davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Landry democrat., 1889-05-11
Fencing Glasses for Women.

Fencing is now as much young lady S
pastime as tennis or horseback riding, and
every body who knows how beneficial this
exercise is to the female system is glad 1t
is so. It's votaries, in fact, say it is ladies'
sport par excellence, as it needs qulckness
and skill more than strength and daring,
and develops those qualities which are so
essential to lady, viz a graceful carriage
and easy motion.
On the days given up to the ladies, the
large hall of the Fencers Club 1esounds
with the stamping of feet and the clinking
of blades The instructor gives each pupil
lesson which generally lasts about fifteen
minutes. Then two friends challenge each
other and put in practice the thrusts and
guards they have just learned. The
weaker sex make up in cunning what it
lacks in strength Women are much more
artful than men. In no case is this evil
denced more clearly than in fencing. A
man will make bold, open attack, which
his opponent will parry if be keeps cool.
A woman waits, apparently with no fixed
purpose, until she sees her opportunity !;
then with quickness of eye and hand
which defies parrying, she makes her
thrust, and succeeds if she can keep her
point straight. parry would come too
late retreat is the only safeguard.
In practicing the ladies wear an ordinary
tennis skirt and fatsoled shoes, no corset,
an easy fitting blouse or jersey. A wire
mask protects the face, padded buck
skin ''plastron" is worn over the chest, and
buckskin gauntlet saves the hand from
any chance scratches or thrusts. The
ladies are taught to fence with either hand,
and it is wonderful how quickly this ex-
ercise gives strength and dexterity, even
in it's literal sense, to the left arm, gener-
ally so awkward and helpless.
The success of the ladies' fencing class
has proven beyond doubt the propriety
of fencing as a ladies' pastime. 1t is not
too violent, for each one can regulate her
activity to suit herself, and remain on the
defensive or seize the offensive as she feels
like it, Twenty minutes of active fencing
will give more exercise to all the muscles
of the body than two hours of pretty fast
walking, One of the members of the
ladies' class said to the writer that in her
opinion one months fencing will
teach girl better how to walk and carry
herself in drawing room than years
lessons in dancing or calisthenics. Those
who have seen the 1.-the, straight figures
and graceful motion of the ladies who in
dulge in fencing will be inclined to agree
with her fully, and to wish success to
those who have added to the list of female
athletics an exercise so eminently fitted for
the use of the fair sex and for their phys
ical Developments arper's Razar.
St. Landry democrat., 1889-05-11
BITS OF HUMOR.

A small boy rises to remark that most
doughnuts come from Greece. Boston
Tires.
A Cape Cod fisherman calls his boat
"The Kiss" because it's nothing but a
smack PUCK.
"Holmes says: Poverty is cure for
dyspepsia Do you believe that?' 81
can't say, Bromley. I've never had dys-
pepsia. "-7inae.
"Can you tie true lovers knot, my
dear?" inquired Me1Titt. "No," replied
Mamie" hiding her bushes with her fan ;
'but our new clergyman can do it very
nicely" -Harpers Bazar.
"Let me see, said a minister who was
filing out marriage certificate and had
forgotten the date, "this is the 9th, is it
not I" Bride-"No, sir" with some in
d1gnation ; "tbis is only my second"
Willie-'Ma, can anything be foreign
and domestic, too?" Mother-"No Will
liam" '.Willie-"Yes, it can" Mother
"You are wrong, my son." W1llle-"i
amt. What's the nj ltter with Bridget 2"
america.
Citizen tout West)-'Is the editor of
the Temperance Trumpet inT' Office boy
-"No, sir A box of stomach tonic ar
rived to-day from St. Louis, and he's gone
out in the woods to doctor hisself."
Philadelphia Record.
A scientific sharp has dis covered that the
earth weighs 500, $50, 900, 900, 900, 600 tons.
But don't bet on it. The scien list may
have weighed it on coal dealers scales
which weigh only 1900 pounds to the ton.
-Droke's Magazine.
Waiter-"Your orders, sir" Ja;k-"A
glass of lager" sJoe-"Pll take Culm-
bacher." Gus-s'Give me Milwaukee. "
Harry-'Bring me Burton" Ralph-''Fll
have ale" Waiter lin a voice of thunder)
Three ales and four beers. "-7Jme.
St. Landry democrat., 1889-05-11
Raised Bank Checks.

