davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-07
The Hood Rat

The wood rat lays up enormous stores
of acorns during or prior to the wet sea-
SON. But it is a useless provision, as
the nuts can be found at any time. A
nest recently opened wa arranged SEEM
ingly in a regular ma her as regards
apartments; the genCSal shape was dome
like, being formed of sticks and other
refuse piled upon each other, SO that it
was torn apart with great difficulty.
Three openings were apparent, leading
in from below, and entering the nest
proper, which constituted the first story.
This was provided with soft mass ma
terial of various kinds, showing that the
wood rat had an eye for comfort. I'm
mediately above this was an apartment,
if it can be so called, filled with acorns,
several quarts, as near as l could judge,
and above this rose the domelike top,
forming a perfect watershed, a fact
proved by the dry nest, that did not
show the slightest signs of moisture.
The position of the nest varies. In the
n mentioned it was on the ground,
built up around a tree. Others are con-
structed in the open CROSSWORD, and
still another, in Millar's canyon, is built
on a tree six or eight feet from the
ground. In some nests the material is
undoubtedly the accumulation of years.
and might well weigh a ton, and would
form two good loads for a cart. Wheth-
er the wood rat hibernates l have been
unable to determine, but am inclined to
think not; the supply of acorns pointing
to an active appetite, and have seen
them out within n month. Almost every
branch of animals has its representatives
among the winter or summer sleepers,
and DR.. Abbott, the eminent archaolo-
gist, is under the impression hat he has
observed swallows in a chimney in a
state of Information. As the snakes ia
southern California and all over the
north hibernate in winter, so do the
large reptiles in Florida, as the alliga-
tors, though this is only in the portions
where the cold strikes them, as on the
st. Mary's river and about Fernandina.
Francisco CaM.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-07

EEE
Ths National museum has sent its chief
taxidefmist, Mr.. William I. Hornaday,
N q limiting tour through the far West,
fof the purpose Of obtaining specimens
ofsfhe buffalo before this animal becomes
extinct in this country. 1t is firmly be-
lieved by many good authorities that
there are not now more than from fifty to
one hundred buffaloes in the whole of
Montana, outside Of the National park,
where there are probably from two hun
dFcde three hundred head. Hunters
lieAin wait outside the limits Of the Ma
tiona park, waiting for these animals to
cross the line, when they lose no time in
despatching them as soon as possible.
Al stampede may occur at any time,
which may result in all the buffaloes
now ! the park leaving; and If such
were the ease, very few, if any, would
escape. There is said to be q small herd
of from eight To twelve buifaloes In
southwestern Dakota. This region is a
vast, leVel, t~reeless prairie, utterly desti-
tute of wood, and II Il MIR. Hornaday's
opinion that n attempt to find these few
would be hopeless. Skins of buffalo
head are now valued BY taxidermists in
Dakota at $50 each, from which it may
be assumed that they have given up all
hope of procuring more.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-07

What is lightning? The authorities
tell us that taightning is the discharge
Of atmospheric electricity, accompanied
by a fash of light. Heat lightning is
eightersthe reflection of distant flashes on
the clouds, or Che frequent and therefore
weak and silent discharge Of electricity
from the clouds through a moist atmos-
phere- Lightning cleaves the air with
inconceiyable rapidity, an leaves a vacuum
behindit into which the surrounding air
rushes with great force and with a loud,
cracking sound, which we name thun-
der. Lightning and thunder take place
at the same instant, but we see the for
mer before we hear the latter. This is
because Che light travels with greater We
locity than the sound.n
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-07
Il TkoNahtfiML Rel1ttre.

There's n young fellow in San Fran
cisco whose ingenuity and forethought
fit him for the highest place in politics,
if he chooses to adopt that mode of life.
| envy him, not SO much the ingenuity
as the rich female relative upon whom he
has made use of it so successfully. She
is far away in a distant land, and appre-
%ciates, as all people do under such cir
cumstanees, the thoughtfulness and kind
ly attention which are perhaps rarely
given to the distant poor. This lady has
a passion for" strange bric-a-brac, and she
eprizes a piece that comes from so far
away as San Francisco. This young
gentleman wished to remember her
birthday and send her something. He
bethought him of a piece of rare china,
but the price of what he wanted rather
appalled, him. There was an old piece
of broken china that was worth little.
His eyes fell upon it.
''Now," he said to himself, eff I
send a piece of china through the mail, it
will very likely get broken. I'll send
this it will be taken for granted it was
broken in the mail. She'll have it mend
ed, and there you are"
He sent the broken piece, and the rich
relative has already sent him several
remittances as acknowledgement. All ]
want is the rich relative. rve got the
broken ehina.-San Francisco Chronicle,
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-07
Mortal or ~T7sssnog-gGI,

