davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1889-02-01
ANIMAL ooMPANloNsHlP.
Prairie Dogs, Owls and mathematics as
FeIlOw-Lodgers.

Prairie Dogs, Owls and RattIesnaIkes rs
FeIlOw-Lodgers.
The other day was riding through
California on my way from Los
Angeles to San Francisco. 1t was near
evening, and we had for some distance
passed through plain covered with
very broad. low. gently-curved
mounds. These We're. perhaps, fifteen
or twenty feet in diameter and not
more than one or two feet in height.
Suddenly, on the summit of one of
them. / saw a comical little gray owl
solemnly blinking at the train as it
whizzed by. 1 rubbed my eyes to
assure myself that 1 was awake, and
then kept sharp lookout Soon
saw another, and then a couple look
ing at one another, and here another
and there one. Owls, certainly, and
plenty Of them. l now suspected we
were passing through prairie-dog
town, and looked at the low mounds
with increased interest They were
not at all like the pictures had seen.
They were not so steep or high. AT
last 1 saw one of the dogs, standing up
on his hind legs-a fat, clumsy little
fellow, something like a woodchuck in
size and general appearance. Then
there were more of them. Some dis
appeared instantly into their holes;
others kept courage and watched US.
So we went on-miles of prairie-dog
town; hundreds of dogs; hundreds OF
owls.
This is an example of what a nat
uralist calls Animal Companion
ship" The prairie dogs dig their
burrows deep into the earth and throw
up the mounds of earth around the
mouth of it. Then these queer little
owls, in sober gray, come and live
with them or take possession of de-
serted nests. They say, too, that a
third lodger comes and ''bunks i'm
with them both-the prairie rattle
snake. A queer trio of acknowledges.
the prairie dog, the owls and the rat
tlesnakesi Nor do they always get on
pleasantly together. SUiss Cross.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1889-02-01

TO relieve coughing roast lemon
without burning it. When entirely hot,
squeeze the juice into cup on three
ounces of finely powdered sugar Take
teaspoonful whenever you feel like
coughing.
Homemade Cologne Water.-One
quart of alcohol; three drains each OF
oil of lavender, bergamot and essence
of lemon, one dram of oil of rosemary
and three drops oil OF cinnamon. Good
HousckeeDi5sg.
That the universe was formed by a
fortuitous concourse of atoms, / will
no more believe than that the accident
al jumbling of the alphabet would fall
into a most ingenious treatise OF philos-
a;ahy. -S10tft.
Prayer is the preface to the book
of Christian living; the text of the life
sermon; the girdiAg on the armor for
battle; the pilgrims preparation for
his journey. 1t must be supplemented
by action, or it amounts to nothing. =
Phelps.
Common mercies and repeated
blessings become an old story, and are
apt to be neglected. 1t is the rare that
arrests attention and excites interest
There is danger that the number of Di-
e promises may cheaper them in our
mation and make US Indifferent to
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1889-02-01

This paper is full of cereal
Stories" replied Mr.. McCorkle. "Ah,
then,I must read it. responded his wife,
I'm so fond of fiction" Then McCorkle
handed to her the sample copy of a
Dakota paper full of lies about the
wheat yie!d.-The idea.
Sweet girl-'Please look at this
ring and tell me whether the diamonds
are paste or notn Jeweler-".Those
are genuine diamonds" '.ReallyP'
Yes, indeed, Miss. and rare ones
They cost great deal of money" 20,
dear! And | wouldn't promise to be
any thing but sister to him, and now,
boo! hooi he's gone. Philadelphia
Record.
-Mistress( Ito domestic)-"You were
out late again last night, were you
notP" Domestic-..Yes num- "Where
were you, if may askp" eat a party.
mum" THAT makes four parties
within week If you keep on in this
way-out late nights-you will not live
out half your days" 81 don't expect
TO, mum. I'm to be married soon, and
then I'll live out no more Ieras
Siffin0s.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1889-02-01
oEATH-RATE OF INFANTS.
The Dangers of Babyhood and Childhoo
Illustrated by Ftrures

