davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-12-19
Got Even with the POStman.

A Chicago man tells Herald reporter
how he got even with a letter-carrier
He says: my office is several stories up
in downtown office building and about
half the time this letter carrier would
leave d letter addressed to me on the
floor below with some other firm, so that
l wouldn't get it till day later. l
kicked vigorously, but the carrier talked
back and became impudent, and at last
l saw | would have to discipline him. So
| looked up a map with an eight-foot
width. This | wrapped up carefully
in tight roll, did it up in stout paper,
marked it Map and addressed it to my
self. Then | went over to the Post Office
and had it weighed for postage. 1t cost
me 81 cents to send that map to myself,
but called that cheap.
1.-The next day the carrier logged that
8-foot map up to my office with ill-dis-
guised resentfulness. You see my office
was some distance out on his route, and
he had to carry the awkward article
around for over half IN hour before he
could deliver it.
II pasted "a cents worth Of new
stamps omit, addressed it to myself anew
and sent boy over to the Post Office
with it that afternoon. The next morn
ing the carrier delivered it again, along
with sundry muttered oaths. | received
it smilingly, but noticed blue pencil X
mark on it, put there, l guessed, by the
carrier, who suspected my game. | let
the mark remain, but pasted on new
stamps and sent it to the Post Office. On
the morrow the carrier boiled over.
Asked me if l thought that was smart,
and limited that he would make COM
plant to the postal authorities. l smiled
and began pasting on new stamps in his
presence. He went away swearing
dreadfully.
II kept that up for week OR mores
and then, the carrier being still war-like,
l doubled up on the trips and sent the
map back to the Office each morning in
time for the afternoon delivery. This
brought it to me twice a day, and at the
end of three days the carrier weakened
and pleaded for mercy, whereupon I
asked him if he thought we could get
along amicably. He said he thought we
could, and | said I was willing to try.
We have had no trouble since"
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-12-19

The anti-vaccinators have been
worsted badly in Switzerland. where
the subject of late has been the cause
of some professional and much politi-
cal agitation. So much feeling on
both sides was exhibited in Berne that
the cantonal authorities requested the
Chirurgical Society to discuss the
question and give an official opinion
upon it. Accordingly, at the regular
annual meeting Of the society at
Macolin, attended by many of the
most distinguished medical men Of the
country, there was prolonged debate,
which ended in the adoption Of q reso-
luton that in vaccination we have the
best and safest prophylactic yet known
against the disease Of smallpox, and
that the principle Of compulsory vac
cnation should have a place in the
new law for the regulation of public
health. On the other hand, with re.
spect to state compulsioG of vaccina-
ton, due precaution must be taken, in
the public interest, that the practice
he carried out under every possible
guarantee Of sound vaccine matter and
of professional skill. The report was
agreed to almost unanimously.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-12-19

The New York Witness muses.: Call
fornia has just acquired new lake
where an arid desert used to be.
Florida has lost a lake, Alachua, fif-
teen miles in length, in which alligat.
ors have swarmed for fifteen years.
Both changes are attributed to subter-
ranean drainage, but neither could
have been anticipated, and neither
could have been brought about by hu.
man agency without an immense ox-
penditure of time. These occurrences
are only slight reminders of the truth
that the earth's crust, which seems 80
solid, is scarcely thicker in proportion
than an egg shell, and not nearly so
tough, so that very slight commo-
ton of the liquid interior might at
any time upset all our calculations.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-12-19
BOAT-RACING IN THE NAVY.
Men-0f.War's NJ en- Engaged in Spirit.
ed Contests.

