The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1878-03-30
Assumption Correspondence.

EDITOR CHIEF:
Since the storm. Of the 9Th inst, fhe weather
clerk has been doing things more CONSIST
artlv. The occasional signs ef ssrtker ram
fall have proved illusory and the ardor OF
the soil cultivators has increased in proper
ton to the vanishing of said appearances.
At the beginning of the week land that had
been previously broken up was scarcely III
proper condition to re-plow on account OF
the thorough soaking rece2tly received, yet
tie weather representations were sllch that
the farmers were unwilling to risk further
delay and accordingly every available
pIow was expected to do its everlasting
duty.
Some uxeasiness is manifested among the
planters generally on account OF the sparse
appeareance of the plant cane. An exam
ination on several plantations as to the
cause of the meagrc stand," points to the
Effectiveness of the seed cane. "Stubble y
! cane, though less affected by the severe
| frosts of last season, shows corresponding
| blight.
| This is "a very quiet neighborhood, for
scarce any sound save that produced by the
church bell OF steam whistle breaks the
peaeeable monotony. Occasionally the plow-
mans voice is heard in the near distance, or
the steamboat lieutenant vociferating his
peculiar and interesting requests to the lag
! gard roustabout.
"Who darna sac him nay,
but who, accelerating his movements, anath-
ematizes, soto roce, his mateship as one
of the sons not mentioned in the Scriptures.
Even st. Patrick's Day passed off without a
broken pate or the twirling of shillalah.
The ides of March having slipped by al
most without recognizanee, everybody, ex-
cepting myself, seems busy with his or her
affairs, and work, steady, patient, is the or
der of the day. There are but very few
| idlers here, and even these show some pre-
tensions toward activity.
For the past week / have been vainly en-
deavoring to decipher the mysterious mode
by which some people obtain their daily
staff of life and porcine nourishment how
others are so extremely fortunate as to be
on hand when the would-be social aristocrat
and hail fellow well met " walks up to the
counter of the one-horse shebang and
valiantly demands % drinks for the crowd !; y
and how few (may they be less) who, nc
doubt, combine both the above heightened
qualities in common with the more noble
one of prying into the affairs of others and
communicating the results of their investi
cations to all they chance to meet and senu
ing the news to those beyond the sound o.
their trumpets. had forgotten to enumer
ate, in this connection, another qualification
without which their title to the order OF
dead-beat would lose its principal sup
port. l have reference to their systematic
and economici methods of obtaining the
latest news, telegraphic or otherwise
through the medium of the press. A friend
whom | will designate as Squire Cleaner
| watches for the editor as he energies from
his sa'ctIn, and pSunees upon him as q
| hawk swOops down upon q chicken. In the
prolonged absence OF the quill-driver, the
Squire waylays the foreman, the compost
| tor, the presSman, or, falling in these, inter
views the d. in order to satisfy the cravings
for information.
There is still another specimen of this
class who, not wishing to exert themselves
in watching lodging and maneuvering gen
: orally for the press-gan simply step ovel
to the hotels, bar-room or store, as the cast
may be, and seizing the newspaper, jus
issued to the regular subscriber, peruses j
to their satisfaction, and often retain it TO
future reference. This class of genaemel
are increasing rapidly and should the specie
} become much more extensive it will b.
highly necessary for every third male O
, mature age to start a printing Office imme
>diately, with daily edition, in order t.
ensure employment for these general read
, ers. l would humbly suggest, however
that perhaps the better way would be 70
the publishers Of all papers to send a fire.
COPY of their issues to this class of literar-
gentlemen. Publishers noticing this com
. munication and wishing to cooperate in tn
laudable enterprise, can be furnished wit
the names of those in this vicinity VIII
would be highly pleased as well us bene
, fitted by their generosity.
Nothing of a sensational character is Of
e the wing at present, and if / should an
, nOunce to the whole Union, through the col
umns of the CHIEF, that have recently wit
messed tirst-class confagration, the stupi,
/. and unbelieying would pay no heed to m
assertion. Yet such was the case, if | ma
extent, or damage sustained. The barn o
crib on the Jones plantation was, with it
contents, totally destroyed by fire about
: o'clock last Sabbath evening. No copjeetur
f has peen made public as to the origin of til
| fire.
Spring, so far, has struggled valiantly t
gain her ascendancy over old frosty-pate
but few, if any, doubt her triumph, and if W
place full reliance on the botanical observe
| tons of our Sugar Planter friend, a requier
5 should be chanted over the remains of til
Y ice-king, for the advent of those pecan bud
has surely knocked the stuffing and sitter
. ing from ont his ex-majesty. But the agr
n cultural scribe of this journal recommend
; the collection of large quantities of moss t
protect the garding sass " from the har
t frost which is yet to come.
V The grumbling mania seems to hay
: | widened its scope the planters being oyel
. busy to indulge in their accustomed mul
I, murings, have been succeeded by our oh,
t sicians, who are simply terrible in their d.
O nunciations against the salutariness of th
? climate. Not a case of sickness on hant
. not even black eye to poultice, or defe,
) tive tooth to extract; nothing, in truth, I
? bring back the smile of qualification to the
+ elongated yisages. So they punch billiar
4 balls for revenge and mediate on the n