davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-03-15
Observations from a Balloon.

The observations made during night
ascensions, or those which were continued
into the night, ON tempe ratures at differ
ent heights, gave results different from
the theories previously held ON the sub
iect. An increase of the temperature
with the height was noticed after sunset.
The rate of decline of temperature with
elevation when near the earSn was subject
to variation as the sky was clear or cloudy
From an elevation of three miles cirrus
clouds were seen apparently as far above
the observers as they seem when viewed
from the earth, and that under such con-
ditions that it was hard to believe that
their presence was due to moisture. The
audibility of sounds from the earth de-
pended considerably Cd the amount of
moisture in the air.
The noise Of a railway train can be
heard in clouds four miles high, but not
when the clouds are far below. The dis
charge of gun was heard at 10000 feet;
the barking of a dog at two miles; but the
shouting of multitude at not more than
1000 feet. Many differences in the results
of observations were supposed to depend
upon atmospheric conditions, while these
vary with the time of day and the season
of the year; so that great many observa-
tions would be required to determine the
true laws. Having followed up one of the
observations recorded above with captive
balloon and by other means, Mr.. Glaisher
declared to the Meteorological society, in
1870, that the theory that the tempera-
ture is always lower at higher eleva.
tions is not true. - Popular Science
NOOt6ZD
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-03-15
Richly Entitled to Ii.

'John, think should like to visit my
old home in the East month or two this
summer"
81 don't know, Maria. I'm afraid can't
spare the time from my business"
Pm not asking you to- go, John. / can
make the trip myself without any trouble. -
You would get homesick if you were
to stay away from home as long as that. "
"I think not. l should like to try j.
anyhow"
Qrritablyl whats the matter with
you, Maria? Haven't been good hus-
band ?"
81 am lot making any complaint about
you, John, am II"
"Ain't | affectionate enough? Haven't
/ always kissed you when l went away
from home in the morning and when l
came back in the evening every day for
the last twenty-five years."
Eyes, and you've had big chew of
plug tobacco in your mouth every morn
ing and evening for the last twenty-five
years, too. l think 1 want a vacation,
John. "-ChicGoo Tribune.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-03-15
OVER THE CRADLE.

a
So many things for baby to see,
Look from the window and count them with me.
Beautiful smoke floating up to the sky,
Beautiful clouds sailing joyously by,
Radiant light from away UP on high.
So many things for baby to heart
Tender and loving words whispering near,
Piping of birding and hummipg of bee,
Ripping of gladness from flower and tree,
Echoes from Eden from earth's burden free
So many things for baby to feel;
Warmth OF the sunshine where light breezes
steal;
Softness of wee shoes and dainty white gown;
Clasp OF encircling arms, lips pressing down;
Throb of the loving heart always her own.
Dear baby eyes with clear depth of repose,
Dear little hands and feet soft as rose,
Dear little mouth with its blossoming smile,
Dear little heart that beats true all the while,
How does your sweetness my sadness beguile
All. little child! when your babyhood wanes,
Years follow on bearing life's certain pains;
Hands will unclasp that have held yours in
poise,
Raining of tears will hide sunshine of joys,
Trembling you'll stand in the tumult of noise
Love cannot shield you from sorrows surprise
Through shade and sunshine each human path
lies;
Comfort alone to your heart will draw nigh,
Led by the faith that through clouds can descry
Radiant light from away up on high.
Christian Weekly.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-03-15
Wanted to Join Her Family.

"Toward the close of the war;" said q
member of the G. A. r whose mind is
well stocked with "reminiscences, at re-
cent meeting of the post, II was visiting a
Southern hospital, ard while passing
through one of the wards my attention
was attracted by a young fellow who lay
on his bed with eyes closed and his face so
white and still that thought he must be
dead. While I stood looking at him
door near at hand opened and young
girl, beautiful as Southern girls sometimes
are, entered. The wounded man opened
his eyes, and, suffering spasm of pain as
he turned to look at her, exclaimed
"Oh. Lord ?
why do you speak my Fathers name?'
asked the girl, Advancing to his side. 4
am daughter of the Lord Is there any
thing you would like to have NE ask Him
for your
Yes came the answer in slow, suffer
ing tone, while the poor wretch devoured
her with his eyes. Yes ask Him if He'd
take me for a son-in law. '"-Chlc0go I2S-
b1E2le.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-03-15
Russian Wolves.

