The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-21

hEoW ner, she lived near us quite awhile,
Grace Harris also lived BY us. l expect
l was IN the same class with that little
"tarheel's" cousin. but she has moved
away now. Her name is zillah Suthern,
wonder If any OF the Haps were at Tenn
pie on the 2lst. when the Texas veterans
met? wish / had been there. S. b. Bos-
tick is my uncle. but have never seen
him. expect / am taking up too much
space for stranger, so wishing the Haps
and MIR. Post success. ! Will go. Your
friend. Lena Secrest.
Lampasss. Dear Haphammer; Little
Jimmie, your letter was splendid for one
so young. ! will be glad when you get
your artificial leg, and hope 1t will bring
you much happiness.
Our contest is progressing very nicely.
but l am surprised to see how few vote
for our brave Travis and his men OF the
Alamo. Indeed, Houston was brave man,
but Houston never died for his country,
neither did he win the battle of San ia
cinto alone, but 700 other brave men were
there just as brave as he. One was Deaf
Smith. Having gene so near the enemy's
line, by the stumbling of his horse, he
was thrown into the midst of the Mex
leans, AS ne was about TO be run through
with saber he drew his pistol and aimed
at the Mexican, but missed fire He then
threw the weapon at his foes head, and
as the man staggered back leaped up aud
sna;ched away the saber and began fight
ing right and left. And Sherman was at
San Jacinio and was the first TO say: Re
member the Alamo" Neither did Houston
capture Santa Anna, but other brave men.
AS | said, Houston was brave and de.
serves much praise, but do not think one
man should receive all the glory OF that
great battle.
Travis is my favorite OF all Texas he
roes, but will by no means say he was
any Drawer than the others There was
/ brave Crockett, who was the last to die
/ for his country. It was he who said. 81
think We had better march out and die in
! the open air" Bowie, though too weak to
rise from his bed. shot two nends who
were preparing to kill hfn, Few in mum
her were the defenders of the Alamo, but
strong in courage.
Felicia May Pope.
Gregory, Texas.--Dear Haphammer:
Well, Haps, II has been good while
since | wrote 10 you. Yesterday We had a
big rain We we're surely needing rain
The farmers had planted their cotton and
It was needing rain very badly And Oh
how the flowers will grow and the garden
We have lots OF flowers. Our roses are in
bloom now. Roses are my favorite flowers
Papa has a large crop in | expect tC
helm gather u when 1t comes in Well,
Mr.. Hap I will write on "Contentmenl.'
Few things in life are more desirable thar
contentment. Indeed a contented spr
is divine inheritance No matter how
GOD places Us we should be- content
Where 1t rs moi a gift contentment cal
and should be acquired. for one discon
tented person can upset \ hundred, ant
how we dislike TO he upset There Is NJ
part Of your character which has more /,
In ptnv 49,
and II nature has not given it to you It /
your prime duty 10 cultivate and develo
IT. Perseverance makes perfection" 4
an aphorism old as the hills, yet II can h
made to suit this case perfectly No maj
ter what we undertake however difficult
II we persevere we come out victor. s.
II we practice contentment in our dali
life we will find IT easy after awhile.
would like to correspond with a girl a
my age. ! like the contest Mr. HIM ha
given us. ] think Travis is the one I Wi
vote for, as he fell so bravely AT tn
Alamo with his men. a true Han.
Matte J.. IarrelI.
Wichita Falls, Texas-Dear Hapham
, mer; Mr.. Philip Webster says ought t
tell the Haps about The prairie dog.
mink probably several or possibly goo
many Of the Haps have never had th
chance to see one Of these amusing llttl
\ animals and might want to know some
Y thing more about them, so | will TAX
Nhis for my subject TO write upon. TIL
I Nrairie dog is an interesting species I
&rmot and inhablts that part of Mort
America lying between the Rocky noun
= tainA and the 9sth meridian. II resemble
, a squirrel in appearance and has soft RED
' dish g\ay fur IL has very short ear
short lNs and a tail in proportion.
n being onN about three inches long. The
v are about\ the size of squirrel thong
sometimes they grow no larger than
b good sized rat. They dig holes in II
. ground and these holes are supposed
" range FROM fifteen to thirty feet in dept
a but | thinJ twenty feet is about the ave-
r age depth. The name prairie dog seen
p 10 have beEn given this little animal fro
Il its frequett utterance OF a sound som,
n what like the bark Of a very young pupp
r. They do mot inhabN the rich grass Coz
I. cred regions where the buffalo used
Is feed, but where the soil Is poor and a
IS fords comparatively scant yegetatio
p Here they are to be found in vast nun
" bers and you can often count fifty or mo
IN sitting at the top of their holes az If
s. watch; but as soon as you make mo
g to do them harm, hey pop into the
"a holes with amazing rapidty and keep
A. their chattering as they travel dowuwar
2, To keep tho water out Of their homes tn
e. bank the dirt around their holes som
or times foot or more In height and ofte
II times you can see a whole level p.n
d, covered with these little hlllocks. The
cities. as | Will call them, present see
IS OF activity and hustle. They feed
s. grass. but they are also great crop d
OF stroyers and sometimes clean up an emit
wheat field. Archer county has probaf
lost 1000 acres or more Of grass, for
r: every prairie dog town the grass has be
II completely destroyed by these little m
NJ creants and fer this reason the people q
o,, now trying to get rid OF them. They IA
~ several compartments 10 their homes a
II In these they store their supply OF 70
IL for the winter The prairie dog has FRI
q four TO eight young ones In a litter. IN
IN have a good many enemies. the m
or dreaded OF them being man and the Fatt
3 snake When the rattesnake makes
ls, appearance IN one OF their holes they Co
no him up and leave him to die OF s,arYaii
'et nice way to treat the rattlesnake, Is
/ it2 S1me people say they make nice ~
az. but as far as / am concerned ! w3
an rather have a pet rat vote FOR no
Ie. ton, because ! know be was the bray
nv as we'll as the greatest Of the many TIE,
50 heroes, You say Travis and his men q
he for their country. Well say hous
ed hved for his country and ala more ioi
ad than any other man. He shaved MS go
me age and bravery at the battle OF san
at einto. where he fought and conquered
on fresh and well equipped Mexican SOFA