davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17
Trapping Wolves in France.

Among other contrivances there is one
that outwits the sagacity of the wolf
with as little hardship as such capture
admits. Within circle of strong stakes,
not very closely planted sheep or goose
is. confined. At distance of sixteen
inches is an outer circle of stakes, having
an entrance eighteen inches wide. The
path between the two circles is we'll
beaten down. The door of the outer
one, which folds back against the inner,
is set invitingly open.
In marches the cautious wolf, till he
comes to the back of the door, pushes
against the yielding obstacle, and by SO
doing closes the entrance against him
self. The latch falls at the impact of the
door against the doorpost, and he is
hopelessly fast, unable to touch >hc de-
coy animal of the inner circle, or to leap
over the strongly planted poles of the
outer one. Thus ingloriously kidnapped,
the victim is soon dispatched.
A complaint has been made that the
rewards which the French Government
now gives for the slaughter of wolves
are so small in comparison with those
paid of old. But large rewards some
times do more harm than good, by max
ing it too much the interest of the mer
cenary troops to slaughter the foe with o
due respect to the desirability of having
always plenty of foes to slaughter. II
all the stories are true of the alarm and
damage caused by wolves, it is not IN.
reasonable to think that those exposed
to be sufferers might assist in their
extirpation without the stimulus OF
fee.
Many parts Of France, it is true, are
highly favorable to the wants and HABITS IT,
of the wolf, but against modern skill
and modern weapons it is hard to believe
that it could hold its ground without
the connivance of sportmen or If the COY
eminent earnestly resolved to be I'D OF II.
i BIackwood's Magazine.
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17
The Largest Apple Orchard.

The largest apple orchard in the
world is to be seen in the wilderness of
Koolau, Maui, one of the Hawaiian
islands. The forest is of native wild
apple trees, which are countless in mum.
Der and stretch from the sea far up the
mountain side. These trees vary from
forty to fifty feet in height, and during
the harvest season they are covered with
fruit of white and red colors. For miles
around and up the mountain side and
toward the seashore are vast groves of
these trees. The crop in these apple Or
chards which nature has planted so gen
erously in this wild and solitary waste,
would fill fleet of hundred steamers.
The orchard stretches over a country
from ten to fifteen miles wide and twenty
miles long. Many of these trees bear at
least fifty barrels each. The fruit fur
nishes the traveller excellent repast, ap-
peasing both thirst and hunger. So far
as is known, no commercial use can be
made of The fruit, from the fact that
when ripe it can not be kept for more
than four days.
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17
Fighting Fires in Jerusalem.

The old city of Jerusalem has 45, 900
people, and its buildings are all of stone
There was only one fire in the year 1891.
There is really no water system here, and
when fire starts the Turkish soldiers
take axes and march out as if they were
going to a parade. They never run to a
fire. They have at their barracks for
use in the city one tub holding about
half barrel and a small pump with about
twenty feet of leather pipe But this ap-
paratus is never used, as they never have
any water. When the soldiers reach a
fire they smash up everything they can
with their axes. AS the garrison is
changed every year, it is probable that
not one of these soldiers in hundred
ever saw a fire. A photographers shop
burned in 1891 and soldiers stood within
forty feet of it and did not even give an
alarm. II Chicago Herald
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17
A Cascade of Hot Water.

At q point in the gorge or canon we
halted by some tremendous boulders TO
examine cascade of hot water; l have
seen what arc called hot springs In many
places, but generally the warm water
ekes out from spring in low level.
This is the only place thaI | have ever
heard of where hot water in sulilclene
volume to turn large mill comes from
mountain side, rushing down in sue
cession of beautiful cascades to empty
into the river. The water Is not warm;
it is hot, absolutely so hot that the mana
of an Indian cannot be retained IN the
creek for minute.
The Indians say it is sure cure tor
all sorts of sores. To test this bathed
nv hands and wrists that were covered
with troublesome fly and MOSQUITO
bites, and can testify truthfully that
was at once relieved of the dlsagreeaple
effects of the poison, and the following
morning nearly every trace of the ny
stings had disappeared from hands 6 that
were covered. This spot is called fuco'
or Yaquillo, and located a few hours
above ouillocaca. i Andes Trail.
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17
Cold Walls.

