davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-31

tsPatrol limits are established by the
district officers. The day watch is kept
from sunrise to sunset by a surfman daily
assigned to this duty, who is generally
stationed in the lookout. and who, II the
patrol limits cannot be seen from there,
goes at least three times a day far
enough along the shore to bring them
into view. Necessarily, during thick
and stormy weather, a complete patrol
like that at night is maintained. A
recod is kept of all vessels seen passing.
The night patrol is divided into four
watches-one from sunset to 8 o'clock,
one from s to 10, one from IL to 4 and
| one from 4 to sunrise. Two surfmen are
| designated for each watch. When the
hour for patrol arrives they each start In
opposite directions along the coast, keep
ing as near as possible to the shore, as
far as the ends of their respective boats.
Each patrolman is equipped with a beach
! lantern and several red Coston hand
lights. When a wreck is discovered he
ignites by percussion his hand light
which emits a brilliant red flame, thus
notifying the people on the vessel that
succor is at hand and gathering the life
saving crew for work. There are no
dull, inactive days at the stations, and
every week day a regular routine Of prac-
! tice is required. On Mondayit is drill
( and practice with the beach apparatus,
and overhauling and examining the boats
and all apparatus and gear; Tuesday,
practice with the boats Wednesday,
practice with the international code OF
signals; Thursday, practice with the
beach apparatus; Friday, practice in the
method adopted for restoring the appar-
emily drowned, and Saturday, cleaning
house.
"Practice makes perfect, or nearly SO,
anyway. Discipline and practice can
perform wonders. For practice with the
beach apparatus a suitable drill ground
is provided near each station, prepared
by erecting a spar, called q wreck-pole,
to represent the mast of a stranded yes
sci, seventy-fve yards distant lover the
The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-31
"Robbing Peter to Pay Paul"

This expression arose thus: On De-
cember II, 1910, the abbey church of st.
Peter, Westminster, was advanced to the
dignity of a cathedral by letters; but ten
years later it was joined to the diocese OF
London again, and many of its estates ap.
propriated to the repairs of St., Paul's
Cathedral. One hundred years later, in
1910, we find in ssOutlandish Proverbs, ="
selected by George Herbert, priest and
poet of classic renown, the subject of one
of "Walton's Lives" the proverb altered
and set forth as follows: s'Give not ST.
Peter SO much, to leave St. Paul moth.
ing" This proverb is quotedb by Francis
Rabelais early in the Sixteenth century.
Upon the death of William Pitt, Earl oj
Chatham, in ITS, each of the metropoli.
tan cemeteries laid claim to the honor OF
burial. The city Of London argued thai
50 great a statesman as William Pitt
should be buried in St. Paul's, while
Parliament took the ground that the dust
of SO great a man as he should come neal
to the dust of kings, and that MOTTO burr
him in Westminster Abbey would again
be ssrobbing st. Peter to pay st. Paul.
-Dstroit Nesos.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-31
R-ocKEr-L1NE BOX.

4-
and as a matter of safety would not Sc
lect men upon whom they could not rely.
It is q life and death affair, going out In
a storm to rescue seamen from vessels
about to go to pieces. A keeper never
wishes a coward or incompetent aan to
belong to his crew, because it would DO
not only dangerous to the other members
of the crew, but injure the reputation
and standing of the station.
"Upon original entry into the service
a surfman must be not over forty-fve
years old and sound in body, being sub
jected to a rigid physical examination by
q surgeon of the Marine Hospital Service.
Afterward he is examined as to expert
ness in the management of boats and
matters of that character by the Inspector
Of the District. His compensation is $50
per month during the active season, and
So for each occasion of service at other
times. They also receive fuel and quar-
tiers at the station, but food and clothing
they supply themselves. No person be-
longing to the service is permitted TO
hold an interest," in any wrecking apparatus
or TO be connected with amy wrecking
company, nor is he entitled to salvage
upon what he may save or assist to V
IA surfnan cannot be discharged without
good and sufficient reason. Neglect
disobedience or in~suhordination at q
wreck are sufficient grounds for instant
dismissal.
When the active season opens the
men assemble at their respective stations
and prepare to remain eight months.
They usually form . mess taking turns
The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-31

