davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-21
Anctemt cities of Honduras.

While Guatemala boasts more ruined
aboriginal cities, Central Honduras was
once the scene of a high condition of
civilization. Near the source of the
winding Chemelicon, on the left bank of
the river, are situated the ruins of Copan,
the capital of a great and powerful
aboriginal kingdom. The temple walls
are fallen, but the stones that compose
them are sculptured with graceful
hieroglyphics vastly different from the
uncouth signs and symbols that cover the
late obelisks and temnle walls of the ia
0 ruined cities of Egypt. Recent in
yestigations prove that the once great
Indian capital at Copan must have been
founded thousands of years age, shortly
after he half destroyed world recovered
rom that terrible cataclysm that covered
it with that desolating debris of the
drift period. Indeed it is probable that,
like Uxmal, 1t has been several times re-
built, for its ruins betray traces of sew
eral styles of archi ecture that embrace
different epochs of civilization. But the
stories told by the mural sculptures and
the hieroglyphic-covered obelisk re-
main a profound secret to the savants of
the day. No rosetta stones has been
discovered to reveal the mysterious his
tories they relate, nor can we ever hope
to learn them. The language of the
builders has disappeared with those who
raised these %stupendous monuments.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-21
4 Toagina Machine.

A French savant, named Henri Roget,
hailing from Lyons, has, it IS stated, a
new use for electricity. He has a patent
to apply to it as a substitute for the cat
o'nine-tails in corporal punishment. The
culprit, having been undressed, is secure
" strapped to a steel triangle, which is
connected with one pole of q powerful
battery. The other pole is connected
with the whip, which consists Of a num-
Der of steel wires covered with a sponge.
This whip is dipped in water before the
stroke is administered, and whenever the
wet wires touch an electric discharge
takes place. The inventor claims that
the chastisement can be made so mild
as not to injure a schoolgirl, while, ON
the other hand, by increasing the power
of the battery, a punishment can be ad-
ministered beside which the knout would
be mere child's play, and at The same
time no injury is inflicted, the disgust
ing spectacle of a lascerated back is
avoided, ard the culprit, instead of hav-
ing to be sent to the hospitll to have his
wounds healed, can be put to work in
five minutes after the Jogging is over.
NJ. Roget intends petitioning Gen. Bou-
LANCER, the French Minister of War, to
allow his patent to be used experiments
ally on the next soldier senten ed to the
cat. FL gging is not in existence in the
French army, nor is it likely to be intro
ductd to test the machine Electrical
World
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-21
a Admssser,s aa,isOr.

The Rev. Mr.. stebbins, Of San Fran
cisco, has . keen appreciation Of the lu-
dicrous and Is something Of q wit him
sell. Not long ago d man with whom he
was slightly acquainted accosted him
with:
We'll stebbins, I like You frst-rate;;
but 4 don't like Jour religion! Sorry;
but I don't; for I'm q Baptist.
am glad to hear that You are d Bap-
replied Ar. stebbins, who realized that
the man had been taking something
stronger than Adams ale, : { Tor + don't
know q anything that would do You
mgze coed than Water '-Bostos Gasstse.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-21
MtsltonGtses at L,.ssch.

A fir end of Russell Sage, IN the Hoff-
man House lobby this morning, was
laughing over some recently printed
stories that the millionaire had foresworn
sandwich l~uncheons, and was now in the
habit of investing twenty five cents at /
o'clock every day, and treating himself
to a substantial meal. "Why as a mat
ter of fact" he continued, "Mr. Sage
lunches every day at the Western Union
building in company with half a dozen
other millionaires. There is an elabor-
ate luncheon served in one of the upper
room every day about 10. so o'clock.
Mr.. Gould sits at the head of the table.
with Sidney Dillon at his right hand and
Mr.. s ge at his left. Mr.. Field is there
if he isn'tsin Boston or in Europe. There
are usually twelve at the table. The
seats are apportioned to those present
according to their position, SO that the
table is graduated from Jay Gould at the
head to DIR. Noryin Green at the foot.
Then they talk of Dir. Sage waiting for
the ive-cent hours on the elevated road.
Why, he has a life pass, consisting of a
little gold wheel provided with golden
wings. There are a dozen or so of these
in Wall street, and they are usually worn
on watch chains. They generally i1di-
cate that the wearer rides a bicycle, bur
Mr.. Sage does not.'-Ne.e York Com
mefciai.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-21
BLackbirds as Food.

