The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-03-08

Y" INV A"AAH" N+~ '"
saved except half a pound of sausage
which was broiling on the stove, and de-
serted by the cook when the alarm was
given. Our gallant tiremen were soon
on thespot and further damage was pre-
vented.
CROPS, WEATHER, ETC.-Itisc certainly
very cheering and pleasant at this time,
when naught is heard on every side but
politics, the situation, ETC., to stroll away
from town for a day and ride around the
neighborhOod and see how the planting
interest is progressing. Everything
seems to go on creased wheels. Every
body seems to be striving with energy
and a "never say die" determination to
put into the market, this next Season,
a crop, such as we have never seen since
the war. None seem to have lost sight,
in their anxiety to free themselves, by
this years crop, from the burden of debt
which has been accommodating for several
years upon their shoulders, of the neces-
sity of making their farms self support
ing, by raising almost everything they
require fer home consumption by their
W hands and labOE; therefore, large
crops Of grain are being planted, and
farmers are paying more attention to
their stock. The spirit seems to have
reached our little town, and gardens are
springing ap on every side, orchards
being planted out, and fences repaired.
Our citizens are now taking q greater
interest in fruit trees than ever before,
and we venture to say that notices. than
ten thousand fruit trees, of different va
rieties, have been planted out in the
neighborhood in the last four months.
Quite a large number Of new farmers
from the States of Alabama and Missis-
sippi have ceme among us to tly their
luck this year. ,.."4s
We report, as far as the weather is
concerned, that it resembles "1ively wo-
man. in one respect, viz: changeable.
Wehave beautiful balnly spring wealth
er one day, and the next finds us hud-
died up around o fire. We have heard
no complaint as yet among the farmers.
We predict q fruitful and prosperous
year for our parish.
An unexpected frost like the one of
last Sunday night upsets the tranquility
of more than gardening individual.
There was a universal sputter and com
motion among the fraternity on Monday
morning in Opelousas. individuals
whose ambition is to sHrpass their neigh
bors in the early vegetable line, and who
had triumphed and crowed over us until
they were hoarse, and we were sad,
merely because their corn was up, and
ours wasn't planted, came to sudden
grief. They descended meekly from
their nerches among us slow grubbers
who watch and wait, and don't cry i" r.
triumphe !" before the sun is hot, and the
beans out of danger.
But of all the pelousas gardeners who
went iubilant to bed Sunday night, and
rose Monday morning shorn of theii
honors, old Aunt Susy went down deep,
est in the slough of despond. We won't
tell the curious reader where Aunt Susy
lives, but it is enough for them to know
that she holds q top-loftical position
among the "colored ladies and gemmen'
who peddie garden stuff to the "whitt
trash oh Opelousy." A shrewd old ne,
gress is Aunt Susy. but the frostthrev
her off her balance. We could hear hel
a square off pouring the wofu1tale Of lie
disasters into sympathetic ears.
"You see, Lucy, honey, my peas wa
jest the owdaciousist peas in Opelousy
They was higher and finer than any ode,
pea crap. Reckin I'd bin two week.
ahead OBJ Mary Jane, and she Dragged
mitely bout herrl. Whar'smy peasnow
Look at 'em froze stiffas my har1" push
up her turban and pulling ut a rtst,
kink. "WhaF's my beans2 Jest pu
your nose, to de ground, and youth Sc,
two, three black nubbins. Whar's m,
corn? Look yander, as yaller as golt
and as droopy as a chicken Wid de pip
Whar's my taters2" looking Wild,
aroundand raising her veice toa shrek
"Bless de Lord ifadey amt clean fiat o.
de ridges TIA
This was the last drop in the bucket
Aunt Susy sat down fat in bed Of
ishes and worked herself to and fro.
"Whar's all my work." she cried i
despairing tones. 81 jestaxes you whar'
my work? druv right ahead, throug
the rain and snow, when dem lazy mig
gers was a bakin dere heels by de fir
And now, dem very folks have had der
contentment, and dey're gwine too
hab garden bout jest as soon as me.
amt gwine to stand it no how. Der
amt no justice in de weather, nor i
Opelousy. Pears to me lazy folks is
heap better off. any how, and I'm gWip
to let things slide.r
Had NC hnar ny,a nF 4ba tElay,y FolT-e9