davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-10-28

be done? Can you stand it till 1 ride
back and get help to fill the break? 1t
will open as soon as you move"
"Yessir; but hurry, boss" answered
the boy.
AS Aiken turned toremount he heard
the sound Of boat wheels around the
! curve and the whistle sounded out
hoarsely.
1"By Georger' exclaimed Aiken,
'sthere's boat, and three more inches
of water will top yhe levce here and
| then all is lost"
In few moments the boat rounded d
the curve and the big lights shone out
across the water.
"The Marsden,' Aiken said, as he
saw the two smoke-stacks, with Nor.
ton at the wheel; I.shall have to fight
| for it."
SO saying he picked up his gun from
where he had dropped it when he dis
mounted, and strobe on a few PAGES up
stream to meet the boat.
"Steer for the other side!" he called
out when the boat was in hailing dis.
! tance.
"Pm running this machine re-.
sponded the coarse voice of Morton,
''and l guess the river is free"
Aiken could see the little tongues Of
water as they overlapped the banks
| above. If the boat did not turn she
would send the water over the levee
lower down where the boy was, and he
and the whole embankment would be
sucked in. There was no time to be
lost.
Swinging the lantern above his head
so that Morton might sec him, he
flung his rifle to his shoulder and
called back: Come another foot
nearer to this shore and you are a
dead man."
Morton knew what manner of man
he had to deal with. The wheel re-
versed, the boat tackled and grazed the
opposite shore, which was already SUBJ
merged.
"All right now, Pete" said Aiken,
gently, patting the boys muddy pate.
'Ill 90 on and be back in few mo-.
| ments."
When they came by and by and put
sandbags in the hole Pete had been
, covering the little fellow was too weak
to speak or to stand, and Mr.. Aiken
took him up in his arms and himself
carried him to the house.
And now Pete does nothing but ride
on the back seat of the carriage to open
gates for the driver or to carry parcels
when Tom Aiken's pretty wife goes to
Shreveport shopping; for the "boss" is
grateful to the little hero who saved
the plantation. philadelphia Times.
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-10-28
"whlstle Jackets" Picture.

The following incident is related in
connection with one of the famous
Wentworth Woodhousc collection.
The picture is of a race-horse named
"Whistle Jacket" and the curious thing
about it is that it has no background.
When the picture of the horse was
nearly finished it was suggested that
portrait of George ". should
be placed in the saddle, and
that landscape be added: but before
this was done whistle Jacket was
brought to be compared with his pic.
ture, and. to everyone's astonishment,
attacked it SO savageIy that it was near
ly destroyed. Tbisincident was though,
SO curious that the picture was hung as
it was, without background or King
George.-Harper's Young People.
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-10-28
THE MULE WAS STRUCK.
Rot with the Pecuiiarities of the Engine,
But by the COWcatcher.

But by the COwcatcher.
About a mile from Calera, Ala, VIC
came to place where the railroad
track crossed the public highway, and
stuck on the track was mule hitched
to a ricl1ety old wagon loaded with
wood. The front wheels had stopped
at the rail, and the mule was fair across
the metals He stood there with his
head down and his ears lazily work
ing, and lying on the grass near by was
an old negro man smoking pipe.
"What's the matter?" / asked, as we
drew up
"Dat mewl has done gigged back"
he replied.
"Do you mean lie won't pull his load
over the track?"
"Zactly, sah-'zactly. He kin do it
if he wants ter, but he jest won't.
He's de obstinatest critter in dis hull
stait."
One of our party got down and took
the animal by the bit and tried to start
him up, but he hung back until he al
most sat down.
1T hain't no use tryin'," said the
owner as he came forward. lies one
of dem breed of nevis who gifts sot
once in awhile, an when dat fl strikes
him he's bound to stay right dar."
"But If you don't get him off he'll be
struck by train.'
Cant help it, sab. He's dun blu
wantin' to see dat train for a long time;
an now I'ze gwine to let him."
We were going to seize the wagon
and boost the whole outfit over, but
the colonel said if the "nigger' didn t
care it was no funeral of ours W..
heard train coming and got back ou,
of the way, and the negro waved his
hand and shouted to the mule:
Peel dat eye of yours now an see
dem kivered kyars! You've dun bin
crazy to git nigh dat bullgine an see il
it was alive, an yo'll soon know all
about it!'
1t was a heavy freight train coming
on down grade. The engineer footed
as he rounded the curve, but the mule
never raised his head. Instead of try
ing to stop more steam was put on, and
next moment that mule went twenty
feet high, while it rained wagon wheels
and pine knots all over the township.
AS the train passed on we found the
mule in the bushes thirty feet from the
track. He was all there, but dead as a
door-nail. The negro came slowly up,
took q long look, and then shook his fist
at the dead animal and said:
Il dun tole yo' dat bullgine was alive,
but yo' wouldn't believe it! hope yo'
feel better now! Yo' has went an got
yourself killed off, dc wagon busted up,
an left me to go to de porehouse. an
mebbe de next mcwl l has will hev
some sense in his headr'-M. Quad, in
n. Y. World
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-10-28
Truly Resigned.


