davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28

made like the upper part of a pair of
breaches with the legs cut off, through
which openings the legs of the rescued
are thrust while the body remains firm
and safe in the top part. There is a good
deal of apparatus about the breeches buoy,
but it does not take long to get it to-
gether. A cart is loaded with three-inch
haWser. There is a whip line on a reel
"a tackle--a shot line and q Lyle gun,
shot, ammunition, shovel and picks, a
sand anchor, Q crotch and q breeches
buoy.
z When all was in readiness the shot was
fired. It is q billet of lead-witk the line
attached to it. In this case d high spar
at the end of the pier did duty for a
wrecked vessel. Withthis line the whipline
was hauled Off to the wreck by the man
on board and made fast. Then the haw-
scr was hauled off by the whip line, all
three lines seeming to move with stimuli
taneous speed and precision. The sand
anchor being buried, the shore end of
the hawser is led through a snatch block
attached to the hawser and set tant with
the tackle. When the crotch was raised
the surf the breaches buoy was sent
out by the whip line and the man OH the
spar--as high as q ships mast-stepped
into it and vas SWING oyer the pier and
the beach to his comrades. This descrip-
ton makes the affair seem tedious, but 1t
could not have been that to q ship
wrecked mar on the mast of a submerged
vessel in q surf that no life boat could
have endured, for from the time theorder
given and the man was landed in the
breaches buoy was three MINUTES and
tWenty-seven seconds. The distance from
Che sand anchor to the practice spar was
BOO yards. The average spectator at the
breaches buoy drill can hardly distinguish
Between the lines which are run out
10 rapidly side by side, but they heartily
applaud when the man in the buoy IS
landed. 1hs report of the singulariy
loaded cannon 10 tremendous, and tiae
spectaele Of q crowd Of spectators with
a;snds pressed tightly over their ears Il
lInusing in the extreme, while their in
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28
A Mysterious Epidemic of Blindness.

Leading physicians at Montreal
Canada, are greatly puzzed over a ange
disease from the effects of which at least
one resident and several sailors JUST
arrived, have been stricken with pilno-
ness. Early during a recent morning.
Policeman Rutherford became totally
blind while doing patrol duty. The ease
was considered mysterious, but the phy7
sicians at the hospital where he was
taken consider it due to nicotine poison,
inc, as Rutherford was an mVeterate
smoker. The mystery in this case was
intensified, however, by similar cases
made public a few days after. When the
bark Thomas T. Marshall arrived from
the Philippine Islands the Captain was
astonished when informed that m OF the
crew was stone blind, the attack beng
exactly similar to that of Rutherford
The man was Immediately conveyed to
the Notre Dame Hospital. =.
During the course of the evening several
other sailors on board complained OF
dizziness in the head, but they considered
# was due to o~ver-exertion during the
day. and that they would sleep it Oil.
Next morning the Captain was further
mystifed when informed that more OF
the men had lost their sight. Visiting
the forecastle he found the sailors greatly
excited, and four of them named
Frederick Nordfeldt, A. Mulgulfroff, i.
Manfough and C. Lewerson were sight
less. while some others were partially IN
tine same condition. These were all re-
moved to the hospital.
The physicians consider the case a
most extraordinary one, which cannot be
accounted for, as their first theory that 1t
was due to sudden change of climate
would not hold when the case of the
policeman is considered. Aleading ply
sician said that the blindness might
possibly be due to something in the air
as the atmosphere has been peculiar for
some Cincinnati Enquirer.
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28
GEN. suPr. KIMBALL.'

