davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1890-04-19
9 He's a BrIck"

Very few of the thousands who use the
slang term Hes a brick" know it's origin
or its primitive significance, according to
which it is a brand thing to say of a man,
Hes a brick" The word used in it's
original intent implies all that is brave,
patriotic and loyal. PIutarch, in his life
of Agesilaus, king of Sparta, gives US the
meaning of the quaint and familiar eX-
preston. On q certain occasion an ambas-
sador from Epirus, on a diplomatic mission,
was shown by the king over his capital.
The ambassador knew of the monsrch's
fame-knew that though nominally only
king of Sparta, he was ruler of Greece
and he had looked to see massive walls
rearing aloft their embattled towers for
the defense of the city, but found nothing
of the kind.
He marveled much at this, and spoke of
it to the king. Sire, said he, Il have
visited most of the principal towns, and l
find no walls reared for defense. Why is
this p Indeed, Sir Ambassador, replied
AgSsilaus, thou csnst not nave looked
carefully. Come with me tomorrow
morning and l will show you the walls of
Sparta" Accordingly, on the following
morning the king led his guest out upon
the plain, where his army was drawn up
in full array. and pointing proudly to the
patriot host, he said There thou be-
holdest the walls of Sparta--ten thousand
men, and every man q prick "-MOntredt
Star.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1890-04-19
The Oatmeal Craze.

1t may be interesting to many delicate
people to know that a popular scientist do
clares that the Scotch race owes nearly
all its hardness of brain and body to its
national food. Now every body is eating
oatmeal, aud, unlike the majority of lash
ions, this happens to be one which every
one should be induced to follow. One
firm, manufacturing a brand, we'll known
to newspaper readers a. over the United
States is sven SAID to have great difficulty
in supplying the demand. A member of
the firm said the other day that the de-
mand was nothing less than an oatmeal
'~craze" and that no ran or woman who
aspires to live correctly nowadays would
think of omiting that savory dish from at
least one meal during the day.-N. =.
Telegram.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1890-04-19
Not Born to be Killed.
THE LUCK OF 4 MAN WHO WAS MIXED [
IN TIKI KENTUCKY CYCLONE.

THE LUCK OF A MAN WHO WAS MIXED Up
IN TIKI KENTUCKY CYCLONE.
Under a lucky star Lawrence Long, a
little Jefferson boy, must have been born.
Three times he has faced what seemed
in each instance almost cartain death, but
almost miraculousIy he has gone through
every ordeal and came out not only alive,
but uninjured.
About five years ago Lawrence went up
on the Louisville bridge, carrying dinner
to his father, who is toll-gate keeper.
The day was warm and sultry, aud the
river being low, the cleaning rocks so
far beneath attracted the attention of the
little urchiD. In order to obtain a better
view of the scene, he placed his basket on
he footway and clambered upon the
guardrail to look down. The gi0dy
height made his senses reel, and before he
could save himself he had tumbled head
long upon the jagged rocks below.
From a distance his father had wit
messed the incident, and he hurried from
the bridge, expecting to find the mangled
body of his son stretched upon the shore
Bat, to his surprise, his little boy met
him half way and laughingly related the
particulars of his tremendous fall as If it
were a huge joke. By some mysterious
providence, he was not even bruised.
Later IN when Lawrence was seventeen
years old, like most of the young fellows
of that age, he fell in love with a band
some little daughter of a neighbor With
the assistance of a friend he succeeded in
procuring a marriage license, and one
evening he eloped with his sweetheart
Although he enjoiHed the clerk to keep
the mater q secret, the particulars
appeared IN the C0urjer-J Journal the fol-
lowing morning. In this manner the
father of tue girl learned of the marriage
and he became SO angry that he loaded
his shot gun and started on a hunt for
his new sOn-ln-laW, with the avowed
determination of annihilating him. They
met soon after, and the old man emptied
both barrels of his gun at the boy. Again
fortune favored the youth who had made
himself famous by his remarkable fall
from the bridge, and not one of the hard
full of shot struck him.
Young Longs last adventure occurred
on Thursday night. He is a member of
the <. and L. of II. lodge, which met at
the ill-f&ted Falls City Hall in this city,
and on the night of the cyclone he came
over to attend the meeting. When the
tornado seized the structure in it's grasp
and rent it to pieces, he was among the
crowd gathered on the third floor.
Though the crowd rushed panic-stricken
hither and thither in Il frantic effort to
escape, the boy with the charmed life
remained quietly standing in the place
where he was when the proceedings were
interrupted. Amid the roar of the ele-
ments, the gIoans of the dying, and a
crashing of the tumbling walls, he was as
cool as an icicle. The floors fell in and
he went with them, but his. guardian
angel was promptly on hand with the
needed assistance, and when Lawrence
crawled out of the ruins he found upon
examination that the only injury he had
sustained wa a small scratch upon one of
his ears.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1890-04-19
LITTLE WRECH~.
saw a dainty violet