There was once a certain old lady
whose sen. late in life, married against
her wishes. The wife was everything
that could be desired, and yet the old
lady had not intended her middle-aged
"boy" to marry at all, and loud were
her complaints thereat. Finally the
minister called, to essay consolation,
and remind her that it was hardly best
to make the neighbors the contidants of
her woes.
81 ain sure Hulda will prove a duti-
full daughter to you,' said he.
''She'll do rs well as she can," grum-
bled the old lady, "but her best'll be
bad enough"
"Well, you know the deed is done,
now. and nothing you can say will p re.
vent it."
II know it. If he had only heard to
me in the first place, it never would
have happened.
"But, my dear madam, this is not
making the best of things"
''There amt any best to some things!''
snapped she.
'If you could only be resigned
Resigned I'm always resigned
when things go as want them tor
Evidently there was no more to be
said.-Youth's Companion.
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-10-28

even lives before them.
On one of the big plantations oppo-
site Shreveport every effort was being
made to withstand the food. Hands
were collected from every cabin and
recruited from all the adjoining places
to strengthen the water-soaked levees,
which shook on the pressure of mans
foot.
twas almost dusk, but the men who
had not rested for days worked with
the strength Of fresh 'vigor as the voice
of Tom Aiken, the planter, directed
them and checrcd them on to the task
which seemed so hopeless as the water
crept steadily and steadily higher. But
for the fact that everyone was busy
with his work. Il little negro, who sud-
denly dropped his spade and stole away
betwixt tic wheels of the big sand
wagon, might have been seen as he
scurried away around the curve in the
enbankmcnt.
He ran quickly along for full quar-
ter of Il mile without looking back,
down the narrow, slippery road that
was left between the cotton rows and
the levee. The boy Stacked his pace
when he tccalne convinced that no one
was in pursuit of him, and as he did so
he heard the loud, CHEEKY voice of Tom
Aiken back at the break: ''All work
together, boys!'
Huh! All work together" the boy
said. "Ycssir. but you bet dis here
niger done tired er workin' togclder.
lse gwine to sleep, is an shet my
eyes fuS two whole days an nights, an
lgwine round the pint to Ann why's
an go to Sleep
In his eagerness to reach the coveted
goal the little negro quicl1ened his pace
again. 1t was now almost dark. but
his eyes had grown accustomed to the
gloom. He could see the curving line
OF the levee, which seemed to tremblc
with promonition of it's own made
quacy; he could see all the waterpools
in the road. His little legs had meas
urcd perhaps mile more when the
ominouS roar of the river made him
stop and peer over the levee at the
rushing waters.
AS he scrambled up the slippery bank
clod of loosened earth fell heavily
INTO the road below, and through the
oritice which it left little stream of
muddy water trickled. The boy caught
his breath quickly when the water ran
over his hand.
"Lordy" he exclaimed sDere's
gwlne to be break right here. Lordy!
Lordy! what gwine do!'
He stopped to reconsider. There was
still another mile before he could reach
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-10-28
HENRY L. BIOSSAT, Business Manager
ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA, WEDNESDAY,. OCTOBER w 1891
hands and feet he pressed it about him,
patting it to make it firm.