they re-embarked on the little steamboat
Osceola and in the course OF an hour
or two of very pleasant sailing were
landed at Mablehead pier, and cordially
received by Captain Lucien NJ. Clemens
and his crew, who escorted the party to
the station, which was in admirable
order, Notwithstanding the fact that tie
visit of the inspector was in the nature
of a surprise. The new paint on the
station house, which is a dark red color,
made a fine appearance under a
coat Of sand flies, every one Of
which had died at its post and
stuck there with extended wings. The
jolly Captain said with grim hunor
that he was thankful the paint had dried
before the sand-fies came, but he did not
state how much worse the consequences
would have been if it had not. The In
spector was ready for business, and so
evidently were the crew of number nine.
In immediate response to a signal the
large life-boat, the Diadem, was run out
of the station on an iron truck down to
the waters edge. Seven surfmen and
the Captain sprang into her, all having
instantly changed from regulation dress
to the blue jersey trunks and jackets
Of the uniform and with q quick and
simultaneous motion were at their oars.
Then came the order t'to capsfze," The
great boat rolled over and the men dis
appeared beneath. She went clean over
and righted from the other slde-the men
all in their places at the oars-dripping
from their bath In the lake. From the
moment the order was gisen 60 launch
the boat, until the men were at stake with
their oars, was just tWenty seconds.
Having shown the stability and safety of
the beautiful boat, and illustrated its
self-righting and self bailing qualities, as
well rs the thorough discipline of its
trained crew, the Inspector next gave
the order to save q drowning man. One
of the men ~personated the drowning man,
and another went to the rescue, swim
aaing with. n hand and brings
ing ia the unresisting isaa with the
other. The rescuer swan to the boat
with his burden. keeping the head above
water. It was done with ease, strength
and the stroke of the scientific swimmer.
When this was done the men all sprang
from the boat into the lake. Duty was over
and play began. They sported in the
water like seals and the l~iveliest and
ablest of the crowd was their Captain,
who diyed like q fish, and fioated like a
porpoise. They went through a manual
Of eyolutions which displayed their en-
durance and capability in the water and
the perfect condition of their limbs, wind
and muscles.
In the evening at s, o'clock there was
en- experiment made with a most interest
ing feature Of the service-the breeches
buoy-so called on account of the APP
paratus which receives the rescued being
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28
LAUNCH OF THE LIFE BOAT.

The signal drill was very neat and in
genious illustration Of the international
code of signals with which all hfe-saving
stations are supplied and which are in
telligibIe to every Captain, whether
French, German or Portuguese. Captain
Clemens gave the letters to one of the
men, who wrote then out. The signals
are in colors, small flags of metal, each
part of which means the same in all Ian
cuagas. When the surfman had inter-
preted the light piece Of metal in letters
he gave the reading:
F. d. M who was
@. G. II. lady
D. III. G. V. correspondent
@. G. s.. from
B. Q. v. G.. Detroit2
Then the Captain announced the name
by another series of flags or signals and
the answer was Immediately given.
The correspondent bore the honor
meekly, but it is doubtfulif the Free Press
in all its worldwide journeyings ever had
its name recorded before by the interna-
tional signal code. When the Inspector
had satisfied himself with the service of
the crew at the life-saving station of the
ninth district, and it is generally con-
ceded that this is one of the best in the
service, he gave them q few points for
future reference and showed them how to
light the beautiful Coston signals which
burn like Roman candles, blue and red,
for a beach or signal light at night to
warn vessels seen standing into danger
and to alarm the station. There is a
patent arrangement in the wooden holder
Of the light which ignites a percussion
cap. The Inspector showed them how
they could light the candle by a match.
when the handle would not work readily.
Small as this detail may seem, it might
be an important factor in the life-saying
service. There is a man in the lookout
tower at the station Gay and night. The
beach is patroled from sunset to sunrise,
one man going to the left and one to the
right of the station, carrying with him a
patrol lantern and the Coston signals. At
a certain distance of from five to seven
miles of the station is a patrol post, in
which is secured a key to mark the time
detector, which each patrolman carries
and which registers the exact moment
when he was at the post.
The duties of a life-saving station are
not confined to the immediate vicinity of
their district. In the food of 1888 at
Cincinnati On the Ohio River the station
at Cleveland sent a lifeboat and twelve
.skifs to Louisville, KY, in answer to a
telegram calling for help. Captain Glenn
ons, Of the ninth district, was also tele-
graphed to hold himself in readiness to
proceed to Cincinnati With his life-sav-
ing crew.
One of the worst gales known in Mar
quette occurred late in the fall of 1886.
Two vessels were stranded and citizens
undertook q rescue with a yawl, but
found it impossible to reach the vessel
on account OF high seas and dangerous
surf. A tug attempted to leave Mar
quetfe, but was driven back. Then the
citizens used an old mortar and tried to
reach the wreck, but the mortar burst
after the first fire. Meanwhile
the people Of Marquette telegraphed
to the ship canal lffe-saving service
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28

The greatest and most useful, as well as
promising, scientific proposition Of this
country and day, declares the Trenton
tN. J.A american, is that for the diversion
a~ndsstorage Of the tributary waters Of the
Upper Mississippi, so that they may be
used for the irrigation of the arid Ilains
of Idaho, and their absence mitigate the
floods which devastate the low lands
along the Mississippi. It was . system
lof irrigation that converted Salt Lake
City into d garden and if the vast area of
the sterile fields Of Idaho can be brought
unto cultivation and production, it would
in many ways repay the National Govern
aneut for any amount of financial help
that 1t might give the enterprise.
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28
Or. Charcot's Queer Patient.