If thou art bass and earthly, then despair,
Thou art but mortal as the brute that falls
Birds weave their nests, The lion finds b laiJ.
Man builds his halls.
These are but cuverts from earttas war and
storm,
Homes where our lesser lives take shape
and breath,
But, if no heavenly man has grown, what
form
Clothes thee at deaths
And when thy need Of penalty is DER,
And fire has burned the dross, where gold
is none,
Shall separate life, but wasted heretofore,
Still Hnger ons
God fills all space; whatever doth offend, i
From His unbounded presence shall be
spurned,
Crdeem'st thou Hes should garner tares, whose
end
is to be burnedi
If thou wouldst see the Power that round
thee sways,
In whom all motions, thought, and life are
cast,
Know that the pure, who travel heavenward
ways, i
See God at last.
-Fs.n,ac;e Hoa,,.,, Woo4 Il
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-07

Anew York paper states that "a reg
ular rose craze has started and promises
t~ocontinue. Not only for gardens and
places close to the city, but at the sea-
side and wherever they will thrive, people
are planting roses and accnmulating them
foEin and out of door decoration. The
popularity Of the rose and its sovereignty
as the most fashionable flower is Of COM
paratigely recent origin. Previous to
1870 the fashionable flower of the ball
room which Invariably graced beauty's
bouquet was the eamellia, and bouquets
ofthese flowers brought SIS to $40 in
thewinter past, as bouquets of roses do
now The carneTia was also the favorite
towering plant for decoration. About
1S70ths practice Of forcing roses began
In Boston, where great attention was
given toit, and the forcing of roses in
the winter especially for bouquet pur-
poses, is now more extensively carried on
close tc Postoa than anywhere in the
countEgs Around this city the great
~rose-growers are concentrated at Hobo
ken and along the Morris and Essex road.
The gfeatEose-growing state Of the Union
is New Jersey, and it is there that the
growing of roses, especially in plants for
outsofrdoors, is carried to the greatest
nerfecEion.n
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-07
Outckness of Perception.

The following story from the Pm
Mnthty is related of Agassiz, and it is
sufficiently characteristic of this remafk-
ably accurate observer to have the merit
of probability. We are told that once
upon a time the professor had occasion
to select an assistant from one of his
classes. There were a number of candi-
dates for the post of honor, and finding
himself in a quandary as to which one
be should choose, the happy thought oc-
CURED to him of subjeeting three of the
more promising students in turn to the
simple test of describing the view from
the laboratory window, which overlook
ed the the side yard of the cottage. One
said that he saw merely a board fence
and a brick pavement; another added q
stream OF soapy water; q third detected
the color of the paint on the fence, noted
a green mould or fungus on the bricks,
and evidences of "bluing'' in the water,
besides other details. It is needless to
tell to which candidate was awarded the
coveted position.
Houdin, the celebrated prestidigita-
tor, attributed his success in his position
mainly to his quickness of perception,
which, he tells us in his entertaining
autobiography, he acquired by educat-
ing his eye to detect a large number Of
objects at a single glance. His simple
PLAZA was to select a shop window full of
a miscellaneous assortment of articles,
and walk rapidly past it a number of
times every day, writing down each OBJ
ject which ilnpressc itself on his mind.
In this way he was able, after a time, to
detect instantaneously all the articles in
the window, even though they might be
numbered by scores. -Scseatifc Anaerscan.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-07
I'm the ENaLe,a Cane.

