The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-01-21
MYRA'S MEANDERINGS.

Houston at q Muddy Streets
and Impassable Crossings-Enjoyments
Missed and Pleasures in Prospect.
HoUsrox, TEXAS, Jan. IA, 1881.
nv DEAR FLORRTE:
The rain it raineth every day." and
almost tcmpts me to change, in toto, my
recent good opinion of this town. I had
often heard about Houston's mud, but
never before realized it unpleasantly.
Last Spring, on my first visit, it only
showered occasionally, and Of course l
could not discover any thing but charm
ing attributes, for it really is very nice
place-when it does not rain heavily!
III order to escape the noise and inter
rnption Of rather too cheerful house,
hold (for this kind of work, at least), !
have brought my writing materials into
the gray old church, which is in the same
yard with the parsonage, the present
home Of my brother-in-law, and in my
favorite hiding place (about which ex-
cited your curiosity some time ago),
shall enjoy, undisturbed, pleasant chat
with you this morning.
The ceaseless patter Of the rain upon
the roof should be sort Of inspiration to
me, and it generally is, but somehow !
do not altogether appreciate it to-day as
usual-perhaps because of its continuous
ness. As Mark Twain would say: ut is
growing rather monotonous," and acts as
complete damper upon the spirits Of
the young folks, who are contemplating
all sorts Of diversions, sociables, etc.
Really, fear the illusions about Houston,
will entirely vanish if stiff Norther
does not soon bring sunshine and dry
roads, and you know nothing is sadder
than to witness the fading away of the
gilded hopes and beliefs which give .
radiance like sunset glow to the most
commonplace life.
The other evening when Was growing
"quite too utterly" tired of the house,
and venturcd out into the streets, real
lied the full force Of the familiar express
sion, "stuck in the mud" and it's strict
application to my hapless condition was
not metaphorical but literal. Now, do
not mean you to understand that the
sidewalks, most of them, are not paved,
bricked, macadamized or planked. The
crossings ere the bette noir which deter so
many from effecting safe passage from
corner to corner. Imagine your humble
servant almost inextricably fastened in
what seemed to her worse, at that mo-
ment, than the Slough Of Despond-
cvershoes slipping entirely off and cleav-
ing to this most muddy mud. The sight
Of rather rough-looking passer-by just
then recalled an incident that really oc-
Cured in New Orleans during similar
difficulty, and awoke the hope that a like
experience might be mine at this uncom-
Portable juncture of affairs. In that
most chiyalrous of cities lady, daintily
dressed, one day hesitated in crossing
muddy place, and an old colored man
seeing her dilemma, went gallantly %
her assistance. How do you suppose lie
helped her overt He neither carried her,
nor laid plank across the street. You
will never guess, SO I shall have to tell
you. Without moments thought, he
placed his rough, honest hands OH the
ground beneath her feet and insisted that
she should step OH them, that her feet
might be protected from mud and water!
| never think Of this act Of true courtesy
and gentlemanliness without pride aud
thankfulness that chivalry in the South
is not dead, but permeates all classes.
Was not this greater act than that of
Sir Walter Raleigh, who only spread his
cloak for his Queen to tread upon! The
rough but kind-looking Texan did not
evince SO knightly a spirit toward me,
and offered only salutary words Of COM
fort. Evidently guessing that I was a