The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-02-11
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yILLETTE's vdyAC1TIEs.

| VILLETTE'S V4VAC1TIES.
Fabrics Of Fact and Fancy Fashioned by
the Facile Faber Of a Fair Felicianian.
], ..sss West FELIcIaSA. Feb. 4, 1882.
EDIroR CHIEF: as7-. s.s,s ss-'31,
Is Donaldsonville also de1uged, or is it
only this hapless section of country that
has been so highly favored by the water
powers ! 4 Rain, rain, rain! Such per-
sistent and consistent down-pours, it
rarely falls to the lot of mankind, as
represented In West Feliciana, to witness.
The creeks are mp; the swamps are full,
ditto the roads and. fields. The insinu-
ating moisture even enters the houses,
invading hooks and crannies within the
most cherished penetraiia, and leaving
behind as tekeus' Of its unvelcome pres-s
ence, mold and mildew. Have you ever
read Undinef and, if you have, do you
remember that most extraordinary uncle.
of the heroine, Kuhleborn by name, who
had an astonishing and rather depress-
ing popularity of Immediately deiiques-
cling into fountain or brook npon close
acqna,ntance7 Actually, l begin to feel
as he must have dOne when the "nlelting
mood" assailed him. I fear that 1 am
about to succumb to the prevailing damp
ness; already I feel vaporish, and am in
decidedly limp state altogether. 70
see the general condition of our starch
less clothes and crinpless hair, it might
not be taxing your imagination too far
to fancy us a family of mermaids just
emerged from our native element. My
cultural iloarseiiess alarms me, and if the
sun does not soon Danish that dun pail
of clouds that threatens to snbmerge us
again to-day, I very much fear I'll soon
find myself changing into a lady poly
wog, or croaking froggy maiden. A
friend at my elbow says: "1m I nere'.
but always to be blessed, that in the sum-
mer I complained Of what the darkies
call the, dry drouth,' aud am now impa-
tient at what I might safely denominate
by the same token as the ,ret rain" l
acknowledge the soft impeachment chow
can do otherwise when all tho argu-
mentative energy and inbred obstinacy
have been thoroughly washed out of me
by a months steady raini), and plead
guilty to my fault, my most grievous
fanlt;;' but still making q final appeal
to an impartial company who, trust
possess the attributes Of the blinded
damsel of the equipoisel scales, mus,
ask, is not, this weather enough to irri
tate the nerves and sensibilitics of Job
Grizzel, or. any other model Of Patience
and II confess it sorrowfully-my most
intimate and interested friends, nay, my
very Fidus Achatcs, are nnwillingly
obliged to admit that whatever other
virtues I may possess, patience is not
one Of them. o.
1t is good, in this overpowc-ing gloom
of nature, to he able to record a deed of
noble-lfearted philanthropy which is s,,f-
ficient to make a sunshine in shady
place." Last Saturday evenings a regular
caravan of Negroes with wagons, con-
tanning provisions, ETC., had collected OF
the bank of the Big Bayou Sara, which
the rains have rendered almost impassa-
ble, waiting for the water to s1bside,
that they might cross over. Finally, one
of them, with the courage or rather fool
hardness Of an Arnold Winkelriet, de-
cided to make the first plunge and /" break
the ford" for his waiting companions.
He had scarcely half forded the creek
when the treacherOus waves and shifting
sand swept his mules from their foothold
The wagon was upturned and washed
away with all its contents, about sixty
dollars worth Of provisions and clothing,
the poor creatures supplies; and, unable
to swim, the Negro was about sinking
when gentleman, spectator of the
sceno from the opposite bank, seeing his
imminent peril, unhesitatingly plunged
into the swollen current and rescued him
from fast approaching doom. Nor did
this gentleman, who is a son of Judge
Howell, the owner of Alton Villa, allow
his good acts to stop at that one noble
deed. The following morning he re-
turned to the creek bank, and, aftel
breaking the ford himself, assisted the
whole train of wagons, about fifteen il
number, to cross safely over to the othel
shore. Who shall dare say that the race
of heroes is extinct? Even though M
trumpet-blast proclaims to. the world fol
this true deed Of generous courage, "tbi.
is lie whom the king delighteth to honor;
yet the few who know it shall honor hin
who had "the will to do, the soul t.
} dare" for the sweet sake of that human
ity which unites all mankind in on,
bond of brotherhood.
4 Was it not Cato who said. "tlat MAJ
approaches nearest the gods who know
how to be silent even when he is right
! According to this, then my apotheosi.
} can not be far distant; for although, OF
account Of popular superstition aud ere
dulity, may not always have dared t,
express myself counter to the ror populi
yet in my soul 1 knew old Mother Ship
ton was an unmitigated old Lumbug