A crowd was gathered around the cage
In which the eagles are confined inCentral
Park, the other day watching a few dar-
ing English sparrows that were picking
up the leavings of the eagles dinner.
The eagles sat majestic and silent upon
the make-believe trees, as though lost in
deep reveries. Suddenly a vulture DART
ed like a flash of lightning from one of
the upper perches and swooped down
upon one of our own ta'd-heads with
iendish screams. The bald head answer
ed with screams of terror and hastily
retreated into a dark corner of the cage.
The womeR and children drew back from
the cage in fear, and even the men ex-
hibited a desire to be beyond the reach
of Sir Vulture's sharp talons.
The vulture stood silent on the bottom
of the cage for a moment, while the
other eagles moved uneasily on their
pcrches. Then the condor, who had
been sitting ON the highest branch of all,
gave vent to a shrek almost as deafen-
ing as the whistle of a locomotive, and
dropped down upon the vulture. In a
moment feathers flew in every direction.
All the eagles screamed in unison, and
the little birds in the other cages crouch
ed mute and trembling in the corners.
The g~ray-coated park policeman who
came rushing to the cage shouted to the
keeper, and in q moment the man who had
charge of the eagles came running up.
He seized a pail of water from behind
the cage, and, getting as close as posi-
BILE to the fighting birds, he doused
them with it. The effect was instant
aneous. The fight was all gone out of
them, and they crawled away to differ
ent corners dripping and detected. The
condor had had much the best of the
fight. He was bleeding in only a few
places, while his opponent was covered
with the sanguinary fluid.
"The eagles fight very hard m
times" said the keeper to the reporter.
"Water is the only thing that will stop
them, and ever that doesn't always work.
If they are very hot we separate them
with poles, and then yank them into a
tank of water, where we duck them un-
til all the fight is gone out of them.
"The condor is boss of the roost, and
none of the Others care to dispute his
supremacy. The vultures come next as
fighters, and the bald head is at the tail
of the list. The vultures can't stand
cold water, though. In winter we have
to take them inside, while the other ca
giles rather enjoy the cold.
"When we want to have some fun
with the eagles we throw live rats at
them. Ordinarily they are fed with raw
meat, but live rats are a delicacy to them.
You never know how terrible their talons
are until you see them tear a rat to
pieces. They pounce upon rats like cats
and in a jiny they have been torn into
shreds. The rats go into the other bird
cages of their W accord ssld steal the
eggs, but they give the eagles cage a
wide BERTH"
'Do the eagles hurt one another in
their fights?" inquired the reporter.
"oh, yes. If they were not separated
they would fight until one or the other
was killed. "-New YORK. San.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-07
The NnkfonnL Gnn,e.

Young Man Ito dealer in sporting
goodsl-IIave you base ball suits2
Deaier-ob, yes, sir. + can furnish
you with any thing you like in that line.
Young Man-WelI, you can get me
mp a suit made of chilled steel with lit
tie sharp-pointed spikes sticking out ali
over it.
Dealer-But, my dear sir, you
couldn't play ball in such a suit as that.
Young man-oh, I'm not . player;
Pm an unpire.-Nsw York Sun.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-07

A Hungarian c~onjurer in Paris is
astonishing the natives. He spreads a
newspaper upon any floor and places a
chair upon it. His assistant, a pretty
young woman, sits down upon the chair,
and over her he throws a piece of silk,
which barely covers her from head to
foot. Then he whisks the silk away
and the chair is empty. The trick is
done in asstrong light and in full sight
of the spectattrs.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-07
IN I~tfantiLe SnecnInfnr.

Our little t~hrce-year-old is very fond
Of oranges One day when he had eaten
. large d he came to mamma and
wanted more. How many are there in
The dishan asked mamma. He counted
them. ssJnst three he said. Yery
vel, 7 wa the reply '9here is one for
papa and one for mamma, and i for
you. You can have one.p He ate ii
and wanted another. nHow many are
iefta" said manma. "Just two he re-
piled, tone for papa and one for me. .
But where il minea', said the aston
ished mother. oh be replied quickly.
I'VE eaten it,
At breakfast: Now, Johnnie, YOU
may have this one egg and don't ask for
another 3 After eating the egg Johnnie
asked for some SAT-. Mother ssNhat
DC you want Of aalt2n Johnnie: 81 want
d put an egg on i. n-Ba5gh0Od.
SAF&< 49,
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-07
Il Dark cloud on Loves Hort@on.

ssNow, my darling, = said he, sIwould
ask YOU to have. some oysters tonight,
but since the RS have disappeared from
the months oysters are no good in fact,
the scientists say they are hurtful. OF
course You would not ask me to treat you
to anythinghurtful.p
Certainly not, dear John, but there is
ice cream, you kuow.n
ssI'm aware of it, but, they say that
arsenic goes into the manufacture of ice
cream
ssAH the better, dear John. There is
nothing better for the complexion than.
arsenic
ssBut, my love-
Viewer mind, John, I'm willing to
ksBat if You should die, darling2n
tYou will take q plate also and we will
die together
Then John wasiforced to confess that
he had only fifteen cents III his pocket
and the engagement was at an end
Thus do dark clouds loom up on young
loves horizon. Boston Courier.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-07

There seems to be no danger of failure
Of the diamond supply, as the South
African fields are producing more now
than ever before, no less than SO, O00,-
600 worth having been exported in
March alone.
The Opelousas courier., 1886-08-07
Reward Of s5O.-Fiffy Dollars

