davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-07-28
BRILLIANT LEGIsLATINa.
Senator Edmunds' Measure to Reform the
Much-Abused Civil Service,

AA>ASsA @A"S>SO>- O-'--
Senator Edmunds has brought in a
bill for the reform of the civil service.
It is a simple measure. 1t gives the
President the appointment of all the
minor officials without the advice or
consent of the Senate, but makes them
irremovable during their term without
a trial on charges before a United
States Judge. One does not need to
know much about the United States
civil service 10 know what the result
would be. One only needs to know a
little of human nature. No man OF
capacity or business experience would
take charge of an office containing q
large number of subordinates if he
could not get rid of any of them
without a formal trial in law court.
Four-tfths at least of the things which
make clerk incompetent are small
things, any one of which would seem
ridiculous on paper, and absurd to lay
before United States Judge. 1t is the
repetition of them which mostly de-
cides that man is not worth his sal
airy. Nothing in the whole art of ad-
ministration, whether civil or military.
is 50 we'll settled as that there can be
no proper responsibility in the chief if
he have no discretion in the selection
of his subordinates. Some capable
men might be found ready to take
charge Of offices under Mr.. Edmunds
bill, but if they did so they would
probably at once go to work to break
it down. They would let inefticiency
and disorder have full swing, and re-
fuse to go into court with trumpery
stories about AS coming late, and BIS
drinking, and C's being unmannerly,
and DIS spelling badly, and blotting
his books, until the public Offices be-
came public nuisances, and the law
was repealed.
Nothing is more wonderful in the
history of this whole Civil-Service re-
form movement than the way in which
public men toll and MOL and Irvine and
twist in order to avoid having the Gov
eminent business conducted like other
business. Every bank and corporation
in the country furnishes perfect model
of the way in which the treasury and
post-office should be manned and man
aged; and yet there is hardly any ex-
pertinent too queer or fantastic for
grave statesmen to attempt with the
Government service in order to avoid
initiating these old and w}ell-tried priv
ate methods. If the stockholders OF
the Pennsylvania road were to propose
that the manager should not be al.
lowed to dismiss any subordinate with.
out filing a bill in equity against him,
we should consider them crazy; but
when Senator proposes it about the
public offices, we bury our faces in ou1
hands, ponder the plan deeply, ant
discuss it at great length in the public
prints. N. Y. Post.
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-07-28
Making a Navy.

It is evident from the way in which
the Secretary has addressed himself to
his duties that he means to inaugurate
naval establishment worthy of the
United States. He believes and says,
and such is the opinion of all informed
and just men, that the naval
service should be considered quite
apart from the naval administration.
The naval service, the personnel of the
navy, is in the main composed, to use
his own words, "of a body of accom-.
plished men, representing high. So
cial standard of personal character,
who are deservedly respected and hons
ored throughout the world. Contin.
uing his own language: "This, unfort.
unate1y, can not be said with equa,
justice of the Navy Department, and
whatever dissatisfaction the country
has ever experienced with the naval
arm of our Government will be found to
have had its origin, not in the naval serv.
ice, but in the naval administration,
and even there dissatisfaction should be
limited to certain branches only of the
business of the department. The plan
of business reorganization which he
outlined in his annual report has bust.
ness principles of directness, economy
and practicability on its side. 1t has
commanded the appreciation of thought
full men everywhere. The evils and
blunders of the present NAL system he
laid bare with an unsparing hand; but
he was careful to discriminate between
the blame due to faulty methods and
the consideration to be extended to
honorable men who were at the mercy
of such methods. The large discretion
of power given him under the law is to
be used by the Secretary in the direc-
ton of business-like reconstruction OF
the department itself. Brooklyn Eagle.
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-07-28
BRAZILIAN GIRLS.
The Colorless Life Led by Dom Pedro
Fairest Subjects.

