davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-28
LARaEsT AND sMALLEsT looks


n B4OOnhBb COu6X ana q Herman Lexicon
of Conversation.
Prof. Max Muller, Of Oxford, in a re-
cent lecture, has called attention to the
largest book in the world, The wonder
full "Kutho Daw." 1t consists Of 720
parts in the SHAPE Of white marble
plates, covered with Inscriptions, each
plate built over With a temple of brick.
1t is found neal the old priest city Of
Mandalay, in Burma, and this temple
city, of more than 700 pagodas, virtual,
ly makes up this monster book, the re
ligous codex Of the Buddhists. In &C.
cordance with the three parts of which
it is composed, generally called in a fig
urative sense baskets" (pitaka), the
whole is often termed "the three bas-
kets" (tripataka), and constitutes a Ii
brary larger than the Bible end Koran
together. AS the Jews figured out that
the Old Testament contained 59,493
words and 2,72S,1o0 letters, so the
Buddhist priests have computed that
the 'Tripitaka" contains 275,25O stanzas
and s,sOs.OO syllables. This monster
book is written in Pail, Rather strange
to say, IL is not an ancient production,
but its preparation was prompted by
the Buddhistic piety Of this century.
1t was erected in 1857 by the command
Of Mindomin, the second OF the last
kings of Burma. AS the influence of
the tropical climate has already married
the inscriptions, a British official, Mr..
Ferrars, proposes to have these 720
plates carefully photographed, and
asked that the government, or some
friend of science able to do so, mike
provisions for this. Prof. Muller urges
that this be done in order to preserve
at least the pictures Of this unique tenn
ple city book.
A noteworthy contrast is furnished
by a recent German literary journal
describing what is probably the small
est book IN the world. This is a Kon-
yersationslexicon," published in Berlin.
and prepared by Daniel Sanders. The
volume occupies the space Of only six
cubic centimeters (.366 cubic inch). al
though it is claimed to contain 175,OO0
words.-Literary Digest,
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-28
s cHooL AND CHURCH.


Archbishop Machray, Of Rupert'-
Land, and climate Of the Anglican
church in Canada, is said to be the tall
est bishop in the world.
-Frenchmen living in London have
petitioned the minister OF public in.
struction to establish there a French
government lycee, and it is believed that
the petition will be granted.
by the burning down Of the exhibi.
ton buildings at Montpelier, France,
the town lost part of its archives, in.
GLIDING the bull Of Pope Urban v. Great
ing the university, and the original
plans of the cathedral.
Capt. Blanche Cox, Of the Salvation
Army, has started a new movement
q cavalry brigade and bicycle corps
composed Of Salvation Army sisters, one
man being taken along to do the rough
work. The party has started from Balti.
more for a tour through the south.
Prof. c. p. Wilcox. Of the chair 81
modern languages ia the University o.
Georgia, who haS just died ID his 74th
year, was regarded as n Of The most
scholarly men hi Georgia. He was
graduate OF Yale, had travelled extern
sitely IL Europe aud spoke several Ian
guages.
-Ayerst Hostel, at Cambridge, Q
building which viii accommodate q
students and which is surrounded By
an acre and a half Of ground, has beer
bought by the duke of Norfolk for the
use Of Roman Catholic theological stu.
dents who may wish to study at the
university.
In an article in the Zukunft on the
relation between religion and crime,
Prof. Lombroso says: "The religions
which serve as a check to crime are
those whose controlling force is a pas
sion for morality and those that are
quite new; the ethical influence Of the
rest is not greater than that of nthe-
ISM"
Among those who will lecture at the
Peabody institute of Baltimore during
the coming winter are Charles Dudley
| Warner, DR.. Schauffler, DR.. Selah Mcr-
rill, Profs. Young, of Princeton; Hale
of Kenwood observatory in the Chicago
university; Keller, of the Allegheny OBJ
servatory; Michaelson, of the Chicago
university; Trowbridge, of Harvard
university, and Profs. Rowland and
Ames, of the Johns Hopkins university.
y. H. Blashtield, Ripley Hitchcock, and
Prof. Ware, of Columbia university, will
lecture on art.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-28
MAKING UP MUSLIN sklaTs.



