davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04
The Freedom of the City of London.

What the cables properly call a
quaint ceremony has been repeated
in London, when the freedom of the
city vas given to General Lord
Kitchener, the hero of the Soudan and
the popular British fancy of the day.
In all ceremonials connected with the
ancient city Of London the guilds or
trade organizations play the most
conspicuous part. It is then that
peers and peeresses have to take a
back seat and Mr.. and Mrs. Butcher,
Baker and Candlestick-maker are very
much in evidence. In the instance of
h%onoring Lord Kitchener it devolved
upon the representatives Of the
butcher, the barber and stationers to
inspect the Sirdar and pronounce him
to be a fit and proper person to re-
ceived the freedom of the city, The
sword of honor which in the case of a
soldiers being honored always goes
with the freedom is n of the most
highly priced possessions in the gift
of the British people, and only goes
to him who has prominently won
the right to bear it.-New York Tele.
gram.
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04
The Kaiser's Chest Protectors.

A Berlin newspaper says the orders
Of decoration borne by the Emperor of
Germany r worth a little over $780,
900. His principal and most valued
decorations are the insignia of the
Black Eagle, s.the Order of St. John,
of the Garter and of the Toison dor.
In all he has over 200 crosses, stars,
badges and other insignia. It is said
that he takes them with him on all his
journeys and voyages, his hunting ex-
peditions excepted. The Golfer con.
tanning the decorations is in the con-
slant care of an officer of the court,
who accompanies the Kaiser every
where. On returning to Berlin the
Golfer is locked up with the crown
jewels in the treasury.
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04

bather being his or her own amusing
trick mule. If you are in shallow
water and endeavor to sit down you
slide out from under yourself with a
speed and grace that suggests hidden
acrobatic qualities. If you are float
ing and attempt to regain a standing
posture you are as apt to land on your
head as on your feet.
Very few persons ever dive in this
water nor than once. At first it is
tempting, but not so much so after
you emerge with your eyes filled with
salt, burningat q rate that threatens
total blindness, while you reach for q
portion Of your bathing suit to wipe
and soothe the burning members, and
only add to your misery by augment
ing the salt deposit. It's a terrible
parliamentary out in the PARISH
blind as o bat, totally unable to rt5sA 5
your h%athhouse, not q dry germe -:
anywhere to be had-salt, nothing but
salt-with the aggravatipy presence
Of thousands of fellow bathers who, it
seems, could possibly offer andfsabled
friend some assistance, some relief,
but who are powerless, as their bath
ing costumes and fingers gro just as
salty as your own, and, being accus-
toned to such scenes, they merely
stand by and laugh and make provok-
ing suggestions. But the old-timers
know a remedy for this affection, and
it isn't a patent one, either. 1t is free
and simple knowledge easily enough
acquired, if you but have the oppor-
tunity, before your knowledge of your
skill as a diver impels you to demon
strate your ability to fellow bathers
and lookers-on. It consists, first, in
getting your eyes saturated with salt
water, and at the critical moment
just as you are about to go blind and
the unsympathetic crowd is laughing
loudest at your sufferings and appar-
ent OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES a little pres
ence of mind, bear the pain heroically,
place the index finger of each hand
we'll back into the mouth, and suck
them with all the skill acquired in in
fancy until the solution on them is
thoroughly weakened and removed;
don't 'swallow the solution, but dis
pose of it in the most natural and con
venient way, and then, with the Fingers
thus cleansed, gouge the eyes indus
triously and triumphantly into the
corners, and you will find that the re-
suit is almost as satisfactory as it
would have been had you had a towel
and fresh-water bath.
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04
Manufacturing a Cause,