! saw a dainty NlOI6I
In bloom upon the hill,
Close by the bubbling streamlet
That turned the village mill.
One day a naughty urchin
Came wandering long that way
And plucked the dainty violet
And dropped It on the clay.
The plant that bore the blossom
Bled for its stolen child,
The leaves in sadness bent their MENUS
The restless streams grew mild
Rut what Is that to you or me:
such little griefs must always be.
knew a little maiden
Who was so kind and true
But sorrow met and claimed her
And how, I'll tell to you.
know you'll call her foolish
And say she might have known
But let me tell you, reader
The blossom bud was gone
And now l think my story
scarcely need to tell
For if a maiden's heart can heal,
Flowers can re-bloom as well.
Rut what is that to you or me?
Such trifing griefs must always be.
And what Is it to this great world
If we are grave or gay
It will not vanish when we're gone,
Or tarry when we stay;
Our easy sail will doubtless cease
And i'll winds drive ashore
And leave us there a stranded wreck
1t cannot harm us more.
The violets by the bubbling stream,
The maiden in her prime,
They both return unto their dust
Likewise my idle rhyme.
But what is that to you Oh me?
such triding wrecks must always be.
Lille BinheU. AtchiS0n. Kan
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1890-04-19
. Work Will Helm Won

Work gives you IN appetite for your
meals, it lends solidity to your slumbers,
it gives you = perfect and a graceful ap-
probation of a holiday. There are young
men who do not work, but the world is
not proud of them. 1t does not know
their names ever it simply speaks of
them as old Soandso's boys" The great
busy world doesn't know they are there.
50 find out what you want to be and do.
and take off you coat and make a dust in
the world The buster you are, the less
harm you are apt to get into, the sweeter
will be your sleep, the brighter and hap
pier your holidays, and better satisfied
will be the world with your. j. Bur-
dette.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1890-04-19

Both the method and results when
Syrup of Figs is taken; it is pleasant
and retreehing to the taste, and acts
gently yet promptly on the Kidneys,
Liver and Bowels, cIeanses the sys-
tenn efectually, dispels colds, head
aches and favers and cures habitual
constipation. Syrup of Figs is the
only remedy Of its kind ever pro-
duced, pleasing to the taste and ac-
equitable to the stomach, prompt in
it's action and truly beneficial in its
effects, prepared only from the most
healthy end agreeable substances, its
many excellent qualities commend it
to all and have made it the most
popular remedy known.
Syrup Of Figs is for sale in SOC
and 81 bottles by all leading drug
gi5t8. Any reliable druggist who
may not have it On hand will pro-
cure it promptly for any one who
wishes to try it. Do not accept any
substitute.
CALIFORNIA FIG SYRUP co.
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.
LOUISVILLE Ky, NEW YORK NJ.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1890-04-19
A Youthful Investigator.

There is a family of homeopaths of The
highest dilution residing on High street,
not very far from Woodward avenue. The
children of this family are taught from
their earliest infancy to abhor and eschew
anything in the Shape of medicine that
has the least taste, smell or color. Curl
osity, however, got the better of the train,
ing of the youngest member one day, and,
clutching a bright new penny, the gift of
a visiting relative, in his hand, the little
fellow toddIod away to a drug store on the
avenue and surprised the clerk With q
demand for a penny's worth of "alIoPs6c
medicine"
After thinking over the matter a few
minutes the pharmaceutical handed OUT a
big lump of alum TO his young customer,
who wa soon afterward found by his
mother seated on the doorstep munching
the alum with a face radiant with delight,
If the spirit of investigation does not Kill
this 5 year-old before he arrives at the age
of maturity, it seems extremely probable
that be will some day be heard Of again in
other fields of study and research -petr0t
Tribune.
- ~
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1890-04-19
A Warm Winter,

Among the many oddities of this warm
winter we note the following:
Dandy lynn stories bloomed all over the
country long after Christmas.
Billiards coming East wore straw hats
and busters.
Grass grew in the streets of PhiIadel-
.phia during all the winter months.
A warm feeling prevailed between B.
Harrison and Baby Mckee.
Spring-bottom pantaloons appeared on
the streets as early as January 1.
Homegrown strawberry ice cream could
be had all through December and January,
Flowers of sulphur bloomed in the drug
stores. Q
Spring chicken ripened every month of
the winter fudge.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1890-04-19
Henry ]. Raymond's Herculean Effort.

