davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06

right. now falling down, squirm ing,
bending, rolling over, regaining their
finny feet and again pressing on.
these fishes were the famous climbing
perch, about which SO much has been
said and written, and they were pass
ing, over the country to avoid a
drouth. When the stream in which
they have been spending the sea-on
dries up they scale the banks, and,
directed by some marvellous instinct,
crawl to another. The climbing
perch was first noticed by natural
ist over a century ago, one having
been caught high up in a palm tree,
where it had gone, it is said, to OBJ
tain the moisture that might be found
in the crevices of the leaves. This
story was doubted by many, but
perch was found in the tree by M.
Daldorf so the circumstances may be
placed among the strange facts of nat
ural history.-San Francisco Chron-
icIe.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06
Red Water in a Tunnel.

When workmen we're engaged in
the Daniel Webster mine at Virginia
City, New, at the depth of SOC feet
beneath the surface they struck q
"aow'' of water of very strange char
acter. 1t boiled up through the floor
OF the mine and in the Pickering light
made by the miners lamps presented
an almost blood-red appearance. After
flowing for few yards down the floor
of the tunnel it was again swallowed
up by crack or seam; not, however,
until it had turned to a dark blue
color and had begun to smell like
creoso,e. Miners who tasted it said
it was the most disagreeable dose they
had ever taken in their lives. On the
skin it left dark brown stains; sam.
pies of it taken from the first opening,
bottled and sent to the surface, had a
rich, burned sienna color. Exposure
to light had the same effect upon il
that air had-turned it to dark blue
color.-Republic.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06
FOR YOUNG FOLKS.
ITEMS FOR THE
RISING GENERATION.
What o Boy Does-Letter from Thack-
cray to a Youtll-Growth of Euro
pean Cities-Boys on
the Farm-Etc.

A bow comes out of the front door
bright-faced and happy. He comes
out for no particular reason, save that
he wants to be moving about. He is
full of physical action and must get
some of it out of him before bedtime,
or he doesn't be fit to sleep. He
doesn't know this with his head, but
his body knows, for, after all, the body
does a great deal of it's own thinking,
Independently of what we call con-
seriousness. He stands on the steps
and looks up and down the street.
He doesn't know what he is looking
for. Indeed, he is not looking for
anything. He just looks with a sort
of underlined hope that he will see
something suggestive to him of what
to do. He jumps down the steps and
goes to the gate, hangs on it a mo-
ment, makes few sounds with his
voice, such as nobody but boy can
make, and nobody else would make if
he could. They don't mean anything
He makes them because-well, be-
cause he is boy. AS if he had sud-
denly thought of something to do, he
bangs the gate open and rushes down
the street yelling like a young
Indian But he has not suddenly
thought of something to do. He has
simply done that because he couldn't
think of anything to do, and must do
something. Then he picks up stone
and fires it at dog and cringes and
feels sorry if it hits the mark. He
doesn't want to hurt the dog. He
throws the stone because he and the
dog and the stone are there, and it is
handy to do so. For d few seconds he
stands and looks up into a tree at
nothing. Then be breaks into a run
again, and suddenly sits down on the
curbstone rs if he had accomplished
something and was content Wash
ington Capital.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06
Growth OF European cities.

According to the census which has
just been completed in Germany, the
growth OF cities is almost as rapid in
Europe as in this country, and in some
respects even more wonderful Ber-
lin has gone up p.tst New York, with
IL population Of 1,574, 1885, Hamburg.
with its big suburb Of A'tona, has us.
ITO inhabitants. I.eips;c is credited
with 353, 272. Munich has popula
ton Of 54i, 800, and that of Breslau is
33l,7i0. Cologne has 252, 557 inhabi-
tants; Dresden, 20, 0S5; Magdeburg,
2oo,oI, and Fl ,nkfort-on-the-M Main
179, $50. In 1885. when the last pre-
sions census of Germany was taken,
Berlin had 1,515,297 inhabitants:
Hamburg and Altoona, 40. 40l; Leip-
sic, 17O,076; Munich, POI, 98l; Bres-
l,n, 299, 405; Cnlogne, 161, 266: Ores
den, 2f5,515; Magdeburg, 1l4.298,
and Frankfort on-the- Main, 154.513.
Such gains as are here shown can
scarcely be ma ;ched by an equal num-
Der OF American cities.
Magdeburg has gained about as
much In five years as Detroit and Mil
waukee in ten and Munich is growing
much faster than Cincinnati or San
Francisco.
The crowdiag into the towns which
has caused SC. much comment in this
country is folnd elsewhere in the CIV
lllzed world. Next year the census
TO be taken In Great Britain will show
that not a few British cities have
oeen gaming at an astonishing rate
for old towns in a country where the
has long been dense. Even
IN ancient India the growth of the
cities is out OF all proportion TO that
OF the country us whole.-Prairie
Farmer
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06
The Discoveries at Thebes.