A Paris correspondent of the Courier
Res Etats- Unis notes that hardly has the
intelligence Of the discovery of the elixir
OF life by De- Brown-Sequard ceased to
startle the French capital before DIR.
Charcot, "the man among us who is most
habituated to the marvellous, draws the
attention of the scientific world to a
fclnme-chat, or cat-woman whom he has
discovered.
DIR. Charcot's femme-chat is IN inmate
of the hospital OF Salpetriere, as the story
goes, She is a pretty child, about four
teen years old, with blue eyes and long,
blond hair falling down her back. She
is modest and gentle up to q certain mo-
ment, when the visitor suddenly beholds
her eyes, "~frightfully convulsed," her
mouth shrivels up, a horrible grimace
distorts her features and she drops to the
earth on all fours. Then she scampers
about the room over and under chairs
and tables, seeking everywhere-an satlct
Of escape, and, if anybody attempts to
capture her, she splits with the hmistak-
able PITT, pitt, of an enraged She
humps her back and gives rent to longs
miaulments IN crescendo, and if q bit of
paper or other triie be thrown to her,
she stretches forth a paw or a hand, as
the case may be, and plays with it as a
cat will. Finally, after having done the
entire pus business to admiration, she
curls over on her back, the crisis is over,
and the femme-chat becomes pure femme
once more.-NeD York Commercial Adees,-
fiser.
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28
crest in the proceeding is shown in their

ferest in the proceeding is shown in their
Eaces.
When the shot line flies from the can
non to the mast, the recoii sends the gun
back in the sand eight Or ten feet, but he
who sees that performance misses the
sgift run of the line to the man IN the
1rast, which is the feat of Importance.
On the following day, while the men
were Standing about at leisure, the In
spector called %''fire." This was the ''fire
quarters drill" and the men dld an eff
Gent duty in getting the hose at work
and the water turned on the station as if
it had been a real instead Of an imagin-
airy fire.
Then tie life car or surf boat-an
cgg-shaped boat that could be closed by
a small square in the lid-was brought
out. 1t danced to the waves like q cock
lie shell. There was room in the aper-
ture for two Or more persons. The OBJ
iect of the surf boat is to reach dlsman-
tied wrecks where the breeches buoy
would have nothing to be attached to-.
The shot line is sent out TO 1t with q
hayser to which the car is fastened. 1t
is propelled from the shore to the wreck
and back, in its way tensubmerged, but,
being air tight, floating like a cork. In
| spector Clark and Mrs. Clark stepped into
the boat, the lid was put on, and, al
| although it was ninety in the shade,
they went out into a stationary BOAT that
! represented a wreck. Once there, how
ever, the Inspector concluded to take a
boat for the return trip, but Mrs. Clark
bravely returned in the life car, declaring
| that it was something TO be rescued from,
as in the sensation OF rolling in a water
tight and darkened balloon through the
water of the lake being entirely too novel
J an experience to be altogether agreeable.
This was followed by a resuscitation drill,
in which one of the men was a
drowned person and another resus-
citated him. The Inspector required the
four rules, which the man gave readily
without halt Or break, while at the same
time he illustrated them in his treatment
Of thesdrowned man.
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28
A. Whole Family of Comets.

Professor L. S. Holden writes from the
Lick Observatory in California Hat the
comet recently discovered by~Mrr. Brooks,
of Geneva, N. Y; 6ecn regularly CD.
served at tho Lick Observatory by Mr..
Barnard. lie found the comet attended
by two objects, and his observation
showed them > be Companion comets,
One Of tkeR-had a decideA tail. "Be-
-s1a III TIC three comets mentioned, there
are four objects near, which ae probably
members Of the same family. This phe-
nomenon is a rare one, though i has been
observed before.n'
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28

In sending to Professor G. v. Riley, OF
this country, the insignia of a Knight OF
the Legion Of Honor, M. Faye, the
French Minister of Agriculture, writes:
ssIn comforting this high distinction
upon you, the French Republic has
sought to show It's Indebtedness for the
Qportant services which you have rem
% 10 me general agriculture of all
5untries, and Particularly to France, by
gour Iabors and discoveries. lcoLssderit
d personal honor to havehad the occasion
10 confirm to our Chief Magistrate the ex-
c~ellence and Importance Of var ser
vices" NJ. Tisserand, Director of Agri-
culture, wrote at the anne time to Pro-
fessor Riley as follows: sit is q small
reward for your services, and would have
been granted long agoi if you had not de-
clined to accept the honor. France is
- ap old debt Of gratitude, and
ppy in knowing that theim-
your work is thus recog-
$500 -
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28
Says, Saids and That's.