Sanitary and hygienic principles are
rapidly making almost complete
changes in our modern houses, and
everything from garnet to cellar is being
overhauled and viewed in the light Of
science. All of this work means better
living, healthier and stronger bodies, and
more enjoyment in this world The i'm
provement may be slow but there is q
steady lettering of our surroundings
through all this endeavor. One thing
that needs attending to in most houses
next to the question of dry cellar is to
look at the walls aud see if they are cold
or warm ones. In wooden houses this
is not so essential, but stone and brick
ones are very apt to have cold, damp
walls inside that send chill all through
the house. Walls that face upon
the north or west side of the house
become so cold and damp in winter that
they are constant menace to the health
of the occupants. The walls are not
only cold, but they are damp and moist.
If an article Of clothing is hung upon
them it will get quite moist in the course
of d few hours. Such houses have the
plastering done right on the brick or
stone, and as these latter hold moisture
all through the winter, it soaks right
into the wall. This was common way to
build the old-fashioncd stone and brick
houses, and many are the same to- day.
1t is really as much as ones life is worth
to live in those houses through the Win
ter. The remedy is simple. Tear down
the old wall and put up laths and do the
plastering on them. or if this is too ex-
pensive nail laths right on the old wall,
and have second wall made over them.
The dampness of the house will be cured
almost Immediately. - Yankee Blade.
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17
THE SCIENCE OF INSURANCE.
1t Had Its Origin in Problem Sue
gested by Card Playing.

1t is curious fact that the ''doctrine
of probabilities, or the scientific basis
upon which all insurance rests, had it's
origin in a game of cards. That is to
say, the foundation upon which this
great economy depends, and upon which
it owes its claims to the confidence and
patronage of the community, originated
from Investigations regarding games of
chances. 1t happened in this way:
About the year 1850 the Chevalier de
Mere, Flemish nobleman. who was
both respectable mathematician and an
ardent gamester, attempted to solve the
problem of dividing equitably the stakes
when game of chance was interrupted.
The problem was too difficult for him,
and he sought the aid of the famous
Able Blaise Pascal, Jesuit priest,
author of might Thoughts and one of
the most accomplished mathematicians
Of any age. Pascal solved the problem,
and in so doing enunciated the "doctrine
of probabilities, Or laws governing So
called chances. Upon this depend not
only the laws governing insurance of all
kinds, but also the laws governing the
motions of planets in space, and, in fact,
all astronomical science
This doctrine or theory Pascal illus
trated by the throwing of dice. When q
single dice is thrown the chance of turn
ing up an ace is precisely one out of six,
or one out of the total number of sides
or faces. But if large number of
throws are made, it will be found that
each face will be turned up an equal num-
Der of times. From this Pascal laid down
the proposition that results which have
happened in any given number of OBJ
served cases will again happen under sim
liar circumstances, provided the numbers
DE sufficient for the proper working of
the law of average.
Thus the duration of the life of sim
gle individual is one of the greatest un-
certainties, but the duration, or rate of
mortality of large number of individu-
ais may be predicted with great accu-
racy by comparison with the observed
results among sufficiently large number
of persons of similar ages, occupations
and climatic influences,
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17

It IL related of Gordon Mckay, who
has announced his intention to leave Har
ward University his great fortune, that
when machinist in the employ of the
Boston and Maine Railroad he once made
an estimate of the weight of locomotive
as it would stand when completed, With
Goa, water and man on board. The
locomotive was built uDder his direction,
and when finished and weighed the esti.
mate was within less than ten pounds Of
the exact weight. His start in the line
OF invention was made when he met the
inventor L. r. Blake, of Abingdon. Mr..
Blake had in his mind conceptions o.,
certain machines, and was locking fo1
just such practical man as Mr.. Mckay
to assist him. The result of the combi.
nation then made revolutionized the shoe
iEdustrv.
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17
A Subterranean River.