the attention of psychologists and
the learned generally is still largely
occupied with the discovery recently
made at Thebes. A letter alike inter-
esting and instructive has just been
received in Paris by Prof. G. Maspero
from M. Grebant. director general of
the excavations now in progress at
Thebes. Prof. Maspero formerly held
in Egypt the position now held by M.
Grebant. 1t appears from this letter
that the rock-cut chamber was found
at a depth of fifteen meters, consisting
of two floors on galleries. In the
lower floor were found 1870 mummy
cases, piled one on top Of the other,
together with a large number OF
funeral objects, including some fifty
Osirian statuettes. Ten OF the statu-
cites were opened at once and in each
We're found a roll of papyrus. The
period to which the mummies and
statuettes belonged was that of the
twenty-first dynasty. No such find has
been made since 1881. The soil had,
to all appearance, remained untouched
for period of 5000 years.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06
Bows on the Farm:

The decadenee of farming of late
years is largely due to the undeniable
fact that city life has offered greater
attractions as well as greater
profits to the young. While it is true
that farming does not require SO
severe and unremitting toll as form.
erly, can it be said that young people
on the farm have been encouraged to
find their pleasures and relaxation at
homer This is the only way to make
farm life attractive to the average
young man. II ON each holiday he
goes to the city, it will naturally
soon seem to him that city life
is all holiday while life
on the farm is one OF
unceasing drudgery. 1t often happens
that city boys kept at work in stores,
and only allowed TO go into the coun-
try for vacation, see only the holiday
side of farm life, and acquire love
for it that those brought up on the
farm too often do not share. Why do
not farmers take q hint from these
facts, and make as much holiday as
possible for their sons at home? It is
time that the old rule, which made
the boy hoe his row and run for water,
while the men rested, was superseded
by practice which would give boys
the easiest tasks, and the little invest
ments that gave largest profits, as the
best means to interest them in farm
ing and make this the occupation OF
their lives. Cultivator.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06
The Well of Frozen Air.

Near Dayton, Ore, there is well
locally known as the "well of frozen
air." In drilling the we'll a stratum
OF frozen clay and gravel was encoun.
tered at a depth of IS feet. After
passing through five feet of this. n.l-
merous cavities were encountered
from which cold air came in gusts.
The escape of the air from the well
can be heard roaring for nearly 200
yards. The air which comes from
these subterranean depths is so frigid
that it is not possible for anyone to
hold his hand over the opening for
more than two minutes without hav-
ing it frozen. A bucket of water set
over the opening will freeze through
and through within a few hoYrs. 1t
is needless to add that the work was
abandoned on the well when the cav.
tiles OF "frozen air' were tapped
Peoria journal.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06
No One Discovered 1t.