There are many stories told about
the manner in which secretaries in the
different departments are hampered
by what is known as regulations, law
and general red tape. An instance of
this occurred the other day in the
Navy Department. A case had been
presented to Secretary Long concern
ing an enlisted man, who went into
the navy as a sailor at the beginning
of the war, but as there did not seem
to be any near prospect of any further
fighting the mar wanted to return to
his family and his old occupation. To
the Secretary it was a %meritorious case,
and he decided to issue a discharge for
the man. He called in an officer from
the navigation bureau and made known
his wishes. cit can't be done, Nh.
Secretary" said the officer. "a sailor
cannot be discharged except for cause"
The Secretary sent for the chief of the
navigation bureau. II want to have
this man discharged from the navy"
he announced. The chief knit his
brows and replied: "Mr. Secretary.
the law and regulations are very strict;
a man cannot be discharged from the
navy except for cause" The Secre-
tary was not yet satisfied, and re-
quested the attendance of the Judge
advocate general. the law officer of the
department.. els there any way in
which a man may be discharged from
the navy?" asked the Secretary. ooh,
yes" answered the lawyer, "any man
can be discharged for cause" "Not
otherwise?" asked the Secretary. IT
am anxious to have this man dis
charged" WELL" answered the
judge advocate, 'the law says-a man
cannot be discharged from the navy
except for cause, and the reason stated
in his discharge" The Secretary
looked at the officer for a moment and
then said, with a twinkle in his eye:
"Make out this mans discharge" and
added, after a slight hesitation. "be-
cause it rained yesterday morning."
The man has received his discharge
Washington Star.
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04

In the exploitation of California
fruit-growing the extension of apple
culture in that State has been some.
what overshadowed. Yet it is as re-
markable in its way as is the progress
made in citrus cultivation. Thirty
years ago ranchers iourneyed 100
miles from the southern part of the
State to purchase, at high prices, a
winters scanty supply Of Eastern dried
apples. Now in southern Santa Cruz
County alone there are 400, 900 apple
trees, Of which $50, 900 are in bearing,
while Monterey County is credited
with 10, 900 acres in orchard. The
seasons crop is estimated at 1900 car.
loads, which will find consumers not
only in nearly every State of the
Union, but also in Europe, Asia and
Australasia. The picking, packing
and shipping of this immense output
have grown into a special industry of
large proportions, which is almost
entirely controlled by slays.
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04
Desolate Cape Horn.

Cape Horn, with its steep, black
summit, 500 feet above the surface of
those storm-troubled southern seas,
stands like a grim, watchful sentinel
on the southernest island of the
Fuegian archipelago, south of South
America. It was discovered by
schooten, 1915, and named after his
birthplace in the Netherlands. It
now belongs to Chile, although for
merly it was owned by the Argentine
Republic. A more dreary, desolate
stretch of coast could not be found in
navigation, and its waters have sub
merged many valuable cargoes and
cost thousands of valuable lives. No
matter how fair the weather may be
on the approach OF c chip, it changes
SO suddenly and with such intensity
that even the most trustworthy bar
ometer fails to indicate anything but
the preceding calm, the mercury act
ing as If ~bewildered, rising and fall.
ing several inches in q few hours or
remaining in a fixed condition. This
indicates the disturbance of the at
mosphere when the wind blows from
all quarters at once, a popularity of
weather not eqyaled in the China
Seas. when the typhoon RACES and the
barometer announces its coming. The
phenomenon of one ship-where two
were speaking each other in passing
sailing in fine weather, and an
other in a stiff gale, has been observed
at the same time. One ship laid to
in a gale for seventy days.-Chicagc
Times-Herald. .>
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04

When American capital and enter.
prise have been at work a little while
in Cuba and Porto Rico Spain will
open her eyes at the mine Of wealth
that for centuries lay untroubled at
her feet. She may not mourn her lost
opportunities for developing a people,
but she certainly will regret her lost
chance for big receipts in the shape of
taxes. 1t will be part of her reproach
among nations to see her former
colonies grow rich and prosperous
under her eyes, but forever out of her
reach,
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04

From a,return showing the contri-
buttons of England and Scotland and
Ireland to the revenue for 1878 it
appears that taking the aggregate rev.
enue England contributed 1928, Scot
land 12.65, and Ireland 8.S2 per cent.
To customs the amounts contributed
were respectively 1886, 9.S5 and
10. 70. To inland revenue England
contributed 85.37, Scotland 10. II and
Ireland 6.2S. The percentage of ex-
penditure was 62.O4 on imperial SER
vice, 28.42 on England, 4.OS on Scot
land, and 5.46 on Ireland.
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04

That is a novel and an interesting
experiment in rural postal delivery
which the Postofice Department has
decided 20 try in Maryland. A travel
ing postofice, in the form of a wagon
drawn by horses, is to be driven over
a route running through several small
towns, making connection with a rail-
road at the end of it's circuit. The
driver acts as postmaster, collecting
and delivering mail at boxes along
the road and selling stamps and
money orders. In the more thickly
settled country districts of the East
this extention of the free delivery sys-
tenn ought to prove a success.
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04

For the first time in the history of
u foreign trade, direct steamship
communication is now being estab-
lished between the United States and
Russian ports. This will mean the
avoidance of trans-shipment, and
also cheaper freights for our import
ers. The direct benefit to agricu1-
ture will be small, as there is little
interchange Of farm produce between
the two countries.
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04
mus,c on the Batt1ereId.