the station property, for which he is re-
sponsible, and governs the station preml-
ses. He is Captain of his crew, exer-
cises absolute control over them (of
course, subject to the regulations of the
service), leads them and shares their
peril on all occasions Of rescue, taking
always the steering oar when the boats
are used, and directing all operations
with the apparatus. He is also ex oficio
inspector of customs, and as such takes
care of the Government interests in re-
lation to dutiable goods on wrecked YES
sells until the arrival of other customs Of
fcers. By law he is made guardian OF
all wrecked property until relieved by
the owners or their agents, or until In
structed by superior authority as to Its
disposition. Every week the keeper
sends a report of his daily log-book to
the district superintendent, and he trans
mits it to the general superintendent.
"Wheneyer a wreck occurs the keeper
has to furnish an account Of it to the Dis
trict Superintendent. If a false state.
ment is made it subjects the keeper to in.
slant dismissal. The maximum annual
salary of a keeper is $500, but the average
salary paid is $780," :,
"How about the crews and the boatsE,
"Crews, of course, are not selected
h~aphazard, but with great care from able
bodied, and experienced surfmen residing
in the vicinity of the respective stations
Keepers select their own crews, becaus'
they are supposed to have experience
The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-31

The public debaasof France ID estimated
ii 81, 900, 600, 900, thus making it the
heaviest of any country in Europe. To
odd to the burden, the expenses for the
current year are set down at 100000,
300, and the evenues at only $500, o0o,-
900, and the Government has been forced
10 fund the accumulated deficits for q
new loan for 5000, ooo, 1000. More than
one-half Of the taxation in France goes
to the support Of the army and navy, and
the poorest peasant has always been will
inr to pay it; but an annual decrease in
reyenue, increased taxation and new
loans will unquestionably tend to injurre
the industries Of the country and ulti-
mately prove dangerous to the existence
Of the republic.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-31

BY weeks in catering and cooking. How
ever, at some of the stations they engage
board of the keeper at a rate approved by
the General Superintendent. After these
preiminaries the keeper proceeds to or
ganize b is crew by arranging and mum
boring them in their supposed order u
merit, the most trustworthy and conpe-
tent being designated as No. 1, the next
No. 2, and so on. These numbers are
changed by promotion as vacancies occur
or by such arrangement from time to
time as proficiency in drill and perform
ance of duty may dictate. If the keeper
is ever absent No. 1 assumes command.
After the. rank of the men has been
fixed the keeper assigns each to his quart
ers and prepares station bills for the day
watch, night patrol, boat and apparatus
drill and care of the premises.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-31

, Cargoes Of bone are being. collected on
the great African Desert of Sahara and
shipped to New York, just as buffalo
bones have been gathered on our West
ern prairies for many years. They are
ground up and used as fertilizers. The
interesting query at once presents itself as
10 what particular time, more or less re-
mote, those localities on the great desert
where these bones were found were COW
cred with verdure sufficiently luxurious
10 produce the food which gave susie
nance to the animals whose bones an
now being gathered.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-31
a Huge and Uncanny Bird.

Where could be found anything of the
sort prettier than the square before the
Great white cathedral of San Jose, Costa
Rica2 They call it Central S&rk. 1t is
enclose@by a high iron fence, with gates
at each corner. Huge old trees afford
sufficient shade at midday.
Near the centre of the park stands a
dainty kiosk, decorated artistically with
the blue, white and red of the nations
colors. Here the Government band plays
twice a week, of an afternoon, while all
the world comes to parade in silk attire.
The soldiers, also, drill every morning at
eight, in the broad path at the eastern
end. Here, too, they come for review
at six of the afternoon, the officers pass
ing down the line while the band plays
ssLa Oracion,' a sweetly solemn hymn.
This little picture of vivid coloring is
one which can never be forgotten. The
scarlet of the bands uniform is like a
fame against the 2peeaa lld and deeper
green of foliage. every side the
rarest flowers, carsAzay tended and
always in full bloom, are seen.
Birds of all kinds sing or chatter in
the tree-tops. Seven gorgeous macaws
huge creatures OF splendid scarlet
plumage-wander, unhindered by cord
or cage, about the park. Half a dozen
wonderful green parrots, of similar free
dom, carry on intelligent conversation
with each other and with the people wht
approach them. A huge king of zopi
Totes, an uncanny-looking bird, occupies
a spacious cage not far FROM the centra
fountain Nee York Journal.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-31
GUN.