Two neighboring Yorkshire rectors
recently exchanged pulpits on Sunday
morning. Both gentlemen are in the
habit of preaching q sermon from
the collection of some noted divine
when a week passes without their
writing sermon, which is quite often
the case. They defend their practice
in this respect alleging first, that the
sermons SO borrowed are much better
than any they could write. and second
ly, that the few peasants in smock
froc,xs who attend service never under
stand the sermon anyhow, and in fact
would suspect their rector of heresy if
they did understand him. On the day
in question it happened that they both
decided to use the same sermon from
Blair's collection for the morning ex-
change, and on thinking the matter
over they both concluded that it
wouldn't be worth while to prepare a
sermon for the second service The
result of all this, of course, was, that
the same sermon of Blair's was preach
ed twice in each church, though not
one in either church discovered the
fact.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06


WHILE the volume of desirable inn
migration, including the Saxons, the
Celts and Gauls, is decreasing, the
Latins,, Huns and Slavs are rapidly
multiplying in this country and are
pouring In from Europe in an uninter-
rupted stream. These people with all
OF their dangerous race traditions OF
blood and violence innoculate the
body social and the body polite in
America with the deadly virus which
has contaminated the European govern
ments furnishing this class of immi
grants. The result is seen In the Malta:
In anarchy and socialism, which de-
MES the right OF property, and in man
ifestations OF lawlessness. These evils
are the logical ontgrowth Of lenient
policy which admits, without question,
the refuse populati IN Of the Old World,
and extends hospitality without dis
rrimlnatiou to ths sutcasts Of Europe
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06
A REPORTERS CHEEK.
He Bearded David Davis in His Den One
Day.

One day during his later years
Senator David Davis was at the Grand
Pacific hotel in Chicago. TO him
there came a reporter who inquired as
to the truth of a rumor that the heavy
weight Independent was about to
marry. ThereupOn the senator locked
the door of the room, put the key in
his pocket, hoisted the window-the
room was pretty high up-and, turn
ing face of furious anger ON the re-
porter, commanded him to write his
name and that of the paper he worked
for, $50 that the hotel people may
know just what I threw out of the
window" he said. Then, after enjoy
ing the reporters terror, he permits
him to depart uninjured.
That is the story. 1t is correct, all
but the ending. When the gigantic
senator had made his bluff the report
err, who was nervy if little, felt that he
must call it in some way. So, putting
on his most persuasive smile, he said:
"Certainly, senator, but I'd like one
favor before this matinee goes on"
What is it, sir?o I'm in no mood
for trifling," Numbered the senator.
Il would like to write a brief account
of this for my paper. | don't want to
get 'scooped' on my last assignment"
go on. I'll give you five minutes.
The reporter sat at the senator's
table and hastily wrote a few pages.
Meanwhile the senator was pacing the
room, his anger evidently increasing.
The reporter addressed an envelope to
his paper and made to inclose in it
what he had written. s'I'll leave this
on the table, so that messenger can
get it." said he, "but | would like tc
read it to you"
Il don't wish to hear it."
I'll read it anyhow, senator" said
the young man, who arose and backing
into the corner of the room read this
item: AT o'clock this afternoon Sem
ator David Davis was shot and instant
~ killed in his room at the Grand Pa
citic by a reporter for this paper, whom
the senator in a moment of temporary
mental arrangement attempted to muir
der by throwing him out of the window,
on account of some fancied insult. The
young man deeply deplores the fatal
necessity which compelled him to take,
even in self-defense the life OF so prom
inent a man. The senator was evil
IDENTIFY insane, and the reporter, who
was no match for him physically fired
the fatal shot as Mr.. Davis was about
to dash him to the street below'
Now, | am at your pleasure, sena-
tor said the reporter, putting his
hand to his hip-pocket. But Davis was
now in a different mood. He realized
while listening to the reporters item
it's force and applicability to the situa-
ton. If he ever had any idea of car
rying out his threat the sight of the
cool young man in the corner banished
it. He assured the reporter that it
was all a joke, and the young mans
paper had a scoop that afternoon on
an interview with Senator David Davis.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06

THE cruel persecution which the
car Of Russia is waging against
the Jews is disappointing to those who
had begun to hope that this autocrat
was going to become an enlightened
ruler. Instead of this, he is placing
himself with such blind despots as
Louis the 14th, who in bigoted zeal for
q creed inflicted an irreparable blow
on the strength OF his kingdom. We
suspect however that the car has not
even the poor excuse of the fanatic,
but is influenced solely by mistaken
view Of state policy.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06

AS LONG as half million foreigners
come to this country annually, placing
themselves voluntarily under our laws
and receiving the same protection that
is given our own citizens, it is not pro-
bable that the United States can be
embroiled abroad on account of a
single mob outbreak. There will never
be any disposition to evade RESPONSE
bility for acts OF mob violence which
the authorities failed to check, pro-
vided the claims are put forward in
the regular way.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06
NOTHING NEW IN GAMES
They are Al! Nearly as Old as the Oldest
Hills.