When Daniel Webster died, the news
first came to the Times through it's bust
ness Office.
p 1t was on Sunday morning, and Mr..
Jones at once started out to find Mr.. Ray
mond. The latter was found on his way
to church, and came Immediately to the
office. Hs lost no time, but. sitting at his
desk, he wrote necessarily from II a. m.
Sunday to 2 o'clock q. m. Monday, and
turned out with his own pen an obituary
sketch of Webster filling 16 columns Of
the Times printed in solid nonpsreiI type.
1t was his habit in writing never to revise
anything he write. Page after page of
copy would go into the printers hands
without in~terlineation or correction of any
kind. So admirable was his story of
Daniel Webster's career that the Apple
tons took the matter and with but little
change published it as a life of Webster.
-HGrper's WeekIp.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1890-04-19
7 T FLO's LETTER.

sweet hEttTe baby brother
had collie to live with Flo,
ana she Wanted it brought to the table
that it might eat and grow.
must wait for awhile, said grandma
Rahswer to her plea.
ittIe thing that hasn't teeth
fovm YOU and me-"
birdltnR got too+n
n of gladHp great surprise,
T. % E9 ct it funny.
%31agt nose and eyes;
IE4 after thinking gravely,
TThekImust have been forgot,
Cap't We buylim some like grandpa's*
I'D like to now why not"
That Afternoon to the corner,
With pape and pen and ink,
Went Flo, saying, Don't talk to NE;
If Won do, I'LL 'sturb my think.
I'm writing ~sletter, grandma,
To send away tonight,
An caEso its very 'pOrtant,
want to get it right"
At asst the letter wa finished,
Awonderful thing to see,
And directed to God in Heaven
Please read it over to me-
Said little Flo to grandma,
To see if it's right, you know
And here is the letter written
To God by little Flo:
Dear God, the baby you brought
Is awful nice and sweet,
But cause you forgot his tOOfes,
The poor little thing can't eat.
That's why I'm writing this letter,
A purpose to let you know.
Please come and finish the baby;
aMrhat's all, from Little Flo"
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1890-04-19
Pnttlnp It to the Test.

Faith in the friendship of others is a
very good thing to have, but it is not al
ways strengthened by the unexpected
guise that friendship occasionally assumes
a young versiier, upon submitting one of
his productions to his older and less
dreamy roommate, was asked, the verses
having been read with great care
Did you write this stuff"
Eyes"
"Where will you send til"
"To Mr.. Blank. He's the editor of the
W DaiIv Journal. send it to him
because he is an old friend of my fathers"
call right. Pm glad you're going to
send it to Blank. Perhaps, for your
fathers sake, he will decline to print it,
-Harper's Magazine.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1890-04-19

have looked over the list of ingredients
in Bulls S~arsaparilla and have no hesita-
ton in ~pronouncing it a safe compound
that promises well in diseases to which 1t
is applicable.-L. ?. YGndeI, n. d.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1890-04-19

A good conscience is to the soul what
health is to the body.-AddiS0n.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-12-24
Christmas bran Pie"

Perhaps everybody has heard OF "bran
pie, but IL there is somebody who hasn't,
the description may not come amiss.
A tub is 10 be used for the dish, the
size to depend on the probable number
of the gifts, and clean bran for the lin
ing and the crust. In other words, the
tub may be half filed with the bran,
and then the presents neatly covered
with brown paper, tied and labeled,
placed in the bran, here, there, and
everywhere, so as TO require as much
hunting for hidden treasure as possible,
and finally covering Of bran put over
the whole
Those who are TO be served with this
very substantial sort Of Christmas pie
surround IL in circle, each in turn
drawing out bundle from the all-envel-
oping bran. II the drawer of prize
finds his own name written on the bun
die, he keeps it. but IL il is the name OF
some other member of the party, he re-
turns il TO the pie, and waits until his
turn TO draw comes round again.
A good deal Of amusement may be
added if an appropriate motto or prov
erb be written on each bundle; for IN
stance, with an embroidered needle-book,
the words, "A stitch in time saves nine;"
with a calendar, "Take time by the fore
lock-" and SO on.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-12-24
som.tb,nr for tho New Year,