H=HlwH--
There is a large trade in Philadelphia
in blackbirds, says a recent letter. Some
years ago, when it first begar, very few
birds were sold but the restaurants and
private families found out that the
birds could be made tender and palatable
by parboiling them and her baking
them in a pie; and now dozens of punches
of blackbirds, twelve in a bunch, are
sold at the. very best game depots. The
trade continues from April, when the
birds come back from the south, until
early October, when they leave this lati-
tude, and all the season through there is
n unvarying price demanded for this
sort of game-viz., 25 cents per t'bunch'
of twelve birds. The birds are shot by
farmers boys and other sportsmen. AS
the birds fly to their feeding grounds in
the morning and back to their ssroosts''
in the woods at shutdown,
and their line of flight is
straight, the gunners can fire volleys into
their futtering focks whenever they come
within range while crossing the country.
At early morning and an hour or two be-
fore the sun sets, the swamp and crow
blackbirds, two very different species,
seem less wary and feed in the plow-
burrows in the field, or along the banks
of creeks and rivers, where worms and
fresh water shell-fish abound, and then
the volley of No. 6 shot decimates their
sable ranks. Theoretically, there is no
reason why the flesh of blackbirds should
not be used for food. They feed on
cherries, c%urrants, fruit, grain, and worms
just as reed birds, doves, wild pigeons,
and plenty of other palatab.e game
birds do. Blackbirds don't eat
%carrion, and although they are pol
ygamus, don't mate, and lay their
eggs in the nest of other birds, they are
not otherwise different from other species.
They are noisy, cheeky, and great pests
OF the farmers who have cherry orchards
or graperies, and those who know black
birds best will set it down as an invari-
able rule that If they can steal ripe cher
ries they will not touch any other kind
offood. No country people eat b ack-
birds any more than they eat crows. They
look upon both warblers with about the
same sort of feelings. There is a tradi-
ton in the neighboring counties that
eat carton, but it is not true,
though their flesh IS rank enough before
being parboiled. A blackbird roost-
is, a place where hundreds of thou
sands Of the s~able-feathered pests flock
and Stream at nights regarded by the
tillers of the soil as q local misfortune,
and il often happensthat adozen farmers,
with their sons and hired hands, all
armed with guns, will lie in ambush
evening after evening, for several days
In order to shoot the birds as they fly in
small, black clouds at night to a harbor-
ing-place of this sort.
49,
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-21
Patience.

The sculptor, Dennecker, worked for
two years at a statue of Christ. After
he had done his best-as he thought
he asked ii little girl into his studio, and
when the child was in front of the statue
he said to her, "Who is that2" The
child looked and slid, ga great man. y
The German artist went away mournful
he had failed. He set to work again.
He worked for six years more, then he
sent for that same child again. The
child looked, tears came into her eyes,
and she said, ut is Suffer little child
rem to come unto me, and forbid them
not, for of such is the kingdom of
heaven Dennecker was delighted he
had chiselled out his conception of
Christ.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-21
A Balloon Adventure.

