Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1854-04-08
A GRATEFUL FRIEND.

Il mere IS certain giaZleF lOcaleu IN Clnctn-
natl, whose advent here was caused by a cir-
cumstance equally serious and ludlcrous, and
might well justify him in exclanng, save me
from my friends"
Many years ago our acquaintance, whose lnl-
tais are L. B., was located in the romantic little
village of VermiIionvie in the interior of
Louisiana, where, although Yankee, he soon
felt as much at home rs if to the "manOr born"
Game was plenty, and so was claret, but utdearer
than aught beside was the dark-eyed Creole,
whose radient smile made that sunny cline ap-
pear more brigh and beautiful, and whose fra
grant breath impaired sweeter perfume to
the orange blossoms, as when laden with dew
the morning zephyrs waited their incense thro'
the honeysucke vine, tlla. lwned in intricate
gracefulness around the easement OF her neat
though humble boudoir
The only covetabe thing not plenty in that
Arcadian land was money, but the want Of this
skies, where Glove and flowers" aided by Alta.
kapas beef and bread with due proportion Of
claret, was all sufficient.
in an evil hour, Il wanderer from "Ia belle
France" found his way to our village He was
4 poet and like the whole of the fraternity, who
form a rule without an exception, had no money.
Ias-and he concluded to remain there some
time lie travelled in true poetic style: namely
with knapsack over his shoulder, and on foot,
and soon being snugly cnsconced within the
quiet little village inn he commenced making
acquaintance, which was not difficult matter,
for the arrival of a stranger in that primitive
place, was of tselfa curiosity sufficient to make
him the focus of the whole crowd Of inhabitants
nd +hn;r rof,r,l bonrfn1paSS and 1h,
sence of suspicion, banished those ideas of mis-
trust which in more northern and civilized lati-
tudes, would have surrounded him.
Time passed land the stay otthe stranger was
prolonged from days TO weeks, until finally
"nine host" presented his bill-for alas, even
in that simple country there are paper bills, as
well as bird bills--but as we before remarked,
our poet was professionally poor, and although
he had a mine of wealth in ideal notes, he had
not one solitary bank note in his pocket.
In this dilemma he called upon the gazler,
with whom more friendly intercourse had cN-
listed during his sojourn than with any other
and the result was that our hero assumed the
debt. besides advancing his little store of world
" wealth, consisting Of about Sl5, TO the inns
poveriShed aytarer, who the following morn
ing expressed his determination to pursue his
journey to Texas.
parting souvenir was cOncocted, IN the
shape of Il rural banquet, which the hospltabe
glazer got up, in friendly testimonial OF his re-
gard, and a few choice spirits were invited to
aid in this last tribute to their departing friend
After the repast, and during the circulation OF
cigars and caret, our poet stealthily withdrew
from "the gay and festive scene, and was ABB
sent some time, when he re-appeared. 1t was
evident from his agitated manner that some-
thing uncommon had occurred, and the assem-
bled company gazed upon him with enquIr'ng
looks. Nervously clutching the glazer by the
arm, he drew him outside Of the door and hur-
red him onward, beneatha cluster OF Acaclac
trees. through the boughs of which the beams
of full moon played iitful radlence Grasp
ing his hand with a grip so nervous That IL
caused our hero to elevate his left foot, he ex-
claimed:
"Dearest and most generous of friends, l
have thought until within the past hour in vain
upon some expedient to repay your kindness.
During the evening a lucky idea flashed across
my mind, and hare done 1t! but instead OF
delaying my departure until morning, must
90 at once"
"How so', replied the other "What kind
ness have you done me, that should cause you
to hurry off at this hour!'
"Ilush." said the poet, drawing him still far
ther into the shade, and continuing hollow
whisper,--"I have seen YOU on several occa-
sions repairing the broken glass in the church;
you. business is dull, and to help it, have,
within the past hour, broken erery uindow in
it,"
"D---n.' shouted the glazer in plain Anglo
Saxon "I'm ruined, I'm undone, I'm poor,
wretched, miserable bankrupt"
"How so" exclaimed the mortified poet.
"How so" replied the glazier. IL do the job
BY contract"
The poet and the glazer left together.-- Gin.
cinnQti Columbian.