Rev. DR.. Foster of Boston in his
weekly letter to the Chicago Advance,
states that there are reasons to suppose
that there is an underground river about
a hundred feet below ground, running
through Massachusetts and Providence
and emptying into the sea- It'll supposed
that this river, whose waters are ice-cold
and exceeding pure, starts from the
White Mountain region and finds its way
through an old ravine dug by glacier,
then filled with gravel and covered over
with hard-pan. Water of that ice-cold
quality and of great abundance has been
found at about the same depth in Provi-
dence, in Foxboro and two miles west of
Lowell. In two of these cases it is Ger
tain that there is cavity nearly hun
dred feet below ground, through which
the water flows, for in each case the drill
dropped from ten to twenty feet after
reaching water and then struck ledge.
If there is this stream of pure cold water
traversing our Commonwealth, it will be
hard to over-estimate its value to East
ern Massachusetts in years to come, to
whom the problem of "a pure water sup
ply is one of great difficulty, but of vital
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17

II y said that J. Sterling Morton, the
Secretary of agriculture, is an enthusiast
on tree culture, and has been talking about
the steps in that direction he proposes to
take when he becomes Secretary. He
says that 25, 900 acres of timber land are
denuded every day, and at the present
rate Of destruction the 10000, 900 acres
of timber that are left to the country
will be gone in one generation. He said :
I''My advise to every sgriculturist. Plant
trees whenever and wherever you can.
Utilize waste places of ground and plant
trees that will flourish in your locality.
Years ago at a forestry convention in
Boston ] advocated planting as a
solution to the perplexing problem Of
supplying railroads with ties. A great
benefit would be derived by securing
Legislation that would make the railroads
utilize their right.of-way to plant trees
fcr their own consumption. Think of an
arbor reaching from jersey City to San
Francisco. from ocean to ocean. You
would be able to travel this distance in
On arbor, cool and dustless in summer
and free from snow in winter, wee rail-
roads 70 set trees each side of their
tracks. This is no idle scheme-it il
practicable. The Burlington and Mis-
souri, River Road has already iDaugurated
the scheme west of Crete. If succeed
lin establishing forestry on a firm basis
while I am in the Cabinet. it will be my
reward md the ceuntry's blessing
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17

More passengers were carried o.
American railroads last year than therd
are men, women and children in Europe
and North and South America. Fewer
passengers were killed on all the rail.
ways OF the United States in year than
die from accidents in New York City
alone, every three months, according to
the figures of the Board of Health.
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17
Found in q Sausage.

A curious find is reported from Flor:
ence. A citizen who had just purchased
q pound of sausage was filled with Joy,
on reaching home, to find it wrapped in
letter written by Garibaldi in 1860,
and the discovery was considered OF
sufficient importance to be chronicled in
newspapers in Italy and other parts OF
Europe The price of that special brand
of sausage has since been doubled,
New York Advertiser.
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17

The results OF tifty.one years of colpor.
ter work of the American Tract Society
as expressed in figures are 1896 years Of
labor; 15,654,359 volumes of saving
truth circulated; 47l,116 meetings ad.
dressed; 1, 179, 1857 families found desti-
tute of religious books; 69S, 15s without
the Bible; 755, sS9 Roman Catholic fami-
lies visited; 1892 o5 Protestant fami-
lies neglectiug Evangelical preaching,
and the amazing number of 14,00s, 1913
family Waits made.
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17

The menu of one of the meals provided
for the favored queen of an oriental
harem is reported by the New York
Post to have included a young lamb
roasted whole, stuffed with turkey,
which again was stuffed with chicken
stuffed with a pigeon, the pigeon on its
part being stuffed with quail, and lastly
this quail was stuffed with one of the
smallest of Eastern birds C. lied a fig.
neckar.
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17

