The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-08-30

Euphrasia Eustace. What say you q
| A serenade! Oh, there was fun ii
prospective. The proposition was ca
gerly accepted by the rascals, who con
sidered rustic serenade the ne plue o
lall their pastimes. The club boosted
of having among its members a mum
Der of musicians of moro or less abili.
ty, generally less,) who occasionally
combined together to make night hide.
Gus, under the vain impression that
their efforts were productive of con-
cord OF sweet sounds. The band con
sisted of six pieces: two violins-
though it was a question which was
primo and which secando-a bastered
guitar, minus. several important frets,
and extremely shaky and unreliable
on the higher notes a bass-yiol, hand
somely equipped with three strings, an
asthniatic accordion, and a fife, with a
voice SO exclutiatingly sharp and pen
etrating that it was invariably used on
these nocturnal raids as a solo instru-
ment whereon the preludes were exc
cated thereby satisfying the perform
ers that every individual about the be-
sieged premises, who was not hope
lessly deaf, had been awakened and
was ready to enjoy ~ the subsequent
concert. Moreover the band was well
rehearsed in q number CT appropriate
ballads, wherewith they were wont to
vary the monotony of their instrument
tai labors. Among these songs may be
enumerated the time-honored sere-
nades, "Annie Laurie" .'Tenting on
the Old. Camp Ground" ''NYhat is
Home Without a Mother??" aud Oily
Dale"
The preliminaries Of the proposed
serenade having been arranged, the
next thing in order was rehearsal
This was especially necessary, mas
much as the musicians being not only
perfectly familiar with the tunes to be
played, but knew, from the weakness
of the respective instruments, and
the deficiency of strings and frets, when
the piano forte and staccato notes must
necessarily be omitted.
Several hours passed, and night was
already on the wane, when the rustic
orchestra, having everything in trim,
sailed forth. Jim was in the lead, the
whole affair having been gotten up at
his Instance; therefore when the com
pany, equipped with their respective
instruments, had carefully picked their
way through the semi darkness and
approached the vicinity of the pro-
posed attack, the commander-in-cl chief
halted his subordinates by silent ges-
ture, and explained Ills plan of cam
paign.
"You see, boys" remarked James,
sententiously, and in subdued tone
of voice, "tbe young ladies occupy the
room over the back porch, and we must
slip around that way, unbeknownst to
the old 'uns, who hold forth in the big
apartment opposite the gate" (The
term Gold 'uns" was Jim's somewhat
irreverent way of abiding to Squire
Leighton and his estimable lady.)-
"The squire is somewhat peculiar, not
to say eccentric, and should he discover
our presence before he hears the music
with which we mean to electrify his
soul, there's no knowing what might
take place." And truly there wasn't,
as subsequent events fully verified.
Well, these admonitions were duly
weighed, and the necessary precau-.
tons taken. The company faced
about, and in q few moments found
themselves drawn up in line by a pick
ct fence, which inclosed the rear yard
and garden of the premises. Here a
second halt was ordered, and from the
shadow Of the cherry trees which lined
the fence, the night birds took a sur
vey of the grounds. How quiet the
hour and scene! No sound was heard
but the gentle swaying of the trees in
the soft breeze, which also was laden
with the rich fragrance from rose
thicket near by. In the faint starlight
deeply buried in sladow-especially
tho porch, the trellis-wofk of which
was covered with festoons of creeping
yines-might have been taken for some
enchanted castle, wherein was immur-
ed the traditional imprisoned princess.
Dimly, in the cleaning, the trouba-
dours could see the white curtain of an
upper window tanning in and out the
open easement, as it toyed with the
night wind. 1t indicated the room
where the young ladies, all unconscious
of the surprise in store for them, were
peacefully sleeping.
eyes, THAT'S the window, my CO.
yeys," whispered Jim, with an express
sive pantamime. "Hown we, get over
the fence?n
The question was a practical one
To. scale the high, sharp palings would
be dangerous feat, and the limbs of
the cherry trees were quite beyond
reach. Endymon proposed they should