The Dangers of Babyhood and Childhood
illustrated by Figures.
1t is a startling fact, which meets
the student of vital statistics at the
outset of his Investigations, that from
one-third to one-half OF all the persons
born into the world die before reach
ing the age of FIVE years. Or, to face
the terrible reality from another point
of view. so great are the dangers of
infancy, that a child which has com
pleted its fifth year actually has an
expectation of life more than twelve
years greater than it had at birth.
The exact proportion of deaths
varies greatly in different countries
and localities, at different times and
under different circumstances. Statis-
tics are of value only in showing aver
age results In Norway, for example,
the population dying under five is
stated by DR.. Farr. to be 204.5 per
1000 born; while in England. it is 338
per 1000, and in Italy 567 per 1000.
In ffty-one so-called healthy dis
tricts" of England and Wales, accord
ing to the same authority, the mortal
ity under five is IT'S per 1000 born.
while in the Liverpool district. repre-
senting the most unfavorable sanitary
conditions. it is 460 per 200.
In the different parts of our own
country, we find nearly as great a
variety as on the continent of Europe
Even in the same latitude, the proper
tion varies greatly, according as city
or country districts are considered. In
the State of Vermont, which contains
no large cities, and represents essen
tally a rural population. the number
OF deaths under five. for the year 1883,
was 23.S per cent of the whole num-
Der of deaths; in the State of Massa-
chusetts, which embraces several large
ssities within its limits, for the twelve
years ending In 1884, it was 3474 per
cent; and in the city of New York
alone. for the seven years ending in
1873. it was exactly so per cent. of the
entire mortality. IL. French, II. D.,
PO7JHEQr Science MonfhTg
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1889-02-01
WIT AND WISDOM.

Nothing is so uncertain as the minds
of the multitude.-LiUy.
"A little knowledge wisely used is
better than all knowledge disused.
We promise according to our
hopes and perform according to our
fears.
When a man settles money on his
son it frequently unsettles the SON.
Yonkers Statesman.
Blessed be mirthfulnessi It is one
of the renovators of the world. Men will
let you abuse them If only you will
make them laugh.-Beecher.
The man who is suspicious lives in
3 constant state of unhapi iness L
would be better for his peace of mind to
be too trustful than too guarded
The condition of the world would
be improved If men were to think less
of the dlshonor of submitting to wrong.
and more OF the dishonor of doing it.
What is liberty without wisdom
and without virtue? 1t is the greatest
of all evils; for it is folly. vice and mad
ness. without tuition or restraint =
Burke.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1889-02-01
EDUCATED MONKEYS.


ran Catch a I8ase-BaH and AnoehnR
One Is Learning to Pitch.
-for the monkeys in Prof Brock
collection, they are simply as
shing. They are kept in cages.
are very cleanse much so that
en- one OF them happens to dirty it
all the others notice the fact i'm
ately. and jeer and made the wry-
Of wry faces at the misbehaved
Each monkey has its own plate
8at from, and knows it. and actually
fuses to eat from anybody else's
ate Their training takes q long
ne and much trouble. because they
f'e restless and inattentive. Yet it is
more thoroughly done without the
Sse of forcible or very severe means
ian with. 1t is bad policy to hurt
sm. because they are extremely
sensitive and nervous, and little ill
>t<eatment will kill them. For this
same reason they never perform more
than ten consecutive minutes at a
time. and. although they can bear heat
and cold pretty well. they must be
carefully kept out of draft. There is
one monkey that rides on horseback.
dressed in a red coat, and with silk
hat on. He looks, from behind. alto
gether like miniature hunts
man. and when seen in front he
resembles Voltaire on horseback as
ssmuch as one egg the other. OF course.
these monkeys know their attendants
BY face, and pretty nearly by name.
One. a little Pavian, the clown of
the troop, and who jumps somer-
sauIts. like Baruum,s best, took
a dislike to the head attend
ant some time ago. 1t must be
a strong grudge, for whenever he sees
j. him. he makes faces at him, grinds his
teeth together, shakes his fist and
yanks- This same animal is learning
how to catch small baseball. He
began by learning how to catch little
sticks. then little flags, and will soon
be sufficiently practiced to catch ball.
Mr.. Broekman says he will teach
another monkey how to pitch. and if
he succeeds with this, viii try to give
performances with a baseball nine
composed of brute animals only
Baltimore american.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1889-02-01
Business Is Business.