A Louisville Ky.) girl, who plays on
the cornet, is said to have discovered
that performers on wind instruments
generally develop dimples in their cheeks,
caused probably by the frequent strain on
the facial muscles, which are brought
into play by the act of blowing. The
clarinet, the dute, the cornet ard the
trombone are all said by the Chicago
Herald to be excellent factors in pro-
ducing this little indentation so often
vainly coveted by artificial means.
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17

Rev. Edward Everett Hale proposes,
states the Christian at Work, that 800
"Christiau supervisors" be appointed to
take care of Boston's 10000 poor and
incapable, and that each Christian SUI
pervisor have an apportionment, of 500
to watch over, for whom he shall admin
lister "religious and sanitary govern
ment" as it is stated, and for whom he
shall be held responsible.
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17
The Life of a Pen.

Joseph elliott, a member Of a we'll
known firm of makers of steel pens,
says that q steel pen Will iass
four months with careful use, but
the important thing is that IF your pen
gets scratchy and doesn't write well,
don't cast it aside for new one lhas
is folly. The pen is not worn out, but
simply tired. Give it rest for DAY or
two; then hold in a gaslight for perhaps
fifteen seconds not longer, and r"sume
vour writing. If you are not pleasantly
surprised at the results, I'll set myse'.
down as poor prophet
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17

! Scandinavia sends to our shores the
fewest illiterate persons less than one
per cent. of the entire emigration from
Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Italy
sends the greatest number, upward of
seventy-fve per cent. of the immigrants
from that country not knowing how to
read or write.
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17

The most daring of the experimeuters
of the last decade of the Nineteenth
Century, perhaps, is Nikola Tesla, who
was unkno wn to the scientific world five
or six years ago, but who to-day is re.
lgarded as second Edison, and who has
achieved more magnificent results than
any half dozen of his contemporaries
lcomhined
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17
JOHN G. SAFE ON WISHING.

Of all amusements of the mind,
From logic dow i to fishing,
There isn't one that you can find
So very cheap as wishing"
A very choice diversion, too,
five but rightly use it,
And not as we are apt to do,
Pervert it, and abuse it.
! wish-a common wish indeed
NY purse were somewhat fatter,
That I might cheer the child of need,
And not my pride to fiatter;
That might make opinion real,
AS only gold can make w.
And break the tyrant's rod of steel,
AS only gold can break it.
Ivish--that sympathy and love
And every human passion
That has its origin above,
Would come and keep in fashion;
That scorn and jealousy and hate,
And every base emotion,
were buried nifty fatnoms deep
Beneath the waves Of ocean!
/ wish--that friends were always true,
And motives always pure;
wish the good were not few,
wish the bad were fewer;
wish that persons ne'er forgot
To heed the pious teaching;
wish that prlcticing was not
So different from preaching!
wish-that modest worth might be
Appraised with truth and candor;
wish that innocence was free
From trelchery and SANDER.
wish that men their VOWS would mind,
That women ne',r were woers;
wish that wives were always kind,
And husbands always Lovers.
wish-in 6ne-that joy and mirth,
, And every good ideal
May come erewhile, throughout the eartl
To be the glorious real;
Till god shall every creature bless
With His supremest blessing,
And hope be lost in happiness
And wishing be possessing.
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17

Rialto, by Setinel Wilkes, dam
Cricket, by Cuyler, is expected to pace
faster than 2.20 this year.
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17