One Of the first things man-o' wars
man has to learn is to handle an oar, and
he is not long in the service before he
| finds out that to pull in boat of one
kind or another forms very large share
of his duties when his ship is lying in
port anywhere. Setting aside the regu-
lar boat drills, there are frequent trips to
be made, either to the shore ON various
errands, or from one ship to another,
should his vessel form part of q squad
ron at the time, and the music Of the
bugle calling away this or that boat is
heard at frequent intervals during the
day. At one time the market boat with
stewards and cooks as passengers; then
the mail-boat, with trim marine orderly
and his big square leather mailbag. At
another time the huge launches filled
with liberty men, or the cutter with Off
| GERS going ashore for one purpose or an
other, or the captains gig bound for an
official visit to the flagship, keep their
various crews busy enough in all con-
science; and this frequent practice, un-
der all conditions of wind and weather
that boat can live in, soon makes Jack
as much at home in barge, cutter or gig
as landsman on street car. To see a
boats crew when called away scramble
out on the long boom swung out from the
ships side, and swarm down the hanging
rope-ladder, and drop into the boat bob
bling up and down on the ohoppy waves,
is sight one never tires of. The oars
are out in a jiffy, and the boat brought
alongside the gangway almost before you
can say Jack Robinson; and then, its
freight duly embarked, its crew, with a
long pull, and strong pull, and pull
all together" buckle down to work with
long rhythmical swing Of the oars that
sends the craft along like thing OF
life.
One would think that the amount Of
downright hard work Jack goes through
in this way would cause him to seek any
other means of occupying his leisure
than to get into q boat again and pull
away harder than ever for the fun Of the
thing; but he is keen sportsman, and
hardly anything affords him greater
pleasure than spirited contest for su-
premacy between rival boats crews.
Boat-racing is encouraged in our navy,
and, as far as | know, this has been the
case ever since an American feet Of war
vessels existed, and our sailors have con-
quered again and again in friendly bouts
with their mates Of other nations. British
tars more than once, Frenchmen, and
others have tossed their oars in salute to
winning Yankee crews, and favorite
yarn spun on the fo'c's'le-ay, and in
cabin and wardroom as WELLS that
which tells of the laurels won by boats
crew Of solitary Yankee frigate, some
two or three score years ago, over the
men of the whole French fleet, under the
very eyes of the Empress.-[ Harpsr's
Weekly,
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-12-19
THE TOICES OF EARTH.
We have not heard the music of the spher

We have not heard the music of the spheres,
The song of star to star; but there are
sounds
More deep than human joy or human tears,
That nature uses in her common rounds;
The fall of streams, the cry of winds that
strain
Tae oak, the roaring of the seas surge,
might
OF thunder breaking afar off, or rain
That falls by minutes in the summer night.
These are the voices Of earth's secret soul.
Uttering the mystery from which she CO me {:
To him who hears them grief beyond control,
Or JOY inscrutabe without mans
Wakes in his heart thoughts buried there,
impearled
Before the birth and making Of the world
-[Archibald Lampman, in Scribner.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-12-19

word for the quivering animal that he
had petted from tiny colt. Somehow
his throat had become hard and dry. He
heard nothing but that weird sound, saw
nothing but that little swirling, black
cloud.
1t was forty years ago that the events
of our story happened, long before the
word "cyclone" with all its dread sgnitl-
canoe was household word, and they
happened, also, in q State that to this
day knows but little about those terrible
windstorms. But the terror Of this
strange, grewsome thing, whose roaring
now filled tho air, was sufficient of itself
to smite all color from the bronzod faces
of that group of lookers-on and chill
them to the marrow with fear.
Lightly las thistle down, turning and
twisting, seemingly a plaything OF the
air, it sped along over the fields on the
south bank of the river. At first it was
a round mass something like huge cam
non ball, then shaped by viewless hands
it took on a funnel-shape; finally it
started straight ns line for the river
bank. A group of tall elms stood in it's
way. The soft cloud touched them and
then swept on. A few ragged and NUT
Hated trunks pointed to the sky, branch,
twig and emerald leaf twisted away by
ruthless force 1t swoopod down on to
the river, which was full of logs. A
river man was standing on one Of the
great log-booms at work. The voiceless,
motionless lookers-on saw him face
round, and then the next instant he had
dropped into the water and was clinging
desperately to the boomstick, then the
cloud hid him from view. On sped the
cloud. For one instant they turned
their eyes from the cloud to the place
where they saw the lumberman. He was
safe, though his face, which was just
emerging from the water, was as white as
a patch Of foam. Then they turned to
the cloud again.
1t sped up the river bank, aiming as
straight as an arrow sped from q taut-
strung bow for the Brainard barn. The
soft cloudy mass reached it, and never
halted an instant as though hindered, but
lightly and steadily kept on its way. But
for all that, the thing happened that every
man had had distinct presentiment
would happen, of that greas, solid-built
barn, not one timber was left upon an
other Full to the rafters with an album
dant harvest, with six great river bat
teaux piled around it, in the twinkling OF
IN eye, barn and batteaux were shatched
away, and not vestige of either left.
The noise of the cyclone died away.
Colonel Brainard and Amasa Story
swung around and faced each other.
There was too much of terrible fear, of
an amazement beyond words in the eyes
OF one to express defeat, too much of a
solemn awe in the eyes of the other to OK
press triumph.
behold He taketh away, who can
hinder Him." said the skeptic slowl y;
and never afterward was he heard to
speak lightly Of Him who "holds the
wind in His fist. y Portland Tran
script
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-12-19
Water an AnRsthetic.
Arather remarkable discovery has lust

