davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-18

A novel system Of fire cxtinguishing
has just been introduced by Mr.. VIM.
Genister chief constable and chief of
he volunteer iresbrigade, Hastings, a
suburb Of London. The apparatus forms
the subject of a patent. The new fire
asd life saving machine consists of a
tricycle., with which the following are
combined: 1. A hose reel carrying a
large quantity of specially constructed
hose for winding in q small compass,
With all the attachments for working ON
g 2 fire from the street hydrants. 2. A
light, double-pump, fire engine in col
lapsible c~istern, capable of throwing
20 gallons per minute, to be worked by
two bumpers. 8. a simple fire escape
with descending ropes and bag, 4.
Jumping sheets formed from riders seat.
The machine is run at full tricycle. speed
by fwos men, and if desired, the treadles
can be 50 disposed 81 to work the fire
pump, but for this a special gearing is
EarittR. This novel tricycle. is likely to
provespeciaily serviceable in suburban
districts and country towns.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-18
Hts AnGiety Relieved.

Colonel Greene Ghe veteran journal.
ist) though suave ia manner was very
forcible in action when the occasion
seemed to require the exercise of force.
One morning after the Colonel arrived at
his office. the man who always wants to
know Who wrote that article, STRIP put
in an appearance, and was very demon
s~trative. He slashed around the edi-
torial office for a while, and not having
succeeded in obtaining from the Colonel
the information he had come to seek,
be made 4 show of wanting to fight.
Thereupon the robust Colonel took his
bumptious visitor by the nape of the
neck, and showing him the way to the
head Of the stairs, he applied lis square
toed boot to the person of the bellicose
visitor and landed him at the foot of the
long fightsof stairs.
you'll hear from me again, sill, y
roared the victim, as he gathered himself
together.
'Well, Pm glad to hea you say 81, J,
was the Coloners CHEEKY response; 81
was just beginning to think Ishouldn,t.a
Post.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-18
WN9, EEeph0nts.

Attached to the British Indian army,
! which is now in Burmah trying TO wipe
Eout the murderous band of Dacoits that
are affrighting the country, is an ele-
plant battery. Seven-pound guns, in.
Guiding their carriages, are fastened to
framework and hoisted upon the backs
OF the elephants. In this way the troops
are able to transport their artillery
through long stretches of country where
there are no wagon roads, and where
they would not be able to take their car
non if they did not have beasts of burden
strong enough to carry the artillery ON
their backs. When the troops meet the
enemy the guns are quickly unloaded by
means of a tripod, to which is attached
a swinging arm and tackle.
The elephants takes u more humble
place in war nowadays than formerly.
He used to be n of the combatants, but
in these days of gunpowder and bomb
shells he has been reduced to the trans
portation department. Centuries before
the Christian era the rulers of Egypt
maintained stations as far south as Khar-
toum for the sole purpose of collecting
wild elephants to be tanned and trained
for wal purposes. They were used not
only to carry archers and %javelin hurlers
into the field, but were also trained to
rush upon the enemy and trample them
under foot. While opposing warriors on
their elephants fought at short range the
themselves would fight each
other. It is said that the notion that
the Asiatic elephant is superior to his
African brother dates from the time
when, in a battle between Antiochus III,
King Of Syria, and Ptolemy Philopator,
in 217 B. c., the Asiatic elephants in
army of the Syrian monarch killed
every n of Ptolemy's African animals.
This idea of the superiority of the Ash
attic elephant is still held by many,
it is probably groundless.-
N. ?. Sun.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-18
Popular Supersttttoms.