Fairest Subjects.
A girl is never permitted to 60 out
not even to church, unless chaperoned
by one of the family, or some other lady,
generally of mature age. Nothing could
be more colorless than the life of "a young
Brazilian woman; she has no taste what.
ever for reading, her education is of tho
most meager description, it not being
considered worth while to educate girls.
The necessity for educating boys is un.
derstood by parents, and those who are
able do so, but girl, what need has she
for an education? They would laugh at
such high-hown ideas, should any one
suggest that their daughters be given
the benefits of an education as a re.
source at hand for their own enjoyment,
or that they might be intelligent COM
panions, capable of stimulating the in.
tellects of their children, and husbands.
too, for that matter.
A very large majority of the Brazilian
girls could not tell who is the Emperor
Of Germany, or that President Garfield
and the Car of Russia were assas.
sinated; the Soudan or General Gordon
are riddles to their minds. They are
even ignorant of some of the most inn
portant historical facts relading to their
own land, and of thousand and one
other topics that the women of America
and other countries are generally con-
versant with. They embroider, cro-
Chef and study music, but usually lack
the patience and application necessary
to excel in the latter. If they want a
drink of water, or their shoes changed,
they call slave to do it. Many can
sew and do their own dressmaking. be.
ing very convenient with the needle,
their natural antipathy to work being
overcome by their love of dress. Their
conversation is utterly frivolous, and
when with familiars they talk very loud,
| and in the most animated manner, ges-
ticulating and beating the air with
their hands and arms, all talking at
once, with seldom any thing worth say
ing.
If the Brazilian girl does not marry
at the age she ought to be playing with
her dolls, she frequently continues to
play with her dolls until she does not
marry. The writer remembers seeing .
young woman apparently about eigh-
teen years of age, in street car, in the
city of Bahia, with doll in her lap,
which she cared for and handled the
same as girl would do, and it is no
unusual thing for young married women
to own and play with these and similar
fixtures of the nursery. One young
woman named Marie, had five or six
dolls, upon whose garments she spent
much of her time. When she married
she insisted upon taking them to her
new home, but when this home became
invaded by less tractable babies, she
was finally obliged to bury her inani'
mate, quondam friends, with all theil
finery, in trunk, probably to be resur.
rected by other little Maries, when they
will again be nursed and made conf
dants Of. Brooklyn Magazine.
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-07-28
A LAND OF LIARS.

How the PersIans of To-day Evade All
Truthful Statements.
After speaking of their parental and
ilial affection, their respect for the aged
and their politeness and hospitality, a
writer on Persia winds up apropos OF
the people of the country with the fol-
lowing phrase: 'But as race they are
very untruthful and procrastinating."
About these two traits of the Persian
character I'd like to say word. You've
often heard Of the champion liar, and
many people in the United States even
at this present day pretend to believe
that the book agent, the lightning-rod
man and Eli Perkins are the three great
liars of the world. But these people
don't know the Persians. With our
liars at home mendacity is an acquired
science and has taken years and years
and much hard study to develop, and
even then they often-at least OCCASION
ally-speak the truth. With them ar
tistic lying is an effort 1t takes thought
and pains to produce it to perfection.
Not SO with the Persian. The modern
Farsee is natural liar. It goes against
his grain, against all he holds most sa-
cred in this queer world, to speak the
truth. It's born with him, this invet-
crate love of preyarication, and it is
bred in the bone for generations and
generations.
/ have noticed with the interest the
student of human nature is liable to feel
in such cases, how astonished the Farsee
is when he has caught h mself unawares
telling the truth. He then is out Of his
role, and feels so abashed and ashamed
of himself that he looks sheepish and
guilty; much as American might after
getting off an awful fib. Even with
such people, however, when the noble
art of romancing is carried to such per-
lection, moments will arise when it is
desirable to know and hear the truth.
And for such occasions the stock of Per.
sian adiuration, oaths, curses and ap
peals seems almost inexhaustible. One
of the funniest is Rishe mera Kafa,
Kerdi' Niterslly, May you put m.
beard in the winding sheet) I do no
where they tg.lgs get their lying t pro
they are the mcst invidious, insidious
unconscionable story-tellers in the worl
there is no doubt. It is true that ever,
race which has suffered for many cen
turtles from oppression and has bee
trampled under the foot Of despoti
rulers of foreign blood has becom
stepped in ihsincerity, and that Puni
faith has taken with them the place {
the genuine article. The people of Pc
STA have been SO down trodden, misrule
and frightened out of their wits for
thousand years past that that fact me
explain ALL don't know. leave tn
for somebody else to find out. 1eherd
Cor. San Francisco Chronicle.
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-07-28
Looking at Samples.