The first use of field music Of which
we have absolutely authentic informa-
ton was at the battle of Bou7ines, that
village of French Flanders where the
French have won no fewer than three
yictories-Philip Augustus defeating
Otto ". of Germany there in 1914,
Philip Of Valois defeating the English
there in 1910, while in 1894 TIP French
defeated the Austrians at 1Jhe eame
place, 1t was at Bouvines, m 1914, that
trumpets sounded the ishal for tho
victorious French charge, The first au-
thentic instance of a COMMAND given
by a trumpet call.
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04
Sugar Cane in Delaware.

It is said that sugar cane grown in
Delaware will yield 5000 pounds ofre-
fined product to the acre, compared
with $500 pounds, the best results
from beets in California. This state
ment is made after experiments in the
Delaware Agricultural Station.
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04

Transatlantic postage at two cents
seems within reach, and if the Euro
pean nations with whom we corre-
spond most a keep the peace for a
year or two it may be al accomplished
fact. We send about -, 900, 900 letters
annually to England alone, and with
q reduction from five cents to two
cents we should reach at least 3d.
600, 000. What do they all find to
SAW
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04
Popula, izinc the Spanish Language

The opening Of the new school year
was marked in many of our public
schools and colleges by the introduce
ton of Spanish in the list of regular
studies. Within a few years the STUDY
of this language has met with mucn
favor among progressive educators.
During the past summer our sailors
and soldiers have provided us with
business, new in the way OF having
never been worked with the SKILL
push and highly developed methods
of the American man Of business.
whether financier, commercial factor
farmer or mechanic Of any kind.
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04

M. de Rougemont's, or Grin's, story
about his alleged adventures in Cen.
trail Australia has been exploded.
This author, having been demonstrated
to be untruthful, should now recast
his material, add a heroine and call
the result a novel of adventure.
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04

How those Latin races stick up for
"retiring with dignity!' In the
Fashoda incident, France finds her.
self in very much the same case that
Spain was when we told her to get out
of Cuba. If Spain had walked fast
earlier she might not have had. to run
later. .
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04

Woman, simply as woman, is q
benefcent force. She smoothes the
rugged pathway OF life for men and
makes the earth tolerable when every
thing else fails. Woman individually
is unselfsh; she does not seek to ex.
plot her sex at the expense of the
other-
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04

It is stated that the merchandise
carried by rail in the United States is
double the amount Of land carriage of
ell the other nations of the earth COM
bined. This means that the 70, OOO,-
900 people of the United States trans
port twice as much merchandise as
the remaining 1,40O, 900, 900 of man
Kind
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04
A Cruel Awakening.

Miss Lovey-Ah, no, Harry, it can
never be. Jack locked that bracelet on
forever and kept the key. Mr.. Hazard
If you want to get out Of it say so.
Every fellow in the class gave a girl
one and our keys are all alike.-Jew-
elers' Weekly.
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04

Readers of recent popular dialect
tales will probably take it for granted
that this sentence is Scotch. 1t Is,
however, Cornish, and being inter-
preted means, II caught my foot in the
pavement, and struck the nape of my
neck, and I was not able to sWallo"
for a fortnight"
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04
OPELOUsAs. LOUISIANA.

Young Mr.. Joseph Letter, OF Chi
cago, has taken to literature with q
view of winning back the few millions
he dropped in trying to corner the
wheat market. Mr.. Letters intentions
are honorable.
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04

The value Of newspaper as IN
advertising medium consists in
its circulation.
When you can secure the com.
bined circulation Of two papers
for the price Of one, it is money
saved!
"The st. Landry Democrat"
was consolidated on the Sd of
March, 1894, with The Opelou.
sas Courier" The advertising
rates have not been increased
while the price of subscription
has been reduced to 81 q year.
THE COURIER being by odds
the best paper in the empire Par.
ish OF st. Landry is therefore thu
cheApast.
The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04
HOTEL DENECHAUD

