The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-08-26
ial atmosphere of Saratoga or Cape

genial atmosphere of Saratoga OF Cape
May.
Bayou Sara, where taste, culture, fash
| ion and merchants "most do congregate,"
| is the centre of gayety, and even there it
! can not be said that PLEASURES pail upon
the sated SOUP; seeing that a theatrical
representation by the dramatic talent of
the town, a .fete chanpetre1 which had for
its object the praiseaortby motive of
raising means to lay aside-walk for st.
Francisville, and several parties, have
afforded the only outlets for the pent-up
frolicsomeness of our people. was not
so fortunate as to witness the dramatic
performance, or to make one of the crowd
which graced the fete, but both We're
successes in social and pecuniary point
| of view (credit me with enough amor
patriG to believe that every thing ace do is
| just rightly. I attended, though, one of
the parties given by a club of young gen.
| tlemen rejoicing, 1 understand, in some
forery name, perhaps the "Sweet Will
liams," go, Leanders," or Son Flowers"
and the most captious critic would have
| been forced to acknowledge that, with
| one exception, no affair was ever better
conducted. am sure everybody enjoyed
himself and herself to the fullest meas
ure, and am doubly sure that I did. Not
| even the sixteen miles ride homeward in
a drenching rain, with only a thin dress
and the serene consciousness of a satisfied
soul between me and its violence, could
dampen the pleasure of that evenings
entertainment. Give me coigne of
vantage and I challenge any human be-
ing to extract more genuine amusement
from crowd of people than your humble
servant can do. Bayou Sara lads and
lasses delight i'll dancing; every thing
there winds up with a dance; every an
niversary is an excuse for tripping the
"light fantastic toe.v I am not sure if a
council were called to discuss the best
means of quelling the irrepressible cater
pillar, that it would not end with reel.
There is even tradition that in days
gone by. Terpsiehore, the lively muse of
the waltz and polka, invaded the solemn
precincts Of the Masonic Lodge chambers,
and it is no wonder that the melancholy
decorum Of the Temple of Justice has
sometimes been ightened by the Rae
quette and Heel and Toe. Now, at this
particular party whereof I write, the
spirit was there and the flesh was willing
and all would have gone on as merry Al
a marriage bell, had the musicians been
properly instructed in mnsic's magic
art;" as it was, impelled by that inscru-
table mystery of fate which leads the
"best laid schemes of men and mice to
gang agiey," the consrnittee OF something
IL forget what-engaged two sable
children of Afric's sunny land to supply
the music for limble feet. Two patri-
archs they were, who had evidently, like
unto good old Uncle Ned of minstrel
fame, just
| Hung up de shubbie an de hoe,
I An took down de fiddle an de bow.
Could they play the lancers? No sah ~
A polkas "No sah!" The Racquette
Alsasienne? No sahn That ono sab,
was forthcoming upon every demand. 1t
was the ravens cry of "Nsvermore."
eyes sah," would have been an over
whelming surprise to the waiting and
inpatient dancers. AS far as I am con-
cerned personally, rather delight in
such good, old plantation tunes as
"'Possum up gum stump" OF stake
your time, Miss Lucy" but as I anu old
fashioned and home spun in my tastes,
of course could not expect our modern
| bellies aud beaux to find pleasure in such
dances as quadrilles and reels. Fortu-
nately for them, some of the guests, who
were well versed in new and fashionable
dance-music, were kind enough to per-
| form Oh the piano for their benefit; and
with their admirable music and the cor
dial and graceful hospitality of the host
and hostess, the evening passed very
pleasantly.
| AS g general thing, in this part of the
country, we are not taking much inter
est in Egyptian warftre. Possibly it
may be accounted for by the fact that
solution of the problem 81 how to man
age" the enfranchised descendants of the
early settlers from Egypt's fellow coun-
tries, Congo and Dahomey, is more
absorbing to those who are intimately
connected with them; than wars and ru-
mors of war in the far-otf land of the
pyramids. Our own trials are so intense
ly realistic as to exclude, in measure,
useless sympathy for rebellion and in
| subordination elsewhere. This may not
be charity, but it is truth, and the litter
virtue, yon know, though ST. Paul forgot
to mention it, is greater than charity.
VILLETTE.
Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly.
The September number is even more than
usually interesting. 1t is remarkable for the