them and to put them in
his bag
The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1879-12-04
EaIiimore,s Great Tunnel.

Early next year Baltimore viii ceIe-
bfate Che completion Of its watcr@upply
tunnel. The tunnel is seven miles in
length and about twelve feet in diameter.
Upon the day Of inspection the water
viii be turned on gradually ut the upper
end Of the tunnel and 10W. through Until
about four feet deep at the lower end.
Several long boats will then be aanehed
into the mouth Of the tunnel At the
Lake Monticello end, in 8hich the
party will make The trip through the
tunnel Of water They Will be propelled
by paddles or short oaFH. Headlights
viii be placed on the boats, aud at the
arches, which viii have been erected
where tho fifteen shafts nov are, brilliant
lights will be displayed, and large num-
ber will desianafe each shaft. Every
arrangement will he made tn prevent ac-
eidents, as thd drowning Of tho party,
which, Of eoune, win include tie city
fathers, would be an inauspieiou8 open
ing iii tiiTgfeat water works
The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1879-12-04
I" is it possibIoT exclaimed tho dress.

"Ia it possibleT exclaimed the dresg-
maker shaking all over with laughter
beg your pardon, Miss Betscy, but |
can t help laughing; it is too funny"
Iwant anything laughablc, Miss
Purdy; everybody was as indignant 40
could be. Of course twas done lust to
insult us. Parson Mobiles sermon might
have been in Greek that day for all the
good it done anybody"
,And he asked for admission did hep
asked Miss Purdy.
" Yes, he did, and got it, too, by a
unanimous vote. And what do you
spose he told Mr.. Haywood? lie told
him he considered 'tr0 donations equal to
one fire. And that's the hull story, Miss
Iurdly-what do you think of Parson
Noble now. ! think we're well rid of
him, but tell you my faith in ministers
is dreadfully shaken"
The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1879-12-04
Ghc Eyes OF thc Coming Americans.

5h' t4c' OF III" coming Am'F'cAnS'
DR. d. +, Lincoln, Of Boston, in 4
paper just published on School lly-
gicuC,' fairly raises tho question
whether the Americans aro ultimately to
bocomc q n"ar-sightcd race. 1hc point
his been raiscd before, and recently, in
notable paper read before the New
York Academy of Sciences by Dr.
Agncw, specialist in diseases Of the
eye, and by DR., l.. &. Loriug and pr,
r. II. Derby, in rmarkablc statistical
researches respecting the prevalence Of
myopia in the public schools of this and
other cities, Until they are five or six
years Of Hgc most natives Of the United
States have Il normal vision, the ratio Of
cougcujal ncarsightcdncs4 being mater
tally less here than it is in Germany,
Russia and England. Dr. Ersmann,
whose statistics Of the disease in st.
Petersburg are the accepted authority,
found, after an examination of 1853
eyes of pupils in The schools, that tho
percentage in the primary classes
was 1876, and in the advanced
1873. DR. Conrad, in Konigs-
berg, a German city, found the average
in tho primary classes to he Ill, and in
the higher G2L According to Lorlng
and Derby, tho corresponding percent
The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1879-12-04
Eo I,ltIn,t Need Any

A politician who had been on terms Of
intimacy with actors and artists il sud.
denly elevated to au important official
position. One Of bis friends, q distin-
guished actor, goes to call on him,
and entering the office, says genially,
+" Hullo, old fel., hows -?
] beg your pardon, sir" says Che Of
fetal in glacial manner; {" / am oecu-
pied for moment BE 50 good as to
take n scat"
The actor sits down in surprise in q
chair, and presently his friend says
"Now, sir, what can | do for you?p
Why, don't you know Tne7 Pn.-----1
! do not precisely follow yon,7 gays
the official. Z" You haze come to - n
.. ] came, sir" slys the actor, in a ter
rible voice, jammiug his hat down on his
head--1I came, sir, 70 give you. some
hints as to department now that you are
8 public official, but by the Nine Gods
You don't need anyl Good morning,
sir!"
The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1879-12-04