If n upsets the salt he will shed many
tears; SO if lays knife and fork across
each other; if he your are single, and are
the first one to cut into the butter, you
must wait seven years to be married; if
you sit at the sharp corner of the table,
you will have a hump-backed wife. At
the change of the year dishes made of
granny substances are preferred; it is a
sign of money. So the first meal of a
newly-married couple should consist of
granulous food. 1t is considered a great
wrong to give away the end Of a loaf of
bread, as it is to lay a loaf which has
been cut with the cut side upon the table.
If you lay it upon the bed it will rest, so
will your business; SO in regard to tools
or implements of any kind.
IF you would sleep soundly and peace
fully, the head of the bed must face the
east; but on no account must the foot be
opposite the door, for the person sleeping
in it will certainly be carried from
the house a corpse. II you wish to
sleep without dreaming, you must put
one shoe or boot under the bed and
let the other lie in the room where it
can be seen. If you wish to awaken at
a certain hour, strike your big toe
oro;,cf &bo foo4boar1 five n "a civ 4iuoc ar
whatever the number of the hour may
be, and your wish will be fulflled--you
will awake at the precise moment. For
lazy pupils it is recommended to put the
book containing the lesson to be learned
under the pillow at night, and they
will be sure to know it in the morning.
In the Highlands of Scotland it is said
that if a servant while making the bed
happens to sneeze, the sleep of the per.
who is to lie in it will be disturbed,
unless a little of the straw Cor other SUBJ
with which it is stuffed is taken
out and thrown into the fire.
If, in dressing, you put on your stock
Ings wrong side out, it is a sign of good
but you must leave it SO, or the
luck will change leeore night. On the
other hand, if a stocking is put on
wrong side out on the wedding day, it
a disastrous union. If you
a stitch in any article of clothing
hat is on your body you will sew your
uck fast; and if there are any strings
. be tied or loosened while dressing,
must be careful not to get them iAo
knot. Cincinnati Enquirer.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-18
In o. Dutch CITY.

There are certain general resemblance:
between the cities of Holland with mani
differences of detail. Where so much o
the business is carried on by water, Their,
is necessarily less hustle and noise in tht
streets. The solemn silence ..i,iat pre-
walls over the vast echoless expenses O
canal and meadow, where even the low.
ing of cattle is lost in the unresponsiye
air, seems to invade the city. The
stranger wonders at the absencg of com.
mercial movement. There are few car.
rlages in the streets; the pedestrians are
not frequent; the houses of wood or red
brick present exteriors of different de-
grees OF elegance, but all are without
occupants. The windows of the hand
some residences are of fine, clear glass,
but masked within lace curtains. shades
made OF fine cotton, or in Venetian
fashion, and a sort of screen rising about
a foot or more above the sill. On the
Sill, or on a table just within and visible
through the parting of the curtains, is a
Hover pot or two, often containing
some exotic from Java, Hollands most
prosperous colony. Small mir
rors are often placed on either side
OF the window without, to enable curl
u inmates to see what is going on in
the streets, while inquisitive persons are
kept from walking UP to the windows
and f%attening their noses against the
pane, by low posts of iron or stone. con-
nected by chains, more or less orna-
mented.
Sometimes the narrow space in front is
adorned with a flower bed, while occa-
sionally there is seen a row of flower
pots at every window. Now and then
signs of life are manifest. A white
hand parts the window drapery. and
there iookso out aface that is good and
refined without being beautiful. Wo-
mans curiosity is too much for these
long intervals OF domestic tranquility,
ana must now and then receive f,,ller
A store is distinguished
from a dwelling by having some article.
evidently for sale, in the window. A
peer shop presents a similar exterior; and
thongh one can have in it not only beer
but gin and all the liquors known to
commerce, which have nevertheless an
Individuality distinctly Dutch, those
in and out usually manifest the
soorlety Tor which the country is re-
.arkable. It is an influence so prevail.
'ng and SO potent that only in rare in
stances is native genius or individuality
able to rise above it.-San Francisco
Chronicle.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-18
Gem. G9samt,s Horses.

Gen. Grant vas particularly proud
and fond of his stud Of horses. His war
charger was an especial favorite. He
took great delight in exhibiting his
horses 70 his friends with whom be was
intimate. Once at his stables with i
friend be said: Perhaps you would
Ike TO see The horse / rode during all
the campaigns { commandedg" The
animal was Offered To be brought out.
Ilia gentleman vas surprised to find the
horse no larger than q lady's palfrey-
smell, slender, agilelimbed, black Is
coal, Intelligent mild, an eye like !
hawk and i lick Oh the mane
iof aal tho world like ) boys cowlick.
y was such az animal as women
and children would make into i family
RET. The gentleman pronounced the
anifnaa ] beauty, But expressed 4 doubt
~ ID HI endurance. ~Enduranceie said
she genera. this animal exceeds ID en.
afnanes my horse leah / ever saw. II
haxs taken him ont IT daylight and kept
y the saddls tillaark, and BE came ii q
fresh when diamounted III when u
staFssd ii tha msfniag. There izn,t gold
y aiAfiea " bng h:m. He is Il fm
pes6sa hnEse of aas breed, and VA onns
on sIeA Dayisss pIaHs toas-Bsa. HsrNs
The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-18