The case which has been in dispute for
nearly ten years involving the responsible
ity for bank check, which had been
raised" after certifcation, and inadver
tently pronounced good" by the bank
teller when shown it for Identification, has
been decided for the third time by the New
York Court of Appeals. The Item has
given the history of the disputed draft
upon one of the occasions when it was 60
ling through court, but as the question has
now been, in all probability, finally set
tied, we repeat the main features:
The draft was drawn in 1879 by the
Commercial Bank of Chicago upon the
Bank of New York for $254.50 was
mailed to lady in New York, distracted
from the mail, presented to the bank and
certified. Subsequently, the Chicago bank
notified the New York bank that the lady
for whom the draft was intended had not
received it, and accordingly payment was
stopped. The paying teller made the
proper entries of certifcation in one book
and of stoppage in another.
After all this had happened, an honest
looking man applied to Henry Clews & Co.
to make an investment. and decided to
take $4,000 of U. s. coupon bonds. He
presented the draft, but it had been raised
to $3.50 after certifcation. To make sure
that the draft was all right, Henry Clews
& Co sent their bank messenger to the
Bank of New York, and the messenger
presented the draft and asked whether the
certifcation of it was good. The paying
teller answered Eyes" after he had exam
ined it thoroughly, but he did not look at
his books, which would have shown him
that draft bearing that number, and
drawn by the Commercial Bank of Chicago,
had been certified for $254,50, and that
payment of it had been stopped. The
draft was originally made payable to Vert
Dexter. The name was ingeniously ex-
tracted and Henry Clews & CO. substi-
tuted. This draft was taken in payment
of the bonds and deposited in the usual
course of business, after being assured by
the paying teller of the Bank of New York
that it was all right, but it was returned
the next day through the Clearing House
by the Bank of New York, written thereon
mot good" Upon the testimony showing
these facts, and upon the third presenta-
ton to the .5urt of Appeals, the Bank of
New York was condemned to pay the full
amount of tie draft. The verbal assur-
ance that it was good" deceived the in
nocent third party, and the responsibility
went with the blame y
St. Landry democrat., 1889-05-11
Old Tin Cans.

Here are some uses for tin cans. and
they are mighty good ones, too: 1. Punch
minute holes in the bottom, bury in hill
of melons, or near any plant you wish to
fertiEzs, and fill twice a day with liquid
manure. 2. Throw them in the fire and
melt them apart, when they may be used,
first, to protect young peach trees from the
borer by placing them around the crown
and combining them together with piece
of wire; second, to protect young tomato
and other plants from cut-worms. 8. They
may be buried level with the soil and used
for potting strawberry runners. They
will also be found useful in transplanting
young strawberry or tomato plants by
placing the open cans over them and
pressing down with the foot, when they
can be conveyed to any reasonable distance
without either disturbing the roots or
whitening the leaves.-Eschonge
St. Landry democrat., 1889-05-11
To Preserve Natural Flowers.

Christian at Work.
1t is curious fact, defying explanation,
that one woman can wear natural flowers
much longer without their fading than
another who is equally fond of them and
gives them the same care and attention.
4 bunch of roses will do duty on more
than one occasion for one lady, and will
most ungraciously fade and droop very
soon after another lady pins them in her
corsage. Ladies who find it difficult to
preserve the blossoms and leaves they de-
light SO much in wearing as garniture to
even.llg dress, will be able to wear them
much longer without fading if they sur
round the stems with moistened powdered
willow charcoal, which may be wrapped
in little bed of moss, and covered with
bit of green tissue paper to prevent the
charcoal from sitting through the moss.
A teaspoonful of powdered charcoal put in
a ever of water will preserve bouquet of
cut flowers for several days if the stems of
the flowers are cut each day, as the broken
end of the flower stem withers and closes
the openings through which the blossom
receives its nourishment.
St. Landry democrat., 1889-05-11
One Oyster Shell for all Customers.

