The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-08-29

There is a universal cry of "Hard
Tines around u.s., and what makes it
worse is that this same cry of lizard
Timesn is not the old alarm of "Wolf,
Wolff but the ravening animal actually
at the door. Between rains and cater
pillars, we are in a critical position, and
moreover we will always bea t the mercy
of these two chances as long as all our
hopes lie in the staples which, after all,
have been more q curse than a blessing
to Louisiana.
We remember the old German legend
of g the Nuremberg" Ia knight resting
ON the green sward after a hunt looked
up and saw through the coppice a wo-
mans face Of marvellous beauty, with
cleaning golden locks. She smiled at.
him and disappeared, leaving him for
ever hauntedby the vision. Asun CLEAN
in the thickets, or a radiance in the sky,
would be enough to set the hapless
knight in hot pursuit of the phantom.
Life with all its pleasures and duties
became insipid to him. Avenues of fame
and wealth were deserted unless the
magical CLEAN lay at the end. Love,
the sweetest and purest, was cast aside
for this hooking vision of the Runen-
berg. AIWasin hot pursuit, never grasp
ing, knocking, delusive, the golden dream
constantly appeared, and constantly
eluded, until the Knight lay dying with
the chimera to the last shining before
his dazzled eyes.
Is there no analogy between this me-
dieyal legend of demoniae possession,
and tO-day's blind idea of cotton and
sugar, as the sole factors Of wealth and
prosperity? There is the same decep-
tive glimer, the same unsubstantial re-
suits, the same hot madness of pursuit
which never r~ela1es, in spite of failure
after failure. Unfortunately too the
same apparent inability to turn action
D I energy into any other chanel. Yet
we cannot open a paper without seeing
wonderful results from other systems
Of planting. The nursery of w. Clark,
In Georgia, ships 1000 pounds of grapes
per day, at fifteen cents pound. Will
probably ship 10000 pounds during the
season. Peaches in Abbeyille, S. c.,
average il weight nine pounds for every
twenty-five. The rice crop in Plaque
mine, La, will probably far exceed the
cotton results of the same section. In
the orange latitndes, the proyident who
have planted and attended to large
groves will this year find themselves il
possession of a handsome income with.
out any Of the previous outlay which
other crops require.
Here, iii ST. Landry, we have not ever
made corn for the coming season, and
tine crop Of potatoes is very inadequate
The cotton glamor was upon our people
and q very deceptive one it has proved
Those among us who have been sensible
and far seeing enough to give a portion
of their attention to grain, fruit ant
vegetables will be the only ones Wht
can look hopefully forward to the com
ing winter. Yet with these tangibl,
results before them, viii our planter
another year give less space to the sta
pies and more to other productions
Not d bit of it.
No proof will satisfy them that a ma
can grow rich in Louisiana Withou
planting an acre of cotton or cane. N
eternal begging i'll muddy sloughs vii
convince them thatitWould be safer an
wiser to go out of the old accredited rut
Tor their lost prosperity. II d peopl
owned the garden of Hesperides, and a,
orange grove approximates nearly t
this golden mythus, they would ploug
it up to plant the beloved staples.
The experience of this winter may b
franght with useful lessons TO some q
the planters. The severe privaficn
which lie before us may open their eye
to the truth which they have beensouI
willing to receive, that crops always III
certain cannot Be relied On by an in
p~oyerislaed people who require pFeseI
& &c livelihood. More corn, pot
toes and fruit will be the result.
a. methodist protracted meeting ~;
concluded at Bellevue lastsunday ever
inc. Eleven joined the church, aad SCI
eral Others were converted. The Pr,
siding Elder, Rev. B. +. White; Rev.
II. Baldwin, u. ~. Pointer, G. al. Fraze
and VIM. Hart the preacher III eharg
Were present during the meeting.
PERsoSAI.-Mr. ]. T. Haakin
travelling agent for the Cotton-Bol