Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-07-12

EDIroRs LEDGER: While at New Ibe
ria, Louisiana, we had the pleasure of Q
buggy ride out to Spanish Lake, for the
purpose of seeing and examining the
F" floating" prairie. After our arrival,
and rowing the boat perhaps half mile
through o very narrow pass that had
been cut through the prairie, and thickly
set grass, flag and bushes that grew
upon 1t, we came to the lake proper, and
in short time halted, DR.. Walker say
ing: Now you can step out upon the
trembling land" Cautiously placing
our feet upon dry land, we felt the earth
spring and tremble beneath | This
earth measured about eighteen inches in
thickness. under which the water was
eight feet deep This embraces many
acres, which is land formed on the sur.
face Of lake, with luxurious growth
of grasses, flag and other small under.
growth, and in some locations the cattle
even herd upon its grasses. The section
of country lying between New Iberia
and Opelousas, Louisiana, distunce
of some fifty miles, although very pretty,
yet is rather unproductive, and can be
purchased ct low rates At Opslousas,
the military are in all their glory. While
in that vicinity the Radical Revenue Col
lector was shot. 1t was understood that
he would be superseded by some honest
Northern brother, and while walking the
streets one night, two pistol shots were
fred and he cried murder, assassination.
Citizens rallied to the spot and found him
PROSTATE on mother earth, with bullet
hole through his left wrist from the in
side, his coat sleeve powder-burnt, and
his own pistol lying few PAGES from
him with two barrels emptied. After
fair and impartial investigation of the
affair by the Judge, it was decided that
he shot himself in order to retain his po-
sition by becoming martyr in the Radi-
cal cause. He implicated several citi-
zens by name, but their presence caused
an immediate retraction. SIGH is life.
At Vile Platte, some twenty miles from
Opelousas, we had the pleasure of spend
ing several days with DR.. M. McDavitt,
son of our. townsman E. M. McDavitt,
Esq. Being so warmly received and
kindly treated by himself and family, we
really felt at home, and regretted the time
of departure. The Doctor enjoys big
and enviable reputation in large sec
ton of country as an able physician, q
man of stern and upaiuching integrity,
and worthy and beloved citizen and
neighbor. He has large and lucrative
practice, is yet close student, and is
master of his profession. As an item of
curiosity, we counted on the Doctors
books enc hundred different families of
the same name, each family averaging
about ten. With all due modesty, we
would state that be can boast of as inc,
healthy and handsome family of children
as we evsr saw, and when wife, children
and grandmother are all seated around
his own hearthstone he can certainly
say, ~ have happy familyi" His
having married an English lady may in
part account for the extra beauty, health
and manners of his children.
While sojourning at the Doctors we
ha1 a pressing invitation to attend
regular Creole wedding, and as it never
requires much pressing in such cases, we
accepted.
We repaired thither, and at about three
o'clock found house, yard and lot full Of
people. DR.. Med, introduced us to about
forty of the hardest and most jaw-break-
ing names we ever heard, At sbout four
o'clock the ceremony was performed by
Father Forge, in French; after which sa-
lutipg the bride was the order of the day.
Dinner, or rather supper, was announced,
and table fifty feet in length fairly |
groaned beneath the weight OF all that |
heart could wish or money purchase. |
Claret wine was used freely during sup |
per, all hands winding up on an album
dance of champagne, WHICH very much |
limbered their tongues, and ours too. |
The party consisted of perhaps one hun
dred and fifty persons, comprising
French, American, Creole and Italian,
and after the wine had fairly unhinged
their tongues, l never heard such laugh
ing, tslking and general mixture of Ian
gusges in all my life among men, women
and children. After nightfall some regu-
lar, old-fashioned plays were intro.
duced, creating much amusement for old
and young. While seated beside one of
the doors looking out, gentleman sp-
preached rs, saying the byids desired rs
to enter the play, which required us TO
give her kiss before she could be re-
iieved of her central seat. Good gracious
The neys fell upon US like thunderbolt
A bashfpl stranger, and q married man
at that, compelled to 90 10 the bard york
of kissing Do yon suppose we had the
audacity &c aoeeptf To use the language
of a certain railroad msa, la Memphis
barber shop, "what will my wife say ~
We might sacrifice our feeling for the
bride, but there were twenty-five or thirty
Other ladies in the play. But the force
of circumstances we're Sulk that we we're
conquered and soon entered the arena
This lasted an hour or two, aud it fell to
our lot to kiss nearly ell the girls, and to-
wards the winding up it didn't go bad at
ell. Somehow or other or health APP
peared better next day and has improved /
ever since. Did you ever notice hc-
tight fellow will shut his eyes when he
is kissing an ugly woman
TRIsTRAN SHANDY.
a. a.. ,,.eot .al,o,;on saIa a.