The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1889-03-02
RANDOE SKETCHES.
OUR BAYOU.
For the Thibodaux SENTINEL.

~ Il INV ~
become famous in song and story /; and
its legends and romances, for the most
part, remain unwritten. We can claim
for its scenery TO grandeur or suDii-
nifty, nor even the picturesque lowell
ness Of the Teche, but there Is a charm
about orr Bayou to those who dwell
upon its banks, and to these it is dear
and beautiful. "Drink of its waters'
it has been said, "aud you will neve
he content to live elsewhere" Not
that those waters are sparkling, cAhi-
iarating or palatable, when uncooled
and uniiltered, but. the associations
connected with them really work the
charm. Our Bayou, as its name im-
llies, is but { fork of the Mississippi
river, and pursues, in almost a parallel
course, its way to the Gulf.
The master-noyelist, Charles Dick
ems. could see no beauty in our Father
of Waters. To him, it was but "a
stream of liquid mud" To a popular
Artist-graceful with pen as with pencil
once stigmatized our Bayou as "ye
| ugly stream" But Artists and Au-
| thors are fallible human beings, and
the public nave a right to appeal from
! their verdicts, in such cases as the
above. A female writer once gave a
glowing description of our Bayou and
described the levees as covered with
| vines and flowers. These may have
existed at the time she saw it, but few
flowers flourish on our levees now,
save the ever plentiful areeds in sum-
mer time. The fertile plantations,
the handsome residences, and the hum
BILE cottages extending along the sides
Of the Bayou, present a cen OF inter-
est to the traveller. To II who has
passed through the sparsely settled
districts of this and other States, the
Dopulation seems to be dense enough,
and it appears a matter OF wonder that
so many small farmers should risk
their homes and little property so near
this sometimes ~treachcrous stream.
When Il Bayou is full of water-so
full that a steamboat passing down
sometimes dashes the waves over the
ieyees-then, indeed, is Il tune OF anx-
iety for the dweilcrs along the shores
A weak spot in the embankment, a
neglected craytish hole, may bring
ruin and devastation upon growing
crops and humble homes; and the
whole waste of waters spread Owe
acres and miles in extent.
Many Il life has gone out beneath
these waters. There the suicide
sought surcease OF all his o here
the little boat upset and precipitatet
, its occupant into the arms Of death
Yonder IL ventu.esome youth, swim
e ming in JOY, has been caught by tn
current and swept down beyond re
covery alive.
Look with me, at sunset on thes
waters. Sec the slanting beams Gin
0 ting the ripping waves as some pretty
graceful steamboat glides around til
s curves, and stops to take on, or put OF
freight. If it be just before Mare
:. Gras, the boat has probably a band I
music, and Rex flags are flying frol
mast and sides. Here come lugge1
'e from the Gulf with loads of fresh oy'
e tiers, OF tropical fruits from New G
leans. Overhead the clouds, in ma:
Sc nificent pageantry, present us view
beautiful, grand, or fantastic. II
SO town is quietly s~nspending bushes
Or over on one side, and on the othe
everything is still and serene. Ye
fe our Bayou has her beauty, her trag
e. dies, her romances,-and she but wa
o the poet, the artist, and the novelist
re Give them to the world. EssIE.
N We have been informed that Il p1
st. iect has been set on foot by some