AEdtueI IelltIkdUlc ulsCoFoiy Hhs just
been made by DR.. G. L. SLEIGH, of Ber-
lin, Germany. He was conducting ex-
periments with view to determine how
weak solution Of cocaine would prove
efficacious as local anasthetic in minor
surgical operations, when he stumbled on
the fact that simple water injected under
the skin with syringe rendered the flesh
at that point insensible to pain.
The effect of the water is to create a
slight swelling resembling that caused by
the sting of gnat. The space marked
by the swelling remains insensible to
pain for some minutes, so that missions
can be made without causing the slight
est pain. The method Of procedure is
very simple. The skin at the point
where the injection is to be made is first
made perfectly aseptic, then the point Of
Pravaz syringe filled with distilled
water is inserted. The syringe is slowly
emptied, and a white blister appears,
similar to that caused by gnat's sting.
The size of the swelling will depend upon
the amount Of water used. A half min
ute after the syringe is withdrawn, the
space distinctly marked by the blister is
insensible, and can be cut into without
causing pain. The pain caused by the
insertion of the syringe can be at once
allayed by spraying with ether.
To what extent this novel discovery
will prove of practical worth in surgery
cannot yet be determined. DR.. SLEIGH
made use of it in the case Of a huge car
buncle on the upper thigh. After the in
lection Of water the doctor laid the car
buncle open by cross missions eight
centimeters in length, and scooped out
the dead tissue, the patient declaring
that the operation gave slight pain. This
treatment has no iIl-effect on the healing
Of the wound. In the case mentioned the
cuts at once reunited and healed per-
9setly.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-12-19
Rennris of the nroorass of tie {

Reports of the progress Of the sci
entitic expedition sent to the North by
Bowdoin College are given in the COR
respondence of some Of the voyagers
to Maine newspapers. A letter from
Rigolette, Hamilton Inlet, Labrador,
tells of visit to Esquimau village on
Fox Island, whose population were
found in much better circumstances as
regards enlightenment and comforts
than the visitors prepossessions led
them to expect. Their actual condi.
ton is thus described: "We mad ex-
pected to find the people ignorant and
uncouth, but to our amaZement found
them living in much better houses
than do the people of Red Bay or
Henley's Harbor. We learned that
some of the younger members Of the
different families could both read and
write. AS Tor personal appearance,
while they had the Esquimau broad
shoulders, narrow foreheads, and
straight hair, yet they were decidedly
better looking than Newfoundland
fishermen, whom we found along the
coast. We found here, as at the other
places, that the people have no medi.
cine to give the sick. nor nourishment
to give the convalescent The New
foundland government, it is true,
sends a physician on each mail steam
ersso visit these poor people, but his
visits are few and very brief, in other
words, are simply farce" The ves-
sci of the expedition in running
through group of icebergs knocked
corner off one. and the whole lofty
mass, its equilibrium being destroyed,
toppled over into the sea. The men,
bers of the expedition give concerts
made up Of college songs with banjo
accompaniment, to conciliate or terri
81, the natives at points which they
teach.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-12-19
SIZE CONSENTED.
HWiJ1 Won ha nina?

