davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01

Professor LOOMS, in a letter to the
Washington Star, enters a vigorous pro-
test against ~long-range predictions of the
next century's population, based upon
an assumed general ratio, which fails to
consider infinitely the variable elements,
such as immigration and birth-rate. He
considers it impossible to estimate with
my accuracy the result of a census fifty
gears from now, but is convinced that
the fabulous figures based on a general
ratio eof increase cannot fail to be mis-
leading. Sound reasons are stated for
believing that the growth by immigra-
ton viii decrease, and perhaps cease be-
fore a century has passed. Professor
LOOMS is also of the opinion that during
the coming century the birth ratio will
decrease. He calls attention to the
notable diminution Of vitality in the
United States during the last hundred
years, as indicated by the ratio OF excess
Of deaths oyer births, and thinks that this
law of diminution will continue to pre-
vail. In his opinion the greatest loss OF
energy, a a factor in the increase Of
population, viii occur among women.
stThe enlarged requirements Of social
life and the great effort of woman to do
mems work in all professions of life will
most certainly depress the birth ratio,
because her stock of energy will be all
used up in the struggle for competition.
This is already seen in all the oldest
States of the Union, and is well known
BY the medical profession" He con
cludes that the nation cannot possibly In
crease in population during the coming
century as it has in the past.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01

boots. It is a curious musical ring that
comes from this seven or eight feet of
ice-frozen snow, and we are all ears and
eyes as we puff our cigarettes. Soon we
have passed the lakes and are approach
ing a sharp bend in the forest road, when
a very bedlam of howls and shots and
cries and grunts greet u ears.
ut is a hunt, my companion explains.
We drew off the road at the turn to
watch the sport. Our revolvers and
knives were hastily gotten ready and our
sleigh bells kept ringing by a string to
warn the brutes off. We had hardly
mrned the corner when there dashed past
is a sany of peculiar construction; it was
,ot more than one foot raised from the
ground and was unusually broad. The
harness, too, was unusual. The i%nevita-
lie bells were absent, and contrary to
he ordinary rule of the smotritels Gov
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01

The Chicago Herald considers that the
pretensicn of England to be a South
American power is the beginning of a
campaign which may yet have some very
singular features. It is evident that
England, because of these pretensions,
has quite as many enemies as friends
among the South American States, and a
division of opinion and expression of it
will soon be called forth. England is
using her best influence to form a coali-
ton with certain continental powers
against all the aims of the Washington
Pan-American congress.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01

incubation for the prevention of disease
is being gradually extended to cover
more and more diseases. Experiments
have been recently made in Prussia on the
prevention of pleuro-pneumonia in cattle
by inoculating healthy animals from dis
eased ones. These experiments were in
every way satisfactory, and were made by
Professor Schuetz and DIR. Steffen, two
thoroughly competent men. 1t may now
be regarded as proved that healthy cattle
~inoculated from diseased one are pro-
tected against pleuro-pneumonia.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01

A few years ago / travelled on a sany
(sleighl from St. Petersburg to Arch
angelisk via 0loneg, a distance of 1104
versts, or about $50 miles. 1t was in
December, and owing to the extremely
cold weather, the temperature varying
from sixty to seventy below zero, the
wolves were peculiarly ravenous. We
left the hotel Snamienskaya, st. Peters
burg, early in the morning and were
soon among the pine forests (sosnovoy
less1, bowling along at a great speed.
We were warmly clad in sheep and rein
deer skins-the woolly side in-but the
cold was intense, though we found some
compensation in the weird beauty of the
scenery. We saw numbers of wolves
early on our journey, but they did not
annoy us, for, unless they are particu-
larly ravenous they will not come near to
a sany and horses and ringing sleigh
bells. Our Yamshik driver assured us,
however, that before the lakes Ladoga
and Onegskoe 0sero) were passed we
would have our hands full and we were
not disappointed. The mail road or
trakt over which we travelled is splendid-
" kept by the government. 1t leads
through forests of giant pines, crossing
frozen rivulets and winding over and
! round through mountains Of whose
nakedness, barrenness and desolation
only inadequate ideas can be conveyed.
Away toward the southwest were the
lakes, frozen many feet deep. The pine
trees and smaller growths glistened
with frozen white and bent beneath
their burden and the ground in the forest
and In the open toward the lakes was
carpeted with an immaculate c~oyerlet Of
nature frozen hard as steel by the icy at
mosphere. The croaking of half buried
crows and the occasional bowls and bark
ing OF the wolves were grim aecompani-
ments to the music of the sleigh bells.
On the horizon the three hours isun-so
peculiar to this region-glowed with a
dull golden light that anything but sug-
gested the brilliant sunshine of the south.
There would be daylight for but a few
hours, but when night came it would be
Illuminated by glittering stars and a
moon Of extraordinary brilliancy and for
weeks made more beautiful by the au-
rora borealis, whose exquisite colors add
an almost fairy-like and weird splendor
to the scenery. We were nearing the
end Of one of the lakes when the Yam
shik drew my attention toa strange feat
ure Of this northern CLINE. On the
sides Of the road we could see the crows
and Woodeocks and small wolves and
other little animals buried in the snow
with only their heads peeping above 1t.
the snow IS warmer than the atrnoa-
pierre, said the Yamshik. On we sped
over the frozen road, which rings like
metal to the motion Of the sleigh rum
ners and the striking Of tho hoEaea'
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01
SELECT SIE"TINGS.

