The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-12-25
NINE. LALMONT, MODESTO
A CHRISTMAS STORY.

There was sleepy sort of mist stealing over
,ba river. and the wharves seemed shrouded
in a dreamy veil of gossamer. The stately
ships Law idly moving to the drowsy motion OF
the ebb and food of current and eddy, appar-
emily Indifferent to the busy exertlons OF the
cook in the galley making preparations for the
CAPTAINS Christmas dinner. On shore there
was stiffness and quietude prevailing. 1t
WAS but o'clock Christmas morning, and the
long, level stretch OF streets gave no token OF
life.
The old shoemaker's sign on Bourbon
street once in while muttered obJurgauons
at the frisky gusts of wind swinging 1t to and
fro: but the wind-uncertain elf paid no at
tention, but hurried on to the neighborlng
BARRIERS pole, and. after whistling its I'LL
around its peppermint candy STRIPES
hustled away to sport over the commons,
where ill-fed bovines silently awaited the
rising of the sun The leaves OF the live
oaks, catching tie joyous refrain, twittered
and whispered one to the other about all this
commotion, and not until sicky acorn told
of the approach of the Yule tide did they
cease their caroling.
The morning was unusually warm, even
OASO 49,
the ear could catch in the silence the loving
of distant kline from over the river IN their
nastnre fields, and then the trucking of lar
off bell notes, marshaling early worshlpers
to mass.
At the Parish Prison, the prisoners, never
forpettul of the approaching day, peered
through the bars of their cells, drinking IN
the only Christmas draught circumstances
had allowed them-a breath OF the pleasant
morning air. They scanned closely the
crowded clothes line swaylng to aud fro IN the
back yard OF the charcoal dealer opposite
and tiny pants and diminut.ve pettlcoats re-
called DAYS when they were listening to
Christmas chimes, whilst little prattlers crep'
closely to their bosQms.
In the ordinary accep'atlon OF the WORD, the
dav did not come into life with the brightest
visions to these felons. The memory OF the
"has BEEN" the silent figures OF the past
through morning mists and shadowy day
break, brought too sad tale to them, ano
fearing the anguish of remorse and Dlttel
recollection, the prisoners left the windows
10 seek the darkness OF their cells.
Christmas morn stole in upon another
human habitation. tall, four->tory bricl
house built during the Spanish domination
with curiously shaped windows and almos
impossible doors, with its stucco battle
SCARED in the wars OF a century, and show
ing hugh patches of bare brick work beneath
there the dawn stole In also.
From the garrett down to the basemen
every room was occupied by struggling ten
ants. whose daily labor scarcely enabled then
to realize sufficient to settle with Nine
Guizot The grasping landlady of the prem
;aes The house was on Royal street, an
most of our readers know well the spot.
relic of the by-gone, it still stands, mement
of our pioneers in this wood OF semi-clVlhza
ton then, and attests their energy and perse
yerance in bridging difficulties now mer
trifes. The gray OF day touched this house
TOP, then, as if fearing to startle the crowde
tenants. stole down the walls until Garrett
observer could Just distinguish ID the somoi
LIGHT pendant from the wall on the groun
/. floor modest looking sign, on which Was IL
5 scribed
q neIAIE Lamont, MODESTO.
Q With our experience, we must CONFESS,
. we were about selecting q cressmaker, u
sion above referred to would not attract US
= sufficient degree to entice US to invest OF
money within the purlieus OF the crampt
Ii quarters wherein this dame announced he
= self as willing to cut and ut garments i
la lies, in Freuch. 1t was not what the ave
age man would call attractive. Below u
sign there was what might be called doc
and. when this was opened, the passer IN .
street might observe, that Is, II ne nao .
little else to do, a small room some twei
feet square, with a cot in the extreme res