I've consenisnt WAYS ct Putting In ID
Llnfng ~ E~oundatsen.
There are two ways Of making up
the skirt Of q muslin gown, and each
Ii equally correct. Either the muslin
may be made up as a separate over
skirt, and this is probably the 0 sat-
isfactory fashion, or It may Be tackled to
the silken underskirt and laid with it
into each of the seams. This plan, how
ever, it viii readily be seen, is not quite
so convenient for q washing muslin,
but If batiste or some biscuit-colored
grass lawn be chosen then II may be
made up with the foundation, a con-
dition of affairs which naturally leaves
no risk Of the muslin stretching.
If the two skirts are made up sepa-.
rately the underskirt must be stifEened
about ten inches up 40 the foot IN fronA
and at the back the stiffening must Be
carried right intqthe waist II is nm
desirable to add greatly to the weight
fos summer wear, ana in this case the
underskirt need not necessarily be lined
all the way up. The stin lining-andif
II Is not to be covered, Ailars' canvas
IS white 5 the best fabr - nse-couid
be stitched 70 the alkapon the front
and sides, willie Ii would Be le8 info
thesseams Of the back widths, which are
well gored to remove ell superiuous
fullness at the waist and to allow OF
the whole of the three back widths be-
ing arranged into two small box pIaits
at the waist. The underskirt must be
mounted upon its belt, and the muslin
skirt can be gathered and tackled on
to it, a ribbon band ~conceaIing the head
of the gathers; this band can be re-
moved in a few moments when the skirt
requires tosbe cleaned.
Another plan for mounting the mus
lin skirt in a permanent band is to make
it up in a binding of inch-wide ribbon,
which can be tackled upon the UNDER
skirt belt to keep it in place. In any
case both skirts must reach the band
stage before they are turned up at the
foot, as to do this perfectly it is most
essential that the thin skirt should be
hung over it's properly finished under
skirt, for the purpose of turning it up
correctly, and everyone knows how inn
portant it is to turn up the ordinary
skirt on the figure, or a well-hung skirt
will never be achieved.
Before wearing this dress, after the
muslin frills are arranged, a slight tack
ing under the top one will preventive
weight from drawing such alight fabric
out Of condition. An insertion Of val
e%nciennes lace surmounts the frills, and.
a frill of it is placed at the edge of each
muslin iounce. The muslin frills r
cut upon the cross and hemmed at the
lower edge before the lace is added,
while they are whipped at the top and
drawn up with very slight fullness.
Black and lemon yalenciennes lace are
used %impartially upon muslin; perhaps
the former is a little smarter, and with
book muslin the effect Of it is really
excellents-San Francisco Chronicle.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-28
The Hourna Courier.
EAsTON DUvAL. Publisher.
HoUMA. LOUISIANA
V


Viewing his field Of ripening corn,
Uncle Benjamin, one bright morn,
Raised his heart, full of earnest praise,
10 Him who blesses the harvest days.
Thankful for dew, and rain and sun;
Thankful for strength and labor done;
Thankful his crop, though not the first
dn promise, was surely not the worst.
a critical neighbor came that way;
~GOod-morrow, uncle; a rnre n day!
But It seems to me, somehow, this fall,
Your corn is lookin' a leetle SMALL
"Wel, yes" Uncle Benjamin agreed,
II planted the small ear corn for seed"
Eyes: but it looks so yellow and mean,
Just where II should look fresh and green.''
~Of course said Benjamin. Don't you
mind,
Last spring I planted the yellow kind"
But. uncle, really 1 should say,
If 1 was giyin' a guess to-day,
You won't get more'n a half a crop!
Good-morrow to you-no, I can stop!'
Uncle Benjamin gave a laugh;
-Why, bless o neighbor, twas only
half
This crop was ever coming to me!
4 planted the corn on shares, you see!'
Sydney Dayre, in Golden Days.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-28

