The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-01-24

BY GEO. L. cArLN.
CHAPTER FIRST.


the G0odstone Course, which annually summouet
together the Inhabitants of a circuit of hundre,
miles or more. 1t was clear bright MORN ant
as one by one the awakening Passengers, throw
ing aside muffiers and robes and great coats ant
shswls sat MP, rubbed their eyes, and brushins
away the mist from the window panes. took il
gradually the varied landscape, of dewy mead Owls
orchards, forests, farm houses aud an occasiona
hamlet ana nnaliy let their glance rest upon the
bright grey dawn 10 the east they thought
Twill soon be day, and fair day at that; we
must be near to c."
Alphases Of human character were represented
in the hslf.waking, housekeeping assembiage.
There was the old miller who had his hundred
or two barrels OF wheat -four on the freight car
forward, and who. at an early hour that morning
mad given up his seat to a poor woman who had
got on at station where the train had stopped.
he-good natured soul-had snoozed away the
balance OF the night on the top of some mail
bags, and now that NOR ing broke had returned
10 look up his overcost and umbrella. But the
poor woman was asleep and he would Mt disturb
her, he thought, until the train stopped. Then on
another seat away up forward were two young
fellows all the way from H, collegians home
for the spring holidays, and ready for any
amount of iroguery. Early in the evening they
had been casting sleeps eyes toward two or
three pretty young ladies of =, returning
home from school under the charge of a yery
stupid old professor, who did nothing but nod aud
snore all the night long, leaving his fair protegees
TO return or Tepel the gances Of the colegians az
best they chose. But now where these young
ladies sat, it were difficult to determine save by
the presence of an auburn rnglet falling over the
back of the seat by just the least little tiu of
dainty foot visible On the floor below. They were
sleeping sound, these girlish, innocent creatures
little caring for the rolicking students dreaming
only of parents and brothers, and sisters, who in
an hour more would welcome them home again.
A louder snere than usual from the professor
was followed by rough, coarse remark from 20 ne.
where about the center of the car, where until
after midnight. party of four men, all wearing
jewelry and moustaches. and quite elegantly
dressed, had been playing cards, talking aud
laughing quite loud the while. But they. too, had
finally sunk to sleep, and one of Them to tell the
truth, had snOred quite loudly as the poor pro.
lessor for awhile. But now they, too, were awake,
and pulling out their watches expressed the opin-
ion that the day would be a good one.
baby here began TO cry vociferously toward
the rear end OF the car, much evidently. to the
embarrassment of the young father, who with high
hat. awfuy battered during the hours of sleep,
took it from the mothers arms. vanly endeavor-
ing by series of gyrations and jumpiDgs to soothe
the nfantlle grief. The yelling contagious.
-Four or five other babies, summoned by the cries
of the first one back TO this world of milk and
merriment, incontinently set up screaming which
woman, who hOmbly thanked the kind miller for
his Overcoat, and handed him it with the green
cotton umbrella he had left there.
The school girls swoke, too, looking pretty
though terribly in disorder, and laughed as they
pi0ched the professor. telling him it would soon
be time 10 alight. The colegians ceased the r
ogiDg after the green classes Of the awaking pro-
tectCr had cleaned once upon them. The young
father once more resigned the screaming infant
to its mothers care. The men with moustaches
commenced TO talk loud again. and To- in that car
but an half hour before full of insensible human
lty, everybody was now awake save one. Rack.a-
tack, Iscka-tack, clang.a-raug, cl1ng s-rang. in
cessaptly went the wheels as the train dashed on
to its destination but il was not until the train
q actually slackened its speed, as it nesred the
platform, and the portly conductor, with his ex
Lantern, came pa sing upSn feet accus-
toned TO steadiness, through the car, aud chi ID
out in stentorian toner, Fifteen minutes for
breakfast at c." that gray. haired soldierly-
boxing man, who had been long awake, support.
log upon his shoulder some one sleeping en-
Veloped in his great cloak, lifted that cloak, and
bending his head, whispered gently:
kate, my daughter here we are"
The busy manufacturing town Of g =, look
rg out upon an estuary of the see, and over
from behind by high, forest-clad hills,
was remarkable for its beauty. its bealthfulness
It's prosperity. From daylight TO dark, on six
days of the week, might be heard along its mar
row, old-fashiOned Streets the ncessant cst'er OF
machinery, the rafting of innumerable spindles,
he screeching Of whistles, the ringing of bells and
III those busy sounds betokening a city Of toll.
Down at the wharves, great ships from the Indies,
for once upon time its trade with the Bahamas |
md Antilles was not inconsiderable) or from |
,ther foreign lands, lay moored. and all day long
me might hear the heaye "" of the stevedoie |
sboriDg away in the hold, or Of the sailors toll |
ng away at the cspstan chains or spreading |
nowy sails as their vessel, outward bound, turned |
,roW down toward the sea. But on the seventh |
lay quiet and still were the streets, save when, |
rom dozen spires and belfries, rang out the 1
hurch bells, and when simultaneously from hun.
reds OF neat, cosy homes issued the inmates on
heir way to the places of worship.
This, then, was G -, prosperous, well regu- |
ated community, undsturbed the year round by |
urtful excitements, connected daily with the rest
4 the world by three railroad trains Boosting |
hree good hotels telegraph Office and a morn.
Dg newspaper; and this was the town where. on
be morning our story opens, the express train,
lsekeniDg its speed, came to a stop and die
harged its now fully awakened passengers.
1t was early, yet the platform was full of people.
low enviably at home these people always ap-
ear to be whom the traveller finds awaiting the |
rain in any strange town where he may arrive.
iackmen and express agents predominated, as
sual, but beside these there we're any number of /
'eople looking for expected friends. The pretty /
chool.girls found fathers and brothers to over
Vhelm them with kisses, while the professor stood
tupidly by. A rough-looking mechanic, little
psy, grufiy thanked the portly miller for his
lndness to the poor woman, his wife, aud the |
sther, with the dilapidated hat, hurried the baby
nd its mother off into an old fashioned country |
arrisge that stood waiting for them behind the
tatioD. The students made straight line for the |
esrest hotel, the moustaehed men fora neighbor-
e ale house. And among the last of the passen.
ers came the military look ng gentleman. his
loak buttoned up close to his throst, himself look
% very stately and dignifed as. supporting upon
is arm young girl, deeply yelled and in mourn
lg, he handed her TO carriage. got in himself
nd said " To the Wilton House, driver"
On this eventful morning, the whole town had
risen early, and already the streets were alive
nth people. Tradesmen stood in their doorwsys
ubbiDg their hands compacently, and promising
brisk day. Horses and vehicles were
ever 50 numerous on the streets. Flags wsre
ying In the public square and at different points
long the principal thoroughfares. Here and
here one met jolly inebriate whose festivities
al commenced early on the previous night. In
hort, for the nonce all g. seemed upside
own with merry anticipation; for had not four Of
be finest stables in the State arrived aud was not
be coming sport spoken Of by old Grannis, the
nrf oracle Of the town, as the greatest ever
nown in that section! But it was at the hotels
the Offices where trunks and valises were piled
p hall. way to the ceiling and where the poTters
nd walters ran hther and thither in frantic haste,
bat the excitement which had possessed the
Dwn became most apparent. The register at the
Wilton Houte, four-story brick building, facing
ifectly upon the shaded square, showed already
n arrival of three. score guests and over; when,
mid the din, might have been heard the voice OF