New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-06-06
THINGS ARE NOT WHAT THEY SEEM.

THINGS ARE NOT WHAT THEY SEEM.
We used to read in an old school boo
OF the dream of Hated, gentleman VIII
became dissatisfied with the course of ns
ture, with its monotonous laws and evel
lasting rules In dream he was COZ
veyed to world of chance, where every
thing existed by accident; where animal
multiplied not after their kind, but &C
cording to the freaks of toss up. A ma,
might plant any particular kind Of see
and be liable to raise any other kind O
fruit. Pumpkins would grow on tree
and apples in the ground, and the mex
year everything would be changed. AL
things were badly mixed, and Hated wa
much more unhappy than he was in tn
regular world. The story was for tn,
benefit of little boys who had mastered
the first primer, and thought they coult
manage things better than God.
Let such dreamer strike New Orleans
in his somnamt ulance, and he would bt
quite as much surprised as the man of the
fable. He would find us in swamp
surrounded by and partly under water,
and see houses burning in other dis tricts,
because no water could be found to put
out the fire. He would also see water
running away from the river and trying
to get out Of corporate limits by back
way. He would see water. water, every
where, with city Administrator trying
to sell the waterworks. He would be told
that Algiers was on the west bank of a
river which runs nearly north, past Canal
street, and then wonder why the sun
should apparently go and set in the
east. He could have seen citizens armed
with guns, shooting policemen, and claim
ing that they were keeping the peace.
Carpet-baggers of one year, with Demo-
cratic bags, would be found denouncing
carpet-baggers of another year, who
held different opinions. He would find
people who had produced race of
mulattoes to be most violent against ad-
mitting negroes into schools, churches,
places of amusement or even mule cars
where white men were liable to go. The
dreamer would see men advocating the plan
of letting the city's creditors draw their in
terest by lottery, and establishing
municipal tombola to run the government
on roulette wheels, and at the same time
demanding the suppression of gambling.
He would see working men who never did
any work, and find rich people claiming
that they were too poor to pay taxes. He
would be told that the people of the city
were starving, and meet crowds of
elegantly dressed ladies and gentle
men, and go with them to balls,
operas. concerts and horse races. The
dreamer would find the churches organ
lied institutions for systematic begging,
supported by theatrical exhibitions in the
different halls, and hear the clergymen
denounce the stage and vain amusements.
He would find actors giving recitations
and singing comic songs in the house of
God, and hear preachers, with the tables
turned, preaching in the Academy of
Music. He would see barkeepers taking
money from the drunken father whose
children cried tor bread, and aft erward
holding a rattle for the benefit of the
widow and orphans. The dreamer would
find men cursing Office seekers while get
ting signers to petition for Office, and
hear men who are running away W it'll the
spoons crying "stop thief" and be wit
ness to men preaching reform and prac-
ticing extravaganza. He would hear of
men without any honor ready to protect
it with their lives, and getting satisfaction
by being killed. The realities of this
world are much more marvellous than the
lotions. Occasionally the poor devil
who says he is Christ is locked up in the
insane asylum; they deprive him of
liberty because he is liar. Let man
attempt to walk about telling the truth,
he whole truth, and nothing but the
ruth, and he would most certainly suffer
leath. A little further on and it will
;ome right, little slanting, but not up
,ide down. Too many men are dreaming,
aging in their sleep they are thinking.