He had kept the curiosity shop for
about so years. The old spinning
wheels, sparrow-legged chairs, carved
oak bureaus, china of all sorts, war
medals, watches, coins, ETC., would, nc
doubt, go to the hammer. Moxford
would miss the attractive window OF
No. SO almost as much as the quaint
form of it's late owner.
Peter Battersby and Mrs. Peter were
early on the scene in decent black.
They had extremely comfortable ex-
pectations. To be sure, for the last ten
years they had not interchanged many
words with the late Carmel, who was
Peters only brother; but, as Mrs. Peter
remarked when the of her brother
in-law's death arrived, 'he couldn't for
shame leave his money to anyone else.'
Young Walter Battersby, Mr.. and
Mrs. Peters only son, did not conceal
his joy at his uncle's demise. He told
his boon companions at the Hen and
Chickens that he was in for a, good
thing.
BLOOD, you know, as the saying is,
is thicker than water he said, as he
drained his fourth pint on the evening
Of his avuncular bereavement.
Nor were the three daughters of Mr..
and Mrs. Peter without discreet maid
emily e~lation. Their uncle, while he
lived, was such a figure hat they never
cared to look at him. Besides, he hadn't
! very civil tongue; liked to be caustic
about their h~igh-heeled shoes and ex.
pensive bonnets and hats, and to be
very eager with his inquiries why three
Mr.. Rights did not press for the honor
of their small gloved hands.
1t seemed unlikely, indeed, that a
single tear would be shed for the old
curiosity man.
Of course, there was his only servant
girl, Joan Smith. But she was only ga
~workhouse hussy," 20 borrow Mrs
Peters elegant expression.
With his usual eccentricity, old Car
mel had taken a girl from the Moxford
Union after the death of his elderly
housekeeper, Mrs. Roberts. Joan was
that servant, and she had served him
truly for the last six years, being now
hut %. A quiet, shrinking, dark-eyed
little creature, who had revered her
dead master quite unaccountably, and
devoted herself to him heart and hand
and SOUL Save for Seth Perry, who
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-28
BUREAU UNDER THE eAMeREL.
How One Woman Solved h Problem OF
an Ugly space.

ASH OA0 SAAA 6VANg IA II "a
an Ugly Space.
A practical young matron recently
found herself confronted in the evolu-
ton of her country home by the ugly
slant in the bedroom walls made by a
gambrel roof. The bedroom had no lath
or plaster on the walls-simply rafters
and clapboards-and to place a bureau,
or, indeed, any piece of furniture
against this inclined plane Of ugliness
was to make an awkward effect at once.
Calling upon a carpenter, she ordered
him to put in bureau drawers across the
whole side of the room under the gam
brel, carrying them up to about half
the distance between floor and ceiling.
The lowest drawers were, of courss very
deep, extending far in under the caves
they were delightful depths, in which.
you could lay the skirt of a dress, folded,
once Each drawer above decreased
gradually in size until the last were
small receptacles for handkerchiefs and
gloves-the little things which make a
"glory hole" of the most top drawers.
A ten-inch shelf, neatly beveled along
the edge and made prettily neat with
frilled muslin covers afforded more
space than is usual for the necessary
toilet, silver, cut glass bottles and pow
der box. The one broad window on that
side of the room, with a Grecian lat
ticed easement, looking out upon the
water, Immediately became a fascinat-
ing window recess by reason of the
building out Of these deep bureau
drawers. Vita an upholstered platform
seat and pillows it is a haven not only of
rest, but a thing of picturesque effect.
To cover the floor with a white mat
ting and. a couple Of blue and white
Japanese rugs; to give the whole room.
Cncluding the h~igh-post single bed,
turned out for seven dollars at the plan
ing milD a coat of blue paint; to hang
blue and white Japanese drapery at the
windows and as valances round the bed
and washstand; to cover the bedroom
screen and frill the little chair pillows
with this same cool, washable material,
which retails for a song-all this was to
give the freshest, most summer-like. as
pect to a room whose decorative possi-
bilities at one time seemed well-nigh
hopeless.-N. Y. Tribune.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-28

and darling, Walter, she climbed the
stairs to Joan's ittle attic, and took a
hammer with her.
Its the very kind Of spiteful thing
he'd be likely to do, she said. ''bnt I'll
not stand it-robbing his own flesh and
blood for a workhonse brat
Mr.. Peter left her to her v devices.
He, Mr.. Craven, and the three vexed
Indeed, insulted) girls went away to-
gether.
Then Mrs. Peter studiously searched
Joan's attic from wall to wall. She
turned out the girls one tin box, looked
in the drawer of the washstand, ripped
up the palliasse outrageously ana
threw the straw all about and treated
the bolster with equal brutality.
There vas also a handsome old oak
wardrobe that would have graced even
a royal bedchamber. This wa for
Joan's three or four poor frocks
1t was quite laughable to see how
mother and son tapped and probed this
antique piece Of furniture. They even
knocked off the head of a lion in relief
at the top of it, to see if there was u
secret cavity behind the head.
But the wardrobe taught them no
more than the palliasse and the bolster.
well, I'm off to the Hen and Chicks
ems" said Walter Battersby at length.
Eve had enough of this
So, too, had Mrs. Peter, for there was
not an article in the room that she had
not thoroughly tested.
The sun was still well above the
cemetery hill when Seth called at No.
50, in his workaday CRIME and his work
aday grease.
sArt ready, my lass?" he inquired If
Joan.
The girl began to make xcuse
tits not right, Seth, to leave the house
with no one in it. He wouldn't have
liked it." she said.
EEAa
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-28
A Fatal Adn,IssIon.