"Will you be mins''
"Can you afford to dress nae we'll II I
marry you:'
at depends upon what you consider
being dressed we'll. If you mean Worth
dresses from Paris, can't afford them;
nor do you need them.
II don't?'
"No. Your beauty needs no adorn-
ment and it will always eclipse any dress
you wear, no matter how fine or how ex-
pensive it may be. No one that looks ut
you sees your dress The beauty of
face and perfection Of figure only are
noted All fnery sinks into insig if
canoe beside them. What satin is there
like your skin? What silk like your
hair? What colors to compare with your
lips, checks and eyes"
John, | am yours. Il New York
Press.
TouCHY SHOPPER.
Manager of dry goods stors--Ons Of
those ladies says you insulted her.
Clerk-Which one?
Manager-The cross-eyed one. What
did you say to her?
Clerk merely asked her to cross
examine the quality Of this Lace
Epoch.
NOT MONEY LOVER.
MOTHERHOOD are sure it isn't for your
money he wants to marry you?
Daughter-Perfectly sure. He does
not care for money; he spends all he gets.
New York Press
AT 11.30P.x.
Mr.. Pulpleigh, in examination-~Of
course you will understand, Miss Paper
stock, that our store is so large that it is
separated into many departments.
Miss P, with eifort-And in what de-
partment are you?
Mr.. Pin the stationery.
Miss P.-Of course; how stupid Of me.
I might have known it,
And still Pulpleigh stayed. i Detroit
Free Press.
Englishman-Pardon me, sir, but
where do you come from?
Paddy-From county Cork,
Englishman-Thep that accounts for
your brogue.
Paddy-May l ak where you come
from?
Experimentation Worcester, sir
proudly.
Paddy-Then that accounts for your
sauce.-!Dublin Times.
FISHING LUCK.
Cholly-Been fshing'
Captain-Yes!
Cholly-Any luck:
Captain-Yes, frst-rate! didn't get
drowned!-I Ledger.
ACCOUNTED FOR.
Guest-See here, waiter, there is q
hair in this honey.
Waiter-Dear me! It must have
dropped out of the comb.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-12-19

The magnitude Of the figures con-
corning the operations of the railways
of the United States presented in
Poor's Manual is indeed wonderful
When it is remembered that the tota,
'evenue of the United States for the
year ending June 80, 1891, was 1922
millions the vastness Of the earnings
of the railroads, 1886 millions, may
perhaps be better appreciated. Tho
net earnings Of the roads, 341 millions,
almost equals the gross receipts of the
United States. And then as to traffic,
it is hard for the mind to grasp the
figures. About one and half mil.
lion passengers day, and every day
in the year, almost two million tons
of freight per day and an average of
revenue train mileage Of over five
millions per day.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-12-19
A Deer Whips a Bull.

Abner NJ. Goodrich, who lives on Pan
ton, Penn, saw buck deer strolling
along the edge of piece of woods on his
place q few days ago. Suddenly the
buck stopped, threw back his antlers,
and began gazing toward farm build
ings. In a hillside pastur> field, twenty
rods below the buck, Mr.. Goodrich's
herd Of cattle were grazing. All at once
the buck caught sight of the cattle and
leaping over the fence, bounded down
the hillside toward them. The COWS be-
came frightened at the buck s sudda
appearance, and with their tails in the
air they cantered to a corner Of the pas
ture The bull in the herd did not run.
When the buck saw the COWS caper.
ing away he came to sudden stop.
The bull Immediately faced the strange
animal beloved savagely, and began to
paw up the dirt. st first the buck acted
as if he didn't know what to make Of tie
noisy bulls actions. He backed off
few feet, and the bull slowly followed
him. Then the bull made q lunge at
the buck with lowered horns, aud the
buck got out of his way by bounding to
one side. This was repeated Il number
of times, the bull becoming more angry
at each failure to gore the buck, while
the buck eyed his noisy antagonist an0
kept out of his reach.
Finally the buck began to get mad az
the way the bull was making him shift
his ground. When the bull again lungeD
at him he uttered a loud bleat, bounds
into the air, and struck the bull in til
neck. One of the bulls horns pierce
the bucks shoulder, and then the buck
fighting nature was aroused to the hig.
est pitch. He danced all around til
bull, damned his prongs into the bull
sides, struck him with his sharp hoofS
and didn't give the bull another chanc
to gore him.
Soon the bucks energetic and fierc
attack completely demoraIizcd the bui
He made one more effort to down H.
lively antagonist, but failed TO hook hin
while the buck got III another tellln
strike on the bulls ribs. Then the bu
gave q below Of rage, turned tail like
FASH and ran at the top Of his speed
where the cows were huddlcd. For
moment the triumphant buck stood al
gazed at the fugitive bull. Then
whirled, legged ii up the hill, sealed
fence, and disappeared in the tor.
The bull was so badly injured that NJ
Goodrich had to kill kim New IoI -
Sun
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-12-19
An Interesting Calculation.