That there is '.nothing now under
the sun is APPLY illustrated in the
games now III use in the civilized world.
WIN few exceptions thoy can he
traced back to times OF remote anti
qultN, and many games have existed
through centuries without material
change.
kitc-tlying began in China ccnturie:
ago and it is still practised there most
extensively. Ball-playing has been
universal custom all over the world.
The ancient Greeks. whodclightcd in
perfection i'll even the smallest thing
practised ball-tosSing while dancing
with an accompaniment Of music.
From this custom are derived the word
'ballad, ballet" and "ball moan
ing a dancing party.
Polo is an ancient Pcr,ian game
and it was played always on horse
back. The origin of dice i, not
known, but we find some form Of the
game practised in every country. In
China tive-sided nuts are used; the
EsQulmaux use pieces of ivory cut in
the form Of various animals, and
among the Indians deer bones arc
used.
The game of parchecsi is found in
India, Asia and among the Aztec1 of
New Mexico Tit-tat-too is of Chinese
origin and chess, of which checkers is
low variety, was originated in India
to illustrate i'll Il game the ordinary
mode Of warfare. The game as now
played in China and Japan is much
more complex than our own.
Jumping-rope and blindman's buff
are found all over the world, with an
infinite number Of variations.
Lacrosse is an Indian game. and
whole villages took part in it. The
old English games Of the most promi-
hence We're bOar-huntng and hawking
These We're succeeded in popularity by
cock-fghting, bull-baiting sham bat
ties and skating, the skate being made
of q deer bone.
Archery was a necessity more than 10
recreation up to the time that firearms
were invented. but since then it has
been one of the most popular sports
Archery clubs, which had been kept
up continuously since tie time when
the soldiers were armed with bows and
arrows, are in existence today in Eng
land.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06

OURS is government OF law, and its
liberty is the noblest freedom of the
earth because it is conserved by law.
Such government has no place and
no use for the vicious idler the bruta,
pauper or the fugitive criminal from
Europe, and the time has come when
the law must assert its mastery over
the hundreds of thousands OF lawless
immigrants in our midst. In this eff
fort every honest American working
man, whether native born or natural
lied should heartily join. American
workingmen are the sovereigns of the
republic; they are the custodians of the
priceless liberty We enjoy. and they
are most OF all interested in resolutely
maintaining the liberty of law.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06
Effect of .close" season in Maine.

The lumbermen of Giberson's camp
have live deer that has made the
camp its home and become the pet oil
all. It eats with the cattle and horses,
and, when not with them, stays near
the doos of the camp. At night il
sleeps III the barn with the other ami
mails, and makes itself at home gener-
ally. A gentleman who happened at
the camp one day recently tried to buy
it, but the crew. vetoed that idea at
once. It remains a conundrum what
will be done with it, unless they leave
it, when they leave the woods. as no
one dares to take it away with him
for fear of a heavy fine. 1t has per-
feet liberty at present and goes and
comes when and whore it pleases.
1t is said the men think good deal of
it and have taken good care that no
harm should come to the pretty little
fellow.-Bangor Commercial.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06
Grants Travels.

General Grant Travelled but little
while pre- 5ideat, going only now ano
then to Long Branch or New York.
He started out on his trip around the
world however, just after he left the
white house, and no man has ever hac
such a tour as that of his around the
world. All men-;ll nations tried tc
do him honor. He was received like
KING. and he formed an intimate ac'
uuaintancc with the greatest statesmen
the world oyc-. He came back to the
United States with many new ideas o.
government, and had he been re-elect
ed president for Il third term the coun'
trv would have greatly protited by the
results of his experience and obServt
tIOD
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06