curious report was recently brought
home BY a traveller from Norway, which,
if it be true, will GO far to correct the
ideas concerning the wisdom of extirpa-
ting noxious animals in countries where
they abound. 1t is said that in one of the
northern provinces the reward offered by
the government for the destruction of
wolves had resulted in their becoming
practically extinct, and thus far there was
every reason for congratulation. But it
now appears that, unknown. to man, the
Norwegian wolves had been constantly
engaged in patriotic war of self defense
against the voracious packs of Russian
Lapland; SO long as their numbers were
undiminished they held their ground, and
even continued to do so for some time after
they had begun 10 be decimated by the
misguided hostility of their human fellows.
1t would seem that there had supervened
period in which the Russian wolves as
sumed willy Fabian policy, Gliding their
time" until the hand Of man, stimulated Dy
government blood money, had finished its
work.
AT last the ground was clear, but no
sooner had the Morse folk begun to re-
joice than fresh ineursion was reported
of huge, hungry wolves from beyond the
frontier, which have occupied the vacant
hunting grounds of the slaughtered ami
mails, 80 that the whole process of sextin.
gushing" must be RECOMMENDED, with no
better prospect of fnality than the labor
of Sisyphus. Murrdy's MAGAZINE.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-03-15
A Protest from a Shop Girl.

I have received the following from re-
tail house on State street, says writer in
the Chicago Tribune: 81 want to protest
against this twaddle about the poor shop
girl. have heard it rung in my ears for
the last three weeks, day and night, and
from people who know nothing about our
business and really care less. l am tired
of being pointed out as weary shop girl.
am tired of being asked the question by
people whom | never saw before and prob
ably will never see again until 1 run up
against them in the next world, and then
shall expect them to say to NJ: You poor,
tired thing. You look too weary to wang
your harp
"Let me tell these sympathetic creatures
something. We do get tired. So do the
bank clerks, and suppose there is such
thing a newspaper men firing. But they
are never singled out as we are as objects
of sympath.7 You may think l am IN
grateful am not. don't want any So
called sympathy from strangers. Besides,
would like to inform the sympathizers
that the average shop girl of to-day is bet
ter off for being such. She is well treated
by her employer. OF course she has to
work. She is not employed as a picture.
know manager in Chicago who never
allows girl in search of work to leave his
place without one days pay in her pocket.
If she is worthy she may be retained.
During the crowded season just passed l
know Of many shop girls who were not only
given extra pay and furnished with lunches
and dinners, bu, given valuable presents,
and their home people were, in some in
stances, remembered by managers and en-
ployers. Many did not receive such coz
sheraton, and | have no doubt that in
majority of cases they did not receive it
because they did not merit it. Ii the shop
girl attends to her business she will get
along all right and won't need so much
sympathy"
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-03-15
A "EuIoeized" Rat Tran.

A correspondent writes: In order to
outwit the willy rodent, here is trap
which my grandfather used to eulogize as
being highly successful in clearing his
''store" of rats many years ago in New
Zealand. It was composed of half arrsl
three parts filled with water, in which
brick set up on end reached to within an
inch or so of the surface over the top of
the barrel stretch tightly sheet of stout
cartridge paper, making cross cut, some
nine inches in length, acrosss the center
over this cut hang by means of q string
some savory morsel, and set a sloping
board for the rats to climb up. Number
ons comes along and jast as he is nosing
the bait his treacheroas footing gives way,
and he goes souse into the water, finds the
brick and sits upon it. The stiff paper
having closed up again Immediately, he
cannot jump out. Number two arrives
and goes through the same performance,
except that he having no brick to sit upon
thereupon tries to evict number one. Now
the mischief begins. for their squeaking
brings all of their kin and kind to see
what the row is about, and the result is
that not rat is left to tell the tale.-New
Yoa,k HerDIf
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-03-15
Tear Bottles.