Balloons are frequently used in war.
time for the purpose Of observing the pc.
sitions and movements Of the enemy, and
they were resorted to by the Federal
army while it was. on the Peninsula dur.
ing the war between the North and the
South. One balloon wa handled by
detail from the Fourth Maine Regiment,
and a writer in the Grand army Sentinel
tellseos an adventure which befell it and
which was saved from q disastrous end
ing by asoldier named John. While there
was no particular qualification in Johns
habits that would make him a hero, still
he is the hero of this tale:
One fine day, when all the army was
at rest, and the balloon corps were loung-
ing about waiting orders, they were
aroused by the arrival of Gen. Porter.
The general was very much in earnest,
and very much in a hurry, could not
wait for the head and manager of the
flying ship, who. was absent, but must
take a trip into the upper atmosphere to
reconnoitre the enemy's lines. To his
request, which was a command, there
was no refusal.
Movements of the balloon during its
fight were controlled by a rope reaching
the ground and securely fastened to a
take. All beng ready, the General
stepped in and was allowed to move
slowly and surely towards the clouds.
Everything ran smoothly until the full
extent of the line was reached, when
snap went the rope and away went the
General. By some accident there had
been a few drops of the acid used in
generating gas spilled ON the rope, MAX
ing it worthless; so when the strain came
it parted.
Porter was frantic. He was drifted
towards the Confederate lines, and in
his excitement vas as helpless as a child.
At this point my hero came to the front,
with the requisite quality for saving the
general from an inglorious flight over the
enemy's camp. John was blessed with
an immense pair of lungs, and they were
in splendid condition. From a boy he
had been noted for his ability to make a
noise, and he also had a good, honest,
generous share of mouth.
To these two gifts of nature was Gen.
Porter indebted for his relief from his
unpleasant situation. All signs and YER
bal instructions as to what he should do
to get down were a failure, until john
was called upon.
One shout was enough-"Pull that
rope over your head!" The General
heard and obeyed. Yes, and he pulled
with a will, for he entirely collapsed the
balloon, and down he came like a shot.
1t was a fearful moment; all expected to
see him dashed to atoms. But heesas
reserved for another fate. Fortune was
with him, for the balloon came plump
down on to a Sibley tent, and the Gener-
al stepped forth from the wreck safe and
sound, but rather badly shaken.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-21
SCRAPS.

Since Agassiz died ornithologists
have discovered, mainly through fossil
remains, th't birds are closely related to
reptiles in their structure. A fossil bird.
discovered in Germany, has been pur-
chased by the British Museum for a small
fortune. 1t shows a body heightened
out into a tail, that without wings, close
ly resembled a reptiles body.
The supply of water to plants through
their roots is always more abundant
when the soil is kept warm; hence when
plants3begin to wilt, mere warming the
earth around the roots will some
times cause them to revive. BIT it
must be remembered that roots Except
those of acquatics) need air to breathe.
| and hence they must not be drowned.
The popular impression as to the du-
ration of the lightning fashi that it is
I practically instantaneous. From the ex-
| periments of Wheatstone and Others
with the rotating disk, the durations of
the flashes measured would vary appar-
emily from the 1-1000 to the 10, 600 of a
second. Others estimate the duration of
he flash as even shorter than these fig
ures.
Astronomical textbooks place the
suns density at a little more than that of
water, but in a recent lecture Mr.. ]. Nor
man Lackyer, the English astronomer,
expressed the opinion that the sun really
has not more than one-eighth the density
of water. If this view be correct, the
sun is simply an enormous globe of glow
ing gas, possibly liquid at the centre in
consequence of the enormous pressure
existing at that part. Solar temperature
is a matter at which men can only guess
as yet, and scientific estimates range
from 5000 to 1S, 600, 00o.- Arkansaw
zraUeller.
An inhabitant of Stockholm has in
vented a fire-proof garment, which will
permit the wearer to stand calmly in the
midst of a raging fire for an hour with
out suffering any inconvenience-so it is
alleged. 1t consists of two parts, or en-
velopes; the first, next to the body, is of
rubber Material the second is of MOLE
skin; the two parts are connected by a
curious head-piece, which also protects
the face and admits the necessary air.
The space between the envelopes is fl led
with fresh water, which is also admitted
at the head-piece, and prevents burning.
Some very attractive specimens of
paper slippers, sandals, and other cover
ings for the feet-a substitute for leather,
etc.-have been brought to notice in
London, where their manufacture has
been recently undertaken. For this pur-
pose paper, paper pulp, or papier mache
is employed in making the upper, which
is moulded to the desired form and size;
the sole is made of paper or pasteboard,
leather board, or other adapted paper
materia', a union of this sole to the upper
being effected by means of cement, glue,
or other adhesive material; the plan is to
have the upper creased, embossed, or
perforated the instep and sides, SO as to
prevent any breaking or tearing while in
use. The sole may be made with or with
out q heel.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-21
ISOUND FROM FLAME.
Tho Remarkable Result Of a
Scientists Experiments.
Escaping Air Jets@Direoted Against a
Flame Prospce Musical Sounds.