n. I. 1rlDune
On my way to Pier 40 it occu ed + me
to refresh myself with an oyster on, Ne
half shell at one of the stands along III
sidewalk. l approached a man wearfS
one boot and one shoe. and gave my order.
He reached under his counter and brought
up an oyster in half shell and pushed
forward round bottle with long me
talic nozzle on it and a green label reading
Pure Bay Rum" l asked him if it was
customary to give the oyster a shampoo as
we'll as bay irum, when he explained that
the bottle contained vinegar, though it
formerly held bay rum, and he had not
found time to remove the label. After
making the oysters toilet with the aid of
the bottle, l swallowed it. The man took
back the shell and adjusted another oyster
in it and began looking for the next Gus
toner. He said it was the only shell he had,
but he couldn't complain, as business was
pretty good. He had thought at first of
getting in two shells, but it didn't seem to
be necessary. He warned me against un-
scrupulous dealers who didn't have any
shell at all, but served their oysters out OF
an iron spoon, and | made way for man
with panorama of the battle of Trafalgar
on his arms
St. Landry democrat., 1889-05-11
The Blight of England.

great distillery in Scotland turns over
81 500, O00a year and employs only $50 men.
If that amount was expended on iron
works in Sheffield it would employ 1900
men, and at the cotton works at Manches-
ter such sum would necessitate II 200
hands. Anyone who calls it an industry
hes-under the greatest mistake he ever
make in his life. England is blighted I'M.
der the liquor curse nation rendered
wealthy by the degradation of it's people.
The liquor exeis g yields e59, 0c0, GOO yearly,
but England's hereditary pauper class
costs e10 0O0. 900 year, another e10, 900,
900 is distributed by private charities, and
the police force costs e5, 900. 900, making
the pauper fund more than the cost of the
army and navy put together, and all drained
out on account of the traffic.-Canon VIZ
berforce.
St. Landry democrat., 1889-05-11
Renovatinp Ruu-Out Orchards.

We often meet with an orchard OF ap-
parently healthy trees, which is practically
fruitless. The owner may tell us that 1t
formerly bore abundant crops, but of late
years the trees have run out" Why
have they run out?' They formerly
gave good crops of apples. All the other
land on the farm was expected to give one
good crop, but this of the orchard was
made to give a crop of grain, or crop of
grass or clover, to be- taken off as hay.
The soil soon BECAME tired of doing this
double duty. The trees "gave out" be-
cause they were robbed of food the first
thing they need is feeding. Of course, if
the soil needs draining, lay the needed
tiles at once, or as soon as the soil will
allow. Such orchards are usually in grass;
draw on a heavy dressing of manure and
spread it, and as soon as the soil is in
proper condition, turn over the sod and
manure with the pillow with the hot
weather the sod will decay rapidly. When
this is found to be well rotted, give an
other blowing, and deep one. If ashes
can be had, spread a heavy coating and
harrow ; in the absence of ashes, harrow in
good dressing of lime. If the trunk and
larger branches are covered with loose
scales OF old bark upon which lichens and
MOSES have a foothold, scrape off the
loose bark, using blunt, short handled
hoe as scraper. Then in a damp time
or thaw wash the trees with soft soap,
made thin enough to apply with brush.
Use home made soft soap, made with I've
or potash. That sold at the stores is
usually merely hard soap mixed with
water and very dc icient in strength and
quite inferior to tn home made Mix
the soap with enough water to work
readily, go over the scraped portions with
it, and leave the spring rain to finish the
work In due time the bark will be found
beautifully smooth and deprived of all
foreign growth. The soap that has been
washed into the soil will act as useful
fertilizer. Long neglected trees usually
require pruning, and this must depend
upon the condition of the tree. Never
cut out branch without good reason for
it. If the top has become crowded, cut
out enough branches to let light and air
into the center if grown one side, remove
the branches needed to restore the bal
ance. If large wounds are made, smooth
the surface and paint them over with some
dark-colored paint.-Ameracan Agrlcm-
f3fr1pf
St. Landry democrat., 1889-05-11
His Monthly Shopping.

Farmer-How many yards o that truck
will it take ter make Their ole woman er
dress.
Clerk-About twelve, I should say.
cat three cents er yard it comes ter
thirty six cents. I reckon twelve's er
leetle morn she'll need. Just cut off six
yards. Times is mighty close an we hev
ter be er leetle savin'."
amy buttons or thread ?'
ono, reckon not. She kin scratch up
ernuff O them at home. Craps want
extry this yer and we KANT erford ter
fool no money erway."
els there any thing else?"
81 guess you may wrap up er quarters
wurth er sugar an er dollars with er
chawin' terbacker. Pears like er sin ter
fool erway money fer sugar, but Their ole
woman thinks she KANT live thoutin it, an
ther habit O. usin' it's got sech er holt on
'er that she gets erway with or quarter 5
wurth evry month. Say, mebby you'd
better put up two dollars wurth O that
terbacker, for cayn't tell of I'll be down
here ergin fer er month, and I want plenty
ter do me. Thine.
St. Landry democrat., 1889-05-11
How the Cucumber got into the Bottle

