The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1854-10-11

collection of uncle Langrave, but they sool
learned to love him, and so well did he love
them, and all else about them that he deter
mined to make the cottage his home.
Lauson Watkins was once more rich man
but he did not leave the home where he had
so well learned the great lesson of life. He
enriched it with rarer fruits and pleasing orna
ments, and then from out of his bounty he
sought to do good for his fellows. He was 6
happy man, and he had happy wife, and they
had happy children, and all of them had one
of the most joyful, merry, laughter-loving old
uncles in the world
LIES MISUNDERSTANDING at fashion
able French private hotel, the other day to pay
visit, we were admitted by gentleman-cer-
tainly gentleman, we will by no means recall
the worldwide, in low we'll bred tone, and
the purest Italian of the papa states, replied to
our apologetic inquiries, and gave us the infor-
nation we desired. At the foot of the stairs
we were encountered by another Italian gentle
man, who arrayed in the garb of cook, with
apron and paper cap in due form accosted us
with the exquisitel y polite and deferential,
''come sta Ella?' always employed by well
bred Italians. This one we recognized as a
gentleman to whom we had been introduced in
New York some six months ago. He was once
postmaster, and had been imprisoned in Italy
the Austrians, and had been liberated, after
three years confinement, on condition that he
should leave Europe Immediately. He arrived
here without means, hoping to gain livelihood
by some employment. Knowing not a syllable
of our language, and being equally as ignorant
of our customs, manners and ways of doing
business, of course, this was impossible-and
he fell back upon an ingenious process of making
little fancy baskets out of scraps Of paper-an
art which he had learned during his imprison-
ment There with one left foot on the lower step
we learned his history since we had lost sight
of him.
| It seems that he received the offer of a
situation at coal mine somewhere in Penn
sylvania, where he was sent down the shaft
in bucket, and set to digging coal and haul
ing it in wheelbarrow. Halfchoked with
the gas and thoroughly disguised with his
''situation," he managed to make his escape,
and kept on running for dear life, supposing of
course, that he would be arrested and brought
back in the Austrian fashion. He finally
brought up at Baltimore, where he was entire
]y without food for two days. At length meet
ing a countryman in the street, he made known
his wants. The other told him that he had
Just taken situation as waiter in a cooking
house, and that they were in waut of a cook
The result was, that our refugee applied for
the vacant apron and crown of the realm Of
the frying pan, and now at least makes sure
of his regular meals.
The walters story is brief. Educated in
university in Italy, and intended for a physi-
cian just before he was about to graduate, he
was discovered to be the author of some ver-
ses bitterly satirising the Austrians. He was
Immediately banished - and after lowering
over the brink of starvation for several months
he had finally taken place as waiter. He was
a young man Of prepossessing appearance and
the quiet ease and elegance of well bred gen
tleman. Both these men have thoroughly adap-
ted themselves to their new positions, and give
the best evidence of the intrinsic qualities of
their nature, by cheerfully accepting their fate
and their duties. Baltimore Patriot
VIM R. K1sG.-The omission by the last
legislature, says the Selma Ala. Reporter, to
provide for the erection of suitable monu-
ment in public memory of the late vice-presi-
dent leaves for the present the duty to be dis
charged by the citizens of the State at large
Whatever difference of opinion there may be as
to his rank among the first statesmen of our
country, history records that he was chosen by
the sutfrages of the nation to fill the second
office in their gift, and contingently the presi
dency itself. AS for ourselves we should have
preferred him for the first to him who now fills
it. VIM R. King was man of larger political
experience of more extended observation of
national affairs, than is Mr.. Pierce, while he had
the decision, frmness and courage of the tried
patriot to hold him in his duty. But it is not
our purpose. to institute a comparison between
the president and the late vice president that
we write. We differed politically from Mr. King
in his life time, but as one who has illustrated
the history of Alabama as we'll as the nation at
large, we would justly honor his memory, now
that he sleeps in death with his great compcers.
A public career SO unobtrusive yet so prolonged
so successful yet so unambitous, as was his
while it provokes not the boast of history, yet
repletes its pages with a genuine satisfaction
The great men of our conntry knew Mr.. King
well-better perhaps than the people, from
whom distant public Office removed him. The
most distinguished of our living statesmen, in
a private letter to gentleman of this city says,
speaking of him. ''We. had been on terms of
the most unreserved intimacy for quarter of
a century, and no passing cloud ever, for sin
gle moment, obscured our mutual friendship
| relied more upon his advice than upon that of
any other man have ever known, In him
'the elements were so combined' that no event
whether prosperous or adverse, could shake his
settled purpose or disturb his wise equanimity,
and yet he always loved his friends and coun-
try with a warm, profound and enduring dcvo
ton. His qualities, both of head and heart, |
enabled him to adorn every public station to
which he was called by his country. Apattern
of ancient honesty and fidelity, and of matured
and unassuming wisdom, he performed all his
duties, both as a private and public man with
a deep sense of his responsibility to his God
and to his country" And who will not ratify
and confirm this assertion of his great virtues
his efficient and distinguished career! He
died in his armour with the love of country re-
joicing in his every pulse, and we claim that in
honoring his public memory we but honor our