'If Ipick out some wall paper right
away, can you send man to my house
to hang it this forenoopp" she asked in
: paper store three or four days ago.
YES IN. y
!, Every well; you may show me some
samples. !"
She sat in chair before the sample
rack until a quarter of twelve, and
then went to dinner. She was back at
one and remained until almost five,
when she finally heaved a long sigh and
said to the patient clerk:
..Dear me, but it's such task and so
late in the season that guess won't
get any at all. Much obliged. and I'll
probably buy Of, you next spring. DE
troI Fres Rse& $"
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-07-28
PlTH AND POINT.

If the safety of the great Brooklyn
structure were questioned, 4o,OOO.Wo
persons would praise the bridge which
carried them safely over.-Broosty"
Union.
When coil of lead pipe in frontoil
a hardware store begins to wiggle ana
stick out its forked tongue Dakota
man knows it is time to swear OIL
Estelltne Bell
1.-The BARRIERS in some cities are strik.
ing for rest on Sunday" Well, why
don they let their customers do all the
talking one day in the week. Norris
tom Herald.
Fashionable mother-"You must
never use the word tony Clara. 1t is
only used by common people. CARA
WHAT word shall use mammal
Fashionablemother-" Swell. ~ I.
Sun.
els he man of much calibree" saic
Connecticut avenue girl to Dupont
Circle belle about certain gay and
giddy Congressman. 20, yes" was
the confident reply, che is the greatest
bore ever saw. ~ Washington Cr't'c.
"A minister has been lecturing re.
Gently on .'Suicide; Its Causes and
Cure" We believe he is right. but still
it is q pretty impossible task to cure
man Of suicide. Nearly all the cases thus
far reported have proved fatal.-B"r
dette.
Little Tony, aged eight, asks his
little playmate:-''How old are you:
Lucillep" "I'm six, Tony" Uho!
six years, indeed! Are you quite sure!
You women are always making your.
selves out to be younger than you are"
N Y. Tribune. I.
Our little Johnny. who has just at
tanned his fifth year, listened attentively
to lady visitor who gave an account
of the late appearance OF her wisdom
tooth, ana then astonished her by ask
ing: "Do foolish persons also get wis
dom teeth p''-Babyhood
The reason the man who minds the
other mans business doesn't get rich IL
because the other man whose business
he minds generally isn'tgrateful enough
to be reciprocal and mind the business
| OF the man VINO MINUS LIS UuSAAOSo'
Seep-Somervill Journal. s
Husband (mildly)-You must re-
member, my dear, that the most patient
person that ever lived was . man.
! Wife Gmpat.ently)-Oh, don't talk to
me about the patience Of Job! Think
of Mrs. job! The patience that poor
woman must have had to put up with
such man!-Ioledo Blade.
The Oldest newspaper man in New
York has been on duty continuously, on
the same paper, for thirty years,
and is called the 'dean of the press. "
| We have been on duty running paper
for thirty-five weeks, and have only
earned the title of "durn Southerner. :
-Martha's Vineyard Herald.
First newspaper humorist Cat dinner
party)-I flatter myself that is not q
bad story. Second newspaper humor-
list (without smiling)-Yes, it will do:
F. N. H.-Then why don't you laughs
That is nice way to treat friend
joke. S. N. H. (aughing)-O, ]
didn't know this was social matter.
thought you wanted my professional
opinion. Pray pardon me.
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-07-28
ODD ADDRESSES.