Railroad PRESIDENTIAL you get the
injured passengers in that accident
satisfied so they won't sue for dam
ages?
Under Secretary-Yes, sir. The
worst injured were drummers, who are
used to that sort of thing, and three
dollars worth of cigars fixed them all
right The only other one was a man
who had his nose broken.
"Eh? What did you do with himp"
GAS the accident changed his pug
nose to a very handsome Roman l
charged him one hundred dollars for
the operation. So, you see, we are
ninety dollars ahead. "-Phita-
deLphid Record.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1889-02-01
"HE.s IN THE SOUP"
The Origin of the Latest Addition to the
Vocabulary of slang.

Vocabulary of Slang.
Every body and every thing thai
doesn't just suit every body else is sure
to be consigned by somebody or other
to ..the SOUP The world, in fact,
seems to have become an immense
tureen, and all its inhabitants are float
ing about like chopped vegetables in
julienne. Why this should be so and
why the '.in the soup" idea shou Id be
uppermost now in the mind of every
citizen who wants to say something
funny is not more apparent than was
a while ago the reason for every one
being inclined to tell every one else to
Let her go, Gallagher The origin
of both expressions is involved in oh
scurity.
In the soup" first achieved classic
authority, so far as can now be ascer-
tanned. an one of the picturesque stories
of what are called sporting" events.
The event was the arrival in this
country last fall of Kilrain. the pugiIist.
The situation was that the big Cunar-
der, Etruria, with the pugilist aboard.
lay in the darkness off quarantine wait
ing for morning, and a tug with Kill
rains friends aboard was lowering
about anxious to get Kilrain of and
bring him up to the city. The captain
of the Etruria had announced, with a
severity that seemed unnecessary, that
no such drunken crew should come
anywhere near his vessel. The
disconsolate but not unhappy crowd in
the tug had to content itself with howl
ing greetings to Kilrain across watery
gulf that separated the two vessels.
One of the men on the tug, johnson
by name. was so anxious to get as near
Kilrain as possible that he tumbled
overheard. One of his companions,
witnessing this act instead of assailing
the still depths of the darkness that
brooded over the waves by shouts for
help or shocking the calm stars over
head with frantic cries for a rope, SIM
ply balanced himself against the rail
and ca1sed out:
'.Hoi Johnston's fell in de soup!''
The sublime audacity of the compar-
ison of the great Atlantic to plate OF
soup was wasted on the drunken crew
that heard it, but the waves ehuekled
gleefully ripples against the tugs
sides, the stars twinkled merrily, and
next morning, when people read about
it, it tickled the public fancy so that the
new slang became quickly the pet ex-
preston of the day, and by this time
it has attained just about ripeness
enough TO make 1t ready to pick and
lay away along with, Mr.. Gallagher and
other slarc once Of repute.-M r.
SssB.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1889-02-01
TINE Was PRECIOUS.
A Possum Ridge Courtship and It's Haf
nv Termination.

pS Termination.
Old Hobson's fourth wife had been
dead month, when one morning lie
caught up his horse. saddled him with
an old sheepskin furnished with rope
stirrups, and mounting rode off down
the ..hog path leading TO Squire
Beeson's in the interior of Missouri.
Hobson was in hurry, but the old
horse wasn't and went on at leisure
gait.
''Drat sich err jolSin' critter," old
Sim mused as he kicked and thumped
his heels against the old plugs bony
sides. IF er feller's in er Murray he'd
best walk
He thumped and kicked till Mt last
the "critter" broke into a jogging
trot which he held for dozen yards.
then relapsed again into his natural
gait, sort of a cross between a walk
and crawl.
Riding up to Beeson' front gate Sim
Hcbson ''helloed" two or three times,
and then a grizzled, gray. unshorn
head was thrust out at the slightly
opened door and voice exclaimed:
'.How'dy, Hobson! Git down. git
down"
"'Hain't time. Ireckon. Squire"
''Summat of er hurry, eh?"
"Yas. I'm goin' ter git married. an
1 want yer ter go long an iine us. -
Who yer goin' ter marry, Sim?'
''Dunno fer shore yit. but l ruther
'spect I'll jine onter old Miss Skaggs. Z"
Spoke to 'er erbout It, l reckon?"
mo, not yit l amt. but reckon
it'll be all right with her. II it hahn,
Wen go on down to Miss Thompson's. s.
l know she'll be willin'. Thought I'd
take yer long SOS to make one trip do
an hev it over. 'Tain't no use ter be
foolin' erway two days er gettin' mar
ried. when ther crop is in ther grass.
an asides. marryin' er wife hain't no
more'n buyin' of er hoss."
=. Yer sensible thar. Sin,i the
Squire said as he led forth his horse,
and he and Hobson rode away TO Widow
Skaggs' domicile.
When they rode up the widow was
out in the back yard boiling soap. She
knew old Hobson's errard as quick as
she noted the fact that he was wearing
white shirt and that his shoes had
been freshly dressed with coat oi
cold tallow.
"Gevenin', Miss Skaggs," Sim said
"Howdy, Hobson." she replied.
I've tuck er notion ter marry
ergin,' Hobson went on, IAN me an
the Squire's come ter see eff yer
willin' ter iine me-"
"When?"
fright now. O. case. l fotch ther
Squire erlong for that purpose.
'sWal, hain't thought much of it.
but bein' as you've gone ter the trouble
o. briugin' ther Squire. reckon
mout as well marry yer"
Drive ahead then, Squire" Hob
son said; .we're ready"
Hitch yer fists" the Squire com
manded, IAN less git through, fer ]
gotter tote er turn o. corn ter mill.
I'm ready" the widow said taking
cid Hobson's hand, '.but hurry up
fer that fetched soaps goin' ter bile
over"
The Squire went through the cere
mony in short order. while the widow
kept her eye on the soap kettle Il
see that it did not bile over.-Detroi
Free Press
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1889-02-01
HOW TIGERS EAT.
A Couple of Them Usually Finish n
at Ono Sftffp1