Nevada City is said to be so quiet tha'
hocks of quail are seen on 'ne
streets every day.
During the glacial period Europe was
covered by sheets of ice, often thousands
of feet in thickness, as far south as the
Riviera.
Mrs. Sarah Hill, of Mercer County
Penn, is the mother Of eighteen children
eleven of whom are living. she Is no"
eighty years old
A Tilted Mexican girl gathered her
recreant lovers letters in q heap, hfed
| them. and ~stoically burned to death upon
| this unique funeral pyre.
Ten men with drills operated by eIec.
| tricity can take out as much ore u"
tunnel as far as 100 men with picks,
shovels and blasting material,
Time and wedlock wait for no man
A Mauch Chunk PENN juryman was
excused that he might go u get mar
ried, the lawyers agreeing to continue
their case before eleven good men ana
true.
Tn Houlton, Me, lives q lady who
never wore an article Of jcwelry, a piece
of lace o a collar, even IN the days Oh
courtship, which experience She has
nassed through more than once, having
married twice.
People in West Gloucester, Me, say
that the spirit of a hermit who lived on
the shores of Sabbath Day Pond thirty
wears ago, and was drowned III Its waters,
still fingers about the lake, where Its
hoarse laugh may occasionally be heard.
Carrier pigeons are being used in Rus
STA to convey negatives OF photographs
taken in a balloon. In q town in the
, South of England they are made to con
vey telegrams from the Postoifice to q
gentleman's country seat FIVE miles dis
tant.
Quill toothpickS come from France,
The largest factory in the world is neal
Paris, where there is an ANIMAL product
of 20, 600, 900 quilts, The factory was
started to make quill pens, but Wher
these went out Of general use 1T was con
verted into a %toothpick mllt.
A Maine girl put q note and her ad'
dress in a box of t~oothpicks, requesting
the finder to write to her. \ kansa'
City man got the box, opened CORE
spondence, and a few days ago started
East to see if the young lady was the
sort of woman he wanted for a wife.
In Naples there exists a race OF cat
who live in the churches. They are KEEP
and fed by the authorities on purpose t
eat the mice which infest all old build
inos there. The animals may often b
seen walking about among the congrega
ton or sitting gravcly before the alta
during time of mass.
The town of Leipsic, Germany, ha
produced a boy whose p%recocity IN Grim
has led him, at the age of thirteen, t
: kill his mother with an ak while she la
in bed asleep, because she had boxed h
ears. A girl of fourteen has also bee
arrested by the police for administerin
pins and needles and oil paint to the il
FAINT in her charge in order to get II
. of it.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01

