The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1881-12-31
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most others, they seemed to think the
they were coming to a semi-barbarou
region, and it was quite amusing to oil
serve the way in which they had provi
ded themselves against the discomfort
and annoyances Of the proposed tou
throughout Texas. No doubt they vii
be surprised, as T am almost ashame
now to admit that / was, on findinI
a certain degree of perfect refnemen
and culture pervading the State, Will
in the chief cities there is as much il
proportion to the number of inhabitant
as may be found any where else.
Too much praise can not be awarded
the Morgan Company for the prompt
courteous and orderly manner in whicl
every thing is conducted on their road
the beauty and comfort of the cars ani
the gentlemanly department Of the of
ficers and employees. A lady can alway,
travel alone with impunity, sure of til.
courtesy and polite attentions of all will
whom she has to deal. The sleepers arr
owned by the company and are superior
to most of the Pullmans one sees in the
South at any rate. There is luxurious
smoking room in the rear of the car, lead.
ing out upon piazza-like looking plat.
form which is quite large enough to ad.
NIT of several seats. You may imagine
how envied the gentlemen their special
prerogative of a smoking room, with it's
luxurious plush-coyered lounges and
convenient appointments, and how /
longed to inhale therein the perfume of
q fragrant Havana. The old proverb
says that IF wishes were horses, then
beggars could ride" but if most desires
were as susceptible Of fruition as this
modest wish of mine, there would be a
glorious consummation Of all earthly
hopes aud yearnings.
The tempting looking little room was
finally vacated, aud it was deemed per-
fectly expedient that our party should
enjoy its comfort for while, and we
also took seats upon the platform, where
an excellent view was afforded of the
surrounding country. There was not
great variety of landscape, however, but
we came to the conclusion, in our state
Of supreme satisfaction, that after all it
was not the spice of life, and if it was,
we didn't like spice any way. Railroads
never seem to intersect the most pictu-
resque or beautiful part of q country,
and we obtained a very imperfect view
Of the Teche and the section which Long
fellow has immortalized as the garden
spot of Louisiana. But we caught occa-
'ional glimpses of grand old manor
houses embowered by dark, rich green
foliage aud trees rising stately and tall,
around these cheerful homes
like grim old sentinels keeping guard.
And then the winding stream fringed by
avenues of trees whose tall heads bent
gracefully to the waters and whose
boughs interlaced, forming sort Of an
arch in many places over the little river.
How different from Bayou Lafourchel
The levees lend to that stream IN arti-
icial appearance, and the absence of
trees or shrubbery gives it most COM
and utterly unpoetio air. And
ret SO strong is the power of local attach
nent that the Lafou1 chites see, I doubt
not, much to admire in even that en-
arged ditch, especially when the roseate
glow of the setting sun is reflected in it's
iarkened waters, making them all silver
and gold and rosy red.
The train stopped at Vermilionville,
The terminus of the Morgan road, for
supper, but as we had happily supplied
against the pangs of hunger,
and nothing there could tempt the pal
ates of our fastidious young Baltimor-
,ans, we consumed the twenty minutes
For supper in brisk walk on the long
platform at the station.
I can not close this letter without at
east mention of the Advent Mission
attended in Houston nearly three weeks
.go. You heard, probably, that Mr..
Clemens, the rector of Christ Church,
invited DR.. Thompson, of Trim
ty Church, New Orleans, to conduct IN
his town an Advent Mission, which he
to do. He preached here twice
very day, and three times one day, for
Ibout week, to most appreciative con-
and the people esteemed it q
are treat. It is unnecessary to say one
word in commendation Of this great
preacher, as he must be too we'll known
Ii Louisiana to need any sort of COM
nent there. Some Baptist persons said
o me, after hearing one of his mastery,
sermons, "Is it possible
'ou listen to such words as those all the
imei Hon ought to be a perfect saint
lis people ought to be perfect saints"
To the lesser minds it seemed almost a
lerculean labor to he able to preach en-
irely without notes two and three times
laily, but the Doctor laughiDgly replied
hat he found it easy enough after get
ing started-easier, indeed, than preach
ng only once week, just as the editor
# daily paper said he could more read
ly edit daily than a weekly, because,
Lfter pettine well accustomed to it, he