The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1880-12-11
Notes from Aunt Chats Portfolio.

| Homewart Bound -Fsxperiencesinas In Sleep
er-An Interesting Family Party Mann
mas Gone I'm New Orleans Again-an
Unfavorab,e Contrast-How to Build Up
| the Crescent City. Lo, the Poor Indian y
NEW ORLEANS, LA, Nov. =, 1880.
EDITOR CHIEF:
Some one has beautifully said that,
Time wears slippers of list and treat9s
noiselessly." I was forcibly reminded
of this the week VIC were in Chicago.
The days came III and crept out so softly
and sweetly that before we began at all
to realize it, our prescribed visit was at
an end, and we we're obliged to say fare
| we'll to the dear friends who had con-
tributed so much to our pleasure.
As the train rolled out Of the great de-
pot, John said, in chirping humor, Now,
Charity, my little woman, we are step
ping homeward." And really it seemed
the light of home shone full in his face,
it was SO bright and joyous. Not all the
splendors of grand cities or the beauties
of nature-the roaring sea, the smiling
| hills, fertile wales and towering noun
tains, had exhilarated his spirits like
| the vision of home and the hope of soon
again reposing meath his own vine and
fig tree.
We had crowded sleeper and the first
morning out, after the car had been con-
| verted into sitting room and the porter
had subsidcd with his feather duster,
| that worst of all nuisances, ], looked
| around to take an inventory of the pas
sengers, and was about to conc1ude it a
valuable consignment of human freight
but not likely to destroy the eanui of my
journey, when my attention was at
tracted to rear section, occupied By a
man and group of children-one, two,
three--all boys! No woman who had
ever listened to the echoes iii her heart
| of baby lispings or felt the touch of
chubby arms about her neck could have
kept aloof. Then, too, how vastly moro
interesting and companionable children
are than grown people. They are honest,
outspoken, show their real character and
are not under restraint for the appearance
Of good breeding or for the sake Of popn-
larity. I think all children are powerful
magnets, but to boys would give the
preference. love their g,,sl,, their origin
ality, their daring and their braggadocio.
Impulse took me into the midst of the
of the three and so congenial were onr
souls, we were soon rambling on in con-
versation as if We had been old-time
| friends. They were genuine boys, brin-
full of life and fun; seemed well raised
] and quite gentle enough One Gelved
into his pockets, evidently intending to
dazzle me with his treasures an oyster
shell, large rusty knife, few nails,
two or three lunches of strings, marbles,
bit of leather strap and top were
brought to light. Of fconrse the admira-
ton I bestowed upon them won bis
friendship. The eldest, only about seven
years old, sat next to me and seemed un-
able to warm mp in his subject unless lie
held my hand. yielded it to hin, and
whether he tucked it under his chin, his
arm or his knee, whether he Tapped and
compressed the fingers into the space Of
one, or bent them backward and forward
I resisted not, lest the spell should be
broken and he cease talking. The
favorite subjects were horses and snakes
If one stated startling fact, the other
as qnick asa fash, pronounced it Of little
significance and stated one far more
wonderful. Ono had ridden q horse a!
fast as bird could fly and the other hat
killed snake rs big around as barre
!, and as long as the car-just chopped hi
head right off with u hatchet. In truth
If all the stories they told in quick sue
cession we're recounted, they would TAX
} rank with the fables of the most giftet
fictionist. All this while, the father
sat perfectly immobi!e; not tho shadov
of a smile fitted over his face. Was h
deaf9 or was lie Indifferent to that deli
cious, childish prattlei At last I said
Little boys, where is your mamma
Mamma DORM" spoke up the little tod
die. The man turned upon me look o
unutterable anguish; look as if plead
ing for mercy. I" All, Madam, / laid lie
in the churchyard three days ago-sh
was visiting her mother i'll Illinois and
am trying to get the little things bac
to my home in Texas. do the best
can, but they don't look like they di
when she was with them. She was sue
o good wife, marin, and made my hom
SO bright and cheerful: bnt now ever
thing seems black before my eyes and
have no heart left for any thing. Tbi
, little one was only three weeks old vile
) she died." With that he uncovered whs
had supposed was merely bundle
slawls and showed me q lovely bab
:. slumbering as peacefully as if mothe
: dear kept the silent watch. Surely notl
! ing is more beautiful or touches Il
!, heart more deeply than q gnileless il
: fant; as Wordsworth says, " Heaven III
about us i'll our infancy" My heart wei
for the poor little thing, destined nevt
. to know q mothers tender love, that 10,
: which is inexhaustib1e, which the moul
and rust of time can not elfaee, whic
J, not even indifference, neglect or brnt