The earnest-looking man in the hotel
Office laid down his paper. He had been
reading Of a lynching, and there was q
fine glow Of Indignation on his face
Human life" said he to the man next
10 him, SIS held at too cheap a rate
too cheap a rate, sir"
fright you arr, my frierd-right you
arc" said the other man, in tones Of
eager ac-quiescence. Here you a &c
and put $4,000, $4,000 or $4,000 on
your life in u company at rates Sc
cheap that i almost blush to mention
them to you. Allow me-" he continued
digging into his pockets, and bringing
out a handful of circulars, ito offer you
a few leaflets whichswin elucidate-'
But the earnest man was fleeing al
that very moment.-Cineinnati En-
Quirer.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-28

trusted he replied, land it is for him
to act as he pleases, he says
Mr.. Cameron was the Moxford lawyer
who had charge of the old curiosity
mans affairs.
Two or three others now arrived, In
Guiding the lawyer, Mr.. Hurst. the
Methodist New Connection minister,
and old Craven, the silversmith.
Then the High street enjoyed its lit
tic sensation as the hearse and three
coaches solemnly passed along it to the
cemetery on the hill.
Joan viewed the start from the bach
entry with fearful eyes. She was period
ically convulsed with sobs. She watched
the procession al long as she could
The void of her life was immense.
So much so, indeed, that even the
soothing voice Of Seth Perry, who hat
come upon her unawares, had no eff
feet on her at first.
"Never mind, lass" said Seth
''things'H al come out right"
She answered him only with tears.
Hes boun' to ha' left you summat
Joan, my lass. to remember him by.
and, whether or no, you've only tospeal
the word. and theirs one as II be proud
to have YOU"
Seth, | can't talk with you now . sh,
said, showing him her damp face anC
bright eyes.
"Nor come home and take your din
ner with my mother, Joan?"
NO, no. / mustn't go yet. Theyf
turn me out soon, I know; but l mus
stay till then"
well, lass said Seth, "you know
best; but I'm fair aching for you, anC
this night as is I'll fetch you home"
He took her in his arms in the pas
sage, up which so many antique articles
had travelled during the last balf cen
fury, and kissed her wet cheeks.
"And now l mum get back 10 work.
he said.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-28

worked for the Moxford Tin Plate com
.pany, she had no one else to care for.
Mr.. and Mrs. Peter found No. s nice-
uy prepared for the funeral. There was
also a rather clumsy wreath of wild
hyacinths and buttercups on the coffin.
The idea Of such a thing as thatl"
exclaimed Mrs. Peter, touching the
-Nreath with the tip of her parasol.
Joan was near at the time. She burst
into tears at these words.
"Please, ma'am," she said, II should
$50 like it to go with him. Ipicked them
all myself"
1T shall do nothing of the kind, then;
sand your place is in the kitchen, not IN
the parlor. retorted Mrs. Peter.
Joan retired, crying bitterly; anil
Mrs. Peter flung the wreath into a cor
ancr.
The wench ought not to be allowed
10 leave this house, Peter she said, Sc
xerely, without being searched. The
idea of her being with all these vallybles
-all alone, too
But Peter was not as cruel as his
wife.
Cameron says she is entirely to be
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-28

~
Anybody at all familiar witk the d,az
ties Of an American consul, anybody
who knows what Is expected Of him
by the department Of state and what hs
is called upon to do BY the public, VIII
agree that he should neither be tho
product nor the victim 81 capr;cioua po
litical partisanship. He should be an
pointed upon his merits after careful
examination and retained upon the
same basis. There should be d careen
for the consul. There should be reward
Of merit and be should suffer for IN
competency. Primarily the consul
should be a gentleman, meaning thereS
by an honorable and educated man. IA
miliar with the amenities and graces Of
good society. The next and Absolutely
necessary requirement should Be a.
intelligent knowledge Of the language
Of the post to which he is assigned. HI
need not be q professor of German 81
French or Spanish or Italian. but ha
should be able to speak and write inieI
ligently the language Of the country -
which he is OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-28
Said Il to HIS Face.