water if possible) from the place where
the men operate, which represents the
shore. When drill time is announced,
the crew is mustered in the boat room,
and each man upon his number being
called, salutes the commanding officer
and recites in proper sequence every act
he is to perform in the exercise, as pre-.
scribed in the service manual. At the
words of command they all fall into their
allotted places at the drag ropes OF the
apparatus cart and draw it to the drill
ground, where they perform the remain
der of the exercise, which consists in ef-
fecting a mimic rescue by rigging the
gear and taking a man ashore from the
wreck-pole in the breeches buoy. AS
soon as the command Action is given
the officer notes the time until the rescue
is accomplished. At the expiration OF a
month Of the active season, if a crew can
not rescue a man in five minutes, it is con-
sidered that they have been remiss in
drilling or that some stupid men are
among them. They are cautioned that if
upon the next visit of the inspector a
marked improvement is not shown some
steps will be taken to insure quick action.
AS q rule, this produces the desired ef-
feet.
"a spirit of rivalry exists in many Of
the districts between the stations for ex-
cellence in this drill, and it has been
executed without error by several crews
in two minutes and thirty seconds.
have witnessed these drills, or else / am
afraid /. would be a little incredulous
about the short time. But this is not
moro surprising than the night drills,
when, without lights other than the moon
The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-31
READY 10 LAuNcH.

and stars, the shot has been fred, the
apparatus set up and a man brought
ashore from the wreckpole in three
minutes. Such wonderful CELEBRITY, of
course, cannot be expected in efecting
rescues at actual shipwrecks, when
storms, currents, surfs, the motion Of the
vessel, the lack Of skillful cooperation
on the vessel and many other unfavorable
elements conspire to obstruct progress.
lin the memorable storm of February
3, 1880, which wrought general ruin
Ind devastation upon the coast of New
Jersey, and lined her shores with wrecks,
The efficient working of the crews at the
afe-saving stations was thoroughly
;ested. In the midst of the terrible tenn
pest, at the dead Of night, the crews Of
shree separate stations rescued without
nishap the people in four different yes
The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-31
SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL.

Torrs alba. or white earth, is used e1-
c,,,sivelv for aduterating candies, yet no
lass than 5000 tons of this substance were
recently imported through New YORK
Much attention has been given lately
ia the interesting theory promulgated
sone time since by Dr.. Zenger, Of Prague
namely on the use Of photography for pre-
dieting the weather.
The electrical process has been success
fully adopted in South Australla 1or tns
recoverv of the minute gold dust that mas
hitherto been lost in the work sepaFa''
inc the metal from the ore.
A Frenchman claims to have made al
| electric apparatus SO delicate ina ane
needle in it can be made to revolVe one
wav or the other at the will OF the person
holding a wire connected with 1t.
The fact is remarked that dry cotton
or other fbres, may be stored Tor any
length of time without any risk OF che h,1t
cal action, as also may damp cotton pu'
If from anv cause, they become olly'
then. sooner or later, they are likely TO
burst into flames.
A scientist has just published an elao-
crate and interesting paper upon the
planet Mercury, in which he brings ous
The remarkable and unexpected result tina
this nlanet IN its axial rotation initiates
the moon, keeping the same face always
toward the sun, and having its Gay
equal to the period of its orbital revolt
~ faho,,t e;ohtv-eiqht terrestrial days..
DR.. Regnard has raised the question as
to whether a corpse which sinks to a very
GREAT depth is preserved indefinitely OF
otherwise from putrefaction. ACCORDING
to his researches, putrefaction does moi
take place in decomposable substance nos
submitted to a pressure OF ooo TO ~.
atmospheres. These figures correspond
to a depth of 5000 or 1000 metres al
sea. :
A meteorological summary for eacl
month of twelve years has been published
hv the Central Meteorological ObserVa
tory of Mexico, which is 74S9 feet abov'
sea level. The mean temperature for tn
coolest month, January, is fifty-four de
grees. and the warmest month, Apr1i
sixty.four degrees. The absolute maxi
mum in the shade was eighty-nine de
grees, and the minimum twenty-elgh
I degrees.
. Some few years ago some of the lsad
ing photographers in London went to tn
expense q equipping their establishment
with engines and dynamos, so that, b
t means Of the electric light, they might
to some extent independent OF the sun
their work. The results were satlsfa'
T tory, though the cost of equipment an
!. maintenance was high. MOST OF the;
q photographers have now dig hrded the
, engines and dynamos, though still adhel
g ing to the electric light.
- A Frenchman at Santa Fe, New Me-
l. leo, has brought from Paris the secret
- the manu- 'acture of a new and chea
building material, which he is abo'
70 turning to a good account. In Paris
8 found many large structures built OF col
-. crete mixture, of which volcanic sand
rn the chief ingredient. This sand exists
:. vast quantities near Santa Fe. The 9th
-. known ingredients are lime and waite
IL and the secret is in the fourth ingredle
q and in the proportions used.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-31
TWO SUNSETS.

