Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1855-05-26
"BLUE BAR" opposite Bayou Goula, |
Nav II 1888

lfor it has Justice of the Peace and Constable,
if not Mayor0 of Bayou Goula-Bayou Goula,
celebrated for its Democracy, great barbecues,
magnificent hotels, exquisite liquors fast young
men and pretty women-has for two months past
suffered severely fr ON numerous destructive fires
The loss of property has been great and falls up
on persons scarcely able TO afford it. Night after
night, in close succession, the village was fired by
mysterious agency. Night after night well re-
guated families were aroused from quie, slum-
bers by the alarm of fire, to gaze in terror upon
their village and its environs, lighted up as by
the light of day with the fearfully rapid burning
of frame dwellings
Our citizens, terrified, organized themselves in.
to volunteer police force Night following night
they patrolled from dark to daylight, but without
success. No incendiaries were captured, but that
it was the work of such there is not shadow Of
doubt; and strange to say, houses were set on fire
under the very eyes, and within range of the
dinnder-busses of our patriotic patrol The "be-
ginning of the end of this mysterious incendia-
rism is not as yet solved. Too much credit could
not, even by great effort at generosity and gra-
titude, be awarded to our brave and sleep-sacri6.
cling patrol. That they did their duty according
to their own notions, zealously and the hest they
knew how, there is not doubt-that they did i.
well and efectually is a question. Like most
raw recruits, suddenly called into service, they
lacked authority and discipline. happened, one
night to be an eye witness to the roll call of this
redoubtable little army Of protection at their head
quarters the Bayou Goula Hotel. Every man,
as he struggled in STACKED arms, or rather, lean
ed his shotgun, musket or Nunder-buss, against
the wall, or billiard-table. The next tactical
movement was to form line of battle in front Of
the bar. Being all filled, the Captain, worthy
son Of Escuapius, with pockets full of linen ban
dages and lint, for wounds that were to be, is
heard as follows: @' l5 .'~t '".
aNoble fire extinguishers and brave fire eaters
Of Bayou Goula, are you duly chargedw
"Ayei ayep Isl
"Then, men, prepare to drink in six times-l.
Seize tumbler. 1-Crack elbow. 3-open mouth.
4-Down. 5Return glass. e-Smack lips Sc
cond movement: Draw pipes. 2--Charge
pipes. 3-Light pipes. flake arms. Snow,
boys, let's CO." "Exeunt omnes," singing in full
chorus. sPartant pour 10 Syrie," &c. As they
file out in methodical disorder, with high pitched
voices, rattle Of rickety muskets, clankng Of rus
ty sabres, and heavy tread Sambo the suspected,
gyrates fingers and thumb and ventrioquizes =
"You don't catch nobody tonight, sure ~ Sambo
was right. T. -6aaa M 20 ss.sjs s.t
Our army Of protection, albeit its masterly fai-
lure in the main object of its crusade, did, never
theIess, perform some exploits As4.. . @Re
The night was very, very dark. The tired vol
unteer sits with his back against a frame stable;
his musket at full cock upright between his kpees.
Suddenly he is startled by long and deep snoring,
inside. Sc 4ais.a9n.s .s- sa a-sa. -
"What can it be' Surely, it is man! The
house, burner, biding his time, has fallen asleep
scent the very matches in hispocketsl"
Cautiously retiring, he reports to the Captain
outlying piekets are called in--arms Inspected
precautionary orders given-and above all, .Be
steady, men don't shoot till + tell you v'k 3 'a
The pioneer, an old French sapper, now wor-
ny disciple Of Fulcan, who once upon time left
,is bear-skin shake and axe in the SHOWS Of Rus.
ia, attacked the door; itsoon yielded, when out
ushed, with angry grunt and bristling hair, the
argest kind Of . Sussex pig Ian importation Of
hs aforesaid disciple Of Hypocrates. The sap.
'er, like veteran, fell with his face fat to the
round; this operation being ads rigueur,r when
xplosive shells or raw troops are abont. III was
afe. Not 70 with our valiant Captain: az be
lced the door with war.like attitude, Bis legs b..
ng satara1y somewhat apart, the enemy (orpie-,
u rushed for the only opewing he saw--and turn-,
ag too suddenly, the commander Of The forces
vas lifted up and pitched into the ditch All this
'asthe work Of moment. The Captain groan.
4 in agony, for ID the charge which upset him
nd landed him in the moat, which, fortunately,
~ dry, be received painful tusk wound from
,e peacefal animal whose slumbes had been "A
disturbed. The main body Of
Y command, seeing their chief lali, and sppe-
'ntly Judging from his lamentations) fsfally
cunded, was awfully frightened and droppins
words, pistols bIunde rbusses aud III, incontinent
! and ingIoriously fed! They had heard the
ampings Of the charge, the fierce gruntines,or
'rsinss - it appeared ;gthe moaning in ths meat
at followed the fall Of. their gallant leader the
coherent rawlings of the sappsr-and they had
sard eas.ghl How knew they but thst thsy
id stirred up sOid Nick" himsel1 the prince Of
cendiaresl fsH g Es3 ~ ea@
Either through the force of habit, o. thirsty en-.
nss, al wendsd their frightened footsteps To-
ards the headquarters ofa good liqsom WAs-
er sussex" also wanted drink, or not, sursia
that hs travelled in the same direetion-took
= ssrns sidsswalk- -ossshauisd hisl apetssatinx
es ieehsd some into TIE ditch, forced 0tiserS
tais IL fsnes a1d y fhe time ~ nesehed his
me stye, Id certainly most eOupletsiy roateA
= b1ss snd patriotic psctsctpsA Who had -