davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-04-22
pelicans overheard. There was sud-
den snap of the jaws, and the bird dis.
appeared down the red throat.


den snap of the jaws, and the bird dis.
appeared down the red throat.
The speed of the alligator was stopped
for an instant, but he soon renewed the
chase. At this moment we saw other
ripples on the lake, and we knew that
we were being pursued by a whole col
ony of saurians The cries of the birds
had indeed attracted the hungry alliga-
tors from all the neighboring lagoons
and swamps.
"Quicl, over with the BIRDS" James
shouted. ''They are calling all the
gators in the woods"
threw the remaining birds in the
water, and saw them disappear down
the throats of our enemies. Then seiz-
ing our paddles again we redoubled our
efforts, knowing that our lives depended
upon the result of the race. The rip
pies all around us, and over the stern
of the canoe, approached closer, and in
! fifteen minutes the black heads and
snouts of the pursuing alligators could
be plainly seen. They were all gigan-
| tic fellows, and were swimming in a
| body after us. The cries of the birds
no longer melted them on, but they had
evidently made up their minds to have
us for meal.
1t was long distance to the camp,
and our chances of reaching it before
we were overtaken appeared less every
five minutes. We padded on, hoping
almost against hope that the alligators
would get tired of the chase and give il
up. We had good start Of them, and
we determined to make the best of it.
But the persistency of the alligator
is well known when it's desires are
aroused, and we could neither tire the
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-04-22
SINGLE TAX DEPARTMENT.
PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES.
Letter in PortIan,

Letter in Portland (sIe.) Sunday Telegram.
Taxes on personal property and on
building and other improvements oper-
ate as fines upon industry and enter
prise We need more and better houses,
we want large manufacturing and CON-
mercial establishments, we want more
capital for the development OF the Won
derful resources of our state. and yet
we tax all these things as if we wanted
to get rid of them The tax commits
sioners evidently wish to reduce the
number of dogs in the state for they
recommend an annual tax of S1.00 on
each male dog. Female dogs being
even more Objectionable than male
dogs they wish to tax $500 each. This
is sound policy. Too many dogs are
nuisance hence the number must be re-
duced by taxation. But are houses
nuisance that they should be taxed?
Does man inilict irrepara-
BILE injury upon the public when
he hires masons, carpenters,
plum bers, painters, ETC., and builds
him house to live in that the tax
assessors should come down on him
with heavy fine? Are manufacturers
| employing the labor of hundreds OF
hands, purchasing our raw material of
us and furnishing us with manufactured
goods curse that must be repressed by
taxation? Is capital something not
needed in this state? Some
thing so dangerous to the COM
munity that its possessor must make
oath to the exact amount he owns,
and be heavily fined for the crime of
having saved it? A tax on date trees
caused Mohammed Ais subjects to cut
down their trees tax on windows
compelled the English people to make
their houses abodes of darkness. Do
we, in like manner, wish to abolish
houses, factories, capital, all the works
and enterprises of civilized man that we
should impose taxes upon them:
Do we wish to discourage every kind OF
honest industry, the saving of capital,
the home investment of our wealth by
taxation upon industry, thrift and
capital?
Every attempt of our state to enforce
cquitably general property tax has
failed. Every attempt we may make in
the future, though aided by the powers
of the modern inquisition, will fail. In
every country in which the effort has
been made it has failed. 1t always has
and it always will fail, because gen
eral property tax is inherently vicious
The sooner we discover this truth the
sooner we shall seek the remedy. There
is a tax which meets every requirement
of perfect tax, one which is easily ap
piled, which is equitable and just t.
every one, which will never result il
double taxation, which will never dis
courage industry or the accumulation
or investment OF capital, and whicl
will not be shifted from producer t.
consumer or from creditor to debtor
This proposed tax will be explained an'
illustrated in another paper.
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-04-22
POINTS AND OPINIONS.