The world-renowned success Of Hostetter's
Stomach Bitters, and their continued popular
ity for over third Of . century as stomachic,
is scarcely moro wonderful than tho welcoms
that greets the annual appearance OF Hostetters
Almanac. This valuable medical treatise Is
published by The Hostetter Company, Pitts
burg. Pa, under their own immediate supervis-
ion, employing sixty hands In that department.
They are running about eleven months in the
year on this work, and the issue OF same for 1891
will be more than ten millions, printed In the
English. German, French, Welsh, Norwegian.
Swedish, Holland. Bohemian. and Spanish Ian
guages. Refer TO a copy OF 1t for valuable and
interesting reading concerning health, and nu-
merous testimonials as TO the efficacy OF Hos
letters Stomach Bitters amusement, varied
information, astronomical calculations and
chronological items, etc. which can be depended
on for correctness. The Almanac for 1901 can
be obtained free OF cost, from druggists and gen.
eral country dealers in all parts OF the country.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-12-24

even though it puts hole in the head OF
his new drum.
Uncle 'Rastus feels in honor bound to
pay nocturnal visit TO the lighthouses
OF all his neighbors.
The married man has not only to pay
for the present he gives his better half,
but for the one his wife gives him.
Santa Claus is almost as blind as his
little friend Cupid The old man seldom
sees the chimneys OF the poor.
A dog which Was given a collar and
chain, and tied up all day and night,
failed to appreciate his Christmas pres
ent.
The mistletoe is always hung up on
the chandelier because it is not necessary
to have any one out On the stairs or in
other dark places.
The tin soldiers the small boys get are
more blOodthirsty than they look. When
they fight they show no quarter, and il
isn't long before the whole army is ami.
hilated. Judge.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-12-24
A Woman of Resource.

Mrs. Vernon lived on big farm. She
was clever widow and made her farm
pay.
One day her eldest son was struck by
lightning in the wagon house during a
terrible storm. The hired man carried
his apparently lifeless body into the
house.
"Why, wasn't you scared out Of your
wits, Mrs. Vermont" asked one Of the
neighbors afterward.
mo; 1 knew prompt measures were
necessary, though, and there wasn't no
time to send for doctors. So just gave
him a good emetic and he came TO and
threw up all the electric fluid and then
he r'as all right. "-AgricultLrdL Record.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-12-24

~
ter said so, assented MAJ, solemnly. III
"The minister's wife is lookin' at hin.
Hain't she n daisy? I'm gon' toAer
class in Sunday school," said Tim.
Mother says she won't teach no cAss.
She's too much OF a baby"
"Baby? Iguess she amt no babyY
Other comments were being made Vbon
the lady in question.
There's no denying she has ptetty
face" Mrs Tallboy, the blacksnhth's
sister, assented, "but she'll never make
n minister's helpmate. He might as well
have married Josic's doll there"
"I'm not SO sure of that. returned the
blacksmith. "See her face. She'll smile
folks straight TO heaven while the parson
is hammering away on the gospel anvil
In his slow way"
"Her voice is sweet as a bobolink's, {"
blind Joe whispered ON the other side Of
Mrs Tallboy.
ayes, she's trained herself 20 speak
SOFT" assented the lady, who was OF the
masculine order OF women. "Men always
see such women cross-eyed. Seth, here,
was always an idiot about a pretty face. I"
A long wicker basket which hung low
on the tall Christmas tree was the sub
ject of much comment and conjecture.
Very few were aware OF the treasure
with which il was freighted, or that ii
was watched stealthily through the half
open door near the desk by pair Of soft,
dark, anxious eyes.
A jolly-faced Santa Claus commenced
10 unload the tree. The din waxed
louder as name after name was called.
Blind Joe was heaped with presents.
The minister's wife had lap full, but a
good share Of her attention was bestowed
upon that wicker basket, she being OPP
posite TO il.
@Mr. Jonas Hideaway!"
Everybody stared and wondered as
Santa Claus drew the mysterious basket
from the bough gingerly.
"Why, it's for jonas" was breathed
in concert all over the church.
at looks heavy. I'll bet it's full Of
bricks" Nat hazarded.
Bricks is all he deserves, assented
| Tim, oracularly.
"Mr. Jonas Hideaway!" Santa Claus
| called again with special emphasis.
The owner of the name did not bulge,
whereupon Santa Claus marched down
the aisle with the basket and set il upon
the coat folded across Jonas knees.
With something between growl and an
Was il the face OF a lovely doll half
hidden in lace and lawn and pink rib
bons that he looked down upon? The
light was not the brightest in that cor
ner, and there was strange film over
his eyes but surely il seemed TO breathe,
and its weight upon his knees was like
flesh and bloodl Jonas sat helpless
under the burden. dimly conscious that
the hubbub around him was stil.ed sud-
denly.
In the midst of his bewjlderment, a
pair Of large dark eyes opened slowly.
Jonas felt an unusual stir in the region
Of his heart The eyes were regarding
him steadily with a curious little pucker
of the brows. After a few moments
inspection, two little hands were reached
up 10 him, and three fingers closed tight
ly around the thumb of the hand that
steGdied the basket
"lf she don't look sweet enough TO
eat!" said Susie Baker, leaning over his
left arm.
"She's the dead image Of Prssy when
she was a BABY" declared motherly Mrs
Nesbit above his shoulder
"She's got your nose, Squire, sure as
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-12-24
rld!" supplemented Mr.. Hobbs,