| eminent officials), who insist upon there be-
| mo three horses for a sleigh carrying two
| persons, four horses for one carrying three,
ETC., the three hunters on this sleigh had
| only three spirited animals to pull them
along the CLASSY road. About three
wards behind the passengers sany was a
| small one, tied to the leader by a rope or
chain. On this little sleigh there was a
Young pig. 1t screamed and grunted as
though its existence depends upon it.
And in truth it did, for there were at
least forty wolves yelping and barking at
! it and running pell NELL after the flying
sleighs, seemingly ~unconcerned by the
fact that the hunters were shooting them
down by twos and threes incessantly.
But the porosionok has a peculiar charm
for the wolf, and, despite the rifle shots
and their fallen comrades, they keep up
their chase for pig flesh and augment
their numbers from time to time by aces
J sions from other parts OF the forest as
! they swept past. Half a mile behind
this turn out is another and larger vehi-
Gle, which gathers up the fallen wolves.
But we were destined to see some more
exciting sport than the mere galloping
along of the hunters and the shooting OF
the game.
From among the newest arrivals to the
pack are two or three gaunt wolves,
heroes evidently of many a chase and
particularly feet and After
some desperate running they manage to
Areach Monsieur Porosionok, in spite OF
the efforts of the marksmen, and the pig
is soon in that bourne from which no
porker has ever returned. Then the
whole pack with whetted appetites put
on double speed, surround the hunters
and attack the horses. The bells are put
into requisition to warn them off, but
their tongues might as well be dumb.
The wolves have tasted blood; they have
seen it, and they must have more. Our
team is we'll hidden among the pine trees,
and prepared FOR action we watched the
conflict. The foremost wolves have sue
ceeded in catching the outside horse al
the left side by the nose. He kicks ano
struggles and the hunters shoot dowr
the aggressors, one by one, but now
the speed of the sany is slackenee
and the entire pack are upon them
Now is the time for us to inter
fere. Before we can be of any assistance
the first horse attacked falls OF his side
is cut away from the sleigh and off dasl
his companions at lightning speed. It i
a race for life. Dozens of fresh wolve
are on the trail and another horse sue
cumbs. Ere we can reach the spot tn
men to defend themselves fire shot afte
shot into. the pack and then comes a sud
den cessation of the shooting. As W
hurry along we see the three men in tn
road fighting desperately with the
bloodthirsty assailants, having now n
other weapons than long knives. A
ready one man is on the ground, when
blow from q musket stock and q quic
knife-thrust relieves him of his antag,
g mist, and he is on his feet again, dealir
J death blows all around. The bad
frightened Yamshik urges our team t
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01

South Dakota papers are lamenting the
sad lot Of a man who sold q quarter sec
ton of land near Pierre, which he OBJ
tanned under the homestead act, for
$1,000, and which is now regarded as
worth $3.50, 900. qS the opinion Of the
Chicago Herald, lit would be wiser TO
deplore the fate or the folly of the man
who pays at the rate of a million dollars
per square mile for raw prairie land near
the capital of any farming State. Locat-
ing d State capital at a town adds but
little to the permanent value of land in
the vicinity. Farming land within a
mile of Augusta, Concord, Montpelier,
Annapolis, Raleigh, Columbia, Tallahas-
zee, jackson or Austin can be bought
from $50 to 500 per acre, and the pur-
chaser would find it difficult to sell it
for as much as he gave. A State house
docs not furnish employment to many
people or do much to increase trade. II
enables a few hotel and clearinghouse
people to get d living, and that is about
all the advantage il confers on a place.
For making a lively and prosperous town
one good manufacturing establishment
i worth more than q State house, lunatie
asylum, infirmery for the blind, reform
school and retreat for the feeble minded.
The location Of d State capital has killed
~ many towns as it has made. 1t has
done this BIZ initiating the prices Of real
estate SO that manufacturers would moi
establish works there. A few States
hare selected their largest towns foi
capitals, but towns have generally been
selected for tho reason that they were
central. Indianapolis and Lincoln are
prosperous places, not because they arc
ate capitals. but for the reason that
the are railway centers.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01
WISE WORDS.