An abstract of a remarkable paper read
before the Royal Society, England, by
Chichester A. Bell is published in Science.
The author was led to make his expert
ments by the accidental observation that
a pulsating air jet directed against a
fame caused the flame to emit a musical
sound. The pitch of this sound depend
ed solely on the rapidity of the jet pulsa-
| tions, but its intensity or loudness was
found to increase in a remarkable way with
the distance of the flame from the orifice.
In order to study the phenomenon, air
was allowed to escape against the fame
from a small oriice in the diaphragm of
o. ordinary telephone, the chamber be-
hind the diaphragm of the telephone be-
ing connected by rubber tubing with a
reservoir of air under a gentle pressure.
The diaphragm was vibrated by means Of
a battery and %microphone in a distant
apartment and the discovery was made
that speech as we'll as musical and other
sounds could be quite loudly reproduced
by the flame upon which the air jet i'm
pinged. The author suspected that tho
motion of the orifice in the diaphragm
(rather than the compression of the air in
the chamber behind the diaphragm was
the chief agent in producing the observed
effects. He confirmed this suspicion by
obtaining similar results with a light
glass jet tube connected with the air res
evoir. This tube was cementel to a soft
iron armature carried by a spling in front
of the magnet of the telephone, the
spring armature and jet thus replacing
the diaphragm. He also showed, by di-
recting an air jet under suitable pressure
against a fame, that he was able to cause
the flame to reproduce, with an echo-like
effect, all sounds or words uttered in the
neighborhood. The best sounds are
heard when the air stream strikes the
flame preferably smalD just below the
apex of the blue zone. Suspecting that
the sonorou,ly effective changes in the
jet must be relative changes in different
parts of it, he tried a very small hearing
o%riice, the size of the jet o%riice, (about
I to Is millimeters in diameter MILL
meter is about half the thickness of a new
nickle fve-cent piece. The hearing
orifce was made at the end of a glass
tube, connected by rubber tubing with a
suitable car piece, no flame being used.
By introQ ucing this little hearing orifice
into the path of an air jet made to vi
brate by sounds produced near it, the vi
brations were heard over a wide area, in
creasing in intensity as the hearing orifice
was moved away from the air jet along
its axis and reaching a maximum at a
certain distance from it.
AT pressures between 10 aud IL MILL
meters of water such an air reproduces
all the tones of the speaking vice and
the common musical tones, but not very
shrill or Kissing noises. At higher pres
sures (up to 25 nm. of water) shrill and
kissing noises produce violent disturb
ances, while the tones of ordinary speech
have little effect.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-21
"A Hmm or Summer.

Beyond the chestnuts on the lawn, =
Two happy girls have made a swing,
Half hid in shadows of thu dawn
Fair types of Summer and of Spring.
OSpring, Spring, Spring, how fair are thou
An Apriltime OF smiles and tears
Till Summer with the sunny brow,
Thrice welcome guests, at length appears.
When wood and field are crowned by june,
Rich garlanded with leaf and flower,
Then hearts of men are all in tune
With Summers plenitude Of power.
The fairest scenes crowd into view
The deep-blue-sky, the purple hills,
The meadow flowers of varied hue,
The placid lakes, the sunlit rills.
Then joyfuliy, in grateful mood,
Our hearts and voices join to praise
b great Creator of all good,
The Giver Of glad Summer days.
g. Weatherly IN the Quiuer.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-21
In Search fa Remnant.

Il understand you are offering some
remnants for sale,' said an Arkansas man
to a dry goods clerk.
eyes, sir, we have some remnants
which we are offering very cheap"
ssNal, | want a emnant for my dog
For your dog?n
Eyes; zee see, some feller's cut my
dogs tail of, an thought if yer had a
remnant OF d yalIer bulldog I mout fnd
8 piece et'd itit,n--G oodalI's Sun.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-21
vital SpOf.