Mother (reprovingly) - Willy, You
should never talk behind anyone's back.
Backbiting is a mean sin. If you. ever
have cause to say anything against an
other hoy say it to his face.
Mother (as Willy comes in an hour
later with torn and dusty clothes, and
his face adorned with a handsome black
eye)-Why, what in the world has hap
pened to you, Willy?
Willy (between ~sobs)-Why-er-er
Il had something to say against Mickey
Brannigsn. and | took your advice and
said it before his face.-London Spare
Moments.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-28
Yerr PaIarnhIa.

A new cheese dish that may be served
with crisp water crackers or unsweet-
ened waters, or that may be turned
from little individual molds on crisp
leaves of lettuce covered with a French
dressing, is made from four tablespoons
fuls of dry and rich grated cheese mixed
with whipped cream and gelat;ne. Use
a pint of the cream, add to il a table
spoonful of gelatine after it is dissolved,
and mix thoroughly. Season with salt,
red pepper and a very little mustard.
Serve when cold and hard.-N. Y. Pest
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-28
INDIAN moor. i ths soudnn.

The cost Of sending Indian troops to
the Soudan will be about $.50,000. Up
to the present time 3.725 Indian troops
have arrivedat Suakim, with s2l horses,
1853 mules and provisions for three
months. 1t is understood that no more
troops will be Eent from India to Su.
ukim until the middle OF September
Chicago Inter Ocean.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-28
A Curious Loan.

A man in London is making a lot Of
none BY lending out a $1,000 Bank
of Fl nd note for swell weddings, 70
be exhibited as the gift % the brides
father. a mansis semi along to watch
the note, and can be made 7ery useful
in exhibiting the presents Fran,
cisco Chronicle.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-28

swell, Charlie said his aunt, aa shs
met him on his return from the SUM-
mel hotel, what did you do with your.
self all summer?v
ooh, / was Iosin' my hat about hale
the time said Charlie.
Indeed And what did You do TIA
other haif?"
"Oh, I spent that lookia' for nv hn
-Harper's Round Table.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-28
OLD BATTERsBYs FORTUNE.

He High street of
Moxford was in
terested this June
day in the funeral
of old Carmel Bat
tersby, whose pic
turesque hobble
and long gray
locks would e V
again enliven the
street,
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-28

deacon, there certainly was water Is
that milk you sold MS this morning.
Muster been from that big yalIer
COW that fell inter I'll creek. Fornot
al about that Detroit Free Ptss
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-28
III.

Mrs. Peter Battersby did something
else before she left No. SO.
Together. with her disappointed ton
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-28

The following, by nev. r. C. Barr, d
reputable writer, is from the North
British Monthly Register for March,
1850: Early this year (176O) there was
brought to Avignon a true nthophagus,
one stone eater. He not only swal.
lowed fints an inch long and a half an
inch thick. but such other stones as he
could reduce to powder with his teeth,
such as common pebbles, gravel, sand,
etc. The softer stones he chesved with
his teeth until they were reduced to a
sort of paste, which seemed very agree
able to this queer creatures digestive
apparatus. = His 9aliya was
very corrosive, so much 50 that scrub
bling compounds would rot clean the
spots which were made by his splitting
on the iron aoor.-Chicago Chronicle.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-28

"A Vermont Joke.-One of our build
ers was asked the other day il that
Empty house of his just erected on.
Winooski avenue was his last. eYes,s
be said, ''my last, but not leased
Burlington Sun.
The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1896-10-16
Neche.

SNSV0Os
The body OF John Gym was laid in
the cemetery on Friday in the pres
ence of very large number of spmpa-
thizing friends. The funeral services
were held in the Presbyterian church.
Mr.. Gym leaves his family in very
comfortable circumstances, and while
the failure of his crop this year I'M
doubleday worried him, yet as he was
practically out of debt, there was no
real reason for anxiety on bis part.
Everyone expresses tine deepest SYM
pathY for the family IN their sorrow.
Paul DuChaillu, the famous travel
Ter, writer and lecturer, favored us
with address on Wednesday evening
IN Faench. Mr.. DuChaillu is said to
be able to converse fluently in twenty
nine languages. His address here and
at Leroy the night before was on the
currency question and was largely
illustrated by examples of the evil re-
suits Of debased currency in the many
countries in which the lecturer had
travelled. He was favored with large
and attentive audiences at both
places.