. BY the Central st, Llndry Protective
= 1--we stock Association, for eviieace thst will lead
70 the apprehension and conviction of any peraons
gnlity OF stealing horses or cattle belonging to any
member OF said Association. A record of the brands
OF me mbers ct the Association may be seen at the
mouse OF the Secretary. Jno. nj. Ware. in Bellevue. OF
at the Clerks Office in Opelousas.
D. E. sHuTE JNo. NJ. WARE, Sec'y.
--rEsE a5A PresiE 4s.. So 4t4
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-06-06
DRAMATIC AND LYRIC.
A Brief Chat with the Com
edian Fawcett.
A POVERTY OF ATTRACTIONS.
Ing to FOrtescue - Core
Merrill - General.
owen FaWcett.

This well-known American comedian.
who was last seen here four years ago as
George Washington Phipps when De
Belleville and Sara Jewett with the re-
mainder of the Union Square Company
played the Bankers Daughter in the
Opera House. was met at the Valley
House, yesterday, by 4 HERALD re-
porter, and very pleasant converse
ton ensued. Things theatrically looked
somewhat black in the east, he
said, though he had ALWAYS
had a good situation himself. hay
ing been engaged during the past
season playing the comedy parts with
Modjeska. with her" Mr.. Fawcett said
Il expect TO appear in this city. within,
the next few weeks-after her Califor-
Dia opening" Next season he goes out
with Booth. who, he says, will appear
here about nextFebruary, under Bar
rett's management. The stories Of
Booths recent dizziness" he says are
very much exaggerated. He simply
got little too full" TO act his part, and
all sorts Of sensations were made out
OF it.
Mr.. Fawcett said he had heard con-
siderable of the amateur talent in this
city, particularly of the Green Lanes of
England, which he says is better known
in the profession as the source from
whence Hazel Kirk was taken than ON
its own account. though he considers il
a very fine drama. He expressed him
self as wishing for n better vacation
than spending the summer here getting
up lumber Of pieces with our ams-
teurs.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-06-06

r ceive her. No degree OF merit would
induce either of the gentlemen to give
such an opportunity to an American
woman.
II Miss Fortescue had not been, once
upon a time, engaged 10 that sucking
lord known as Garmoyle, she would
still be in the chorus Of the Savoy
Theatre, where she properly belongs.
But she played her tricks SO shrewdly
that after entrapping Garmoyle. she
worked so well on the sympathies of
ne British jury that they gave her
t1.fe0.
After that moth ng would suit the ex.
chorus girl but she must be a star. II
Is acredit TO the good sense of the Brit
lsh people that they did not support
this aspiration very enthusiastically.
aud fair portion Of that $50 600 has al.
ready been sunkin wooiDg an unwilling
public. Even the most friendly Of her
supporters in the suit against the FOO :
ish Garmoyle have not been found to
state publicly their belief that she can
at. BUTT is confidently relied on that
her face and her notoriety Will prove
sufhclent TO make Americans run after
aer as they ran after Langtry. Perhaps
they will. for the race of fools in Amer
ica appears To be increasing here AT a
rate altogether out Of proportion TO the
natural increase of population.
We wish Mr.. Dan1 Frohman no III
fortuGe, nor Mr. Hayman either. But
We are not prepared TO say that they
deserve success IN the present venture.
For what Is the stage coming to. IL the
stars Of the future are 10 be made in
this way7
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-06-06
TearIe's Return .

Osmond Tearle arrived on Monday
by the Arizona, accompanied by his wife
and child. He appeared to be in SPLEEN
did health.
81 am so glad TO get back that act
like school-boy out on a holiday he
said 70 a Mirror reporter. ave been
away eleven months and il seems like
an age. This time I've come back for
good. I'm going TO take out my papers
and become q full-fedged American
citizen. Did have pleasant voyage
No, indeed. Both myself and my wife.
as well as the baby, and my dog that
brought over, were as sick as We could
be-"
WAS your English tour a SUGGEST
well, YES. But more artisticaliy
than financially. 1t was as good as 1t
could possibly be, considering how
things are now in England. Its quite
pleasure for me to hear people say I've
been missed, and look upon it as
compliment.
"The piece in which / am to star IN
der Mr.. Hayman's management, open
ing al the Baldwin Theatre. San Fran
cisco. on October IL. is Man 20 Man. by
Mr.. Bourne. 1t is an emotional
drama, strong and pathetic, and yet
with considerable of the comedy ele-
ment in it. Ii has been running for 500
nights in the provinces II England. the
author starring in ii in the part that l
shall play-George Gordon. There were
three or four American managers after
the piay, but got the right to America
and Canada on condition that / play
the leading part myself. j have not
seen the piece, but Mrs. Tearle has, and
she will play in il the part of a gypsy.
I intend appearing IN nothing but Man
10 Nan, although have in my posses
sion dramatic play adapted to a LADY
star. which b s been intrusted 10 me by
the author for disposal. Mirror.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-06-06
FARMING LANDS.