hands and feet he pressed it about him,
patting it to make it firm.
The difficulty had been solved with
out his volition almost 1t was only
after it was done that he thought of
the consequences lie calculated in his
unreasoning way that it was eight
o'clock. How long would he have to
remain there? For aught he knew, till
morning. He began to suffer by and
by from his cramped position, but he
dared not move even the least bit lest
the cretasse would open again.
He could not tell how time passed.
Every minute seemed an hour. He
could not hear the shouts of the men
below. There was only now and then
the hoot of an owl rising above the
roar of the water or the swish as a
clod of earth was sucked into the mad
current. He wished he had not run
away from his work.
He began to get drowsy; his limbs
were almost numb. He wondered
what would become of him if he should
so to sleep. If the waters should rise
up over the levee and drown him and
ruin the cotton, would it make any diff
ference then that he had tried to save
it? He was inadequate to the problem,
the like of which has puzzled graver
heads than his. The hooting of the
owl grew less and less frequent, the
swishing of the waters fainter and
fainter, the pain in his back easier
He must have slept some time. Sud-
denly he was awakened by the gallop
of horse on the road below. He was
too weak to move. His voice was al
most gone, but as the horse and rider
approached he cried out with all the
strength he could summon: "Marse
Toni"
Mr.. Aiken drew rein quickly and
turned his big lantern in the direction
of the voice.
"Who is it, and where are you?" he
asked, dismounting.
''lt's me, boss" answered the boy.
"What the mischief are you doing
here, Pete?' inquired Aiken, peering
into the boys begrimed face. ''Why,
you are almost buried alive!'
81 runned away from back yonder,"
the boy answered. 81 seed the levcc
er brealSin' here, so l stopped"
"Why, bless the boy" said Aiken,
"you must be nearly dead. What is to
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-10-28
A COMlCAL BIRD.
The Grotesquc Pelican with Its Husky
Asthmatic Whisper.

The Grotesquc Pelican with Its Husky
Asthmatic Whisper.
Four or five mangrove trees in the
vicinity Of Bird Key were occupied by
a colony Of brown pelicans. The nests
were simple mass of refuse, twigs
and scaweed, and the fotsam and the
jetsam OF the ocean, upon which were
perched two large blood-markcd eggs.
A young pelican may be considered one
of the comical things in nature a gro-
tesque, l-proportioncd animal, modi-
fed do-do. and like that famous bird, of
which an old writer said it was 'sas re-
markable to the eye as to the stom-
ach." The voice of the pelican but adds
to its absurdity. being husky asthmat-
ic whisper, writes a correspondent
This patient bird, with its solemn,
decorous bearing is victim of the
laughing gull. The laughing gull, be.
ing lazy and heavy, labors at disad-
vantage in fishing, so prefers to borrow
from it's companion, the pelican The
operation, whicl. have often observed,
as we'll as its sequel with the frigate
bird, is as follows: The pelican flies
along at a distance of about twenty
feet from the water occasionally pre-.
cipitating itself upon school of small
fry, that, not being able to see an OBJ
ject directly overhead, often become
victims. and are captured by the long
bill and pouch. Having caught the sar-
dimes, the pelican rights itself, and for
a second floats sercnely upon the sur
face, wagging IT'S diminutivc tail in sat
isfaction. 10 swallow the game it
tosses it's beals upward. which throws
the fish from the pouch between the
bills, the next movement being to swal-
low.
But here the laughing gull becomes a
party to the performance. He has been
a watchfl. follower for some time, and
now alights upon the pelican's head, or
sometimes its back, the pelican utter
ing no protest and apparently not oh.
jccting in the least. AS tho tempting
morsel is tossed by the pelican the gull
leans forward deftly plucks it from the
long bill, and either coolly swallows it
then and there, while standing upon the
broad back of the victim. or flies away
with the stolen fish, utterirg the vic
torious "ha, ha," that may attract the
attention of the frigate bird, which in
turn. proceeds to rob the gull. San
Francisco Chronicle.
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-10-28
4 Dish for InyalIda.

Would you like to know of little
dish that invalids find irresistible, and
adults also? Here is the recipe for
producing it: Boil hard several eggs.
When cold cut them in two, and take
out the yellss without injuring the cup
like halves OF the whites. Put all the
yelks together in basin and beat them
up with salt, pepper, little cayenne,
some Worcester sauce Tor other kind if
preferred), and sufficient butter to pene-
trate the mass and induce it to cohere.
Now shape the yells into round balls of
the shape and size OF real yelks, and
put each into one of the cups formed by
the whites. Lay them on a glass dish.
and garnlsh them with green leaves.
Serve with thin brown bread and but.
tern, Y. Advertiser.
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-10-28
THE MOON AND THE SOUL.