aside from the proyerbial l~azines.
and shiftlessness of the Indian we have
always wondered" says the Gu tiOator,
sswhat incentive there was for his lazi-
ness to work, while Uncle Sam was will
ing to feed and clothe him. r d Cloud,
the Sioux chief, no doubt voices the
honest sentiment OF the average Indian
when he says: 4 believe it is better to
get a living out of the white people than
to quarrel with them. What we want
says he, is white men to plant our corn,
hoe it, harvest it and put it into the
barns which they build for us. War
riors don't work. Why should the
working people Of this country be taxed
that the Indian may live as a loafer2
Why not apply the same rule to the In
dian as to the white man: Work or go
hungry
The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-18


Some statistics have been published
lately ID regard to the longevity Of the
americans, the English and the French.
These show that the average duration of
life in this country is less than 20 years;
the greatest death rate being among chill
dren, 40 per cent. Of whom die before
the age Of .. sOf 100 Americans only
twenty-five get beyond so, and only
four out of 100 reach so years. Between
the ages of 2Qeand 30 we lose "a per
cent Of entire population. The
English lose but 81 per cent. Of their
people between the ages Of 90 and 25,
and they, consequently, have as many
persons who have attained the age of rs,
have persons who have attained the
age Of 10. Forty-eight out
of 400 Frenchmen reach so, agains,
our twenty-five, and rs pei
cent. Of them reach 10, while only 10 per
cent. Of our people reach that age. Hall
Of our population die at 90. All
this shows that we are not remarkable for
longevity, which. howevW, has been
steadily increasing ii the las quarter 81
q century. Before the close of 1900 we
be fully equal to our English and
French brethren in this particular.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-18
;

People who live in the weil-watered
region of the Mississippi Valley can have
little conception of the extent to which
artificial irrigation is being carried in the
arid regions Of the far west, or the COM
plications which are liable to grow out
Of the claims 10 water rights and privi-
leges. The San Francisco Bulletin,
which, apparently, has given much at.
tcntion to the matter, states that Colora-
do now has about eight hundred miles Of
first-class irrigating canals, 8, 800 miles
of secondary canals and 40, 600 miles of
subordinate bitches. This great irrigat-
ing system has cost about $11, 900, 900,
and is capable Of irrigating more than
2, 600, 600 acres of land. Says the Bull
letin.. 'sThe largest canal is taken from
the Rio del Norte. 1t is 90 feet wide at
the top and Go feet on the bottom, with
a carrying capacity Of 9o7, 600, 900 cubic
feet per diem. The main line is fif.y
miles long, and it is designed to irrigate
200, 900 acres. It was constructed in
four months by 5000 men and 1900
teams.o
The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-18
Beer Drtnktma In Germany.

Nobody in Germany makes any mora
distinctions on beer. Clergymen, theo.
logical students, monks and whatever
may be better or worse than these, are
in no wise exceptions to the general rule,
but are often known for the quantities
they drink. I once asked a man in Ber-
lin, if there was anybody in the city who
did not drink beer. He thought there
was not; and another whom I asked
whether there was any water drunk in
Germany saw nothing strange in the
question but answered naively: eyes,
there Is considerable drunk" and told
me of a woman in stolp, Gin Pomerania)
who never drinks beer. | was amused
recently in looking over a list of drinks
in a German dictionary, when far down
the list I saw water, which was put in
the. same category with the several kinds
of wine and beer. An American friend
of mine, eating ac a German restaurant,
was asked what kind of beer he would
have. mo beer" he replied.
evil you have wine, then?" was the
next question.
"No; nothing but water"
"Water" replied the waiter; sthat is
to wash With"
I once heard a +beggar, in recounting !
his hardships, say: II have drunk
nothing but water since yesterday morn
ing"
The beer saloons and the gardens are
the ~favorite places for nearly all gather
ings. Students have their literary unions
and scientific discussions there, the mem
beers sitting around the tables with their
Drinking is often the chief ex-
.ercise, ne being o leader among them
who can drink most. Musical ~associa-
invariably meet in beer saloons;
also benevolent and even religious
bodies. 1t would seem strange to an
American to attend a missionary meeting
as / have done in q lager beer saloon, and
see the grave evangelists proposing Cos
pei measures while empting their glasses.
[ have heard announcements from the
of religious meetings to be held in
grog hops.-OuerLand.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-18

Medical statistics from various parts
of the country, notably from New Eng
land, show that consumption has greatly
declined within twenty-especially with.
in ten-years, and that it is still steadily
declining. This is largely due, no
doubt, to the better understanding Of
health laws and obedience thereto.
Forty or fifty years ago New England
was fairly ravaged by consumption.
Whole families died of it, and hardly a
family could be found in which some
memberor members had not been lost
from that cause.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-18
Pickpockets Rolled.

