The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-03-11
TIE CRESCENT CITY.

After the Carnival-The City Almost De-
serted-In Jackson Square Mt Evening
A Brilliant Ball and Its Beautiful Belle.
New ORLEANS, March 2, 1882.
EDITOR CHIEF:
Once more we breathe the fresh air
that is, if city air can bo called fresh, but
laden as it is with the perfume Of canals,
sewers, ETC., l hardly presume it can. At
any rate, we've got little more, such as
it is, for each inllabitant, since the thin
ming out Of visitors which has taken
place within the past few days. I don't
think thore were less than $1,000 people
here to witness the carnival and now if
you conld scare up 1000 visitors you
would be doing IL fine scare business. In
comparison to tho early part of last week
| the streets look deserted, and one feels
like going into mourning for the dear
departed.
Talking about fresh air, dent think
city people catch on to the meaning
of it, Hero they are penned up between
the immense brick walls amid the fumes
Of coal-smoke, dust, etc, once in a while
taking promenade to the river, the lake
or the cemeteries to "get Whit Of fresh
air" Pm just about Disguised with that
ERE GARY, and when l want any thing in
that line I'll put a clean collar and era
| vat into Il handkerchief and go into the
| country for q short while. There is where
you get ths original article fresh from
the factory, Il proof of which is found in
the rosy cheeks and happy faces Of our
many country friends who visited us the
past week. Look out for me! Pm pant
ing for the pure country air right now.
and if walk into the CHIEFS sanctum
sanctorum Que Of these bright mornings,
don't you be at all alarmed.
Have you ever wandered alone some
dark night and after finding secluded
spot sat you down to rest, and while you
unused perhaps on what might have been,
Lad vision pass before you? Such a
thing happened to me. wandered down
Chartres street. The clock in the Ca
thctlral St. Louis had just tolled the hour
Of nine and already the busy world was
passing to rest. My footsteps sounded
heavily upon the pavement and then
their echo would come back deep and
hollow from the damp brick walls which
doomed up on either side Of me. At last
/ found myself in Jackson Square, seated
upon one Of the benches and staring va
cantly into the night. There stood the
old Cathedral with its tall spires rearing
their heads in august dignity as though
conscious Of their grandeur. Before me
was the
STATUE OF GEN. JACKSON,
that noble warrior Of the past. / could
but gaze and admire him. And as / sat
there l thought heard the tocsin of war
sound again, calling upon the brave
hearts to arise and defend their country,
the fair Southland. The old monument
before me seemed to CULVER for a moment
and then the warhoIse uttered a piercing
neigh, raised his head aloft and paved
the marble base hercely. The noble sol
tlier reined him firmly but kindly with
his left hand, while the right dropped
quickly to the bilt of the sword by his
side. There was determined expression
upon his face.
And then ! thought that white cloud
appeared in the heavens, as pure and I'M
sullied as the driven snow. An angel
descended and folding its wings rested
upon the dome Of the old Cathedral and
watched the cloud eagerly. In a mo-
ment it opened as slowly and gently as
opens q bud to the morning sunlight.
What scene greeted my eye! A terrible
picture Of blood and carnage. Two hosts
had met; at the head Of one rode Stone
wall Jackson, urging his noble mon on
to victory or death.
/ leaned eagerly forward to watch tho
panorama move on, and as 1 did so
Thought a bullet pierced tie breast of the
soldier chief and he fell from his horse.
There seemed to arise a cry Of mingled
pity and pain from the angel which stood
upon the dome, aud it vanished. At the
base of the cloud unfolded u scroll upon
which, i'll letters Of blood, appeared the
inscription, :" May %, 1864" And then
the cloud closed, not white and spotless
as it had been before, but with dark spots
of crimson upon its face. Then it van
ished. arose and crept closer into the
shadow Of the monument and as did SO
a low murmur came from those cold lips
and he said, "My love, Dixie; My dar-
ling, fair Dixie; my wife, sweet Dixie,
thou art lost forever!"
The pale lips ceased to move, the brow
contracted and the noble head settled
back upon the breast of the hero. The
war-horse ceased to prance and its up
lifted hoof settled back noiselessly upon
the marble base. The hand OF the soldier
dropped from the sword at his side and
all was silent.
Just then dark cloud passed across
the face of the fair moon and a shadow
deep and threatening seemed to gather.
The chill wind sighed YEARLY through
the bonghs of the evergreen as though
singing a low, sad requiem to a lost
cause, and the flowers seemed to bow
more closely about ME, passed out of
jackson Square and up the dark, narrow
street, leaving only the flowers as COM
panions to the man on the monument.
/ reelected to tell you about the ball
Of the
CONTINENTAL GUARDS
WHICH LOOK pIdCe Llo OtifcF evening. 10
say that it was something grand is, Of
course, unnecessary, as their balls are
always par excellence. The assembly
looked like large boquet of beautiful
fowers-the lovely ladies the buds aud
blossoms, as it were, and the gentlemen
forming the rich background can not
attempt to go into the details of the at
fair; no more can | pass Oh without
special mention Of the beauty of the oc-
casion-the canieli;s which adorned the !
centre Of the boquet-Miss Rosa j..