Couple of Them Usually Finish Cow
at One sitting.
A Hindoo expert on tigers gives the
following interesting information
about the appetites of tigers and their
manner of devouring their prey:
IAN ordinary tiger and tigress
will finish cow or such animal at one
sitting, leaving only the head. The
tigress begins at the shoulders and
eats downward When their heads
come together in the middle of the
animal, they know that there is no
more left, and quit eating.
Before eating the tiger always
drags its prey a short distance. After
the meal, the tiger sometimes lies
down by the skeleton, but if there are
hills in the neighborhood, it will prob
ably go of and find a cool spot for its
nap.
'.If any thing has been left, the tiger
will return the next night to eat it, but
it never makes the second meal on the
same spot as the first, always dragging
the body short distance away.
1.-The tiger can eat half bullock in
two bours. Tigers will also eat each
other if it is more convenient than to
hunt up other provisions. They are
supposed to kill only once in five
or six days, and in fact, do prob
ably sleep and doze for several da7s
after they have gorged themselves, but
they will kill whenever they get a
chance, and it is on record that one
tiger killed for fourteen consecutive
nights.
They will wander immense dis
tances at night, always taking the easi-
est paths and frequently travelled roads
on that account The move about lit
tie in daytime because the hot ground
burns their feet. Golden Daus.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1889-02-01
SAMPLES ASSURANCE
How a ..Nervy- hummer ReplenIzhed
His Stocf of Cash.

How a Merry Hummer Replenished
His Stocf of Cash.
Numerous instances are on record of
the striking self-possession. or in the
vernacular. t.nerys.n possessed by Sam
Sample. Concealed under this pseu-
donym Is q travelling man who has
friends from one coast to the other.
Before he had made his success as a
commercial traveller he was staying In
Minneapolis for no reason whatever
except that he happened to be there
and couldn't get away. He was a man
OF good appearance, however. and go-
Ing to hotel he registered in an inn
pressive manner In a short time he
was well acquainted with the landlord.
and when he spoke of q draft that func-
tionary very promptly undertook the
responsibility OF cashing it
s.Just make out your draft, said the
landlord. Here, this piece 81 note
paper will do"
Sam sat down and in short time re-
marked: Here's draft for fifty now,
z you will oblige me -ah. thanksra
..But, said the landlord. ssyou
haven't made the draft on any body.
There's no drawer
.eOh. that's all right said Sam;
You know more people than I do,
just fill it in to suit yourself. / left it
blank on purpose y
1t is but justice to Sam to say that ne
is entirely square with the landlord
now and that he could cash draft for
Eve hundred there to-day if he desired.
Merchant Traveller.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1889-02-01
AMUSING ENCOUNTER.
MuEArats and WoodchucRs Engage in
Series OF Fatal Duels.

