The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-11-28
GustaYlls and LaYina,
: - ~
A TALE OF BLIGHTED AFFECTION.
From the New Orleans Times

From the New 0rleansT imes.] /
She was beautiful. All women al,
beautiful who have plenty of money. Sh'
: had not plenty of money, but she had {
rich papa, which is pretty much the same
Independently Of this, she was beautiful
4 A profusion of bright auburn locks ill
natured people call them red, and re
named her !" brick top fell in glossy see
ambrosial about her smoth, round should
ers; her eyes were deep wells Of love, il
one of which (the t'other was glass; THE
intent observer might see himselfrcfected
Her nose was decidedly Grecian, and hel
mouth was the counterpart of litter OF
pigeons eggs EMBODIED in rose leaves
When have said that in form she was
perfect Hebe, and thatshe was the cynos,lre
OF large circle of admirers, who all loved
her for her fathers sake, have said about
ALL IL 0a fihisi 5ss gij.
Which her name it was De Shook.
In their sulnptuous mansion on Tele.
graph Hill, the family dispensed those
Inequalities for which our men of wealth
are justly famed. ~
They had beans every day for dinner; in
the evening, champagne. Vire C1iqtot.
The records of the family of De Shook
are lost in remote antiquity. The latest
descendant traced the original baronial
tree until it eliminated in q representative
who danced for cells in Fulton Market,
since when he has lost all interest in it.
All that is now known of the De Shocks is
that they were very ancient and fsh-ike,
and always on the make. The present De
Shook has been obliged in the early times
to tend table at q restaurant, but sub
sequently turned miner, when lucky
operation in sluices having given him a
stake, he went in and made money
Madame De Shook, nee Betsy Blossom,
was a decidedly heightened woman; in
fact, her tones were so high that they could
be heard at any hour all over the vicinage
Other ladies Of strict responsibility had
their sewing machines. She kept man.
gle. I',
1t was at this interesting stage of her
encountered the beautiful heroine of our
story. Laveeny (by some vulgar persons
pronounced Lavina) has been taken under
the paternal guardianship to Platt's Music
Hall, where a ball was in progress Gus
tavus was like Caesar. He came. He saw.
He conquered. They were introduced, and
for the first time in her life the gentle
+" Whey" felt the flntterings of love, for her
heart butted against the cruel whaleb0nes
that confined it, in a manner suggestive of
a wild bird struggling to be, free. The
music was superb, the supper luxurious,
the wine exhilarating-so exhilaratlhg, in
fact, that De Shook stayed behind to have
a time of it, while Gustavus was graciously
permitted to see Laveeny home in cab.
On the way home she slept-slept in his
arms. The temptation was irresistible;
folding her to his breast, and there, beneath
the star-gemmed vault of heaven stole a
kiss. One was enough-she had been
eating onions. ~1.,.-,. 49,
Our hero was musical cuss. He could
play the banjo and the bones with equal
facility. Night after night he sat perched
upon the top of an adjacent hydrant, pour.
ing mellifluous sounds on the listening air
and charming her to sleep with his min
strelsy. q,
One -balmy evening, in the course of the
moonlight stroll, Gustayus yentured to
avow his love.
- ~ J" uc AOOulhCu NiUll luUCItSt.
But, as the poet says; 8 49, #.
"Now, why should disturb adream ofbliss. |
And draw cold sorrow 'tw1xt the wedding |
kiss?"
Viney's father (being rich) had, good
deal to say in the matter, and, having
heard no objection, Gustayus fondly fatter.
ed himself of success.
. Tomorrow was to be theauspicious day,
but i'll the meantime fate was drawing sad
conclusions for hero and heroine.
1t was in the early afternoon, and the
senior De Shocks was basking away his
last bumper of Oporto upon the library sofa,
his eyes covered with his favorite bandan-
ma, when the bell announced visitor.
Admit him I" !
A portly parsonage of respectable ap-
Dearance stood before the banker.
What wouldest thou 2" he asked.
II wouldest thou daughter" was the
stern reioinder
De Shook tore from his facehis favorite
'andanna, and confronted the audacious
Tisitor. ..g;ts ,ttsI5f Eslet# y IA
BY Hcayen!" he calculated, " this is
100 much my daughter know'st thou
What thou askest!"
Proud man, know already have her
leart, her vow. Myyears may double hers,
)ut | have fIlndsr"
4" Pah I! mining stock and such--the De
'nookses are not mercinary"
Know, then, l have talisman can
hange thy obdurate heart. The sluices!!
la-a-h !"
Prone on. the earth fell the .purse-proud
'anker chap. On recovering, he called for
mother glass Of Oporto aud. family NUT
cred y 4 80 N}sf Itif /.
:" She is yourn. Take her and be Apply
An hour after lGustavus called on the
tern parient for his answer, and got 1t, in !,
he shape Of a boot, propelled by the mus. ,
ular leg Of the aforesaid PARENT
Il was night-one of those soft Bull.
yerian nights when, as the playwright has
aid, the breath of orange groves steals
trough the light of alabaster lamps, and 1,
D forth, etcetera-when Gustavns, who ,
7as getting fat on love, arduously scaled
ope-ladder ATTACHED to the balcony of the |
,indow Of his lady. 49, So /
The night grew dark, and the fragile G
ord swung to and fro violently in the {
eshening wind The night-owl hooted,
le watchdog bayed, and from aneighbor. :
lg barnyard was heard the lusty music of
le Shanghae brood. ALI else was at rest. ,
udden, a snap is heard--a violent concus-
on--a splash! Horrible to relate, an i'm
ense receptacle for garbage, named a
ogshead, had recently been there placed,
nd into this, clad in his SUNDAYS best. orr :
BRO dove. A faint female cry some one
I'd cut the rope! :
A CHASTITY head appears above the brine; {
is Gustayus. -
Helpn' .a... So 8
Forth from his kennel leaps the trnsty 4
'use dog-Ponto his name. A snap =
rain Gustavus is submerged At each .
esh rush the head repeats its plunge. till =