Gs1. RordtAe aaa Ca4eAAsSss ~
Nnw 0ikLkANa
American ana Eusepeaa Plans.
, &hh HetAa has Just been selaSkSd sna Isups
yate&. Al etsstrtS elavatss 40 ali Ne&ofa -
eeeeensats Aays 80 $1,000 Il ~ Sxa41ak :.
Evening star., 1899-03-14

toward me! This made me feel kind O.
spooky, but 1 grabbed an oar, and as soon
as the uncanny fowl, pulling its best to go
in the opposite direction, but all the while
lessening the space between us, got within
reach, 1 gave it a blow that broke its neck.
l reached out and picked the dead bird up
The set line was hanging out of its mouth
yet, and 1 went to hauling in my recovered
property, pleased to think that l was going
to get 1t back so easily. But the property
didn't come back SO easily. after all. In
fact, I had to fight and struggle for half
an hour before l got it all in.
There was good reason why had to do
all that fighting, for there were six five
pound pickerel on the line, each one doing
its best to prevent me from hauling it in.
But 1 got the line in, pickerel and all. and
marveled no longer over the looms queer
performances. Attracted by the six baited
hooks on the line as the loon trolled it
through the water while making it's first
rise from the pond, the six pickerel had
each grabbed one and got hooked. Twelve
pounds of bird being no match for thirty
pounds of fish. the loon had to stop and
let the pickerel pay it as they liked [
don't think L was ever SO proud over any
catch l was over those six fve-pound
pickerel. They were dandies / had the
loon mounted, as you see it there. But 1t
isn't the loon I care so much for. 1t is the
remarkable fishing l had the day l cap
tured the critter that tickles me-"
Evening star., 1899-03-14
Recruiting in France.
From Chambers Journal.

Every year about 100000 Frenchmen
reach the age of twenty After the ply
sically unfit, and those who are exempt
urder any of the other clauses, have been
weeded out, the actual number of men
required to maintain the standard strength
of the army is chosen by ballot They
spend three years in the active army. They
are then dismissed from permanent service
and return to civil life. But for the fol-
lowing ten years they are numbered among
the reserve of the active army. They are
then drafted into the territorial army for
six years; at the conclusion of which they
pass into the territorial reserve for another
six years. Not until the age of forty-five
does a Frenchman become free from all
obligation to the military service; for thr-
teen years he is liable to be called upon to
serve either at home or abroad, and for the
following twelve years to defend his coun-
try against invaders.
No exemption can be purchased. Unless
a conscript is exempt either on the ground
of physique or for family reasons he is
bound to serve his twenty-five years, Until
1890 there was class of conscripts known
as ''one-year volunteers" These were men
of good education, who Were allowed to
purchase their discharge after one years
service. The extent to which conScription
has militaried France may be gathered
from the fact that every fourth male is
serving or has served in the army.
Evening star., 1899-03-14
DANCING THIEVES.
Thefts Committed at the Paris Hotel
de Vile Ball.

From the London Standard.
curious document has just been laid
before the Paris municipal council. 1t con-
sists of a list of the objects which were
missing on the morrow of the ball given
recently at the Hotel de Vile by the coun-
cilors to their electors and friends. Some
1000 guests were invited, and between
them they made off with six dozen silver
spoons and 6S6 miscellaneous articles, from
plates to mustard pots, from flower vases
to napkins, removed from the buffet. Not
few of the dancers. too, took their cham
pagne away by the bottle in preference to
consuming it on the spot. To crown all,
the report announces that chair was
spirited away. 1t is ai17rsSted that this
feat establishes a record. Otherwise the
results are considered satisfactory, 'the
losses being less this year than on previous
occasions
The fact is. these balls at the Hotel de
Vile are the strangest gatherings. AS may
readily be imagined. the friends of a mu-
nictpal councillor are often of the most pie
beian extraction, while as to his electors
they may be anything whatever. More
over half the persons who attend the ball
what the function is. many of the people
who receive tickets give them away to
their shopkeepers, their servants, or their
concierge. who in turn are as likely as not
to sell them to the highest bidder. The re-
suit is a crowd of the most extraordinary
composition Its appearance, too, Is pecul-
iar as, though most of the dancers are at
pains to put on their best clothes evening
dress is very far from general.
Evening star., 1899-03-14
JAMES ". RATCLIFFE, AUCr1oNEER.
TRUSTEES SALE OF THE IN
TER-OCEAN BUILDING.

