The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-05-13


cato cheek too rudely. Life to her was all
of beauty, and joy, and love. But the desc
lations Of war changed all her surround
ings. Driven from her home, every calamity
seemed to pursue her steps sickness, death.
poverty, bitter and pinching. Her ears. that
had been atttned only to music and words of
love, learned to hear her little ones cry for
the bread she could not give them. In the
long years of her trial silvery strands have
stolen untimely through her dark hair: there
| Is look of sadness in her soft brown eyes,
and her gentle lips are not now wreathed
SO often with joyous smiles. as in the oden
days. But no word Of rebellion has ever
passed them, and her heart and hands have
r1UvBT Ik from ttIIy ftyUr tftt fut to her lot
Gentle reader, is not this wonan's soul as
pure and high as were those of The noblest
heroines of the poets
A LOUISIANA GIRL.
| We were the witness of o tender and beau
tif1l scene in 1861. It was early in May and
n fair young Louisiana girl was bidding her
soldier lover goodbye. Her head was bowed
upon his breast and she was weeping Bit
terly But when he besought her to dry her
tears and display brave heart, she lifted her
lovely head, and looking him proudly in the
face, said: am weeping because you are
going where there IL danger and probably
death, but, and the royal blood mnntled to
her white checks, ''if you were not going you
would see me blush and bow my head in
shame" Once again we saw TINT girl. A
division Of Federal troops were attacking d
body Of Confederate cavalry near where she
| .fnIf f,,l
the shells and round-shot hissed over the vii
lage and plowcd through it's streets, and
there she stood gazing eagerly at the battle,
needless of shot and shell, as though they had
| been rose-leaves scattered around her by
an autumnal wind; her little hands were
| clenched, her cheeks were whittier than lilies
her whole form seemed to heave with excite
ment; but there was a battle-fire in her blue
eyes. By heavens we believe that, had it
been possible, she would have dashed into the
thickest of the fight her very soul seemed In
arms, and to glory in the blaze and thunder OF
the battle.
| That girl had the heart of Richard Crur de
Lion But she faded away with the strength
of the Confederacy, and then they dressed
her in white robes, folded her hands on
her bosom and laid her away; and when the
last ragged Confederates had surrendered
their guns her soul had vanished from the
earth; we have sometimes faneied, to bear the
flag which Lee could no longer uphold to the
Hero Halls of the Celestial World, and twine
it there with the banners that waved at
Marathon and Thermopylm.
/ THE HEROINE OF THE CAMF.
And noW there sweeps before us, star
crowned, The memory of q woman whose
deeds are part Of the history of the world
Women of Louisiana look on the picture!
Some twenty years ago, when war con
vulsed nearly the whole of Europe and 6
large part of Asia; when hostile armies sub
merged the valleys of the Crimea in blood
and the dead were scattered on every
field woman entered the camp O
the Allies; she came like an angel o
mercy, like q messenger Of hope and com
fort to the sick, the wounded and the dying
Softly she smoothed the pillow of the suffer
ing soldier, or bending over his expiring com
rade cheered with words of hope the desolatt
and sinking heart and babe the departing
soul fly on the wings of faith to repose or
the beating bosom of Eternal Love" In the
still hour Of the night she visited wounded
soldier one of whose legs had been shot away
and whose arm was broken; the poor fellow
weak from suffering and loss of blood coult
not turn to greet her, but he kissed the
shadow of Florence Nightingale as it fel
across his pillow.
What prouder tribute could q woman wish
The kiss of that dying man bestowed upon
the lady from the King of Kings the patent
I.F,
people.
4 THE QUEEN OF PALMYRA.
And now another vision sweeps impetu,
ously before us. A woman Of glorious beauty
mounted upon fiery horse; her dark hair
streams on the winds, the light of battle
blazes in her eye, and waving her tewel-hilted
sword in the sunlight, she dashes across tbs
Syrian desert at the head Of her troops, like
"the spirit OF war leading her eaglets to the
feast, and hurls her columns upon the le-
gions Of Aurelan. But the vision of Zonoba
iostles the realm OF dreams and arollegs us
from our rcVericS.
/! And thus, gentle reader, the DEMoCH II, r
its easy chair, this Saturday nigh: has
dreamt of fair women; and who shall chidt
us if we have dreamt only of those fair anC
beautiful ones, whose virtues and lovelinesf
have made their sex to man Gods most pre-
cious gift? Such women have adorned ant
beautfied the world, and the Mussul
man imagination peopleing HEAVIER
with the fairest Of them, has gone
forth ready and eager to die in propa
eating the religion Of the Prophet, anticipa
ting that in his dying hour he would bt
! cheered by the vision of multitudinous hou
; ries bending from the battlements of para
disc, waving their green scarfs amid thu
stars, and beckoning him TO an immortality
in rosy arms.
Deserved Compliment.
On Saturday nexF, 10Th inst, the "Associatior
Dramatique Ofleanai5e," in acknowledgment ol
the eminent services rendered by their scenic