When Rodney was at his uncle's hessaw
something very queer. 1t wassascucnm-
Der in bottle. 1t was setting on the
table on the porch when Rodney first saw
it. He sat down and looked at it very
hard. Then he thought for at least ten
minutes.
Rodney could not tell how the cucum-
Der got into the bottle. 1t was very large
bottle, but it had very small mouth.
The cucumber was very large. If the
mouth of the bottle had been much larger,
the cucumber could not have been put
through it, There was not crack in the
bottle so it had not been broken and put
togethe.s after the cucumber was in.
While Rodney was trying to think how
the cucumber could have got into the bot
tie his uncle came up the steps. He
laughed when he saw what Rodney was
looking at.
"Can you make it out - he asked.
"No," said Rodney "please tell me. y
81 will show you. l will take another
bottle, and we will put a cucumber in it.
You can have it to take home with you"
said his uncle.
Rodney thought that it would be very
nice. His uncle brought bottle just like
the one in which the cucumber was. There
was basketful of cucumbers on the porch.
Rodney expected his uncle would take one
of these and put it in the bottle. He did
not know how his uncle would manage to
get it in. That was what he was anxious
to see.
Instead of taking q cucumber out of the
basket his uncle led the way to the gar
den. He looked over the vines, and saw
tiny cucumber near the end of the vine
He pushed the little cucumber into the
bottle. Then he laid the bottle down on
the ground, but did not cut the cucumber
from the vine.
sis that all ?" said Rodney. "Why,
it's not bit like the other"
"Wait few days, and then see how it
will be-" said his uncle.
'tOh p cried Rodney. II know. 1t
grows inside the bottle"
'"That's just it," replied his uncle.
Every day Rodney went out to see how
his cucumber was getting on in its glass
house. It seemed to like it's new quarters
very much When Rodney was ready to
go home it was larger than the first one.
How much fun he had with that cucum-
Der He showed it to everybody. Very
few could tell how it got into the bottle !;
then, when they could not guess, Rodney
would tell them.-Egchd7qge.
St. Landry democrat., 1889-05-11

their fate The voice of her agei friend
startled her.
"Don't cry Beulah, cheer up, my girl, l
want to see you happy before [ die, come
and sit by me, can almost see the other
shore"
Was the girl dreaming She looked at
her old friend in amazement
''Do not be astonished, | am dying,
Beulah, the sun will rise upon my dead
body. | want you to bury me in the old
cabin where spent SO many years. Sit
closer, | feel the hand of death upon me,
do you remember, Beulah. how often told
you to sit upon the gangway?'
Eyes Uncle Paul, but you are not going
to desert poor Beuah, too?'
"a Higher Power than mine has so de-
creed, my hours on earth are short, do not
waste time, Beulah, for | may sink. Don't
forget the spot where 1 told you to keep
Ned under the matches, you will find golu
enough to make you all happy. l have
kept II all for you my child.
The old mans eyes were filed with
tears as he took Beulah's hand"
Child, can't you pray few prayers for
the old man, to help his chances ia the
other world, you saved me in this life, and
know you can in the next"
She knelt by the dying man, her sweet
voice filled the quiet room with holy in
cense. While the tears rained down her
CHI, eks as she plead to loving Savior for
the welfare of his immortal soul, calm
expression settled on his face.
''Raise my head, Beuiah, my breath
comes hard, there, | feel little easier :.
God bless you, my child, don't forget the
gangway, It's all yours Beulah, don't for
get"
The wreck of a stormy life that had
| lived mid scenes of blood, was stranded on
the other shore, where all the short COM
ings, and weakness of human existence
were washed in the blood of the Lamb.
| With the help of the island hands, she
buried the old man within the walls of his
| own little home, and read the prayers for
the dead.
Beulah's mother had been strengthened
| by her daughters example, the past was
placed behind them, as they resolutely set
their faces to the future.
Their resolutions were quickly taken,
Beulah, with trembling haste, hurried to
the spot, and with spade, soon uneIrthed
the chest of rusted Spanish doubloons, it
was hard work for the little maid. How
her eyes frightened at the sight of the
heaps of coin, that were scatter ed in con-
fusion, for the canvas bags had long since
rotted, and fallen away.
| They cut up new sail, and made it into
bags, which they filed to hide securely
| at every stitch Beulah's mind travelled back
! to the past, to the artist whose face was
forever banished from her heart, he shall
vet see that a fsherman's daughter can
remember.
St. Landry democrat., 1889-05-11
Speak Kindly.

