Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1880-10-21

tho gray drops falling on the moss grown
roots around, count the tolling notes Of
q church bell as they dropped ono by
ono into the stiffness Of the Sabbath
evening, and wonder who it was that
was dead. Finally tho loug black cor
tego wound through to tho echoless
streets, aud went back into tho rogn-
lation hoiol parlor.
The mocking birds had us up bright
and early next morning, aud we took u
long walk, which led us past many state
~ and ponderous mansions stained with
tho rains Of many years, but which
showed that in the times Of long ago the
people Of the Capital city have possess
ed large means aud lived handsomely
The gontIo slopes Of the land were "bso-
lutely refreshing to eyes SO used to tho
monotony of fiat ground as mine, The
fields and stretches Of ground every
where were covered with u long ieath.
cry grass: which is growing go'de"
brown under tho warm October sun
and il as graceful rs willow plumos.
This grass is oddly enough called Yam
koe weed, because it was never known
to grow in tho parish at all until the
blue oDats of the Yankee soldiers had
made their appearance in tho little city.
We didn't go into the graveyard, but
only looked over the fence. In tho cen
tor of this peaceful, whitc-tombcd city
of tho dead stands tall black Catholic
cross, It's long arms roac',ing out in end
less bcnedlctiou over tho dead lying
there. At the foot of tho cross on All
Saints Day the priests bold services,
and | can imagine that robbed OF tho
bazaar-liko features that belong to All
Saints Day rs IN New Orleans, tho scrvi-
ccS Of co,nInru,oration of tho dead IN
this cemetery must be very beautiful.
Hereafter, If any ono ever asks ~"
where is to DO found that prOverbla!
Southern, hospitality. for which our
State was once 40 famous, shall en-
platically declare in Baton Rouge.
Never in the history ofcoMyentions were
people moro delightfully."- entertained
than were the members of tho press con-
vention, both in public and purely so
cal way. Tho citizens provided car
rages, and tho whole convention pro-
ceeded to do tho public institutions
Con. Jastvcnski, the very handsome
and court|y mayor of the city, was
master of ceremonies, aud probably, with
q laudablc desire to allow the editors to
renew old acq uai,tanccs, the first place
he took US to, was tho ponitcntiary.
never thought to break bread in a pen
, itontiary, my dear, but We did sample
, tho convict faro and found it very good
and wholesome; but, oh, it was dread
full place. The cells were scarcely bigger
than tombs for the dead each one con
, tanned u narrow he'd, not much wide
than q coffin, and the cell barely allows
f room for the convicts to crawl into thei
D cots oEverythiug seemed scrupulousl.
8 clean. The mi ght of the law never wal
? 80 evident to me as when We were insid
y of that silent, imprognable State prison
4 | think if the initiation of public official
/ into office conss. cd of a ten days visi
{ to the rsnitentiary tho effect upon pub
o lie morals, or at least upon their morals
Y would be very beneficial to the public
!. welfare.
t The average Baton Rouge girl is a
If pretty as u picture. We saw lots q
@ them at the press ball, or, at least, q
T. the ball given in honor of the press, bu
which, | am sorry to say, tho majorlt
u of TIE press representatives didn't hav
If the p0liteness to attend. Yes, she
v, pretty-she has studied the artistic
10 dress this far--tl,at her costume is el
10 tircly free from cXaggeratlons OF an
kind-and that should think is tr
a umph worth any WON MS consideration
70 She is modest in her manner-cOurteO,
~ in her treatment of strangers, and brigl
70 and chatty iu her talk. And that
~ minds me-"Chatty"-the occasion
N and entertaining correspondent of Il
he Picayuno who, if you rccollect, gave
~ through tho medium of her pen SUI
d. pretty descriptions of tho Centcn nj;
no lives in Baton Rouge. She is now MI
no William II. Rhodus, and was told tn
nd she is just as bright and deserving
80 her nom do llume as ever.
RI You never sew such a town for flo
id ers in Your life. Horticulture is an 9
vn with the people; they cultivate on
nd the rarcst of plants, and if l had
Tor many words as the flowers had petals
"a All e l. g.