Where the rolling meadow ended
Icould scarcely tell.
In the twilight gray were blended
Meadow, wood, anddeI;
But ablaze with golden splendor
Shown the sky above
When 1tc!d, in accents 6enoer-
Told to her my love.
Now before the freight dreaming
Castles fair J raise,
All enveloped in the cleaning
Caught fr IN those bright days
We have kept our troth together
Keptit through long years;
Lifss 0 pathways summer weather.
We have felt its tears.
Kept our troth in living, dying
Kept it wholetill now
Thro' the trees the wind is sighlng'
Falls the winter snow.
Ewes of love are brightly beaming'
With affection rife,
softsned by the sunsets cleaning
At the close OF life.
~Flayel Scott Mines, in Frank Lss''eS s.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-31

A New York paper recently gave an
ex~emplifcation of the proverb ga rich
man for luck and q poor man for chill
dren" by publishing a census showing
that only six children had been born
among three hundred rich Fifth avenue
families during the past twelve months
TO one hundred and eleven born in three
hundred poor Cherry Hill families for
the same period.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-31

English investments in Western cattle
ranches do not appear to have always
been successful. A recent number of the
PAU Mall Gazette says: I'm addition to
paying the new calls, the shareholders of
the American Pastoral Company Qimited)
have to face the canceling of capital paid
up to the extent of $40 per share. A re-
valuation of the herd shows q loss of
$3.50, 900, SO the al ,unt is to be written
off the "a, Gas ordinary shares"
The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-31

A Louisville lawyer recently made q
very pretty fine distinction in court.
His client was indicted for larceny on o
charge of stealing fruit trees from a
neighbor, but this attorney argued that
ii must be shown that the accused pulled
the trees from the ground and laid them
down before carrying them away.
Otherwise his offense was like plucking
an apple, aud not larceny. The funniest
thing about the case, however, is that
the court before which this Withdrawing
lawyer made this extraordinary con-
tention, actually sustained it.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-31

Lieutenant Graydon is experimenting
The building in Birmingham, England,o of
a dynamite gun which is expected to
send an aerial torpedo containing 600
pounds Of dynamite a distance Of three
miles. A mile and a half is about the
utmost range of the zalinski gun. Lieu
tenant Graydon has resigned from the
American navy in order to conduct his
experiments where he will not meet with
official disbursements.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-31

CAPT. s. I. K1sfBALL. derstands his bust
ness. and has a very interesting way of
relating facts about the service. de
continued: 1.-THE present system was in
troduced in 1871, since which period
lust sos lives have been lost, and 79o5
nersons succored. Over $50, 000, 900
worth of property has been saved and
$21. 900, 900 lost. The cost OF MAINTAIN
ing the service was a little over $9,0OO,-
600. It can be easily seen that the SER
vice is more than self sustaining in the
way of saving property. The United
| States has a vast sea coast CT more than
10, 900 miles, not including Alaska, and
it requires a large number of life-savlng
stations to guard it. We have 2 life
saving stations for the entire coast, )
of which are on the shores of the
Atlantic, eight on the shores OF the Gulf
| of Mexico, eight on the shores OF the
Pacific and forty-ive on the shores OF
the great lakes.
"Great care is taken in selecting keep
ers for each station, because it is a posi-
! ton of great responsibility. The indls-
pensable qualifications for appointment
are that he shall be of good character
and habits, not less than twenty-one nor
more than forty-fve years old, have suf-
fcient education to be able to transact
the station business, be able bodied,
physically sound and a master OF boat
craft and surfing. A keepers office Is
far from being a sinecure, and he is re-
sponsible for a great many things. He
has to reside constantly at his station, j:
intrusted with the care and custody Of
The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-31

The suggestion has been made in Lon
don that, az the French have erected the
highest tower, the English snail dig the
deepest hole-say on the exhibition
grounds Of 1851 in Hyde Peak. The pit
could be furnished with an elevator shaft,
and lit up by electricity; and j n each
stratum there could be an excavated
museum with specimens of The minerals
fossils, ETC., afforded by it.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-31
HuMOR OF Il DAY.