In the crescent cradle of the new
saw the old moon lying.
Her curtains of transparent blue
The night winds were untying
And there she lay with nough, to do
But find o JOY in dying.
Oh, say DEATH to lie in state
All in silver crescent,
While wlnsOme stars upon thee walt
And planets smis. SO pleasant,
To watch before the golden gate
The past becoms the pre- sent
70 lie uuraoved by moan or mirth
While you the goal are winning,
To feel that death is only birth,
That life is but beginning.
And still have sense Of this old earth
Without q thought of shining
To see the old put on the new,
To cl not pain but pleasure
To lie at ease the long night through,
All day to doze at leisure,
Must be elysium unto you
And bliss beyond all measure
How different Is the fate Of man
Who, here on earth sojourning,
Spins round the sun little span,
And then with grief and mourning
Goes out in darkness-bitter ban
From which there's no returning.
Yet not star in all the skies
However old and hoary,
Can tell whcne'cr the mortal dies,
The opening Of the story
That shall begin Whcneer Our rves
Shall see the King OF Glory.
Noses Taggart, in Springfield (Mass) Repub
ican.
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-10-28
Got or With HI. Lie.

AS he entered the car he shouted,
"I'm taking political straw, gentle
men. What's your choice?'
Some shouted Bricks" others IAN
AK" and still others ''Shot-guns."
Just then quiet man stepped up and
told the straw-takcr that the car was
full of fool.kiilers, and the s. I. made q
hasty exit.-Judge.
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-10-28
A Lively Cow,

An old brindle COW belonging to an
Indiana man broke into another's field,
and in court the owner of the field
proved that the COW destroyed the fol.
lowing-mentioned property, to wit:
Two four-year-old cherry trees, seven
apple trees, five pear trees. one plum
tree, 100 head of cabbage. twelve rows
of beans five rods long, one row of beets
one and one-half rods long, fifty to $50
sweet potato plants, one bed of onions.
three grape vines and fourteen black
berry hushss.
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-10-28

hs fhESSED THE EARTH ABOUT HIM.
'he point and he knew there were only
lew old women in the cabins there,
ana he could get no help from that
source 1t was more than mile back
70 where the men were working. and
ne was afraid to show himself there
utter having run away. Besides there
was not moment to lose; what was
70 be done? The boy knew that a
great responsibility rested upon him.
~ the little opening were not stopped
Immediately it was only question of q
iew moments before the whole levee
would be swept away.
=, de stood up and looked about him.
1here was no one in sight. He thought
ne might find a bag of sand dropped by
passing wagon, bnt there was none.
ai'h sudden purpose he turned and sat
oown over the little crevice through
nhleh the water came. The soft earth
s'slaee to his weight and With his
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-10-28
Il 10 Plan that Would Settle the La.
Dor Problem.

A good plan of land taxation on this
coast would be to tax according to the
value for crops, in the region where 10.
Gated. That is, lands unimproved and
not in use should be taxed at exactly
the same rae per acre as adjacent
lands Of same quality under cultivation.
Tha. would make the holders OF large
tracts OF land, waiting TOR raise. tired.
s-San Francisco Pacific Coast Alliance
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-10-28
In q had Fii.

you don't seem to have any barome-
ter about the house. Haven't you al
ways had one?"
'Ycs; but pa got cured OF his rheu.
natis,n last fall, and since then we
haven't known any more about the
weather than the signal-service bu.
reau." Judge.
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-10-28
A Ratified Guest,

Friend-So you were one of the
guests OF the Sliyscrape hotel when ii
burned down? We're any lives lost?
Traveler--Only one. He, poor fell
low, lost his head and tried to DESCEND
by the FIRE escape IN, !, Wssk'y,
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-10-28
George to Make !. showing.

George-Laura, have you had any
talk with your father yet about-about
my coming to see you so often?
Laura-Yes
with much concern)-"What are the
prospects, dcar?"
"He says 1t all depends on your prog
poets, Gaorge. Chicago TrIbuue.
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-10-28
Not SYNONYMOUS,

Gentleman ION crowded street-car)-
What is the difference between manu-.
facture and make?
Second Gentleman-l4et me see--it
is
Man changing on to rear platform,
interrupting)--lt is this--this street-car
is manufactured to sea; thirty people. bu,
1t is meas se sarTy affy OF mogg,~hlfe,
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-10-28

OR DAYS the
river had been
r ing. T'h e
levees a bove
were gone for
miles and miles,
and the mad
w n RS had
swept over the
banks carrying
fOrtu nes and
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-10-28
PlTn AND POINT.

