Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1880-11-02
VAGARIEs.

corporal substance, my spirit was IN
direct unison with the late plcasantncss
convokcd in dear old Baton Rouge, and
my heart throbs in warm reciprocity at
"Cathorino Colc's' opistolary narration
Of tho social satisfaction and tho local
attractions of tho time and place. Loui-
siana is tho natural Eden of America,
and as our fair city sits beside tho turbld
highway of u nations commerce so pa
tiently awaiting the honors and wealth
tho future must bring her, any poan in
hcr behalf, or project to hasten "the
good time coming" is direct appeal to
my partiality. There is u calm contcm-
pativc Dir about tho old town thotsccms
classic, and should make it the "nativo
heath" tho cOngcnial OF forensic skill,
scholastic wisdom, and social prc-clnl-
nence. Here wo could naturally look
for symposium Of tho wits, and lgueBs
this Press Convention was an approach
towards it. am sure, from its source
TO its mouth, there is no faircr picture on
tho shores of the great river, than our
city with tho castcllatcd tnrrcts and
glittcring porticocs of State House and
University browning its heights; upon
l,nl Inf Irnn nj n J
thoughts of medieval times rush to
mind, mingled with stray imagery from
tho pages Of Wnvcrly, recalling pictu-
rescue Abbottslord and its mnStrcl.lord.
Tho delicious delight Of our beautiful
October weather, spreads the blue haze
of Indian Summer glamour over the mel
low landscape, inviting ono to idly sit
aud enjoy the blessed boon of existence.
Tho inspiration of these lovely days float
into the speech Of little poem, that
gushcd from the tender heart of an on
thusiast:
20 gut OF God perfect dhSi
Whcrcon shall no man work but play,
Wholcon IL IL n enough for me,
Not TO DO doing, but to be"
II tho cnvrons of the town aro 80 at
tractivo, whit charms must hang over
Tho grand uplands, the fertile far-rcacl-
Jug acres of our beautiful parish, in all
thoir wealth of autumnal lnstre. Yellow
and crimson tnts ilamo along the hedge
rows and buruish the dark endorsement
of woodlands; waste fields arc aglow i'll
waving pillows Of goldcnrod and PIN
pcrncl, while miles Of cultivated acres,
CLEAN with tho dshcvolcd locks of "that
linoal child Of tho Tarill-king Cotton.
"From the wood-top calls the crow, y
after stated glcamings in the cornliclds,
while tho bark and bound of tho SPUR
rol rustles the bocchcn grove, and the
pipe of tho quail and the whirr of wings,
delight thosportsman and his patient set
tcrc0mpaniOn in tho brown stubblc. Over
tho deep cerulcan skies float argosics OF
silvoly clouds, that couple only with
Tennysons,
Summer isles lying in dark purple spheres of
soa."
There is o sweetness in tho decay OF
tho year, that makes tho roses OF Fall
now blooming on the verge of Winter,
seem q concentration of tho charms OF
both Spring and Summer. Is this only the
porversenoss of the old Adam of human
nature that learns to prize what we
know we must soon lose!
These fair pictures from the reflective
rotlna, can cover a heavy heart, as the
brightest flowers bloom above the coffin
lids of hope and joy; but apart from the
weary cares of q hard reality, there is a
sanctfed baptism of the spirit that
makes music even in the midnight gloom
of crushing sorrows and unccasing re-
grets; an intangible incxprcSsiblc some
thing; divine aspiration, q hopeful
longing; tho human reaching upward
after the divine; Lowell can express it
best, thus:
"0f all the myraid moods of mind
That through tho soul como throngng
Which ono was Ger 80 dear, 50 kind,
SO beautiful as lOnging7
The thing we long for that wo are,
For one transCcndcnt moment,
Before the present, poor and bare,
Can mako its snecrng comment.
Still through our paltry stir and strife
CLOVIS down tho wished ideal,
Aud longing mold in clay what life
Carves in the marble real
To lot the new life in, wo know
Desire must ope the portal;
Perhaps tho longing to be 80
Helps mako the soul immortal,
"Longngis Gods fresh, hcavcnward win
With our poor oarthward striving
We quonch it that We may be still
Content with merely living;
But would We learn that hearts full scop"
Which wc arc hourly wrOnging,
Our hearts must climb from hope TO hope,