New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-10
Written for the Republican,
WINTER IN NORTH LOUISIANA.
BY w. JASPER BLACKBURN.
within his sober realm Of leafleSs tres,

Within his sober realm Of leafess tres,
The russell year iDhales the dreamy air;
Like some tanned reaper in his hour of ease,
When all the fields are living brown and bare
IT. Buchanan Read.
The winter scenery of North Louisiana is
full of poetry and romance, more weird and
enrapturing perhaps than even that Of the
springtime. The lingering russell which at
this season is mixed with the evergreen
forms contrast most fascinating-mys-
tically inspiring and strangely soothing. 1t
lulls the soul into the deepest and most
calm meditation, and at the same time
quickens thought into the hveliest sensl'
bility. Hope scars and revels in the calm,
golden realms of the hereafter, while the
quickest and keenest qualities of the intel
lect Gull earthly gems in the richest pro-
fusion.
Butitis the grand and cold old gray aspect
which winter puts on that makes this season
SO richly romantic and epically poetical-
that leaden somberness which pictures the
immortality of living death, as it were;
peculi arly lonesome yet sweet sadness is
made to possess the soul in thus contem-
plating the tomb of nature-the grave Of
the vegetable kiDgdOm-typical of that
which awaits man. Verify, it is q sweet yet
sad thou ght-as the music of Caryl to the
memory of Joys that are passed-which pos
sesses the soul as we contemplate old
winter
"sullen and sad, with AZ his rising train
But in that train We have but few 'vapOrs,"
or "clouds," or STORMS" in our winter
scenes of North Louisiana.
Look out upon the far hills, wrapt in
their sad yet sweet wicherv of romance
and pc etry. Even nov, in the dead of this
stern winter season, while in the more
Northern cline of our happy land ali ia icy
desolation and chill discomfort, we have
here still the mystic and poetical beauty of
Indian summer; lingering afar of in I'M
speakable grandeur and loneliness, and
hanging in shrOuds of inspiration over our
matchless forests, like the shadows of
lowering angels az from the portals of the
blest they look anxiously down upon their
earthly W atches. 1t is indeed lovely and
Bublime-an inspiration which none but
the most sordid and fOrsaken soul could
fail to note and admire. In the dim yet
translucent atmosphere visible objects of
immortal beauty hOat out in well-dispOsed
order and symmetry before the vision of
the ezra ptured SOnl-things purely of the
imagin alton, bat none the less fraught with
glad hope and heavenly cheer; and the
sweetest notes Of unutterabie music are
thus heard in the calm of thought" to vi
brate upon the tendrils ofthe souls fondest
sympat HES, as We contemplate and medi
tate the beauties and faseinations OF this
mystic and bewitching winter season of
our old native hills and dales and undulat-
ing plains, and pleasant meadows and
wales.
Here We have all along through this
season, 30 sad to other chimes, the balmiest
days OF long continued loneliness, with
their CLEANS Of sheen and gold, and nights
of dewy gladness and eheer--a Rladness
and cheer which make our still blooming
orchards and budding scenes Of sbrubbery
vocal forever with the varied songs Of the
noble native hooking bira-the nightingale
Of the South, whose "voiee never is mute
Hyou are Bad with the cares Of busy life
II the arts and the wfles OF commerce, and
the hypocrisy Of pulling deOeivers have sur
feited your heart to sickness and disdain
and you wish little respite from the con
temptible snxietiea Of what is termed civil
ization-- would be relieved for moment
from the tOil.ssained chains and and CALLING
slavery Of society, and still retain thOughts
Of the practical and the real then stroll ion
"a hour into the naatchleas scenery OF the
native winter forest Of North Louisiana
and yong eesl shall be both relieved ana
entertaineds giaddesed and refreshed wish
tho romantic and the ideal Of life, and
strengthened with the pFoss and reality 81
existenee fOE new eonaiots with "sln and
asrEsw," and AL the esnaistinR deuhts and
hopsa Of the hers and the hereafter
The gray, loaden aapsct Of the bare,
native fofesf--shc grand and dsfant sulien.
aesa q lhe eacient oaks, When hese9t Of
meet Of their ,'aere aad yelies lsaf''-oor
ssaef uoss charm lngsy With ehe almost per
pssual Rlay 81 sus haimy wintss sunshins