The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-07-13

A WORD TO MorHERs.-We have soma.
times heard it asserted that childrena
souls are like sheet OF white paper, on
which the mother can trace such charac.
tiers as she pleases. We think this auita
untrue. There is great difference in nat
ural temperament; in the same family,
brought up under the same influence, there
is great diversity of gifts and capabilities.
We think parents are too prone to forget
this, and that sometimes unfavorable com.
PARSONS are drawn, to the positive injury
of less favored ones. It is fact that men
are differently endowed from the very COM
meDcement of existence, and as parents We
should take heed, lest, like hard hearted
Pharaoh, we require bricks without straw
and demand from child that which it is
not in him to give.
How much wisdom, how much tender.
ness we need to train our children arighti
One child, perhaps, is blessed with happy,
sunny temper, which easily adapts itselfto
so: rounding circumstances and sheds SUM-
light all around. Another, not physically
strong, is keenly alive to every thing that
i Ia irritating. and is excited by the interest
trihes. How much the latter needs gentle
kindness and forbearance, and how careful
we should be not to draw invidious COM
PARSONS between the twol
1t is not strange that the Christian
mother should sometimes feel well nigh
overwhelmed with the responsibilities rest.
ing upon her. She knows that In this
world her children will exert q constant In
i ducnce for good or evil, and that beyond;
stretches cnt an immortal existence OF
happiness or woe. Painfully conscious Of
the temptations which will beset them on
every side, che trembles for their spiritual
safety But, mother, do not despond.-
lone Almighty Friend is ever near to guide
and sustain you. Strive faithfully to per-
form your own duty, and carry all your
cares and perplexities to One who has said.
"If and of you lack wisdom, let him ask
of God, that give.h TO all men literally and
, upraideth not: and it shall be given
him. Exchange.
~~~~~->s~O~s.-~-~->-~
: A PEoDIaY.-A Florida Youth Han
dies Poisonous Reptiles ,cith Impunity.
For the benefit of the outside world
| we have to put on record the fact
that in our island city there lives q
youth who, in himself, is one among
: the great phenomena ct the age
Listen, and be the Judge yourself
He can handle snakes, scorpions, GEN.
tipedes, or what not, with perfect inn
punity. He makes pets and playfel-
lows of The larger kind OF rattle
snakes, twisting them around him,
and dallying with their forked ton
cues, and their ten or twelve rattles
He actually has carried scorpions in
his bosom, and wasps and hornets in
his sleeves and pockets, without re-
ceiving bite or sting. In the loneli-
ness Of the grove or forest, or in any
secluded place infested with snakes,
he can by few talismanic words call
around him any number of snakes,
whom he can charm into perfect ODE
dience to all his mandates. He can
pick them up and lay them down at
any given place, and at his bidding
they will remain there until his re-
turn, after an absence sometimes of
hours.
He can take a rat or mouse. and
! SO manipulate it-so put that mex
plicable tyrant spell upon it-that It
> at once becomes mute suppliant for
favor, is quiescent, and may be tum-
bled about ct pleasure. The young
magician AYERS that this miraculous
power is given him by spirits-wheth-
er good or evil he knows not.
We could relate many incidents in
d this connection illustrative of our lit
y tie friends necromantic faculty of
7 subduing the reptile creation; but the
q foregoing must sufiice.-lKey West
: Dispatch.
~~~O>-~~-~os-->~~~>>-.
A ROMANTIC LIFE AND LONELY
DEATH.-An old lady died the other
day at Uxbridge in England, who prov
n ed herself to have been in more ways
..Laari one remarkable person. Not
o only had she for many years success
fully defed the inquisitorial gossip Of
- q country town, but she really had IN
r early days lived romantic life, al.
i though her latter years bad been pass
a ed in the deepest seclusi0n. Having
: been found dead in her bed, at the age
of ninety two, an inquest was held
a when it came to light tina. she was the
" daughter Of Spanish nobleman o
It high distinction. In early life she con
" tracted a clandestine marriage with thu
: Count de Chantal, of France, who wa
~ a general in the French army unde
he the first Napoleon, and who fell a
IA Waterloo. Exiled from her natiy'
mr. country, as well as from France, sh'
e. took refuge in England soon after tn
t. restoration of peace, and lived on ne
Id scanty income at Uxbridge in the man
ner described It is supposed that sh
ed had lain dead for several days befor
her body was found, and it would D
hard to find case presenting stronge
"a features of the utter loneliiess to who
~ human being may be reduced.