The following superstitions, handed
down by tradition, arc yet fervently be-
liCved in many parts of America
White specks on the nails are luck.
Whoever reads epitaphs loses his
memory.
To rock the cradle when empty is in,
| furious to the child.
To eat while n bell is tolling for u
funeral causes toothache. -...
The growing of hen indicates some
approaching disaster ..,.s ..
When mouse gnaws q gown some
misfortune may be apprcbcndcd.
He who has teeth wide as,lndcr must
seek his fortune in some distant land. .
Whoever finds four-Ieaf trefoiI-,
shamrock should wear it for good luck.
Beggar's bread should be given to
children who are slow in learning to
speak,
If child less than twelve months old
be brought into Q cellar Aesb becomes
fearful. f.
When children play soldiers on the
roadside it forebodes The approach Of
war.
A child grows proud if suffered to look
into mirror while less than twelve
months old.
He who proposes moving into n new
house must send in beforehand bread and
new broom. 0....
Whoever sneezes at an early hour
either hears some news or RECEIVES some
present the same day.
The first tooth cast by n child should
be swallowed by the mother, to insure a
new growth of teeth. asu..
Buttoning the coat awry, or. drawing
on u stocking inside out, causes matters
to 20 wrong during the day, M
By bending the head to the hollow Of
the arm the initial lettcr Of The name Of
ones future spouse is represented. '.-..''
Women who SOW ilaxaeed should, dur
ing the process, tell some COMPOUNDED lies,
otherwise the yarn will nevdr bleach
white.
When women are stuffug beds the men
should not remain in tho house, other
wise the feathers will come through the
ticks. ..ft .......g
When person enters room be should |
be Obliged to seat himself, il only for O.
moment, as he otherwise takes away the
childr6n's sleep with hiiF@ ri. ''--' I
The following are the omens Of death:
A dogs scratching on the floor or howl |
ing in q particular manner and owls |
hooting in the neighborhood Of the
house. 5ia" @- 't'at ,usa.4.
Domestic harmony must be preserved |
when washing day. comes, in order To in!
sure fine weather, which is Indispensable,
as that ceremony Is generally performed
out of doors ~. .''t' ''
The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1879-12-04

ENW ihlk ilelhlVsI
They have a better way Of carrying
out plans Of highway robbery in Syria
than in this country. Dr. Jcasup, long
missionary in that country, tells how,
last winter, four footmen aud two horse
men Of ArAbah, near Shechcm, arose
and went forth on highway, seeking to
rob the passers-by, when suddenly they
met a Moslem of Shcchcm, riding an
Arab mare worth hundred pounds.
Said one of tho horsemen, II have u
longing to take that Arab blOoded mare,'
His companion replied " You can never
take bIoodcd mare with that old horse
of yours" The footmen also declared it
impossible to take her. Then the horse.
men said, Let us have season Of
prayer, for it is now the noon hour Of
prayer" The horscmen dismounted; one
Of them wrapped his wltite robe around
his head to seem like IN Imam, and they
all stood up TO pray, spreading their gar
mcnts on the ground for prayer rugs.
When, behold, the Shecheuite Moslcm
drew near, and cried out, d" Wait, brcth-
ron. Peace be upon you'll |, too, will
Join you in prayerW So nc dism0unted
and tied his mare to a tree, and began to
pray with them, when suddenly three of
them sprnng upon him, bound him hand
and foot, and threw him upon the
ground. Then they took the mare and
rode away, calling to the Shechemite,
"This is the way we pray; 20 and tell
What you have 8een" Al last accounts
he was going around from place to place
seeking the mare in vain. This discoyr
cry is not patented, but it ought to be
The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1879-12-04
peetiCal Selections.
DEAD.
ny HATTIE Il. 8, CREssH.
:. u ti,e hnnerhn1d nnmhnrl