Some of the Curiosities which Have
Passed Through Engllsh Post-Ohices.
Many oddly-addressed letters daily
pass through the post-offices. Several
of the rhyming kind are somewhat re.
markable for the poetical skill displayed
by the writer's.
A clever example is given in the fol.
lowing, addressed to Sir Walter Scott
during one of his visits to London:
Sir Walter Scott, in London or elsewhere;
Is spread about our earth. like light and air.
Alocal habtation for his name.
Charles Dibden, the naval-song writ
or, sent a letter to Mr.. Hay bearing the
following address:
Postman, take this sheet away,
And carry It to Mr. Hay;
And whether you ride mare or colt on.
Stop Mt the Theater, Bolton;
II In what county you inquire,
Merely mention Lancashire.
A letter addressed as follows was
mailed in the provinces, and was duly
delivered in London:
skies,
Like a tall bule, lifts It's head and lies,
There dwells cit zen of sober fame.
A plain, good man, and BALKAN is his nanae
The letter was delivered without delay to
a Mr.. Batlaam, fishmonger near the
Monument.
Turning from poetry to prose, we find
the following vague direction:
Mr.. 49,. Travelling Band. one OF the -Four
playing in the street. Persia IPer.
shoreI, Worcestershire Please find
him II possible
Another envelope bore the follow.
ing:
This is for the young girl that wears spec
tacIes, who minds two bAbiess q
Sheriff street, Oft Prince Edward
street, Liverpool.
Mr.. J. Wilson Hyde, in his book, "The
Royal Mail" says that two letters di-
rected as follows were duly delivered:
.sTo my sister Jean, Up the Canongate
Down Close, Edinburgh. She has I
wooden leg
The other was addressed:
"My dear Ant Sue as lives in the Cottage
by the Wood near the New Forest.
..In the latter case, says Mr.. Hyde, ''tht
letter had to feelits way aboutfor day o.
two, but ANT Sue was found living
in cottage near Lyndhurst. "-Hons
Chimes.
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-07-28
WILD OATS.

6own N tho spring time of the fairest lives.
To- fall, perclance, on fallow land or void,
Tie fruitful seed, no culture needs, and
thriyes,
And gives to him who sows an hundred
fold.
All other grains, when sown, require our
care;
THIS only needs the sowing, and no more :;
And whether winds be warm or foul or fair,
The harvest surely will increase the store,
The sower of nil other crops may reap or no :
This one must garnered be when it Is
grown
The law is fixed, we must reap what we SOW,
And each must gather what himself hath
sown.
Accused seed! and since the fall of man
Its baneful fruit has poisoned countless
years;
We sow it recklessly, and know we can
But garner it with bitter, scalding tears.
-Walter Cooper, IN ~ I. Ledger.
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-07-28
BLAIR VS.. THE PRESIDENT.
The Republican Senator's Weak and Dis
honest Attempt to Cast Discredit upon
the Chief Executives Efforts to Uphold
the Prerogatives of His Office.

honest Attempt to Cast Discredit upon
the Chief Executives Efforts to Uphold
the Prerogatives of His ONCE.
Senator Blair's defense of Congress
from the imputatlons of recklessness or
dishonesty put upon 1t by Mr.. Cleve.
lands veto messages is very weak
affair. As Senator it is his privilege
to secure the passage of these vicious
bills in spite of the Presidents objec-
tons if he can do so, but he can not
criticise the vetoes as he does without
placing himself in the attitude toward
the President which he thinks it is
wrong for the President to assume to-
ward Congress. In spite of the dem.
agogy which Mr.. Blair has introduced
into his report, and Of his attempt to
create the impression among ignora-
muses. that Mr. Cleveland has no right to
veto these little jobs, the fact remains
that he has such right, and that it is
his sworn duty to exercise it if he re.
CARDS the measure presented to him as
dishonest.
In the case Of every one of the sixty
or seventy private pension bills which
the President has vetoed he has given
good and sufficient reasons for his
course. He has shown that the great
majority of the bills objected to were
in the interest of frauds, bounty-jump-
ers and deserters, and in cases where
the hardship was undenied he has
shown that the relief proposed was no
more properly pension charge than
would be any other instance of destitu-
ton occurring without reference to ths
war. The reasons given for the vetoes
have satisfied as well as surprised the
country. Pleased with his resolute OPP
position to the most contemplate form
Of swindling, the people have been as.
tonlshed at the extraordinary capacity
Of the Congress of the United States fol
such dirty work.
Senator Blair's attempt to shield him.
self and his money grabbing associates
by casting discredit upon Mr.. Cleve.
land will hardly succeed. He write.
like man who is in the wrong and
who knows it. Against his generate
ties and innuendoes it is all-sufficien
to get the facts which the veto mes
sages complained of contain. Chscag'
| Herald,
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-07-28
Not Ruined by a Party.