A man once saved very poor boy from
drowning. After his restoration he said
to him:
"What can / do for you, my boy?"
s.Speak kind word to me sometimes, y
replied the boy, the tears grshing from
his eyes. 81 an ct a nl.thar like some
of them"
A kind word Think of it This man
had it in his power to give that boy
money, clothes, playthings, but the little
fellow craved nothing so much as kind
word now and then. If the man had ever
so little heart, the boy must certainly have
had the wish granted. A kind word You
have many such spoken to you daily, and
you don't think much of their value; but
that poor boy in the village, at whom
everybody laughs, would think that he
had found treasure if some one spoke a
kind word to him.-Erchdnqe.
St. Landry democrat., 1889-05-11
How Letter Was Proved Genuine.

In the United States court what has
proved to be most interesting case has
been brought to an end. 1t was the case
of man named McCloskey, who was ar
rested about two years ago on warrants
from the State ard United States courts on
the charge of violating the internal revenue
laws. Mr.. Jake Menko stood his bond of
$500 for trial, and McCloskey shortly dis
appeared. Search was made for him, and
finally, at the last term of court, Menko
produced letter said to have been written
by McCloskey to his wife in this city, and
later on certificates to show that the man
had di ID at a county hospital at San
Fernando, CAL The case was continued,
however, and was again brought up Mon
day morning. The letter was shown to
the court. It was signed "W. B. Hill, :"
and the certificate described Hill, saying
he died, etc, and fitted McCloskey exactly.
In order I'd make sure of the evidence, the
letter purporting to have been signed by
McCloske.f was turned over to DR.. l.. b.
Clifton, the chemist, for EXAMINATION. The
date and address had been blotted out with
another kind of ink, and it could not be
discovered by the natural eye where it
came from nor where it was written. BY
a series of chemical tests, Mr.. Clifton
caused one ink to turn deep purple and
the other a carmine, and the name San
Fernando, CAL, stood out in plain letters
When court opened the chemist produced
the letter and showed to his honor, Judge
Speer, that the original address was San
Fernando, whereupon Menko was released
upon his bond.-Macon (Ga.) Telegraph.
St. Landry democrat., 1889-05-11
THE LITTLE SINS.
tempter uses little things

"a tempter uses little things
40 lead the heart astray:
harmless seeming, yet their stings
Are felt some after-day.
18th small temptations on the heart
His warfare he begins,
TIL, all insensibly, his art
Has led to greater sins,
The first deceitful words that pass
The lips of child, or youth,
s Foreteil-how many times, alas
A future of untruth:
7 A life devoid of honesty.
Of Virtqous deeds and aim
A wayward life and never free
From treachery and shame.
For little sins expand at last
To bulky sizes change,
(Outdoing youths ungodly past
In manhood's broader range
of rivers tiny rills at first
( BY springs wild torrents fed.
Swell till the yielding banks they burst,
( And widening havoc spread.
No little sins are justified
Because they are so small,
And vain the hope the act to hide;
Heav'n knows and marks them all,
So in this life keep close the heart,
Nor let the tempter win,
When with sweet word and gentle art
He's found belittling sin,
St. Landry democrat., 1889-05-11
How to Make a Hand Grenade,

sDetrOlt Free Press.
A Georgia physician writes to an Atlanta
paper that the solution used in the hand
grenades now offered SO extensively for
sale is easily and cheaply made by taking
twenty pounds of common salt, ten pounos
of sal ammoniac (muriate of ammonia, to
be had of any druggist, and dissolving in
seven gallons of water. When dissolved
it can be bottled and kept in each room in
the house. In case of fire one or two
bottles should be thrown with force into
the burning place, hard enough to break
them, and the fire will be extinguished.
St. Landry democrat., 1889-05-11

tt is reported from st. Louis that the
Vanderbilts, with August Belmont, Laird
Bros, and a Philadelphia syndicate have
closed deal for the purchase of the gas
works of st. Louis. Belmont is supposed
to represent the London Rothschilds. The
deal will amount to about SIC. 600, OOO.-
Chicago Commercial Bulletin.