True American. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1835-18??, 1839-01-29

TUESDAY, JANUARY 90. 1899.
in Ezcxrsion to the Prairie.-A brsh, and
beautiful morning! The sun is up, and ennces
from the spires and dome., with nmos, the bright
ness Of spring But then there are prickIes in the
sif. Tbs frost spirit has dared to venture within
the arms Of the tropics, and his keen breath is not
of,hs balmies', however pure it may be. We can
excuse the cold, however. for the morning is so
lovely, the atmosphere so transparent. and the
whole world without, looking just us though it
wcFc one Of na'ure's holidays.
An excursion 10 the Prairie! Tho President of
d.y ,..--...-L.. -,"u-.ra", has invited SUM-
Others to pass q part Of the day "on the road' TO
sec the progress that has been made and to pick
up crumbs Of reflection; il no, Of com fort. There
10 nothing which brings the glories and beauties
Of internal provemen,, so home to man, as to
enjoy the facilities it affords. Now, we nre conf
dent that more reflection was given 10 the subjec,
cfinternal improvement in general, and the Nash,
vile Railroad in particular, from This peas,n,
little excursion, than ought else could have in
duced.
3 The road beautifully laid out with all the
variety Of dark cypress and its hease.Ike drapery
Of hanging moss, and little bayous dug gu, by the
draining company, and lhe canal band the shell
road, and tho Metairie Coulsc, and drawbrdge and
steam mill BY which it is moved from side TO side
and Bath with lis Pugodas. und the wide and
almost boundlees prairie, and the Prairie Cottage
on the Lake shore, where Proctor keeps refre.h.
'nenis that woald make princes h.art leap after
twelve miles ride-al in connection with d most
a. L.. IL a.
10 be forgotten.
Some little delay was Occasional before starring,
BY the locomotive taking il into it's head TO run off
the rail which discomposed its gravity for time
with little labor, and without letting off the steam
oil was righ'ed; the cars filled and off, like
bird on the wing, we started. There is little or no
observation TO be made during railroad ride.
Youssre carried along SO swiftly that you canno,
we'll distinguish objects. They run into each
other with the facility of gobues of quick silver
All 10 one confused mass and seem 3 as though the
world wore running away from you. However,
there il much in having happy faces before and
around you. and silver tones forever whispering in
your ears We do not say that this good
fortune during the excursion, bu, it has BEEN Yet
was i not without it's enjoymen,s. Every one
seemed disposed to feel happy and to make others
feel 30. Cow ersation was free, and the elevation
Of voice necessary to be audible, gave an npparen,
animation to a converse, which otherwise might
hove appeared spiriiless and dull.
For time, the abroad tho general theme
the velocity with which we were propelled re.
Winding many who had not before tested it, that
'''some things eau be done well others, >" and
especially riding on the Nashville Rail Road, SO
far as it is complete.
The drawbridgc is piece Of capital workman.
ship, and rcefcts credi, on the PROTECTOR. 1, is
moved by means Of pullies and Chains and is drawn
TO and from lis place by steam engine, the power
Of which is also applied to all OF purposes
cutting blocks, wedges, &C., necessary for the
road. The rail road crosses the canal near The en-
trance to the Me,arie race COURSE one of the NJ os
beautiful ,urfs in the Union About Two miles and
shalf further is Bah, where Two petite pngo1as
were erected for Summer use, and to be furnished
with all the comforts of a re,Lamrant,:-bnt which
seem now to have been abandoned, and only ten
snsed like the straw sseds and ''aga,"r hotels" on
the way-side. A, Buth branch road dverges und
goes INN edialely to the lake.
The next place Of moment is The Prairie Cottage,
wines, brandes, and SO forth. The car and train
stopped for a few minutes till the passengers had
refreshe d themselves with genial glass of what
ever fancy might Dictate, and snuffed the fres, air
that anne up over the Iaka. Pontcharran is a
f'no sheet Of water, especially when one has been
coopsd up in the city for weeks, and cannot see
sught save brick walls-whose range is bounded
nv - cFOsat tho str Tvua
but tho sky resting npon the waters, and here and
there the smoke from busy steamer, and a, inter.
walls on the near shore, few scattering white
houses, but there is freedom in knowing that the
limit Of vision is distance and "not ''wal built
with human hands," and there is pleasure to
know that Commerce has her white wings sprend
for tho breeze, and the prows Of noble steamers
are cleavins tho waves, although the eye bchods
them not. We do not remember which Of the old
philosophers said tina, utility was the chief ingre
dent of 'auty-~e know tina, i, Is pretty !n,por.
tant in the composition of pleasure.
An hours ride brought to the terminms--that
far as the road is completed. Here found rreparn>
,ions making for its continuation Piles had been dri
ven in estuary, if call small arm Of the
Lake. and some Of the hands employed, vera lettering
about, doubtless "whstling for the wan. of thought"-
After half an hours sauntering the Lake shore, in.
dugng in all Of speculation about the probable
result Of the application Of The company to the Iegis-
)ature for assistance We exactly say what was
the anal impression oftae majority but we know what
~s thought-that any thing the Legislature could do in
reason, forward this noble work, should be DOME
It's importance is ncalculable. VIVA, immense re-
sources it will pour directly into the lap of New Or.