The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1881-08-13
VILLETTE'S VIVACITIES.

| vlLAElIES lESs
Fabrics Of Fact and Fancy Fashioned b
the Facile Fabor Of . Fair Felicianfan.
WEST FELICIANA, August 5, 1881.
ED1roR CHIEF:
Hot, hotter, hottest! The weather ha
at last reached the superlative degree o
torridness. Having passed through tn
successive stages of boiling, baking an,
stewing, We are now about succumbinl
to the crematory process. There are n,
words expressive enough to shadow
the fierceness of the heat; Hades ant
Gehenna are both too mild; a. far a
comfort is concerned, ono might as wei
have local habitation in the heart of :
volcano or rest in the fiery depths o
Swlfts new comet. Occasionally we have
a shower which, however, only serves tt
show that it could 10 cooler than it is
if it only would. .....
On Wednesday last one of the fines,
steam gins in this part of the country
was destroyed by lightning. 1t was the
property Of Mr.. Robt. W. Brandon and
not insured at all. About O'Clock in the
afternoon small dark cloud appeared
in the zenith and froul it darted the fash
Of electricity which struck the roof and
Immediately ignited the dry and combus
tible material. Had rain fallen the cir
might have been saved, bnt nothing else
on earth could have stayed the destroy.
ing element. The probable loss is
$4,000.
Heat and watermclons have caused
considerable sickness in this parish and
our country Esculapii, lis that the cor.
rect plural } find plenty of employment
Like time-honored circuit riders, they
can be seen ambling along Oh the caDar-
isoned steed, with we'll fille,l salllle-bags
containing "pilIs, powders and potions," "
ut almost any hour Of tho day. Some
time since one of this fraternity, who
possessed but little of this worlds goods
but plenty of hope and ambition, was
united in the holy bonds Of matrimony
to q very estimable lady. The ceremony
which made two loving hearts one, had
proceeded along without interruption,
until that interesting part-to the bride
was reached, where the groom de-
clares, "With all my worldly goods
thee endow;" jnst at this affecting
period IL waggish friend in the company
assembled, fully acquainted with the
extent Of tho Knight Of the Lancet's pos
sessions, said in a stage whisper and
with All effect which as the novelists
say, can be better imagined than DESERT
bed, "There 90 the old gray mare and
and the sadile- bags" -.
! see by the papors that the refusal of
Gov. Roberts Of Texas to unite with the
Governors Of the Union in observing u
day for national Thanksgiving and pray
ers for President Gartiel,ps recovery. is
creating something of . stir. Gov. Rob
erts evidently declines doing as the
Romans do" His refusal is not BASEL
upon any want of sympathy for the
President, but from u fear of monarchi-
zins the country. He says: ~ do not
deem it consistent with my position as
Governor to issue q proclamation direct
ing religious services where Church and
State are and onght to he kept separate.
In Europe the crowned head is tho head
Of the church, but in Republic the gov
ernment has no authority to issue proc
lamations directing religious services ~
O man! wise in thine own generation,
who hast proved that religion is subver-
sive to freedom, Ol that to be patriotic
one must forego all grateful impulses Of
the heart Shades of Washington and
Madison, shield from monarchy the Re-
public to which ye once recommended Il
setting apart of days for national thanks
giving!
To quote the language of the newspa-
pers' market column, cotton is lnil,lling
fair, corn light and scarce, vegetables
and fruit in good demand and meat fall
ing-'lay by day into hungry mouths
Onr cOlored brother may Le failure in
a financial aspect, but he certainly never
fails to meat his expectations. How he
manages though to do it is as great a
mystery as that which surrounds the
legend of the Man in the Iron Mask.
Probably the desolate pen of many a
porcine grunter, or the tough and bereft
hen, cackling, i'll wild despair, wailng
because her children are not by the
yto.rl deed, could testify if language were
given them. I have seen laziness, pure
and unatlulteratetl, in every shape and
form here in our own nohle land, have
read Of its phases as exhibited by Italian
Lazzaroni or Parisian mendicants or the
aristocratic savage of the Western plains,
bnt to see tile simon-pure article, the
quintessenee doubly expressed of indo-
lence, the true African dolce far m;eate
state Of existence, commend you to
Sa,nlU. Oh isn't there a land, an ITO
pia, sucl, as Hood sang Of
Where 0nielets grow on trees,
And roasted pigs run crying out
Come eat me if you please :"
A land flowing with milk and honey,
without money and without price, to
which philanthropy eau transport our
culled brudders :" A little sleep, lit
tie slumber, q folding of hands to sleep,
great deal of stealing, for they realize