Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1845-11-22
LITTLE ANNETTE. {. sketch from lif !.

LII 4 AE AN J e. "a 8RetCn from IHt -
BIT GINGLE.
The spectacle presented by the dying and
The dead, In the lever looms, had somewhat
famiIiarZad me with scenes OF suffering: and
with a listIesness, allied to Indifference, that,
under other circumstances, night have ex-
cited my serious alarm. | consented to en-
ter the Insane Ward, with my friend II.
anticipated the paroxgsn Of the maniac.
was prepared to gaze unmoved upon the
scene that presented the human frame, as q
battlefield for c0ntendlng passions, and
built up the framework OF many q future
speculation, upon The disconnected a~ssuCia-
tons, that would undoubtedly arrest my
attention as | wandered from cell to cell, and.
listened 10 The IDLE converse OF their inmates
Llocy, imbecility, The garFulity Of age, The
wild exiravagances OF shattered inlellectst
were confuse dly present TO my mind, as The
underlined outlines of a darkened picture
aud a half awakened moral sense, unheeded
whispered ''sytnpalby," as ! entered the yes.
trbules of the building. How shall | speak
ol my disappointing mt ! how shall | pant the
surprise thvt awaited me Instead OF the
muttersd wall ; instead of the suppressed
gruan u reai or Imaginary distress, a merry
merry laughter fell upon my car the laugh
Ter Of cbiIdhoud and Of l%nnoeence. IL came
ringing along the sides and arches Of the
narrow passage, aud ere | had well drunk In
it's entivening tones, an angel enuntenance
was beamInp upon me, with an expression Of
uncontrolled delight an infant arm circled
nv neck a miniature hand, chased back with
carer haste, the curls that hung in lid pro-
go = xvufI nba11d hrg,ty . mYI n r,atF
Of pratthng lips poured touith an incsssant
strain Of enlearrng epiihets. thall never
Jorge. the burst of laughter! There was
music in its tones such music as the heart
delights TO bear. 1t was the 0utpourtngs oi
a ioyouy spirlt--it seemed 10 seek eo1npan
ions in its own merry e~Ghoing--its melody
yIbrated through the soul long after sound
had ceased. and even then, there seemed to
spring from it a new m~uslc-tbs music oil
reflection,
Annette was homeless, frlendless. Ma
ture had layislIed upon the child her choic-
est gifts but the intellect, that gives its
life and soul, to beauty, with a strange per
versepess had teen withheld. The fdultlesi
features /; the cullHng Iress the l~ustrUus
eye, we're all, all there ; but the poweI
that shapes expression was wanting. Va-
caucy, vacancy. with nothing 10 relieve IL
but at times the outp0urings Of a strange,
mild merrrment. / was her father, her broth
er, her sweet frienl and as her lisping voice
continued to pour forth these dear epithets,
| hushcd its tones for a moment with a kiss
and cIasping the little one TO my breast, Ut
tered d silent prayer for her recovery and
projection.
The ways Of God are inscrutable. and mar
but shows his own weakness In attempting
to fathom tbem-yer, as | turned away from
that ~ Get face, | could MT but think, thai
the Almighty in his wisdom had thrown 4
clouded intellect round such unearlbly beau
ty, as a mantle oil protection.
In her orphan and Unattended condition
she gbt have been exposed to the adVan-
ces Of Libertinism and who shall cay, thai
degradation might not have classed within
it's foul embrace, a casket that would have
adorned the spirit OF an angel-Troptc.