Pointe Coupee Democrat. [volume] (False River [i.e. New Roads], Parish of Pointe Coupee [La.]) 1858-1862, 1860-12-08
). A. Roy, ESQ. Editor Democrat :

| Dtuce.
! T. A. Roy Esq. Editor Democrat:
On the memorable 10th instant, I was
a heart-warm and deeply interested wit
ness of one of those copies of heaven
! upon earth-a Louisiana wedding. 1t
was in your own ancient and far-famed
parish of Pointe Coupee, and the happy
parties were the Hon. Edward Phillips
and Miss Madeline SHINES, daughter of
Gen. B. B. SHINES. Long will that
night, its thick clustering associations
of joyousness, it's moral and physical
beauty, its irresistible power of enchant-
ment and loveliness, be memory of
elysian in the writer's mind.
The night was balmy, clear, and voice
full of happiness, as hundreds, drawn in
splendid carriages, with fiery curveting
steeds, swept past the residence of my
friend 7. The tnrnouts were the noblest
of this equestrian land The ride in
"Merre Old England" to the Goodwood
races could have scarce disclosed more
splendor
At about P. VI in fine and comfort
able conveyance, in company with Col.
a. and many others, we We're en- route
for White Hail." the mansion of Gen
Simmes. The road was as smooth as
graded floor, and We'd with the famous
pleasure drives, the she'll roads in New
| Orleans. In flowing pace, like. the
speed OF a hurrying river. we rolled past
many tirse and extensive sugar and cot
ton plantations, among which we noticed
Chief Justice Merrick's, stretching far
up and down the Atchafalaya, bespeak-
ing, by the tasteful style of improve
ments and liberal agriculture, the pres
ence of wealth, thrift, and high intel
lectuality.
The hurried speed, in its tortuous
channel, of the musical Atchafalaya,
next met our eyes, which were entranced
by its swiftly-gliding and serpentine
stream. With quiet seeming then it
held up it's watery mirror to image the
stars, which began timidly to look down
from their cerulean watchtowers upon
scene of such terrestrial happiness. But
trust not to that quiet and placid face
the gently dancing and musical river
may exhibit now; it can roar like a
lashed, appraised ocean, give the war
shout of inundation as it shall submerge
it's shuddering shores, and wrestle inits
giant fury with the mighty trees, whose
upturned trunks and wrecked branches
attest tile agony of its power and the
frenzy of its food times
The setting sun had fixed his red eyes
in farewell upon that hurrying river !;
the over-arching canopy was mantle
of deep blue, when, suddenly, in the OBJ
security, broke upon our strained vision
the dim outlines of the palatial residence
Of Gen B. B. Simmes. The surrounding
pleasure grounds were parklike, ample,
and lordly. Lighted all around and
within by gas, the spacious mansion
shone like a terrestrial structure, but
with celestial illumination; nor did the
entrance to the enchanted halls dispel
the halfformed suspicion, that we were
entering one OF the fairy temples of the
tales of Araby the Blest. .
Here were assembled guests from
every section of the State. The sacred
altar, halls of Legislation, courts Of ,juris-
prudence, editorial closets, and the aca-
demic retreats, all sent their embassies
of greeting to the nuptials of brother
legislator and the daughter Of Senator
of Louisiana. Among the guests, which
were more than four hundred in number,
we saw Hon. John Slidell, Chief Justice
Merrick, Collector Hatch, and Attorney
General Semmes.
| But there was deeper meaning to
this scene of splendor and animation
than had yet been developed; as in the
sacred mysteries Of the Bona Dea, there