The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1881-06-11
@o''alosol1bille Cblcf.
Two Dollars Year.
Notes from Mvra's Portfolio.

Or, Thompson's Lecture on Lies and HOW
to Kill Them-A Hopeful Sign Scanning
the Past-IHprovement of Lafayette
Sauare-High Priced Water--Death OF
DIR. Kramer.
New ORLEANS, May, 1881.
DEAR AUNT CHAT:
The event Of tile week mas been Dr..
Hugh Miller Thompson's lecture on
uI,ics. and how to kill them" So wide
~ extended is the enviable reputation OF
Or. Thompson i.lat any literary produce
tion linked with his name needs no fur
tler commentary, and when we say that
the address of this occasion was worthy
of himself, we feel that we could not
bcstow upon it higher praise. In brave,
bold utterance the lecturer denounced
tho shams and falselloods that carcatnre
life and cause the hottest truths to De
read backwards, like the witch's prayer
1t is certainly well to remember that as
Il lie is a corruption of some truth, so the
greater the truth the greater the lie must
be. 1t is to be dcplored that there was
not q pllonographer employed to take
down this instructive and suggestive dis
course, and have it published i'll full by
the press Of the city. IL this age OF
sham and falsehood, the lesson Of sin
cerity, honesty and truth can not DC too
faithfully learned and frequent repeti-
ton is necessary to teach us the complete
meaning of the cardinal virtue, which
implice not only truthfulness in speech
and action, but in our lives-our secret
hidden lives; and in the face of cruel
misunderstanding and destinations, even,
stcadf;,stncss to our convictions and to
the highest dictates Of u conscience sen
sitiye as Il tombstone.
The suspicion that tho people of New
Orleans are not elevated to a sufficiently
high intellectual status to appreciate
lectures and kindred enjoyments, has
long fastened upon then. 1t is among
the hopeful signs of the times, that they
are beginning to disprove that long
tablislcd fact, by a regular, and full at
tendance, when DR.. Thompson, or Dr..
Nlilburn, or any noted celebrity is an
nounccd to lecture. Instead Of being
nnappriciative, they are simply fasti-
.lious! 1t was considered quite an ex-
pertinent, when DR.. L. delivered his first
lecture on the "Great Emperor" soon
after his advent amongst us, but the
success of the effort has justified frequent
repctitions in that line.
Who that ever heard it, can forget that
address Invading the sanctuary Of the
past, the DR.. pictured before us, with
graphic power, the scenes ofOthcr years,
the noble lives of other centuries, until
we could almost imagine We lived over
tho events Of byyone times, and felt, as
with strained ears, we sought to catch
every word, that his was indeed the
power to Stir mems minds and hold them
spcllbound by his cloquence. In fancy,
We stood on ground diyniiied by courage,
or patriotisll, or virtue. We saw the
crested hemlets of warriors, and the
serred ranks of battling hosts; we saw
re-enacted the grand events of Rcpubli-
can and Imperial Rome, and our hearts
warmed into admiration of the command
ing talents and exalted Virtue. of the
illustrious dead.
Almost unconscious|y, we contrast tho
refined intellectual enjoyment Of such !.
discourse us this, with the volatile pur-
suits which address themselves only to
the senses, and we do not hesitate to as
scrt that, while the latter afford pleasure
tor the moment, and are often, very often,
followed by Il vague, restless longing, an
nnsatistied void they have no power to
fill, the former, calling into requisition
the higher attributes of our nature. not
only enlarge our ideas aud cxalt oua
conceptions, but arc a never failing
source of delight.
Layf'yctte Square is undergoing very
decided mctamorphosis, and it is Il graft
tying fact to the jewellers upon that
portion of Camp street especially. The
improvements are being made by the
Lottery Company, who have chosen this
wise method of expanding ill-gottcn
gains. You know the old provcrb, that
prononnces every seeming evil to be 4
blessing III disguise; and though we
cannot honestly believe in such optimism,
OF apply the adase to the lottery, which
Is Il haSrant wrong and unmitiyated evil,
still We cannot but rejoice that while the
people have been tempted to misspend
their money, those who invested therein
may now set something in return. Mr.
Howard designed placing drinking.
fountain in each corner, and applied to
Mr Toby, the President Of the Water
works, TO know what charge would be
made for water, and the large hea1ted
hhtfat-"hdd answer WAS, $50 Il year,
1t should have been, We will do that
,nuch for the city gratuitously," or else a
moderate charge. Ii the citizens of New
Orleans would join hands, and unite their
forces as we'll as their purses to promote
The good ana beauty OF the city which
they profess to love, instead Of labolin-
50 sednlously and untirnyly for their
own personal assrandizemcnt, the result
would prove that the Glimpses Into
tntnii1y those rare articles which ap-
pcaIcu in the Times last year-wcre not