Don't TIA to drown your troubles III the
rap; trout es are great swimmers.
consider how much we are in
debre~ AVernment, because few can
represent gretehed mankind would
Learning IS i1hss mercury, OF the
most powerful a~nd@cellent things in the
world in skilful hands, unskilllful, the
most mischievous,
He who bears failure wifnience i
as much of a philosopher xht
succeeds, for to put up with the
needs as much wisdom as to control it,
Reason and experience both forbid us
to suppose that personal morality can
be maintained without religion, OF
national morality to the exclusion of the
religious principle.
From the nature of things, I an
! morally certain that a'mind free from
! passion and prejudice is more fit to pass
a true Judgment than n biassed by
affection and interest.
If you have talent for either the usefu
or beautiful, use it with judgment, no
to the neglect of any regular duty, but
as an absorbent to keep you from drift
ing into vice and extravaganza.
Time has a scythe but no trowel. Age
in the abstract, exeites not my venera
ton. I must first know whether it is a,
old saint or an old sinner. The wors
characteristic about some things is thei
longevity.
The consciousness Of being loved
softens the keenest pang, even at tn
moment of parting; yea, even the eterns
farewell is robbed of half its bitterness
when uttered in accents that breathe Low
to the last sigh.
Every mar is a missionary now and fc
ever, for good or for evil, whether b
intends or designs it or moi. He may /
a blot, radiating his dark influence on
ward to the very circumference of societ,
OF he may be a blessing, spreading benz
dicton over the length and breadthrf
the world; but a blank h. cannot Is
We are either of the sewer that sows ar
corrupts, or the light that splendid
Eliminates, or the salt that silently ope
ates; but, being dead or alive, ever
man speaks.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01

Now, that wars among civilized people
are so few, and that science has reduced
the death rate below any before recorded,
while it is aver limited that ~elixirs, germi-
crdes and microbe killers will yet ami
hilate disease, the Detroit Free Press
would like to know what is to prevent
that rapid and unchecked increase of
population which led Nautilus tofear that
this little earth would soon be too small
10 give elbow room to its population.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01

and from one of these leaflets Jul illustra-
ton has been engraved. How greatly
ceremonial dress in China and Japan
differs from the style adopted by the
Empress Haru-Ko may be seen in the
second cut, which represents Lady Bios
som Tseng, the youngest daughter of
the Marquis Tseng, in her bridal robes,
worn on the occasion of her marriage,
which took place at Pekin in 1888.
The Empress Haru-Ko is o thirty
nine years old, and in February, 1869,
married Mutsu Hito, the present Emperor
of Japan. shortly after he had been
crowned in Kiotc in October, 1868.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01
Fossils i'm Oregon.

A party of fossil hunters have been ex-
ploring the North Fork country Of Ore
gon. They report several curious finds,
among which are the bones of small
horses, with three toes on each foot;
rhinoceros skulls and other bones that
show, as they think, that Oregon had .
tropical climate before the glaciers came
down from the north and covered the
land miles deep with ice.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01
.DPELoUsAs,

Kansas claims TO have the finest col
lection Of North American birds on
exhibition in this country. In a room at
the State capitol building are 1923 birds
handsomely mounted and placed in glass
show cases. The collection is due to the
labors of Colonel N. S. Goss.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01

forms in every possible way by aban-
doning their former seclusion and mixing
freely with their subjects at court fetes,
arranged in European style.
The Empress now wears Partisan
dresses, and no lady is received at court
in the national costume. To accustom
the people at large TO this daring innova-
ton, the portrait of the Empress, in
primitive japanese color printing, has
been distributed throughout the Empire,
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01

BNh10AJ
The two varieties, forest wolf Qesney
volk) and prairie wolf (polevoy volk),
differ in size but not in appetite and in
stinct. This is what happens when by
drophobia, which is very prevalent, sets
in:
They rush into the villages and attack
the inhabitants. The villagers arm them
selves with scythes and bludgeons and
knives, but before hydrophobia gives
way to death some one has been bitten,
and probably in the face, for which the
maddened animal displays a mysterious
partially. To villagers and peasants ne
is a veritable curse. Sheep, goats, cows,
horses, and even children suit him equal
" well. Sometimes small towns are
kept in a state of seige, hordes of the
hungry animals seeking their food on
the outskirts of the nearest settlement.
In every phase of Russian life outside the
large cities the volk exists as a sort OF
| Nemesis, SO that it is easy to understand
why wolf-hunting has developed into
something like an institution In Russia.
! The element of danger in the sport has
been greatly exaggerated, but IS large
enough to fascinate the wealthy who en-
gage in it. To the masses it is anything
but pastime. It IS q war, and they prose-
cute it to save their focks and their
children and their homes. The exter-
minating methods are many and curious.
That most commonly resorted to by the
neasantrv is somewhat similar to the
plan adopted in Africa when hunting
much Larger game. Somewhere near a
forest which large numbers of wolves are
known to frequent, a space is cleared
and a lage hole, eight to ten feet deep
and five or six WIDE, is dug. This Is
covered with small branches and straw.
At one end, or sometimes in the centre,
is fixed a pole or tree and tied to this IS
a young pig professionally. The bait
has an unpleasant time of it even before
the wolves appear-it is so fixed that he
is in continual torture, and as a conse-
ouence wells, grunts and screams as only
a porosionok can. On three sides OF the
bait is built a high fence, so that to get
at the porker it is necessary to cross the
pit. One nights setting OF the trap FREE
o~uently lures to the slaughter of next
morning as many as a dozen wolves
The work of killing them is very soon
over. It does not, however, take the
survivors long to learn that there is
something suspicious and Improbable
about the affair, and the time soon comes
when they cease to be tempted by the
screams Of the s~ucculent and tempting
pig. Hunting proper is conducted IN q
far different manner.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01
r u. STEWART,