the world" supplemented Mr.. Hobbs,
the grocer.
Jones face took on a multitude Of un-
certain expressions that might mean the
verge OF either tears or laughter. His
stolidity was all broken up. The baby
was a center of attraction. She smiled
and crowed and dubbed over with good
nature. There was SO much Christmas
gladness in the atmosphere, bless you,
that no one, large or small, could escape
it's influence.
The baby face brought rush of mem
cries from the past TO Jonas, of the child
he had held in his arms long ago, when
the tenderness OF fatherhood had first
dawned upon his heart, and of the sweet
young wife and mother whom, a month
later, he had laid away forever He re-
called his bitterness and rebellion against
his lot, his hardness toward the child
for whose sake he had been bereaved,
and the increasing GOODNESS of the years
with no wifely touch To soften the strong,
stern, uncompromising qualities which
predominated in his nature.
The fountains of the great deep were
broken up now. Tears forced themselves
slowly from his eyes and fell upon the
baby's cheek. Its sHile died, and IL
looked up into his face with the mysteri-
Gus, searching eyes of babyhood. He
lifted 10 from its warm nest and held its
soft cheek against his
"He has heart, after ALL" said the
Doctors wife, with movement of her
handkerchief across her eyes.
Heart" echoed the Doctor. ale
buried it with his young wife long ago,
but IL looks now like resurrection"
Jonas looked up, to meet che moist
shining eyes Of the minister's wife. Some
instinct taught. him her share in this
matter.
"Where Is the child's mother?" he
asked, brokenly-
The little lady turned and drew Prissy,
pale and trembling. from her covert be-
hind the brawny. big-hearted black
smith. where she had stood watching her
darling crowd its way into her fathers
heart and arms
"Prissy. nv childis
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-12-24
"sunder Claus" In the Rhine Countries.

The advent OF the patron saint OF
children is variously observed through
out the world. In the Rhine countries,
he is "Sunder Claus" and some one fit
tingly arrayed impersonates him for the
amusement OF the children. The night
before he is supposed TO descend the
chimney with his generous store of gifts
the little ones may be heard singing:
Dear Santa Claus, for the children's sakcs,
Bring us nuts and sugar cakes;
Throw them into my apron here.
And help to swell the Christmas cheer.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-12-24
A Thoughtful Parent.

Petted Daughter-Papa, what has
come over you? never had wish you
were not anxious to crafty, and you
even anticipated my wants, and handed
me money for all sorts of things / hadn't
even thought Of. But now l have to ask
you for every cent l need, and you growl
and grumble, and ask If l think you are
made of money, and You rail at women's
extravaganza and invariably ask me
what on earth did with the last check,
or dollar, or dime you gave me. Don't
you love me any more?
Papa-My darling, love you as much
as ever, but you are soon to be married,
and l am trying to gradually prepare
you for the change.-NeW York Weekly.