We have always held that one good
result of the last national election
would be the dissipation of the fear
that Democratic Administration
would bring some sort of disaster upon
the country. Some of our Republican
friends in the Presidential campaign
INDUCED in the widest forebodings
about the probable effect on business.
Even the Republican candidate for
President, we'll known as y business
man, expressed grave approximations.
Some of our esteemed contemporaries
really seemed to suffer anguish on ac-
count of their fears.
We have now had full fiscal year
under the Democratic Administration,
and the comparative receipts and ex-
penditures are as follows:
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-07-28
A MINISTER'S STORY.
Experience of q Clergyman Who Ran
Away from Home in His Youth.

Experience of q Clergyman Who Ran
Away from Home in His Youth.
"When I was verging on manhood"
said distinguished divine, some time
ago, II ran away from home. Twas. as
I am now, passionate lover of music.
/ desired above all things to learn to
play the flute I had heard that there
was famous teacher of the flute resid-
ing at Philadelphia, and I determined to
seek his instruction. I knew my father
would not consent to my purpose. and
SO ran away. l reached Augusta with
ten dollars in my pocket. At a little
town in South Carolina my money was
exhausted. I could play the piano, the
violin and the guitar, and could sing.
I determined to give concert. / adj
vertised an extended and tempting
programme, and easily secured quite
a large audience. The programme
announced several performers, but, in
reality, there was but one | used my
gwen, or Christian names, Richardson
Stanhope, to make it appear that ther g
was more than one performer. For in
stance, announced a piano solo by Mr..
Richardson, violin solo by Mr.. Rich,
song by Mr.. Stanhope, and guitar
selections by Mr.. Hope. Of course the
audience soon discovered the fraud
despite my change of costume, but it
was q good-humored audience and es-
capped without injury, and with some
money. It was thus that | made my
way to Philadelphia. The day l ar
rived, however, my punishment began.
was seized with brain fever which
nearly caused my death. But I recov-
cred, received my fathers forgiveness
and learned to play the flute. atlanta
(Ga.) Constitution.
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-07-28

"A great many drummers, when
trade is dull, take the liberty of shipping
goods without ever receiving an order
for them. One of these liberty-taking
drummers shipped firm in Atlanta ten
boxes of tobacco a few days ago, and
wrote the firm that he took this liberty.
The merchant wrote to the drummer
that he took the liberty of leaving the
tobacco at the station, subject to his
order.-Colunbus (Ga. Enquirer.
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-07-28

-.Are you enjoying your dinner?"
asked Bobby of the minister, who was
taking Sunday dinner with the fami-
". aYes, Bobby" responded the min-
lister, pleasantly. Mamma said this
morning that she thought you would.
as she didn't suppose that with your
small salary and big family you got
much to eat from one weeks end -
another. "-EIchange.
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-07-28

Truly, there is nothing in these figures
to Justify the fears of those who proph
esied disaster as the inevitable result of
Democratic rule. An increase of $12,-
10000 in revenue, decrease of $14,-
5000 in expenditures-of which last
pensions increase over 5000, 000-a
decrease OF 1921, 900, 900 in ordinary ex-
penses.
On the whole, we are forced to con-
clude that Democratic Administration
is as safe as Republican and somewhat
cheaper, and that the indications of re-
turning prosperity are not unfavorably
affected by the political change. This
is a great country, with rich resources
and enormous advantages, and it will
never again be believed that only one
party can govern it.-Bosto,s Herald.