As / was making up the cash one night
several thousand dollars, mostly il
gold dust, but some coin-the wealth
before me called to mind report had
read that morning of an express messen.
ger who took some $50, 900 from Wells,
Fargo & Co.
weighed the gold dust, counted the
coin and placed it in the safe, thinking
all the while about the express messen.
ger, tracing him to remote parts and i'm
agining him living in luxury. AS was
closing the vault-door a mine-owne1
came in. "Wait a minute" said he
'shere is some gold / want to deposit"
weighed it. "I'll make you re-
ceipt," | said.
II don't want your receipt, William
and he was away. His manner and tone
SO expressive of confidence, made me
dislike my thoughts of the moment be-
fore. l meditated. ''Am l too honest
to be tempteds Why was l thinking of
the express messenger" l tried not to.
= ! went to my room by the only stairs
that led to the story above, the foot of
which began not three feet from the
vaults. My room was in the rear, and be-
low my window flowed a mountain
stream, at that season, when the snow
was melting off the mountain, swelled to
some magnitude. "That skiff,"
thought, while watching the waters, "is
the only one in camp. 1t is less than
forty miles to where the railroad crosses
this stream. By horseback the same
point cannot be reached under sixty
miles" checked my thoughts in
horror; what was I thinking off,
| flung myself in chair and closed my
eyes to evade my invisible companion,
the express messenger; but he seemed in
separable. took book and tried to
read. My eyes alone traced the words;
my thoughts ran on; "Furber introduced
me into that Turkey-point' mine. 1
lost all had-his fault. He owes me
something" Then I began to count the
dust we were storing for mine owners.
The Crystal Rock" has about eight
thousand. Yellow Dirt" about five
thousand, the ''Silver Moon between
nine and ten; the house owns over
twenty thousand, besides the shall de-
posts"
Was ] turning thiefa Why was fight
Ing against my thoughts2 Do what I |
would ny mind continued to plan.
Many saioans, blacksmiths shops and
bmsl niass deposited in the Furber |
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17
St. Landry Democrat.
BY L. A. SANDOZ.
Opelousas, . Louisiana.

There are between rs, 900 and $4,000
(colored people living at the National
Capital in Washington, and their wealth
is now very large.
St. Landry democrat., 1893-06-17
MY BURGLARY.

The bugle was placed in the holder
the horses made graceful turn and WI
checked up in front of 1.-THE Nugget,
the leading hotel of Goldtown, a mining
camp at an altitude of some seven thous
and feet in the heart of the Rockies, and
seventy miles by the nearest stage route
from railroad.
After supper of mountain trout and
game felt rested had come to Gold
town in response to Mr. Furber, the pro-
prietor of the general store of the camp.
He wanted bookkeeper and l had an
swered his advertisement. My references
pleased him; he said "come," and | did
50. Mr.. Furber called the evening of
my arrival. / found him q thorough
business man and gentleman, and 10
this writing, now more than seventeen
years later, I have never had occasion to
change my impression: He briefly out
lined my responsibilities and placed a
comfortably-furnished room over the
store at my disposal; thus l was room
ahead, and the store had night guard.
The day following my arrival l began
active duty. The work was abundant,
but the associations were pleasant and
the mountain air exhilarating; 80 on the
whole l was contented. January the
first soon came, and with it handsome
increase of salary. Other Januarys fol-
lowed with greater cares and liberal re-
Enumeration. made friends, was trusted
and was saving money. Mr. Furber con-
suited me regarding various ventures,
and seemed to valde my opinions.
More than four years of devotion to
my employers interests had passed, when
| was informed that | should take entire
charge of the financial affairs of the
house, involving the managership. II
have been en-the lookout for some time"
said Mr.. Furber to me, ''for some invest.
ment for you, William, that would be
safe and net large returns. l think |
can recommend the Turkey point
mine. | was under the ground yester-
day and l find good showings for won
derful future; they are on a vein now
that will assay fully twenty ounces of
silver and four and fraction ounces of
gold. There is some book stock yet;
I will take all that is left unless you
want some Of it,
] had implicit confidence in the bust
ness sagacity and honor of my employer,
and on his recommendation I placed
$6,000-all my savings-in the Turkey
point" Two or three dividends were
paid, then" the mine event blind )" the
vein was only pocket of ore that was
soon exhausted.