If Benjaminimum is really
candidate for denomination his plat
form will be 'sforce, McKinleyism and
Tom Reed" Reciprocity will not be
in it.-Chicago Times.
The republican party in Okla
homa is described as "a total wreck"
It is then in condition completely in
accord with the party outside of Okla
homa st. Louis Republic.
Whether the report that George
F. Edmunds is about to resign his seat
in the senate be true or not, there is no
doubt that his political career in recent
years has been disappointment to
himself. - St. Louis Globe-Democrat
(rep.)
We hope none of the numerous
plots against the czar will succeed
while Tom Reed is in Europe. If the
czar should be killed Tom would apply
for the position, and then would out
czar all the other czars of history
Boston Globe.
Mr.. Mckinley boasted at Roches-
ter that 'sthe Fifty-irst congress did
more public business than any congress
since the days of the war" If you call
looting the treasury public business
you are right No other congress ever
voted away one thousand million dol
lars. IN. Y. World.
What does it all mean? The man
ufacturers wanted an increased tariff,
we are told, so that they might main
tain the high scale of American wages
and protect the American workingmen
from the low wages paid his pauper
competitor beyond the sea. The man.
ufacturers got their increased duty.
They got all they asked for and in some
cases more than they asked for. And
having gotten it they have begun to
reduce wages. Thii. is especially no
ticeable in the iron and steel business
| which had no excuse for a high duty
| except the alleged need for maintaining
wages. What does it mean?-Detroit
Free Press.
The expenditure of the billiol
congress is such bewildering total
that it is hard to grasp it. 1t has to be
divided up and thought of in separate
sums. 1t amounted to S2,O00,000 pei
day while congress was in session
Counted in silver dollars there was .
metal weight of 5000 tons. This would
make an outlay of six tons per day, o!
about s525 apiece for each senator ans
representative. For the two sessions
of 500 days the expenditure was at the
rate Of s23 second. This is tolera
bly, rapid gait. IT. is not probable tha
the billion congress will ever find it!
equal for rapacious proalgacy. ~Pb's
dslphia Record,
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-04-22

eru part ofthe peninsula was espeelally
s.oded and many of the low-lying man
arove nov swamps had the appearance OF
s sa.est trees growing in the middle OF
the sea- ..1
A.. coast making occasional brief ex-
s.rs;ons sr into the interior to obtain
.hstever of scientific interest that we
.a,d find or to enjoy few days sport
n hunting the wild game.
lanes Walton was a fellow student
,,;.b myself. and through the advice OF
nbvsician we had both exchanged
hooks Of natural history for study in
,hs field South Florida opened up a
ssH that was rich in every department
u science. and when we were engaged
in studying the flora or fauna OF that
rocon we never failed to make obser-
v,tions and discoveries that interested
and instructed.
In the course of time, however, the
continually rising waters forced us
from dry land, and we had to construct
rude platform for our home. This
was built by driving heavy stakes in
tbe ground, and then putting log
platform on the top of the stakes. The
water never rose quite up to the top OF
this platform, but once or twice it
reached within several inches of it.
The platform, with our rude shanty
On II, was situated close to huge man
uoye swamp, and near enough to
Jupiter inlet to give us distinct view
oftbe ocean. We could thus reach sa 1t
and fresh water birds and fish with but
little difficulty.
Shortly after the holidays the water
reached its highest mark, and we found
ourselves living, as it were. right in the
midst Of large sea, and with here and
there forests of trees growing out Of it.
With our little canoe we could paddle
far up into the interior, and we fire.
quently spent days in exploring the sub
merged country.
One day James and l entered a lit 'e
cove in one of the large mangrove
swamps, or lakes, as they really
were, some two or three miles from
the camp. We shot few wild
ducks to replenish our stock of pro
visions. After padding around fol-
some time we startled up flock of wild
birds, which scurried out of the brakes
@Fapidly and suddenly that we could
not get good glimpse Of them. To
prevent any great prize from escaping,
we shot Unfortunately into the flock,
and brought three down.
The three birds were wounded and
their cries soon attracted the other
birds of the swamp. They proved to be
peleans and they made desperate eff.
forts to get beyond our reach. We
picked up two of the screaming crea-
lures, and then started for the third.
Before we reached the last one oul
attention was attracted by a ripple il
the water, and then by the black heae
Of an alligator moving rapidly toward
the screaming bird. The winter had
been hard one, and the voracious sau
rams had become bold and desperate il
their hunger. Otherwise the big fellow
would never have ventured out in,broat
daylight and attempted to steal the
game right from under our nose.
Paddle for the Bird" James shouted
as he saw the alligator. "We can bea
that fellow
Out OF fun and wild desire for ven
'ure we entered the race and padded
our oest The alligator, nothing daunt
Cd BY our approach, increased his speed
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-04-22
PIyH AND POINT.