DURING the past year there have
been, in round numbers. 33, people
wounded and 4, 900 killed by the rail-
roads in the United States. The rail-
road managers say that compared with
the number of people transported, it
is very small percentage. True. but
there have been as many killed and
wounded as would have resulted from
summer campaign with an army OF
10, 600 on one side, in which as many
as ten pitched battles have been
fought. That would be very consid-
cradle OF a sensation from newsman's
standpoint.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06
Two men OF Palmersyille Tenn re

Two men of Palmersville, Tenn, re-
Gently cut down tree. On the trunk
about eight feet from the stump was
a gnarl which covered a little hollow.
On cutting into the hollow, which had
been completely overgrown, they
found inside frog which was lifeless
but well preserved. BY counting the
grains 1t was estimated that the tree
was at least thirty years old. The
frog had been preserved for years in
his air tight home.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06

''gallinipper" is described by the boat
men to be as large as a goose, and hay
ing the peculiar habit Of flying about
at night with brickbat under it's
wings with which to sharpen its sting.
Although the well-known biblical quo
tation is commonly quoted: "Strain at
a gnat and swallow a camel" as it is
written it should be translated: ''Strain
out gnat, " referring to the practice
that formerly prevailed in oriental
countries Of passing wine and other
liquors through strainer so that NO
insects might get into the cup.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06

PROBABLY the newspaper writers in
Italy, England, Germany and France
who so lightly referred to the 'imper-
fections" of the United States constitu-
tion and the necessity for it's amend
ment were hardly conscious of their
sublime impertinence, but there is rea.
son to believe that they will presently
perceive their folly.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06
..Ic Plur-luS EinIIiI..V

The national motto, "E Pluribm
Tm,m.'' on different United State:
coins was never authorized by law tt
he 50 placed. Although the mint was
estaplis shed in 1872, the use OF the mot
IN on anv oi the gold, silver, or copper
coins was not authorized or directed
nv anv of the provisions OF the act es'
tablishing it. None of the coins since
1se7 bore the motto until the STANDARD
silver dollars were coined.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06

THE time when the Mortimer raw
aged the coasts of Great Britain, Ger
many and France is called the bar
barrie age" These same nations now
shell the villages Of the helpless ma
tives of the South Pacific isles in the
name of civilization. 1t all depends
upon whose tiger is loose.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06
GRANDPA theirs Hat.

A resident of Auburn, n Y, has a
hat in his possession which is over $50
years old The hat my father wore, "
..Grandfather's hat" and "Where did
you get that hat?" aren't circum-
stance compared with this ancient tile.
It is beaver, with a genuine bell top
and was made in New York city. A
bit of silk facing is on the top and bot
tom part of the rim. This was TO allow
the raising of the hat without ruffling
the fur.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06

RUSSIA does not carry on public
works on small scale. She is q bout
to construct q trans-Siberian railroad,
which will be pushed to speedy COM
pletion. When completed it will be
4,785 miles long. How a road like
that must make the American railway
magnate's mouth water. The pick
ings and stealings ought to make half
q dozen Goulds and Vanderbilts.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06
AfrIcass Crickets.

In certain parts of Africa crickets
are said to constitute an article of COM
merce. People rear them, feed them
in confinement and sell them. The
natives are very fond of their music,
thinking that it induces sleep. Super
stitions regarding the cricket's ohirp
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06
:. A. SANDoZ, Publisher

THR membership of the universities
Is found to be increasing from decade
TO decade in much larger ratio than
that Of population. But the increas-
ing membership of the great school OF
experience overshadows them all.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06

NOTWITHSTANDING the supposed
preference Of English papers to unfav-
orable criticism of American affairs il
Is noticeable that even the most con-
servative of her great papers, the
Times, and majority of others de-
nounced the Malta and defended the
people OF New Orleans even more
warmly than the most pronounced OF
the American press.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-06-06
Climbing Perch.

A party OF English officers were up-
ON one occasion encamped in certain
portion OF India, when their attention
was attracted BY u rustling sound in
the grass and leaves. Investigation
showed it to be caused by myriads OF
little fishes that were headed in one
direction and moving slowly
en-. There were hundreds Of
them moving by using their
side and small FMS as fepi; now up