The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1881-08-27
VILLETTE'S VIVACITIES.
Fabrics Of Fact and Fancy Fashioned by
the Facile Faber ofa Fair Felicianian.
Sr FRANcIsvILLE, August u, 1881

EDITOR CHEF:
F" Vedi NapoH e poi nor,." See Naples
and then die, was the rather equivocal
dictum of some provcrbal philosopher
Whether because the philosopher in
question considered view OF the lovely
bay of the Magma, Graccian City, the
Corso or scndi-seeking l;lzzaroni would
he too much for the average mind to
stand, it behooves mo not t" decide.
Improving on the proverb | might say
without too great descent from the
sublime to the ridiculous: Sec Bayou
Sara and then live-to regret that Provi-
dence or the fortuitous fate that orders
our steps Alright, hath not decreed that
your life should be passed in the Metrop
oils of West Feliciana. Can you imag-
inc II village that has been ln'ging in
Il Rip Van Winklian sleep for decades
and is Just about awakening from its
lethargy' Behold this town then; it
yawns, it drowsily opens it eyes, it
wearily stretches out first ono limb and
then the other, wondering in its sleepy
mind the while if it is worth the trouble
t" be up and a-tloing. ALI it must arouse
itself perforce, for | scarcely think it's
energetic merchants intend that it shall
again Lapse in sweet oblivion's bliss
| full dream" In the meanwhile though
those enterprising business men are at
the extrcmities of the town and the
march of improvement has not yet
| travelled centrcward there the place
slumbers; the bipetls-thosc with feath-
ers and without, according to Platos
definition and distinction--the cows, the
| calves and those very unromantic but
highly useful animals in IL "hog and
hominy' community, politely termed
swine, drag themselves lazily along, as
if afflicted with narcOlepsy or the sleepy
disease; even tue houses look .lrowsily
| meditative, and the trees in the avenues
hang their green heads in the hot glare
of the sun as # indulging in a siesta. All
is in state Of inertia except those speci-
mems of the genus homo yclept "loaters.' y
They mostly do congreyate at the drug
gist's corner to discuss the weather,
Shakespeare and the comet, let us hope,
probably also the cup that both cheers
and inebriatcs
Those ;,ncients, the oldest inhabitants,
certainly had IL keen sense of Natures
beauties when they laid off the town ol
| Bayou Sara, or to be more accurate, the
towns of Bayou Sara and st. Francisyille
for there arc two towns, one "under the
hill" and the other "On the hill," as
suppose all tho world knows. In st
Francisvillc, the loveliest OF green
swar,is clothc the hills around, the state
liest of oaks, ash and pine grow there
disclosing through riffs in their greer
walls on one side the still waters Of the
Mississippi, and twining on the Other
side like giant protectors above the
wealth of summer shrubs and blossoms
that cluster about their gnarled roots
In the u,lietest part of the town. Cal
not say g far removed from the busy hun
Of life" as there is but little busy hun
in this town-but still, even i'll the quiet
est portion of the qnietcst place is th'
Cathedral Church. Built years ago, 81
many years back that many of thos'
whose young feet then trod its aisle
Sabbath after Sabbath, have long since
been fan to stay their weary steps ant
lie down to rest i'll the peaceful grave
yard surrounding the church, I" to sleep
perchancc to Dream" who can say A
rest. With what sweet significance thos
words have fallen upon the tired heart
worn out with the struggles of life
tossed in the maclstrom OF care ant
yearnny for u surcr haven than eartl
can offer. Many {: one who has gone t.
that tranquil bed OF happiness KNOWN!
that summer winds will blow softly owe
his weary limbs, that there the birds vii
sing their sweetest songs to HIM, AM
that on still and happy days hymns o
praise will come to him like beneliction
through the open windows Of the church
the Thanksgiving that He docth al
things we'll" Thick and many are til
green mounds in that Metropolis and yc
there is room for others. Even since
have been here two have been born
there ant. laid to rest under the thic
shade of the oaks: one who long ag
found out what :, very apple OF Sodonl
life, how unsatisfactory arc cartlil
homes, and who went to his grave rs on
yo"s to happy siumbers, where tn
. wicked cease from troubling and tn
weary are ut rest - the other, a dear III
Tie infant, closed her baby eyes ere hea,
enlv recollections had faded from ht
vision. She truly has returned home
. pure and sinless death was but Il tran
I sition to higher bliss, from the arms {
earthly parents to Il Heavenly One VII
carries His lambs in His bosom.
| am now on my way to pointe Coz
pee, the modern -dcadie, where, am toll
the golden age still prevails; where i
f is innocence, peace and happiness, an
where the unsophistieated inl'abitan
| exclain to less favored humanity i'll tt
{ arandlloquent words of the Easte,
r Prince, "Woulds't tLou behold an cart
: ly Paradise, it is here, it is here.'
e my next will record my impressions
G New Road and vicinity. Ny mind
I G.. i