"A Dandy Lunch.-Water and cigar
cite at the hotel entrance.-Judgc.
The wrong kind Of learning leaves
man wofully ignorant.-N. 0. Plea
yune.
The man who can keep secret may
have high opinion of his own ability,
but no woman likes him. Somerville
Journal.
There is room for everybody in this
big world. Friction comes from the fact
that too many want the front room.--
Scranton Truth.
Don't hear your father-in-law
gave you a roll of bills for wedding
present" Non-"Yes, they were gas
bills. Lowell Citizen.
"A man never fully realizes the
wealth of information he doesn't pos
sess till his first child begins to ask
questions. s.-Elmira Gazette.
Some men think nothing of Jumping
u contract, but it's warm day when
anyone can jump cold that he has
contracted.-St Joseph News.
-"How was it that the judge granted
your divorce before even reading your
petition?" "He was my wife's first
husband. Courier des Etats-Unis.
1T is as little as the ice man could do
to drive some of his customers out to a
frozen pond, and let them see what they
were trying to buy all summer.-Wash-
ington Post.
-Sociability in New York.-First
Stranger-"Slow, isn't it?" Second
Stranger Eyes, very" ''Let's go
home" 81 can't. I'm the host."-
Texas Siftings.
-Tramp-''I don't hardly know what
to do with this piece O. steak now I've
got it." Landlady - ''For goodness
sake! Why don't you eat it?" Tramp
-"I've tried that"
-"Going fs shing?" inquired his
wife. Eyes; catch about a dozen OF
so.' "Why so few? Fish are so cheap
now you might as well catch couple
of dozen while about it. t."-Fliegende
Blaetter.
Will Seek Enjoyment at Home
Tom-''Where are you going this even
ing for enjoyment, Jack?" Jack-"]
shall seek enjoyment at home this
evening. Wifes away, you know
Yankee Blade.
-Wife-"What do you think Of tina
waterproof? l bought it down at La
cey's at the bargain sale on account O
the fire." Husband-''Is it damaged
much by fre?" Wife-''Not at all b.
the fire; only by the water"
No Longer Craze.-Autograpf
hunting is thing of the past. Like
all manias it had its run, and it ha:
now been dropped for another fad
Public men are asked to give their idea.
on marriage, religion, politics and othe
subjects.
-Mildred-"Oh, Maud, l have bee1
dying ever since the night of the mas
querade to ask you who that man wa
that you were with Maud-"Why
didn't you know that was the man In
engaged to?" Mildred-"Wel what il
the world possessed him to wear tina
frightfully ugly mask?" Maud-"H
didn't wear any mask."-Boston Coul
ier.
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-04-22
,nd,restion in the Falkland Islands.

1t is popularity considered that that
frightful enemy, indigestion, is mala-
DIV, to a great extent, consequent upon
our high state of civilization. In the
medical report on the health Of the
inhabitants of the Falkland islands,
the assistant colonial surgeon OBJ
serves that the bane OF this
remote territory is chronic indiiges-
ton. He attributes this fact to two
reasons. In the first place to the
enormous amount of tea and coffee con-
sumed by the inhabitants; and, second.
~, to the ignorance of the majority OF
the women of the most rudimentarV
laws OF cooking.-N. Y, Journal
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-04-22
The Landlord Blight in Illinois.