In t~hirty-one words how many that's
can be dramatically inserted2 Answer:
Fourteen. He said that that that that
man said was not that that that one
should say; but that that that that man
sud, was that that that man should not
say. That reminds lis of the following
says and saids: Mr.. b., did you say, or
did you not say, what l said2 because
c. said you said you never did say what
| said you said, Now, if you did say
that you did not say what l said you
said, then what did you say?-CAieago
1masrica.
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28
Ere Industry of Wood Carving.

The industry of wood carving, accord
ing to a recent publication, was intro
Iced into Switzerland some sixty or
seventy years ago by a native of Brienz
named Christian Fischer, who used to
spend his spare time in making trifling
objects for sale. He started a night
school for the benefit of the neighbor-
hood, and thus laid the foundation of an
industry which nov gives employment to
between 5000 and 5000 persons. He first
conceived the idea of making tiny models
3of Swiss chalets, which at once found a
ready sale.
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28

Before very long DR.. Powell's pet pro,
s8ct for reclaiming arid lands In The West
win be practically tested. Dispatches
from Idaho say that the Government has
alrsady begun the surveys there to ascer.
tain the engineering work needed to con-
duct the mountain streams into storage
reservoirs, from which It Is hoped to give
moisture and fertility to millions of acres.
Meanwhile the Senate Committee on
Irrigation has begun to study the subject
an the ground. The work done this year
VII doubtless be limited to the pre-
lirainary study Of the big problem, and
next winter we may expect definite plans
"a carrying out the project. It is
RCwells idea, says the New York Sun,
that the waters Of many of the little
ibataries Of the upper Missouri and
khsr rivers may be diverted into the
storage reservoirs, and thence distributed
over the thirsty lands. IN this way he
aaopes not only to reclaim q vast area, but
alao u diminishing the foods IN the
lowsr Mississippi to prevent the destruc-
ive foundations along the southern low
aands. Il Will certainly be ! great bless
nc If these head waters Of the Missouri
san ii part be kept = home to help raise
erops instead Of travelling south 10 de-
yoy crops ii the Mississippi bottom
anda.
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28


station, Ito miles distant, for help. The
ife-boat and beach apparatus was loaded
on cars and proceeded through driving
sno and wind to the scene of the disas-
ter, rescring all from the wreck.
Prior to 1871 the service had only a
few small dilapidated buildings on the
coast Of New Jersey, but gradually ex-
tended along the most dangerous points
that exist Tor shipping on the Atlantic
coast and places where liabilities to ship
wreck were greatest. IN 1887 the ser
vice reached to the lakes and the Pacific
coast. There are now on the lake coast
forty-fve stations-230 stations in all.
IN 1871 Mr. Kimball was appointed
General superintendent. His zeal and
energy. combined with his fitness for the
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28
THE LIFE SAVERS.
DESCRIPTION OF A VALUABLE
GOVERNMENT BRANCH.
How the Lives of the shipwrecked
are Saved-Vessels Res
cued and Property
Protected.

A Detroit Free Press representative re-
Gently accompanied a party on q steam
boat excursion to Put-in-Bay. The boat
had IN board a merry picnic crowd, also!
a party of three who were not entirely
on pleasure bent. One of these was
Lieutenant Robert M. Clark, inspector of;
life saving stations; Mrs. Clark and the
representative of the Free Press. The;
three were en- route for Point Marble
head Station, district nine, on the coast
of Lake Erie, and in order to reach it
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28