A curious and interesting calculation
has been made by Professor Rogers of
Washington, D. c., ON the dynamic
power Of coal. According to the pro-
fessor single pound Of good steam coal
has within it dynamic power equivalent
to the work Of one man for one day.
Three tons Of the same coal represent a
mans labor for period Of twenty years,
and one square mile of seam Of coal,
having depth of four feet only, repre-
sents as much work as 100000 men
can perform in twenty years.-lsan
Francisco Ghfeafsle.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-12-19
St. Landry Democrat
by L. A. sANDoZ.-
OpeIousas, Louisiana.

As most people know, Schultz is a
very common name among Germans.
A striking illustration of that fact is
found in the city directory Of Berlin,
which has nearly 200 pages of citizens
bearing that name. And in certain
departments of the city government
there are numerous sub-departments,
each having different set of clerks, to
take care of special divisions Of the
Schultz family.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-12-19
Velocity Of the Meteor.

It has been demonstrated that viii
the greatest velocity imported to ca
non ball scarcely exceeds 500 meters
second-about 1900 miles an hour
meteors from space penetrate the {
with velocity, it is claimed, OF 4O,OC
sometimes 10000, meters per secol
This tremendous speed raises
Temperature of the air at once to ~
or 5000 degrees centigrade, causing
many cases the complete destruction
the meteorite by c"mbustion.-ls
Francisco Chronicle.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-12-19
DIFFERENT METHODS.

First Little Boy-My ma got new
dress yesterday, and she threw her arms
around my pas neck. What does your
ma do when she gets new dress? Sec
ond Little Boy-She says she'll forgive
him, but he mustn't stay out late again.
-[Cloak Review.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-12-19

"a mosque is about TO he erected in vi.
una, Austria, for the use Of the Mussul-
Dan troops from Bosnia and Herse-
ssvina, when these are temporarily sta
tined In Vienna.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-12-19

"a PITTSBURGH widow has had three
husbands, each Of whom was over six
bet tall. She il o fayosite with high
nan.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-12-19
VERY LITTLE.

"Sick, eh," said the doctor, after not
ing swaybsck's pulse, you must have
been injudicious in your eating
80, no" replied swayback, | haven't
eaten anything sincn breakfast but some
sliced cncumbers and watermelon and
buttermilk. "-lEpeeh.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-12-19

The words in common use by the orl!n'
indlyidual are estimated at from ooo
4. 900.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-12-19
A COY LITTLE THING.

Fannv-W eren't you horribly embar-
raised when he proposed SO abruptly on
such short acquaintance?
ggie-Yes; if he had not happened
to be holding my hand at the time be-
lieve | should have sunk to the floor
Epoch.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-12-19
THE JOKER's BUDGET.
JESTS AND YARNS BY FUNNY MEN
OF THE PRESS.
Observation-Disclosures Assistance
ALPS Well That Ends Well-Bs.
fore the Engagement, Etc., Etc.

pI5ESCHAETMEET.
/ wrote her an elegant poem
That bristed with fanoies sublime;
1t 'erhowcd with the fervor Of passion,
And my heart to its music kept time.
| gave it, and asked her to read it,
And awaited my destiny mute;
When she finished she looked up and gig
gled
And murmured, "Oh, isn't it oute?'
-lNew York Herald.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-12-19
IN AUTUMN.

"All things now intoxicate,"
The raptured poet said.
"'Tis true" replied the wit, "for new
Doth nature paint things red
AWAY FROM THE SEASIDE.
Clerk lin fierce asiderYou seem to
forget that we were engaged when ! left
yeu at the seaside; but shall have rec
venge!
Maudie GEOGRAPHICALLY. Measure
off two more yards Of this pink ribbon,
pleasa.-INew York Herald.