Before the days of la grippe, when the
ladies of Pompei were the bellies of the
day, posed as the professional beauties,
ard for all we know had their photographs
taken and got percentage on them, well
bred people did not cry in handkerchiefs.
They dropped their tears slowly and grace
fully into walls of cut glass, that had gola
shoppers, set about with precious stones.
There can be no doubt that the woman
with thoughts upon graceful pose prac-
ticed with her tear bottle before her mir
ror, and can there be anything more
touching than, when ones best young man
was off to the wars, sending him by regis
tered letter little note saying: "You
have all my heart. and these are the tears
have wept for you since your absence |"
The tear bottle could be inclosed as prac-
teal proof. and the maiden fair would
write on the outside of the envelope In
large letters: ''Glass - piesss do not
stamp too hard" Those, indeed. were the
days of romance. Undoubtedly, some
very fetching young women, who appreci-
ated the impression made by bottle of
tears, but didn't like getting red nose,
had their slaves do the weeping for them,
and physically cultured themselves by ad-
ministering to the slaves good sound
whipping, so that they might have some
thing to weep for.-Ioronto Globe.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-03-15
Human Sacrifices in Africa.

From book describing the experience
of Fred s. Arnot, of Glasgow, Scotland,
for seven years pioneer missionary in the
heart of Africa: Among the Barotse moth
ing of importance can be sanctided without
human sacrifice, in most cases child.
First the fingers and toes are cut of, and
the blood is sprinkled on the boat, drum,
house or whatever may be the object in
view. The victim is then killed, ripped
up and thrown into the river. The burn
ing of men for witchcraft is carried ON to
a fearful extent; not a day passes but some
one is tried and burnt. The details of
scenes that l have been forced to witness
in this line are too horrible to put on pa
per many guiltless victim is marched
off to the horrid pile. A few hundred
yards from my hut there iesa perfect Col
gotha of skulls and human bones, fearful
to look upon. Yet one gets somehow used
to it and to all their numbering ways.
The trial for witchcraft is short and de-
cisive. If one man suspects another of
having Eewitched HMM fact, if he has
a grudge against him-he brings him be-
fore the council and the ordeal of the boil
ing pot.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-03-15
Tie Jackson Namesakes.

A few years after the adoption of the
baby, another nephew. known now as
'Andrew Jackson Donelson," went to the
Hermitage to live, and these two can
drews" always considered the Generals
house their home. although the younger
Andrew addressed Mr.. and Mrs Jackson
only as ''uncle" and aunt" These two
boys were the children" But there was
hardly time when there were not other
lutte people at the house for longer OF
shorter stays, some for life-t ime soiourns.
There was nothing to approach the grand
Virginia style of living but the grounds
at Mount Vernon and the halls at Mcnti-
cello never rung with heartier laughter
than did the Hermitage filled with the lit
tie foster children and their small COM
panions, white and black. The ways of
General Jackson and his wife were uni
formly those of "pleasantness and pesce, +"
and all the little folk received the gentIest
of treatment. To be sure the General was
gruf and peremptory among men, aud
Mrs. Jackson smoked cob pipe. But
what did it matter to the children so long
as Mr.. jackson was willing to sit wedged
three in rocking chair, and Mrs. Jack
son would tell them frontier stories every
evening in the freight? Mr.. Parton
gives the account of a traveller who arrived
at the Hermitage one wet, chilly February
evening:
81 came upon General Jackson sitting
alone before the fire, lamb and child
between his knees. Seeing me, he called
a servant to remove the two innocents to
another room, and said that the child had
cried because the lamb was out in the cold
and begged him to bring it in, which he
had done to please the child"
Amember of the family said to me lately
that there were possibly no children, white
and black, in the house and about the
neighborhood named "Andrew" or s'Ra-
chsl, and to each. of these the General
gave a gift or remembrance in some
way, and liked them all. He gave away
dozens of Bibles and silver cups to name
sskes; and on one of his trips from the
Hermitage to the capital he distributed
hundred and fifty silver half-dolla1s to
mothers as they brought little 'sAndrews"
or "Rachels' to him along the route TO
each he made little speech, saying, tsThe
half dollar will serve the children to cut
their teeth on now; but when they are
older tell them it is the eagle of their
country and teach them to love and pro-
tect it r 1t is perhaps pot strange fact
that when children went 90 the Hermitage
to visit they were often called ''Andrew"
and Rachel" although their names at
home were entirely different. - Vide
Aao0ke
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-03-15
GREArrHoUaHTs CAN NEVER DEE.