"A borrower of books is generally a
thorough book keeper. - Baltimore
American.
The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-10-28

iiSSuS oA lHOOAS hAOAopOAiHOo VIC hatuI I'll
opportunities, and then has the power
to say to labor, before you can use land
which u few years past was free to all,
you must pay me for my permission,
and as population increases, bringing
with it new markets and means of ex.
change, the demand for land increases
and the land owner stands at the mouth
of the mine. at the door Of the work.
shop, claiming his pound of flesh, or he
may say and does say to la' or and cap
ital: This you must not touch. 1t is
true I do not want to use the wealth
stored in this land waiting the magic
touch of labor, neither will l permit
you to do so. He looks ahead a few
years and sees tusy, toiling popula
tion crowding around his vacant land
and knows that this means enormou.
in value. The effect of taking this val
ne in the shape of taxation would be
virtually saying to labor and capital
"TEe earth and its fullness thereo1
is yours" Delve and dig, build
and plan, wrest from nature her most
hidden force and with the magic wand
of freedom open up vistas of human
progress that seers and prophets anc
poets have seen only in visions.
Space forbids dwelling on the posi-
bilities of human progress, and in con
clusion would say that by taxing lant
10 its full rental value there would bt
no incentive to hold land idle. Under
this system there would be no valuable
land devoted to raising weeds ant
mosquitoes IN the heart of the city sucl
as we see ut present Single tax doe
not contemplate the changing OF huma,
nature, hut aims to place all men on al
equal footing With ~ equal right +
Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-08-14
THE STATE ALLIANCE.
The Convention in Session at Grafton
Elects Officers.
ENDORSES THE OCALA PLATFORM
Refuses to Pronounce in Favor Of Third Party, Bu
Declares in Favor Of Prohibidon-Indastrial
Annex Formed Which Includes All Labor
ing Nsn-Stsngth Of Order.
spseiaI telegram to the Register.

SDect0b 16teQTuUCO tHc be0t6CcTs
GRAFTON, w. VA, August 13.-The
second annual session Of the State AL
lance concluded it's work to-day, elect
ing S. A. Houston, President; John r.
Thayer, Vice President; II. u. Martin,
Secretary and Treasurer; B. u. Parks,
Lecturer; Geo. L. Johnston, Business
Manager; j. NJ. Sydenstricker and S.
M. Fish, representatives to the National
Alliance.
The report of the secretary showed a
remarkable growth of the order in the
past year. Ths county organizations
had grown from 20 to 3s; the sub-Alli-
ance from $50 to roo, representing a
membership of over $4,000.
The resolutions adopted reaffirm the
Ocala platform, which leaves the sub
iect of Third party open. 1t declares
in favor of temperance and urges the
Importance oil farmers exchange, and
appoints committee to secure one.
A National Citizens Alliance was or
ganized at the court house last night, In
which large number OF our town peo'
pie Joined. This organization Is more
liberal than the Farmers Alliance, and
takes in all laboring men. This is the
first organization OF the kind in the
State.
The next session will be held al
Clarksburg about the 18th OF nex'
August.
A great deal Of important work has
been done during the session, and al
the speakers seemed to be in favor oi
the organization of labor parties for ont
general purpose.
Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-08-14
CIVIL SERVICE.
The Changes In the Rules Governing the
Classified Service.

WASHINGTON, August 13.-The Pres
ident, upon the recommendation Of the
Civil Service Commission, has made
important changes in the rules
governing the classified service.
Under these changes all per-
mits hereafter made in the classified
service will be upon strictly competitive
examinations, conducted under the di-
rect authority of the Civil Service
Commission.
The amended rule In question reads as
follows: So far as practicable and use
ful competitive examinations shall be
established in the classified civil service
to test fitness for promotion under such
regulations as the Commission may
make. Until such regulations have
been applied to any part OF the classl'
fed service promotions therein shall be
made in the manner prescribed by the
rule applicable thereto.
The next in Importance Is the rule In
regard TO the markings of all examlna'
tion papers whether for appointment OF
promotion. Heretofore the grade OF
each competitor has been expressed oy
the whole number nearest the genera
average attained, ,disregarding fractions
Under the amended rule the exact mark
of each competitor, including fraction:
will enter on the registers.