Inspector Byrnes, of the New York
police, tells this story in his book.
professional Criminals of America >,
"a year ago members of the light-fin-
gered fraternity foekcd from all parts of
the country to New York city, expecting
to reap a rich harvest among the i'm
mense gathering at the funeral of ex-
President Ulysses S. Grant. The per-
feet police arrangements, however, frus-
trated the plans of these rogues, and
notwithstanding the fact that there
were hundreds of thousands of people
that day along the route of the funeral
procession, not a single watch or pocket
book was stolen. Never before in the
history OF the Pc ice Department had
there been such a clean record. The
day before the funeral all the profess
slonal ~pickpockets then in the city were
arrested upon suspicion, and the police
magistrates, when thq precautionary
scheme was explained Ito them. con.
CURED in the flank movement against
the rogues and held the prisoners. The
alarm was then raised, and just as soon
as the news had been spread beyond the
limits of the city, .the hundreds OF
criminals on their way 10 New York
gave up the project, left the trains and
scattered in another direction. 4 few
however, who were reckless enough to
attempt to reach the metropolis, found
detectives awaiting them at the seyera,
depots. They were taken in charge and
were kept safely housed at the Polio,
Central Office, the various precinct
station-houses and the Tombs Prison
until the funeral was over and all the
strangers had departed for their homes.
When there was no one to prey upon tka
Disguised roges were liberated. The Of.
made to thwart the many bands of
pickpockets upon that occasion was
9 bold one, but the end certainly
the meaas.n
The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-18
DISCOURAGED Men.

A newspaper M contained IN adver.
tisement for a man to fill a certain posi-
ton, which concluded with: "No dis
couraged men need apply" This was
worldly wisdom; for discouraged man
counts for very little in this worlds
battle; he is defeated in advance; he
faints in the day Of adversely; he falters
u the conflict; he halts in tho race; he
weakens beneath the burdens and trials
Of active life. This world can do yery
little for discouraged men. It calls for
Of high hope; men who have not
found out that all is vanity and vexation
Of spirit; men who are not weary chasing
sarth's mocking phantoms, and who rs
ready for new enterprises and new op-
p~ortunities.- Golden Arqosu.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-18
Shakespeare,s Phusician.

In the churchyard at Fredericksburg.
va, isa tombstone o. which may be
seen these words: Here lies the BODY
Of ward Heldon, Practitioner il
Physics and Chirurgery. Born in BID
fordshire, England, in The year of ~,
Lord 1912. Was contemporary with
and one Of the ~pallLearers of William
Shakespeare Of the Avon. After d brief
illness his spirit assembled III the year 81
u Lord 1918, aged 76.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-18
SCRAPS.