Er
Written for The Anaericaa.
Great thoughts are monuments upon the shorei
of time.
To cast long shadows from their heights sub ime
Their fadeless lustre is the deathess cycles roll
TO Hight with vivid splendor theworld's unfadine
scroll.
They live beyond the deeds with knightly yalol
crowned,
The marbled bust by sculptor's hand renowned
The crumbling walls, the kings embattled tower
The conauering squadrons, and the tyrant's
ruthless power.
D hey live beyond the mitred churches creed.
Beyond the truth, from papal error freed;
The earth does move and grand Calico dead;
His thought is master, though his soul has fed
They live beyond the martyrs torturing death,
The eacred ashes and the feeting breath,
To sit crowned king upon the globes empJrean
throne,
And gather untold harvests from the seed that
thought has sown.
They live beyond the patriots glorious grave,ls
The rich ibations, the willing blood he gave,
That future years should halo living thought, ~
And dim the stars with deeds his valor wrought
They live beyond the painless sailing ship,
The veering winds, the needles westward dip,
The sullen crew, the shouts that welcomed land,
The fame the shame. of SPANS imperial hand.
They live beyond the poets charm that pencils
every ray,
TO gather untold brightness from the germs Of
cell decay, sszsk
To build through memories aisles a temple
wreathed with fame
Ephesian dome, Pindaric ode, Olympfa's ancient
game.
They live beyond Athens ruined wall,
The Pnyx, Plato, the Stagarite, and all q
That moulded thought from reasons throne,
Immortal cradle, the birthplace of our own.
They cannot die one thought will lead to more.
And yet the widening channel will wash the
noiseless shore
The years are silent rivers that sweep onward to
the deep,
where crude and subtitle fancies are reused from
dreamless sleep.
Great thoughts live on within each throbbing
heart,
They have omniscient longings, are of this life
part,
While centuries only waken the germs that are
not dead,
To build store of wisdom from ages long since
fed. --Junius L Hampstead.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-03-15
College Athletics Have Their Value.

Every seat in the North State street car
was taken, and four or five persons were
standing. One of the latter was o young
woman, who stood near the middle of the
car. tall young man, rather too slim
for his height from an athletic point of
view. rose from his seat near the rear door
and stepped forward to inform the young
woman, who was looking the other way,
that there was a seat for her. AS he did
so man dropped into it.
81 beg your pardon" said the young
man, Il didn't gst up to give you seat"
s'But got ii" said the man.
81 intended it for the lady," said the
young fellow.
But got it, retorted the other with
sneer.
He was the bigger man, but the young
fellows hands descended on his shoulders
and he was on his feet and On the plat
form before he knew it.
Conductor! CONDUCTOR he cried, but
the conductor had far away look in his
eyes and was interested in something going
on down the street. The man was in the
street before he had time to call out again.
The hero-for he was hero in the eyes
of all the passengers by this time-re- en-
tered the car, and, lifting his hat, po-
litely said:
MADAME. there's seat for you"
And the passengers were SO tickled that
they actually began to clap their hands.
The young man simply smiled and said:
college athletics are of some value
now and them
Then he leaned up against the front door
and became absorbed in paper, while the
young womsn watched him admiringly.-
C.Scaa0 Tribune.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-03-15
Ventilation in Living Rooms,

The question of ventilation is even more
dificult than that of heating. If one
uses stove, the oxygen in the room must
supply the fire as well as the lungs of the
inmates, and unless it is constantly re-en-
forced from the outside, it will become ex-
hausted and the air of the room will be
unfit to breathe, both from the exhaustion
of the oxygen, and from tue exhalations
from the bodies of those who live in it.
A good way to ventilate. Us to close the
doors between the living room and the one
adjoining then IN the latter open all the
windows, until the air is entirely renewed;
then close the windows and open all COM
Meeting doors This has been used with
success in the caseof invalids. Another
way is to raise one of the sashes few
inches, and have % strip Of wood fitted
snugly in below the sash. The air will
then enter upward between the sash, and
will cause no draught. A hinged pane in
one Of the windows is an excellent thing,
as is also as-ventilator set in one of the
panes.-B0stoaa Herald.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-03-15
His Breath Took Fire.