CHICAGO, ILL.,. Feb. 26.-Fully one
hundred and twenty-five, and possibly
one hundred and fifty families, num-
bering in the aggregate at least five
hundred people, will take their per-
manent departure from Mclean coun-
ty, this state, between this date and
April Is next One large party started
on February "a and will be followed by
others. They have chartered whole
trains and will join in general hegira
to northwestern Iowa in search OF
cheaper lands. The great majority OF
those who will join the exodus are
farmers who, most of their lives, have
been renters. Many of them, it seems
have been living in, Mclean county
from fifteen to thirty years, and during
all that time, in which they have culti-
waited one of. the richest soils under the
sun, they have been unable to acquire
homes which they could call their own.
Mclean county is known as the breast
pin of the great commonwealth of~llli-
nois. In point of population it is the
sixth county in the state. 1t is noted
for its rich soil, its resources and
beauty. It is the pride and boast OF the
whole state. Few counties in the
United States possess SO many advan-
tages 1T is the county to which great
orators point as evidence of the nobility
| of husbandry. But it appears that at
last this magnificent garden spot and
breastpin of one of the foremost states
in America is blighted by landlordism,
for the exodus about to take place is
due to the fact that farming lands are
too high to be proftably cultivated,
and, therefore, cheaper and perhaps in
ferior lands are in great demand.
According to the testimony OF gen
tleman from, Mclean, with whom
have Just had conversation, the city OF
Bloomington, the seat of Mclean coun.
ty, is very largely populated by class
of men who are known there us retitet
farmers. Many of them live in luxury
and ease, and still many others count
their fortunes by the million. It's big
landlords, its is said, are equal in theiI
exactions to the noted Lord Scully
whose thousands and thousands of acres
lie across the border from McI4ear
county. Many of this distinguished
gentleman's serfs have escaped from
his acres and cast their lot with tn
landlords Of Mclean comfy, hopin!
thereby to secure greater profits fo
ther labor from american" landlords
secure in the belief that the methods o
the English tyrant were not practice
by the latter. In this they were sadl
mistaken. as they have learned to thei
sorrow, after having labored for man
years in developing the richness of tn
great county OF Mclean. They foun
that the American landlord was quit
as avaricious as Lord Scully, takip
from them ALI that their labor produce
except bare subsistence. Early in tt
history Of the county the Funks, til
Gridleys, the Brokaws, the Stevenson
e the Orendorffs, the Ewings, the Val
q ordstaands, the Kennedys and othe
probably to the number of a hundre
got hold of the lands in this promisir
country and by ''wise forethought al
D business sagacity" kept them until n
o cessaty compelled thousands to Ii
upon them at terms profitable to Il
\ holders.
After all these years Of toll, and aft
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-04-22
p11RSUED BY SAURIANS.
.uo Timely Arrival of Another
iD noadIv Enemy Saves Us.

Y THE winter
of 1SS9-90 the
r a i n f q l o f
south Florida
was somewhat
re N ar k a b lie,
and all of the
rivers, lagoons
andlow swamps
became greatly
changed in ap-
pearance owing
to the quanti-
ties of w a t e r
rushing toward
the sea. L n e
extreme south
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-04-22
THE mode Of taxation is, in fact, quite

THE mode of taxation is, in fact, quite
as important as the amount. As q
small burden badly placed may distress
horse that could carry with ease q
muck larger one properly adjusted, so q
people may be impoverished and their
power Of producing wealth destroyed
by taxation, which, II levied in another
way, could be borne with sass.-Pye;
gress and Poverty.
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-04-22
Circumstances Alter Cases.

One of our local justices of the peace
identified the prisoner at the bar as an
old offender.
Justice-What is your name?
Prisoner-Sam Jackson.
"Three years ago when you were up
before me you said your name was John
Smith"
eyes, but that wss an entirely differ
ent care, Texas siftsngI
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-04-22

If any thing in human experience, as
applied to methods of taxation, is set
tied, it certainly is the fact that taxa
ton upon personal property never can
be made success Taxes can be raised
from personal property, no doubt; for
large sums are thus raised; but that
they can not be levied with any reason
able approach to accuracy or equality
is demonstrated, not only by conclusive
reasoning, but by the more conclusive
fact that they never have been thus
| levied.
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-04-22
THE RABBIT PEST.
Enormous Sums of Money Expended to
Abate 1t.