The Washington Star says that the dis
lcovery by the ornithologists that a war
upon the pestiferous sparrow, in order to
he successful, must be carried on by
Canada and the United States in concert,
furnishes a new argument for union be-
Itwean the two countries.
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28

ssIn the great Worlds Fair, which is
20 take place in 1892" says Fish Com
missioner Blackford, Of New York, tsthere
should be q large space set apart for the
exhibition Of fish, not only of this coun-
try, but of all countries on the globe.
IL may be remembered that at tho
greatest fish exhibitions in the world,
those at London and Berlin, the Ameri-
can exhibitors carried off the biggest
prizes. It is well known to all fish
cultiyators that America has the greatest
opportunities for a display of fish that the
world affords, both in variety and quality.
AS to quality / need only mention the
brook trout, the finest grained fish in the
world, and as TO variety there is no dis
pute. From the Pacific and Atlantic
Oceans, from the Gulf of Mexico and the
st Lawrence, what great varieties Of fish
artAcontinually sent over for pfopagation
on leshe other side. / expect to see as d
result of the great Fair a great free
aquarium established which win be as
populAE is the Central Park menagerie.a
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28

Charles NJ. Reed, of Erie, Penn, offers
TO pay of the debt Of that city, amount
Ding to 81, 100, 900, if it will give him the
water works. The revenue from the
syater works service last year amounted
ito $74, 600.
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28
Meme Required.

LETS you and l play mind reading"
said the first little girl, as they stood
at the gate.
ooh, no." replied the second.
But whyan
Because mamma doesn't want me to.
and beside | know all what is going on
anyhow. You've get a new hired girl
your mother IS having an old dress made
oyer-yoar sisters beau has gone back
on her, and your father stayed out all
night the other night. Detroit Free
Press.
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28

General Sherman has offered a prize OF
$100 for the best essay written by an
army officer of the school of application
lon the subject of the influence Fort
Leavenworth, Kan, has had or the civil
ization of the surrounding country.
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28
TOWN DRoPERTY EoR GALE
h OWN ROPERTY e OR 0AIE

A CENTRALLY 10 ated and aa.;,.,,,,a
business stand On Main street. One,a,,sosS
consisting OF building suitable fer itsidenea
and small store, bel z the property next to
the postofiee. Thi- property will be soli
very cheap for cash, or h &c cash an / alanea
On forms to suit purchaser. Apply to Mr..
Edmund G. Dupre.
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28
CYRUS w. Field.

This is the gentleman who laid the
Atlantic Cable, Mr.. Cyrus W. Field, the
genius of that remarkable family of which
David Dudley and Judge Stephen are
conspicuous members. He used to own
about So, 900, 900, until Manhattan Ele-
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28
NEW SHAVING SALOON

HAVING recently built and refurnishtd
u throughout, my Barber Shop, / am
now prepared, with increased facilities. to
serve the public in first-class style in nv
aoW quarters between Brand an I Moriarity,s
Shaving, Hair Cutting, Shampooing, Nc.
lone In the highest style of the art. Give
one q call. Il A BODEMULLER.
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28
WISE WORDS.

A contented ass enjoys a long life.
Success depends upon the courage to
act.
The truth travels slow but it V gets
tired.
Rough honesty is superior to a smooth
fraud.
Love is the true price at which love is
bought.
What three know will soon be known
to thirty.
Turn your tongue seven times before
c1,aaIYY.v -
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28
OPEIOUSAS
Female Institute
oPELoUsAs, ST. LANDRY PARISH, LA.

This Institution is undenominetional, prac-
tical and progressive. Discipline firm and
based on sound principles ennobling and de-
yeloping character. Honor ard self respect
promoted. Methods Of training and culture
thorough. Tee curriculum prcpIros the
pupil for University Or practical life. Ger
tiGcatcs and Diplomas conf lTed. Building.
comfortable and ~comroii:ls. Patronage
collected. For further partic lars apply to
MRS. NJ. NJ. HAYES, Principal.
Or Rev. F. w. LEWIS: First Assistant.
Feb . If
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28

Not only is the city Of Pisa bankrupt,
but ten other Italian towns have become
Bankrupt.
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28

enterprise.
True faithfulness never sf4@As from
duties which are the hardest.
There is infinite comfort for the small
est troubles as well as the greatest.
He is q moral hero who dares speak
the plain truth in these compromising
days.
He who would best serve the best in
tefests of others must cease serving him
self.
He who would not be forgotten should
do something worthy of being remem-
bered.
If the thoughts of men could be read
their true character could never be mis-
taken.
That which ~designedly works s'ill to
its neighbor, whatever else it may be,
cannot be love.
The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-28

There is great complaint of the adul-
iteration of food in the City of Mexico.
Even the bread is tempered with.