@CoNrRAcroR, CARPENTER N buILDhA
xl contract for the erection Of buildings
of alfA.ads. furnishing all material desiEea.
Work done promptly and at rs as unable raoes
Orders through the postofi; e given pronags
attention. Estimates and plans furnls9 !.
Having special facilhaasf for obtaining LuA.
BFR AT REDUCED RATES, / will give ng
patrons the benefit of the same.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01
~OPELOUSAS
Female Institute
oPELoUsAs, ST. LANDRY PARISH, Ia

This Institution is undenominational, pI.S9
tical and progressive. Discipline firm ~ Ss
based on sound PRINCIPLES ennobling ms 81
veloning character. Honor and self resi-.
promoted. Methods of training ond cuis IN
thorough. TIE curriculum prepsfes csss
pupil for University or practical IRE. s;rs.
titicates and Diplomas conf rred. Bul ansss
comfortable and comm odi,tus. sasIos~sa
solicited. For further partic liars app.y :
MRS. M. M. HAYES, Princlpaa.
Or Rev. F. w. LEWIS. First AsSlstans.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01
.Janan's Queen In Partisan Dress.

The Japanese have for some years made
great efforts to assimilate their political
and social life to Western ideas. On Feb
ruary IA, 1889, a new constitution was
introduced, and in a few weeks the tirst
Parliament is to assemble. The Emperor
and Empress of Japan promoted the re-
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01
! RoPERTY Z OR 0Als

A CENTRALLY located and dssnss
business stand on Main street, ops.sSsssssg
consisting Of building suitable for rs, NJ
and small store, beiog the properly II 80 III
the postofiice. This property win SsyspN
very cheap for cash, or half cash ana n MA
IN terms to suit purchaser. Apply =
Edmund @. Dupre,
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01
NEW SHAVING SALOON

HAVING recently built and RETURNS
Il throughout, my Barber Shop g!.,.. NJ &
now prepared, with increased facilIassMs m
serve the public in first-class style y
aew quarters between Brand and MoriaIaaae
Shaving, Hair Cutting, Shampoolns, AN
lone in the highest style Of the ar 81.
me q call. 4. A BODEMuhhns
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01

About five thousand Dakota Indians
will become iul aedged citizens as soon
as lands are allotted To them ID seYeralty.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01

The man who makes m apology in
preference to engaging in a fight will
never need to tell a lie when asked how
be came BY that black eye.
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01

The greatest snuff taking country ii
the world is France, though it shows i
decline in the habit,
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01

ARCHITECT AND BUILDER,

OPELOUSAS, LOUISIANA.
Plans, Specifications and Estimates fa n
uished for all manner of buildings, on sne
most reasonable teri $. Contracts taken Io5
all kinds of work. in / rick, IRON, stHne an
wood. NJ ,teriai furnished for repairs ~
construction if desirei. Plantation an
country work ATTENDED to with dlspagcn. e. !
work first class and sat ~sfaction guarantees
Orders directed to P. o. Boz 81 will Tecels'
prompt attention. J'o-
The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-01
WOLVESIN RUSSIA.
THE METHODS OF HUNTING THE
DREADED PEST.
A Terrific Battle With the Hungry
Brutes-What Happens When
Hydropllobia Sets in
Pigs for Bait.

UNGRY and impla-
cable, the wolf is al
most as much dreaded
in Russia as the Gar.
In its milder mo-
; ments, if it has any,
it is unsociable
enough; when it be-
comes a victim OF
h~ydrophobia it is es-
pecialIy interesting.