Twelve years ago last month, in
August, 1877" said an old settler, ssa man
met death in peculiar and horrible man
ner in San Francisco. / believe that full
and succinct account of this rare accident
has never been given the public. the pro-
prietor of the establishment where it oc.
cured keeping the facts from the report
ers for fear of hurting his trade. They
are about as follows: James Harley, the
victim, had just recovered from an attack
Of delirium tramens. He had been reg
ular sot, and was thoroughly soaked with
alcohol. His last attack of the Jim jams
was the third he had undergone within q
few months.
On the morning in question he had
started on another spree. About eleven
o'clock in the day he had all the liquor
on board he was able to carry. Stepping
into saloon on one of the principal
streets, he called for swig of bug juice,
which was promptly refused, the bar
tender noticing the condition of the man.
and remembering his late engagement
with the snakes. Harley scowled and
turned to gas jet to light his pipe. A
second later there was drunken moan,
flash Of alcoholic flame, and Harley fell
heavily on the floor, hts head and neck
yelled in smoke, while blue jets of flame
were issuing from his ears, mouth and
nostrils.
GAS soon as water could be procured
water is commodity rather scarce around
such places, it was dashed into the suf-
ferer's face. not in time, however, to save
his life. The face was as black as that of
negro, the ears were charred, the inside
of the mouth black, and the tongue roasted
to crisp. It was horrible and uncanny
death-one for which a duplicate would
be hard to find !"
With all respect to the author of this
story, there is something about it very
suggestive of the sudden complaint that
carried off Ananias.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-03-15
As Quick as the TELEPHONE.

One night well-known citizen of q
Western city who had been walking for
some time in the downward path, came
out of his house and started down town
for a night of carousal with some of his
old com anions he had promised to meet.
His young wife had besought him with
imploring eyes to spend the evening with
her, snd had reminded him of the time
when evenings passed in her company
were all too short His little daughter
chung about his knees and cosxed in her
pretty, wilful way for papa to tell her
some bedtime stories; but habit was
stronger than love for child and wife, and
he eluded her tender questions by the de-
ceits and excuses which are the convenient
refuge of the Incorporate, and so went on
his way.
When he was some blocks distant from
his home, he found that in changing his
coat he had forgotten to remove his wallet,
and he could not go out ON drinking
bout without money: even though he
knew his family needed it, and his wife
was economizing every day more and more
in order to make up his deficits. So he
hurried back and crept softly past the
window of his little home, in order that
he might steal in and obtain it without
running the gauntlet of either questions
or caresses.
But as he looked through the window
something stayed his feet There was
fire in the CRATE within, for the night was
chill 1t lighted up the little parlor and
brought out in startling effect the pictures
on the wall. But these were nothing to
soft glow of the freight knelt his child at
I, ~ H. ~
in prayer, her fair head bowed; and as the
rosy lips whispered each word with child
ish distinctness, the father listened, SPELL
bound, to the words which he himself had
so often uttered at his mothers knees
CHOW | lay me down tn Sleep"
His thoughts ran back to his boyhood
hours; and as he compressed his bearded
lips he could see in memory the face of
that mother, long since gone to her rest
who taught his own infant lips pray ers
which he had long ago forgotten to utter.
The child went ON and completed her
little verse, and then, as prompted by the
mother, continued: Good bless mamma,
papa, and my own self, then there was
pause, and she lifted her troubled blue
eyes to her mothers face
God bless papa, prompted the mother
softly.
"God bless papa" lisped the little one.
"And-please send him home sober"
He could not hear the mother as she
said this; but the child followed in clear,
inspired voice:
neutrality-suspicious. send
-him-home-sobsr. Amen"
Mother and child sprang to their feet in
alarm when the door opened so suddenly;
but they were not afraid when they saw
who it was returned so soon. But that
night when little Mary was being tucked
up in bed, after such a romp with papa,
she said in the sleepiest and most contented
of voices:
Mamma, God answers most as quick as
the telephone doesn't hep Nebraska
Mute Journal.