,,,u, Isss of the household numborl
Ig,F@g IGaa, E down iuthe glow of manhoodsFtronRth,
Waved heart loft toln6urn and wall
ana sig gr,rs onGoinpasgsd by brcRth nor lougth;
Va,s,1bf csn disturb tho peaceful slumbcr
Bls Isto WYNN Jsar ono alecping down IN tho vale.
49,, Asndl ono house IN dcgolation,
pgSaL wv rtonruer for inmates gone,
= XXI. pafr had neither ldth nor kin,
~ tWH.5 ,Ii i,o cid honBo stands like one forlorn,
- q rsotns not far from dGEeCTatiou
5ps ep' strangers 10 got their fegt therein.
dssdt but tho house not forHaken,
M ma couple gone, the new in their places.
n M corner stand their vacant chairs, o. 81.
and Va see no more titeir sulilinR faces;
M. seed We mourn Inst God has tahen
4lrir troubled hearts from this life Of caroSY
n,,8. dssdl al me, the frimIds loved ana dear
Are eyer passing frpm ouT mortRlviewy "a T
f0nd clasp Of Che hand y last farewell, @@ Is
z Ard taey'rs gp4e t9Feyer. the loved and tFue
And ghal sxaiis de Borrowing tear,
FasF liateh BOZ % ths gviofs wbwonld tell.
iesa lhllss3 s - fzieH ning
fstifiiils 6f tic dear departed,
4SsFs better To save their tears for tho LIVING,
For the poor tho lost, the broken n-hoarted;
O. our Savior taught us, and 'twOuld DO In keeping
WIN the preCopts lie once on earth was giving,
yel tfa bard to part from those we love-
To aes them torn forever from Onr embrace,
tnd then laid down meath the graves dark mold
And fncl that no others can fin thhir place;
mi blessed thought, therein be gathered aboye,-
ne rsusomcd gOulH into the Masters fold.
The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1879-12-04
The Rage for Autographs.

jennie June, in letter to the Balti-
moro dmc5icon says there arc many lit
tlcCrHzc8 outside Of the lunatic asy luma
and the autograph mania seems to bo
one of them. Probably it has always
existed, ut least since the art of writing
rendered it possible for individuals to
sign their names. The rage for collect
ing autographs il, however, not wholly
n senselcss one. II hasa human side to
it. More or less of the individuality of
the writer is supposed, and doubtless
with truth, TO be contained in his auto
graph. But it il not the personality
alone which is expressed in the written
letters. 1t is largely the circumstances
which have surrounded his youth, bis
parentage, his education, and hisdevelop-
mont in every respect. 1t is rightly CON
gidered nowadays that the smooth, even
copybook chirography is less expressive,
and, therefore, less desirable than one
much more rugged and uneven, which
shows individuality and some cbaracter-
istics Originality is now equivalent to
genius, and even that which is very good
which is more imitation Of others, has
less value than something inferior which
is uni0pe, or, at least, distinctive in
itgaIf
The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1879-12-04

WHEN his best girl" leaves home
for boardingschool, she promises TO
write faithfully, be true 80 steel, and all
that sort Of nonsense. The first letter
IS nice, long one, breathing the very
essence Of aHactionate tenderness, and il
signed, " Exclusively your own dazzling"
Afer about six weeks, when the young
men from the naighboring academy have
made their opening calls, slio drops him
@ note enthusiastically describing the
particular student that she has faneied,
signing it " inclusiyely yours, etc" He
begins to feel little queer, ail the time
expecting that delusivcly yours will
soon be coming; bat II neYer comes.
The sp9ndeuce Il finished.
The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1879-12-04
TIE THREE DEATHS.

Lay the dead Hope amid tho flowers to rest,
Smooth tendcriv the dHisnd turf HHovr H.
watch by he RTRyo by InrUrGry'H rays carcsacd,
Recalling how wo used in guard and love 1t
From Its swcCt dust fresh fanrics WRy awake,
Til anow dream Isgentlo HCmhhnco tako.
Though passionate FVTs fall fast m Brtmmpr rain,
Where the dead Love lies in eternal Flacp,
Though life nnd Joy may never wear again
The glory buried With IT, dark and deep;
Just for lhut dead things uuTorgyttcu hiss
a Cha9leuod charm may gootho n watch Ike this
But when tho shrine whern wo havo gprncrrd Up
Trust, pridc devotion, Ehiyyra ut our feet;
Whom poison lurking In tho lowing cup.
Turns into EtinEtng gnll what VIVA No Ewcot;
What FulH"c hruDds abuv0 such bitter deuth7
What future comforts us for murdcpod faithf