MnEArats anu Woodchucks Engage In
Series OF Fatal Duels.
An amusing encounter between
muskrats and woodchucks was wit
messed along the Rondout creek in the
town or Rochester a day or two ago.
These little animals are bitterly antag-
onistic to each other. but it is not often
that fifty of the woodchuclSs array
themselves in battle against an even
number of the rats. The enemies met
on narrow neck OF land. the musk
rats occupying the position nearest the
water. while the woodchucl1s formed
in half-circle some eighteen or twen-
ty feet away.
The attack was begun by an unusual
ly large woodchuck, who darted out
from its fellows and ran in front of the
solid mass of rats as though inviting
an encounter. The challenge was
finally accepted by big muskrat, the
battle between them lasting several
minutes. The strangest feature of the
fight was that the rest of the animals
were mere spectators of the fight
Neither the rats nor woodchucks
changed their position till the first
battle was ended and the woodchuck
lay dead. Then two more sailed forth
from each side and engaged in battle,
these being followed by others until
the ground was strewn with the dead
bodies of chuclSs and rats. At no time
did the fight become general. nor was
there cessation Of hostilities till at
least three-fourths of the entire num-
Der originally engaged on both sides
lay dead or dying.
Perhaps the oldest part of this
unique spectacle was the burying OF
the dead. The chucks carefully gath.
cred their dead comrades and con-
signed them, one by one. TO the waters
of the Rondout creek. The muskrats
did the same thing. though in slower
and more dignified manner. The rats
stood on the bank and watched the
scene, while the woodchucks retired
in confusion to their literally provided
winter nests.-N Y. Times.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1889-02-01

MADE HIM INDIGNANT.
Why an Arkansas armer Disowns His
Pretty Daughter.

Why an Arkansas armer Disowns His
Pretty Daughter.
An old fellow stood leaning on a
gate. A young woman cautiously ap-
preached.
"May l come imp she asked.
"No, you kain'tr' he exclaimed.
t'Ain't you never goin' ter let me
come?''
Never"
"Please."
go on away now. Clear out"
The woman went away, and the
man who overheard the conversation
went up to the old fellow and asked him
why he had driven the woman away.
"'Cause she's my daughter an
didn't marry ter suit me, " he answered.
Didn't she do wellP"
"No; she flung herself away, when
she mout er hit the nail squar' on the
head"
Don't you think that her husband
will make a livingP"
"He mout do tha', but livin' amt
the thing. The fe Her has got land an
hogs an hosses, but the feller that
wanted her to marry has got three o.
the best fox-hounds in the country"
"Yes, but has he got any thing
elseP''
ANY thing elsel Why, blast yo'
ignunt hide, what do you meanP Look
here, you'd better go ON. now, fur
don't believe it's good idee to have
you loafin' erbout the neighborhood.
Any thing elsel Go on erway, now.
or I'll set the dogs on your'-Arkun-
soaO TrducLer.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1889-02-01
Highly Intelligent Proverbs

Dom be onT op'lar. De unpopular man
ain liked by de neighbors.
De whitewash brush covereth null
titude er spots
De man wot steals money FUN de
pocket oh his friends sin no better dan
a thief
Don eat a h'arty dinner ef yer ain
hungry en- have t pay for it
Don propose marriage to an old maid
onless you want to maeFy her.
Truf am mighty, but he ain alters easy
to trabbel with.
De American citizen am king in he
own right, but he amt got no subjects
De wise man leabs his winders on
locked at night so dat de boyglers won't
hev t smash de glass t. git in--Har-
peiss Bazdr.
The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1889-02-01


And kss the summers dirt brushed off it,
The umpire gets rest again.
On deck now comes the weather prophet.
Boston Courier.
I've got you, you rascal! What
are doing with your hand in my
pocket?n Tramp-s'Xcuse me, boss;
we look so much alike thought it was
my own. Time.
81 'stumped' all through the late
campaign" said one-legged man.
ssAnd /, said the one-armed politician,
ssmade a few 'off-hand' speeches. -
1aEo7v5stoacn Herald.
Constant Dead-Head writes to ask:
stWhat is ham omeletteP" A '.ham, !"
Constant, is the technical name applied
to bad actor. When an infuriated
audience pelts him with archaic hem
fruit, the result is a ham omelette.-
Hardly any one can step out of his
own door without finding something
hat can be benefited by his good Offices
he sees it Alright and give his heart
saand to it, he viii, then and there,
making a contribution to the worlds
eovement. The talk we hear some
about the want of a
ser of insincerity Z