The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1881-04-23

Houston Improves Upon Acquaintance
Churches and RevivaIs Literary Society,
Wild Flowers, etc.
Houston, April, 1881.
DEAR AUNT CHAT:
There is generally an unfortunate dis
advantage involved in taking near
view Of either places, persons or things.
We touch upon the surface, and it is
beautiful and attractive, but on pene-
trating beneath, fail to find the fulfill
ment OF lts golden promise What won
der then that many-the vast majority,
indeed-are content with a superficial
view, are satisfied with externalties,
when there is really little else to recon-
mend so much that the world considers
estimable. And yet, this is all wrong.
If "things are not what they seem," in
too many cases, there is enough that is
true, beautiful and good, not on the out
side merely, but at the very core, to keep
a live faith burning in our hearts, and
| effectually silence the skeptical voice,
which proclaims all tlings-the best and
highest-to be sham and delusion.
Familiarity is apt to dull our appre-
ciation for what is intrnsica1ly worthy
of our regard and admiration, and we
foolishly enough imagine then that we
committed the blunder of idealizing at
| the first, when all the time the difficulty
lies in our own blinded vision.
Now / don't think can pay the city
of Houston a higher compliment, thar,
to say, that after being here for more
than two months, / am still loud in its
praises, and enjoy more and more, inter
course with its people. AS soon as
arrived, numbers called to welcome me
and made me feel almost one of the
charmed circle. / am ashamed to ac
knowledge now the crude ideas l had o.
Texas, and my incrednlity of any thing
good coming out of Nazareth. / had no
been here two days before realized tina
| was most egregiously in error. | still
! entertain sort of contlescension-to m
it miltlly-for the native Texan, in whicl
rank reckon cowboys and stock raiser
especially; but the towns Of that larg
and prosperous State are almost entire!.
populated by persons who have drifte'
there from the North, West, and othe
portions of the South. l was impressed
from the first, by the exceedingly liv
appearance of the town; at the mart, o.
the streets, and in some of the churche
are exhibited energy, perseverance,, ear
nestness and determination, and the me-
and women impress one as being alv
to all the great questions, advancement
and issues of this progressive nineteent
century. After becoming acquainted wit
the spirit and temper of the people wa
not surprised at the constru ton of ne,
buildings Oh almost every street, at IL,
increasing commerce and contemplate
whisper it in Gath y the streets are yer
much inferior to those Of onr Crcsce,
City, in point of cleanliness, under i
present sanitary regime. After the j,
nomlny and contempt heaped upon poe
New Orleans for filthy streets, in II
past, she has the satisfaction of known
f that she nor, at least, takes away II
palm iroI, her y"Hnger sister, Honsto
: The Hnns!onians assured me. howtyt
: that the cleanliness nf their city "
u neglected only pr" fempore;; that "h,
> their streets were all niacadamized
= paved it would not be such Hercu!e;
q effort to make them present sight
y appearance. Certainly not. Cela
4 sans dire!
6 Of course each religious denominati