Enormous Sums of Money Expended to
Abate 1t.
It probable that but few persons in
this country fully realize the extent of
the rabbit pest of Australia. The cost
of determination is collected in the form
of tax or assessment, and in the years
from 1883 to 1889 nearly 1000, 900 were
collected and paid out for that purpose.
The money is raised by taxing cattle
and other animals which depend upon
grass for living. The professional
rabbit-catchers receive pay for the num-
Der of skins turned in, the price varying
from two to twenty-five cents each, the
highest price being paid in the districts
where the rabbits have been pretty we'll
exterminated. A peculiar feature of
the situation is the fact that in some
sections more money is paid out for rab-
bits killed than is received for rent of
the land.
Some idea of the ex tent of this plague
will be realized when it is known that.
as many as Is, 100000 skins have been
exported from New South Wales in one
year, and that during period of six
years there were 60, 600, 600 rabbit skins
exported from New Zealand, and the
government agent states that at least
as many more were killed, the skins of
which were not exported. In the year
ending January !, 1890, no less than
21 900, 600 rabbits were killed by govern
ment employees in New South Wales
alone.
The ratio of increase seems to be
simply enormous, for we are told that
the generators of the countless millions
now in Australia were pair of wild
| brown rabbits turned loose in the early
history Of the country. Mr.. Fl. c. Tay-
lor, who is in charge of the government
bureau for the determination of rab-
bits, states that the progeny OF two
rabbits, at the end of three years, il
left undisturbed, would reach the enor-
nous number of 13,700,O00.
Some years ago the government Of
| New South Wales offered a reward o1
s25,OOO pounds for some method OF
process of determination. Fifteen hun
dred plans or schemes were offered
but not one of them was satisfactory
G. B. Hanford, in N. Y. Weekly.
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-04-22
Difficult to Please.

scheming Mother-What objection
have you to that wealthy Mr.. Light
pate?
Beautiful Daughter-He never talks
anything but nonsense. He seems to
think all women are fools.
Mother-You can not find that fault
with Mr. Greatmind.
Daughter-He's a perfect bore al
ways talking about things l don't un.
derstand.-N. Y. Weekly.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-12-20

were Nina Westfall, Matte Hoover, Fran
Hutchinson, Irma Gallant, Emily Hoover,
Maude Sutton, Alvina Wilde, Maggie
Priest, Eva Hammond, Gertie Fazel, Eva
North, Sylvia Reinkard, Amber Keller,
Pearl keifer, Anna Casey, Lille Hutchin-
son, Bert Brown. Fred North, Winfield
Fazel, Harry Smith, Lewis Finch, Walter
Sheppard. George Merry, John Merry,
Milton Barringer.
Fifteen years ago today the Chivalric
Kos Harris led to the nuptial alter his
bright, amiable and accomplished wife,
and hence it is their crytal anniversary.
Mrs. q. u. Dickson, Mrs. l. D. Skinner,
Mrs. Il. r. Vermillion and Mrs. c. A. Van
Ness, ascertaining this fact put their heads
together in solemn and earnest consulta-
ton and planned a surprise for them.
They did not care to break the Sabbath by
carrying out their plans so they, in com
pany with numerous other friends, de-
cended upon the happy home Of. Mr.. and
Mrs. Harris last night and took it by
storm The genial Kos sent out a flag OF
truce and yielded his castle to the storm
ing party without a single condition or
stipulation. The evening was pleasantly
spent and before their departure the
friends left with them a souvenir in the
shape OF a very handsome piece of crystal
An excellent dinner was one of the chief
features of the pleasant event. The fondest
desire and most cherished wishes Of ali the
guests were that Mr.. and Mrs. Harris will
live to celebrate their golden wedding.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-12-20
A Case of LonEeVitY.


A certain housebreaker was condemned
in the latter part Of the last century in
France, and under peculiar circumstances,
to 100 years in the galleys, and, strange to
relate, this man has made his appearance
in his own native province at the advanced
age of 100, he being about twenty years Of
age when the sentence which condemned
him to so dreadful a punishment was
passed.
1t is difficult to conceive what the feel
ings must have been with which he re-
turned as soon as emancipated from the
shackles which had ehthralied him for a
century, to breathe once more the cherished
air of the scenes of his infancy. Bourg, in
the department of Ain, was his native
home; but time had so much changed the
aspect of the whole place that he reeog
nized it only by the old church of Brou,
which was the only thing that had under
gone no alteration. He had triumphed
over laws, bondage, man, time, everything
Not a relation had he left, not single be-
ing could he hail as an acquaintance; yet
he was not without experiencing the hon.
age and respect the French invariably pay
TO old age.
For himself, he had forgotten everything
connected with his early youth; even all
recollection of the crime for which he had
suffered was lost or, if at all remembered,
it was but as dreary vision, COMPOUNDED
with thousand other dreary visions of
days long gone by. His family and con-
nections for several generations all dead,
himself living proof of the clemency of
heaven and the severityof man, regret
ting perhaps the very irons which had
been familiar to him, and half wishing
himself again among the wretched and
suffering beings with,whom his fate had
been so long ACKNOWLEDGEMENT might he be
called the patriarch of burglars.-New
York Ledger.