Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-05-27
PICTURE ON THE MISSISSIPPI

From the New Orleans Times.l
We do not think our memory will evsl
lose the faintest shade Of scene thai
started in bold relief from the monoto.
nous waste of desolation that spread out
ON the western bank OF the Mississippi
but few weeks ago. We had looked
long and YEARLY at
water to risht Of us.
Water TO left of us,
Water before, and water behind US,
until dpres nous Le delnge seemed for
lorn hope and we thought it should
rather read drec nous, ETC.
1t was a rainy evening, and, as the
steam. .r plowed her way through the tur
bid waves above Baton Rouge, we won
dered if the pencil of any artist since
Rembrandt could paint gloomier shades
than those that saddened the wild land
scape on which we looked, The leaden
sky above showed line of black, thun'
derous clouds, resting low on the ives
tern horizon. From them, light, swirl
ing masses detached themselves, and
were driven rapidly over the gray ex
panse like the unresting evil souls in the
wind-swept circle Of the Inferno. The
ftful sobs Of the breeze seemed to faint
under the gathering burden of tempest
darkness The long line of swampy
forest trees lay bleak in the distance
under the colorless sky, but in the fore
ground large patches and ridges Of will.
low started into vivid distinctness frsm
the sea of muddy water. The bright
green Of the foliage was made positively
ghastly by its strong contrasts with sky
and water. 1t cleaned through blue
light, and looked like ghostly islands
in q sea of death, with white crane,
rising at intervals from marshy recesses.
They scared aloft in short circles, and
seemed like the fateful birds of Ibyeus,
freighted with heavy tidings.
Tho most fertile and highly cultivated
plantations in Louisiana were now only
marked by sugar houses and other
buildings, where, in many places, the
water had reached the floors. Tall cedars
and graceful tamarisks, the dusky leaved
mespuls, and the glossy orange trees,
only enhanced the desolation by the re-
membrance Of all that the toll of man
had done to beautify, and all that the
hand of Fate had done to destroy.
But still although it was a scene where
ruin had done its worst, where the Dies
Irm was chanted by sky and water, and
even the few mementoes of mans pride,
yet it was at least tenantless dssolation.
There was no sign of human or animal
life on the watery expanse The moan
had been made and the dwellers had left
their fair possessions to the power from
which they vainly fancied they had re-
claimed them. Judge, then, of our sur
prise at a sudden bend Of the river,
where the water seemed to have spread
farthest and ran deepest, to see female
figure standing on the upper gallery Of a
large house with two children by her
side.
1t was suggested she was seeking as
sistance, and the boat approached as
near the shore line as prudence justified.
But as we neared it, we saw a kind OF
barge and skiff fastened to the posts
of the house, and comprehended that
the lady's situation was at least volunta-
ry. A marble statue could not have
been more unconscious of our approach.
She stood, tall, slender figure, clad
apparently in the deepest mourning
with hands clasped over the balusters,
and an attitude as expressive as atti
tude can be Of dumb unconscious de-
spair, which the trump of the Archangel
could hardly rouse from its self-contem-
plation. There was no glance for the
merry little children who were tearing
branches from a tall cedar that reached
the high gallery, and casting them on
the waves that surged below. Some
times the little ones in their sport reach
ed so far over the gallery as nearly to
overbalance themselves. But IN the
mothers heart (if indeed, she was their
mother, there Was some feeling that had
utterly benumbed the watohtHl tender
cara which is q wOmRn's instinct.
Mute and motionless she stood, with
head averted from us, aud eyes that never
seemed TO wander from the line OF storm
clouds IN the dusky horizon. The swell
OF the waves, produced BY The mpAQp oil
the boat broke heavily against ;hs ;esy
threshold Of a lower door. The whole
house was Jared, but BY not motion
did she seem to hear or see. The tumult
and the roar swept by, and still stood
unconscious, with eyes fixed on tho clond
vrack now pierced through By Jagged
streaks Of lightning
What held her spell-bonnd before the
wild desolation Of the tempesiuous seenei
Was il the harmony with the troubled
dapths Of her own soul; or did dear hnd
long lost faces look from sudden mis- OF
sky into her sad eyes, and bid her through
suffering grow sirong2 On Gods anvil
are fashioned the true patient hearts
which DO best the work IN this world, but
that will only be rightly understood in
eternity Believe il, ye multitude That