5000. Farm of 30 acres Of first class
lana: small sdobe hous,. barn. co-rsis. etc.
young orchard; situsted on county road
eight miles north OF this city 81
5000 Forty acres Of choice land: If
teen acres OF a sandy. loan soil, s,oping to
the 50 tn and west-very desirable land for
the Gu tivation Of hops: fifteen seres Of tim
Der balance meadow: nice iariIh use Of FIVE
rooms. cellar, bItiery. etc: young bearing
orchard, situsten on Big Co tonwoOd Greek.
just north and Joining Walker Bros. farm.
eight miles south OF this city. q
$50. A farm of - 2 eres, house OF two
rooms, situated 5 miles northwest of Deserei
Bank corner. This is surely a har
gain. Is
GONE FIvE-ACRE LOTS CLOSE TO CITY
- tull particulars as 20 price and location
can be had upon application at my Office 81
OPTICAL ATTENTION Is CALLED TO
- land in Glendale Park within two
and half miles of this city The successful
sinking of flowing wells in that vicinity VI.
surely enhance the value of this lsnd. This
land land is sold on the instalment plan
forty-eight equal monthly instruments. Va
4 low rate Of Interest
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-06-06
Notes.

Miss ADAMS. so Music and Drama
says. is to go out with Kate Castleton
next year.
DESPITE liberal advertising the Gin
cinnatti May MusiS Festival, which
closed on May 22d, QUIT loser TO the ex.
tent of s., 600 or $4,000. The expenses
gill reach fully Sc, OBJ, while the receipts
were about SIS. 90.
TIE city of Vienna has ordered that
the tombs of celebrated musicians be
placed in the Walhaila. the principal
cemetery. Among the illustrioas dead
are Beethoven, and Gluck. Schubert.
Mczart's grave cannot be 70 nd as yet
THE banns of PATHS marriage to
Nicoiini have been published IN London
and the vocal pair will be made one at
the French Consulate, to- morrow, June
9TH, after which they will proceed to
Patti Welsh castle and will entertain
000 invited guests.
MAPLEsoS had another surprise in
Chicago last Friday evening. His Or
chestra refused 10 play, because there
was three weeks salary due them; and
Nine. Hauk would not appear unless
paid in advance. The performance of
Carmen was given with the aid of a
piano and pianist Arditi. Thus endeth
the Italian opera season.-Times.
The Queen of Spain has presented
Sarasaie with the grand cross of the
order of Isabella and the title of Excel
lency. The celebrated violinist. during
five concerts at Madrid. was also given
an album sculptured in bronze, contain
ing autographs of al the greatest living
men in Spain and a branch of palm
leaves IN gold. by the professor OF the
Conservatory.
MASAGER-I think you ought to be
willing to take less next season.
Gerster-And w so:
Manager-You know you have got
baby. and q baby always makes q
woman look some older.
Ger ter-lt do. do it?
Aknnager-0f course. Now. you see,
Mad. Patti seems very young yet, be-
cause she has no baby, you know.
Gerster-Oh is dat so2 Veil, / guess
Mad. Patti got no babies now, because
dey is all married off. Phi ladelphia
Call.
THE BASE ball match played at the
Polo Grounds. on Tuesday afternoon,
between the Tragedians and Comedians,
for the benefit o! Mrs. Barley Camp
bell, resulted in the overwhelming defeat
OF the former. Nat Goodwin was dead
in earnest when he came up smiling 10
the home-plate; but his evident i'm
preston that he CO Id stand OH the
all the afternoon was not
in BY the umpire. He was
allowed about nine strikes. all without
effect The net sum realized, S430.25.
was sent to Mrs. Campbell yesterday.-I
Mirror.
ALL mis- old frien S will be pleased 10
earn that he Banch of Keys, in which
Crosbie appears. has been a tremen-
ious success IN San Francisco.
Milton Mobiles and Robert McWade
we're members Of the same COM
pany twenty years ago. In
McWsde's early starring tours No
oies played in his support. For the
AXE of old times and old friendship.
Is going TO reverse the relative
positions, having consented TO create a
minor character part in the farce which
Mobiles will produce about the middle OF
lext month at Peoples Theatre.