By virtue of a certain deed Of trust to u.s. dated
October 10, 1898 and duly recorded in Liber 23iO
at folio i6S et seq. OF the land records the Dis
trict Of Columbia and the request Of the party
sell at public auction, in front OF the preises on
FRIDAY. THE SEVENTEENTH DAY OF MARCH
1888, AT -FOUR O'CLOCK PM. the following de.
serihed land and premises. situate In the city of
mated the north thirty eight feet front on 9th
st by the full depth Of hundred and seven
tlOJ Ieet two ~ inches Of original lot numbered
twenty three t23i. IN square numbered three hun
same AZ the northeast corner Of said lot and run
ming thence south thirtyeight t3S) feet; thence
west one hundred and seven 900 feet two (2l
inches 10 an alley: thence north said alley
and seven 400 feet two 81 inches TO 9th st. and
the place OF beginning improved by a large office
building; subject, however. to an Indebtedness of
$50 Geo secured by deed Of trust bearing date Feb
ruary 20 1891 and recorded in Liber No. 2203. at
folio % et seq, OF the land records Of said Dis
trict. with interest from the last payment on ac-
count thereon. the date Of which will be announced
the sale.
Terms Of sale: one-thir,i of the purchase money
TO be paid in cash. and the balance in two equal
installments, payable in and two years with
interest at per centum per snnum payable semi
annually fIou day Of sale. for which notes of the
purchaser to be given, secured by deed of trust
upon the property sold, or all cash at the option
Of the purchaser. deposit Of $500 will be re-
qured OF the purchaser at the time Of sale All
conveyancing stamps, recording and notarfal fees
the cost OF the purchaser. Terms Of sale to lie
complied with within ten days from day Of sale
otherwise trustees the right to resell the
property the risk and cost of the defsulting pur-
chaser.
MAHI on ASHFORD. Trustee,
CLARENCE A BRANDENBCRG, Trustee.
r. Quincy SMITH, Trustee.
mh6-d&ds
Evening star., 1899-03-14
INDIANA's ERRATIC RIVER.
crossed by Railroads Ofteper Than
ANY Stream in the World
From the Chicago Inter-ocean.

From the Chicago Inter-Ocean
What is the name of that river?" asked
a traveller on one of the trains on the I,ouis-
vile division of the p, c., c. and ST. L, the
other day, as it was swiftly going north.
White river
Silence and the smoke Of cigars prevailed
Tor little while until another bridge ami
apparently another river were crossed.
once more the query came: What river
is this?'
White river
See here. neighbor," and the man. evil
gently kentuckian sat up straight in
White riyer?"
To the uninitiated traveller il certainly
seems as II there We're no less than a few
hundred White rivers in Indiana. for this
otherwise rather insignificant stream a.
crossed by more railroads and oftener than
any other river in the world. The Louls-
vile. the indianapolis and various other di-
visions OF the r.. G. c. and St. L. cross It.
some OF them as often as three times The
Monon, the Indianapolis and Eincennes.
the B. and Q. s. w, the Big Four the Lake
Erie ana Western among the north and
south roads, not to mention 4 score of east
and west roads and divisions, are compelled
TO span it with their bridges and have
trouble enough with IL, for il is a turbulent
stream. although 1t Is neither very long nor
very WIDE. and IN the summer months far
from imposing Not many months ago il
took notion to get out of its banks and
lhe result was that almost the entire rail-
road system of Indiana suffered and hun
dreds OF thousands of dollars of damage
was done to emhankments and tracks, not
TO mention wrecks and loss of life.
1t is usually supposed that mountain tor
rents are dangerous. but White river can
give any mountain stream odds and take tha
trick. even though IL flows through an al
most level country, across the entire width
of Indiana. from the Ohio line to the Wa
bash. The Wabash, Indiana's chief river
is celebrated i'm song and poetry but I'm
this respect ii does not compare with the
little White river
White river tries to keep up its reputation
from season to season by taking along
bridge now and then or dumping a train
from an embsnkment and making the crew
take swimming lessons. Incidentally IL
gathers up such trifies as an occasional COW
few shocks of fodder, manages to put
down gravel bank i'm a wheat field. II Is
full of fun. White river is almost exclu-
sively southern Indiana institution since
it does not extend its meanderngs much
north of Anderson