Richard Proctor thinks that comets
and meteors have their origin in volcanic
elections from the sun.
Mospero, the famous Psychologist,
thinks that the Sphinx wa carved from
a big block of stone left in %excavating
a shallow valley in the range of rocks.
Investigations by DIR. r. Won Helm
holtz, confirm the statements that the
formation of cloud in saturated air is in
duced solely by particles of dust, and
that the finer and sparser are the dust
particles the more slowly is the cloud
formed. These results are also confirm
atory of Prof. TyndalI's explanation that
the blue color of the sky is due to float
ing dust.
Accompany is being formed in Mexico
to work up the cactus plant. The oil
is to be used for lubricating purposes,
the fibre for cordage, the leaf for paper
and the fruit for eating. The fruit is SC
juicy that it often takes the place of
water for both man and beast; and some
years ago, when the drought came v e
San Luis Potosi, thousands of cate
were saved by eating the fruit.
By observing how far the sun has to
sink beneath the horizon before the top
most summit of the air is cut off from
from its rays, Monsieur Bravais, some
years ago, determined the greatest up
ward limit of twilight to be 37s, 900 feet,
or nearly seventy II miles above sea
level. By observing the earth's shadow
on the moon during eclipses, astronomers
had inferred that the atmosphere must
be sufficiently dense to produce twilight
for at least $40, 900 feet away from the
earth's surface.
By recent soundings the London Geo
graphical Society has ascertained that the
ocean bottom in the North Atlantic is
formed of two great valleys. One reaches
in width from the tenth degree of east
to the thirtieth of west longitude. ex-
tending to the equator, at a depth of not
less than 10, 600 feet; and the other lies
between the thirtieth and fftieth degrees
or west longitude. The intervening
mountain chain, with a maximum breadth
of nearly 500 miles, extends northward
toward Iceland and southwark to the
and is volcanic in character at
the ends.
On the northern slope of the Alps the
zone of perpetual snow reaches down to
ahout 5000 feet above sea level, and on !
The south side to about $500 feet. In
he Pyrenees, the snow line is at height :
If about $3.50 feet; in the Caucasus, !
%, 900 to II, 900 feet; on the south side
If the Himalayas, 10, 920 feet, and on
he north, 16, $40 feet; at the equator, in
he Andes, Is, $50 feet; in Bolivia, 49,
30 feet in the western Cordillera, and
5, 920 in the eastern; in Mexico, II, 700 =
eet; in Chill, near Santiago, 12, $50 feet;
Norway, 5000 feet in its middle por- |
ion. 1900 feet at its northern extremity;
n Kamschatka, 5000 feet; in Alaska,
500 feet. !
The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-18
we Lag US Dospss to Sleep.

We lay us down to sleep,
And leave to God the rest,
Whether to wake and weep
Or wake no more be best.
Why vex our souls with carea
The grave is cool and low;
Have we found life SO fair
That we should dread to 60?
We've kissed loves sweet red lips,
And left them sweet and red,
The rose the wild bee sips
Blooms on when he is dead.
Some faithful friends we've found,
But they who love us best
When we are Underground
Will laugh on with the rest.
No task have we Eegun
But other hands can take;
No work beneath the sun
For which we need to wake.
chen hold us fast, sweet death,
If so it seemeth best
70 Him who gave us breath
That we should 60 to rest.
We lay us down to sleep,
Our weary eyes to close,
Whether to wake and weep
Or wake no more, He knows.
Louise Chandler MouIton.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-18
Her Delicate Musscc, gc...

Physician I am afraid, Mrs. Quick
money, that there is some trouble with
your bronchial organ.n
Mrs. Quickmoney (alarmed)-"Bron-
chial organap
Physician-ssYes.o
Mrs. Quickmoney why, I never
neard y called that before; but Pm sure
4 you heard my daughter play on it you
would be convinced that it is ali right
-Graphie.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-18

that there never was a good war or a
bad peace, and I asked for some peace
Mary Jane turned sadly away, leaving
me there in the dust with a lacerated
heart, a lacerated mind, and a lacerated
suit of clothes, and never smiled on me
again.-Scott Way in d-Bits.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-18
agreed Hieh Her.

admire that beautiful hymn, 4
would not I've Away, 10 much, said
Miss Shonter TO her brother.
You seem to, Z was tie response.
think the sentiment Is 30 touchine
and 50 fill Of truth, I she went on.
IS. : feel just That way every
time goa start 70 sing i, ; Was tha unfeei
iag Fsply.-AsfeEaps TraeslEsr.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-18

Mrs. Jones How do you govern
your husband so well, Mrs. Bmith22s
Mrs. smith-I don't let him know
that I'm governing him ! make him
believe that hs'a governing lpe, Beaon
cpvrjsr.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-18

ST. r

OPELOUSAS, LA.
The course of instruction in this Institution epbrseas
English, French, Latin, Greek, Arithmetic, Algebra
ieometr Bookkeeping, Natural Sciences, Historg'
Geography, Penmanship. and great care is bestowed
on Christian Instruction.
TERMs:-Board and tuition per month a15. Dav
Scholars per month, 80, SO or 81, according to elqas
Glasses are resumed on "Wednesday. S ,ptember 18th.
1885, REV. q. RAYMOND, ID. d..
REV. T. j. RAYMOND.
HENRY q. LEWIS,
Aug. q. 1885,. A. BLANC DUQUEsNAY.