What is better than a promising young
mana paving one.-st. Louis Mog0s'"e'
The tailor is an obliging man. He
tries to suit everybody.-Mercb@nt Ir0o-
ekr.
The proper treatment of catarrh-cut
.a +ha last two letters from it.-UGns-
oAle Breeze.
A man is known by the company he
keeps, and by the company he keeps
away from.
A correspondent calls attention to the
fact that a windstorm is likely TO come
from a blew sky Washington Po"'
Bilby-"Can you lend me a dollar
| wilbyS" Wilby-"Yes, l guess L can
| afford to lose a dollar as well as inc neA'
Yankee Blade.
Book Agent-"sir, I have here a
hook" Intended Victim-"sir, j
have here a gun" exit book agen'')
- Chicago Journal.
Teacher-"what is a Delaying pint"
Row (who reads dime novels. )-"Please'
ma'am it's a thing that the Captain MUS
the sailors with. = Yankee Blade.
Grocer-eWhat kind of tea did you
ask for, MADAME" Customer-"Flvs
o'clock tea, please. I hear that's the
most stylish now."-Munsey's Weekly.
sEverything comes to him who weights:
,T;s truth that the maxim-maker states"
And into the sugar with skilful hand
The grocer soon eInptied a lot OF sand.
Washington Post.
Recruit-ssMay / offer you a clgars"
serpeant-ssHave | not forbidden you
above all other things to speak unneces-
~sarily7 Of course you may."-Fheqen03
BLdetter.
The army lieutenant who married q
Chicago pork-packe daughter and went
into business with her father says: "Ihe
pen is mightier than the sword. Wash
ington Star.
First Club Man-"Do you know, ole
man, Bootsey says he owes a grudgef
Second Club Man-"Well, that's al
right. Bootsey never pays anything he
owes."-Light.
Gofers-'tshe's an awfully highly
educated girl, that Miss Smart" Cud'
lip-eHow dc you knowa" Golfers
"Whv, she gets off so many words that
don't understand the meaning Of"
Judge Ito policeman)-stHow coulc
anyone throw a stone and break a window
around the ~corner?" Policeman-''But
your honor, please remember that tn
prisoner is a woman. "-Drake's Magazine
Tn NV better-half's mother I find not a flaw
And this is the reason, you see,
I've made more out of my mother-in-law
Than she'll ever make out Of me.
Chatter.
Little Robert is making a vacation
trip with his papa. "Well, my son, how
do You like Switzerland" s'It is lovely,
but according to my map, I had i'm
agined it much more Yellow
Figaro.
Fulness under the eyes denotes Ian
euage. When the fitness extends al
a over the system, the fellow is "chocl
: full" and that's why he insists on tryinl
! to talk. It's the surplus language en-
$ deavoring to get out.-Dansoik Breeze.
s squeezer-"Yes, by Jove! l went
d Jump off the train, and fell, and scrape
along on my face for ten feet. Wash
a hurt a bit. Remarkable, eh7" Freezer
go, I don't know. You're used t
travelling on your cheek, you know
MMnsey's Weekly.
IL The young musical enthusiast, after
fearful four-handed sonata on the plan
1t addresses his uncle-s'Uncle, would 70
n like to hear something that sounds eve
better than that2" Uncle-t'Yes. SUI
$ pose you let the lid down, hard
> Faegende Bastter. :.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-31

Lack of work is 50 keenly and gen
erally felt in the towns and provinces OF
italy that the projects and royal Cover
a,ors are issuing vigorous .proclamatlons
calling upon owners of property to scrape
mn some kind of employment for the I'M
occupied, who are literally penniless and
at the door of starvation.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-31

The Argentine Republic has developed
d remarkable degree Of elasticity under
adverse financial circumstances. The
Washington Star declares that .'the
Government fnanciering has been wretch
eddy bad, speculation has run not under
the stimulus Of imitation, and yet. al
enough this has been going on for years,
Ehere has not yet been . pronounced
panic, unless IL has occurred since the
latest advices were received. The paper
money has been sinking in spite of all
tbs attempts that have been made TO
bolster II up, and yet the point Of com
yaste collapse had not been reached. The
bottom had dropped ont Of speculation,
however, and the country seemed to have
entered INTO such . period Of depression.
iii NJ had from 1878 20 1878 without ex-
Rienc;ag any such panic IS We did IN
The Opelousas courier., 1890-05-31
A Sufficient Reason.

Judge-aPrisoner, you're charged with
having stolen two dollars in small silver
coin from the complainant.
Prisoner-"But, your honor, suppose
YOU honor hadn't had anything to eat in
two days."
Didn't the officer find q twenty dollar
bill on you2"
Prigoner-aYes, your honor, but you
see I didn't like to change it."-Jndge.