Gibbs-so the mar was killed up at
the hotel, was hea
squibbs-Yes, shot right in the re.
tunda.
Gibbs-Great scottl No WONDER ii
killed him. That's ! terrible place to hit
q man.-Gh;eGgo RaMbEer.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-21
ST.. R ACADEMY

OPEL0USAs, LA.
The course of instruction in this institution ork.
English. French, Latin, Greek, Arithmetic g5IInfaees
Geometry. bookkeeping, Natural Sciences IuY$sota,
Geography. PenmanshiD. and great care ia baas.sssory,
TERMs:-Board and tuition per month s1s. !
Scholars per month, -, SO or 81, ACCORDING i n Day
Glasses are resumed on Tuesday. Septemba- ~ II tei ,sasa
REV. =. RAYMOND, d. n w,
Rev. F. j. RAYMOND
Aug. 90, 1885. A. BLANC DUouPss.v
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-21

Venture not upon the threshold Of
wrong.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-21
AReward of s5O..Fifiv Dollar

IS BY the Central st. Landry Protective
4 Live Stock ASS rotation, for evidence that vii LEAD
70 me apprehension and conviction Of ang peEaaas
member of said Association. A record Of the bands
Of members Of the Association may be seen III tbs
house Of the Secretary. Jno. III. Ware, in Bellows, Or
at the Clerks Office in Opelousas.
j. E. SHUTE. JNO. M. WARE 6ecsy.
PreS,t. If
The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-04-08
Somebody q Forger.

On November /, last, X. D. Rogers,
Ellis Rouse and Henry Williams, all of
Taylor Ridge, left tor Lanford, Florida
Rogers had considerable property, real
and personal, and he placed his affairs
during bis absence in the hands of J. c.
Taylor, of Taylor Ridge, instructing that
gentleman to send him money, in com
pliance to any request, which he might
make at any time. On January 10, Mr..
Taylor received telegram signed by
Rogers and asking him to forward $500.
A week later Mr. Taylor did so, and heard
10 more from the matter until Mr. Rog>
ers returned home two weeks ago, and
was surprised to find that Mr.. Taylor had
received request for money in his
name, as he had sent none. A
telegram was sent to Florida aud the
package was found at the An erican eS-
press office there uncalled for. 1t was
sent back and reached Rock Island again
yesterday. Mr. Rogers is at loss to
know who is the forger. Whoever he
is he was probably too much of coward
to call for the money after he had sent for
it, Mr. Rogers has been put to an ex-
pense of SO or $40 in the transmission OF
the package, but the attempt to swindle
him out of his money has happily proved
failure.
The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-04-08

A valuable work for which the city is
now being canvassed, is entitled The
Science of National Life, book of $50
pages on political economy, by Scott F.
Hershey, Phi D, of Lancaster, Ohio
The name of the eminent author is suf
ficient guarantee for the worth of the
work. 1t treats on the subject of politi-
cal economy thoroughly and literally, the
outline giving the views of the eminent
scholars of the day, who have been stu
dents of the subject first, and his own
ideas afterward. 1t not only begins at
the foundation of the science, social or
der, but it traces individual and social
rights through all the ramifications of
our wonderful development. People in
terested in the labor problem. in co oper-
alton as relief from the wage system,
its abuses and its strikes, in banking, in
money. in taxation, in trade. will find
very clear discussions and exposiIions in
its successive chapters.
The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-04-08
Police Points.

Samuel Smith and Hugh Garvin we're
held 10 bonds of $500 each by Magistrate
Bennett this morning for melting riot last
Saturday night.
Marshal ECkhart went to Quincy this
morning after pair of swinders, but
missed his aim and his birds got away
Deputy Marshal Hull went to Moline
this afternoon to arrest Christ kuehl for
assault with deadly weapon upon infor,
nation lodged by P. Fries, of this city.
Mr. Fries came into possession of Kuehl's
property through mortgage. and Kuehl
used threatening and abusive language
and assaulted Mr.. Fries; hence his arrest
upon warrant to keep the peace.