St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-11-16
A TRIP TO THE PARK,
A SKETCH FOR THE LITTLE FOLKS.

|
Our picnic day, the Goth of May, dawned
| brightly. ga real Jolly breeze blowing,
Master Tom said. Soft feecy clouds filled
the sky and kept the Southern sun from
shedding his rays too warmly upon AunI
Ruth and firing her too greatly, for she
was just getting out from long sickness.
The children were ready at an early
hour, and with our well filled baskets we
| took our seats in the street car and ratified
merlily away to Highland Park, mile
and one half distant. The cars were
drawn by diminutive Texan mules, funny
little fellows, so very, very small, how
could they draw us up that Capitol hill
But they were strong if small, and on they
trudged, out past handsome residences
with their ivy covered walls and fine
grounds full of luxuriant shrubs sno semi
tropical plants; lovely beds of flowers of
all shades, grouped SO as to produce bar
mony, and filling our hearts with happy
thoughts. Many side streets newly graded
were picturesque with bright colored clay
we so often read of in Southern stories
There were all shades, from terra Gotta
through orange, scarlet and crimson up to
dark Indian red.
AS we neared the suburbs we came to
the cottages of the colored people, and
very comfortable little liugs they are
Many of them have good gardens full of
fruit trees, figs, peaches, plums. and also
vegetables, from which they supply the
city market.
We passed very near the Capitol, stand
ing out well IN its slightly eminence. AL
though not an imposing structure, it is
cheerful looking; its white pillars and
tal 30 Mo IF
and near it is the Soldiers Monument, well
under way, doing honor to the memory of
those who died in the defence of what they
deemed their rights. In the rear of the
Capitol is the tower of the city water
works. Our children would have locked
like veritable Lilllputians if they climbed
to the top of the winding staircase.
We were no. long in reaching the park,
and out they scrambled, racing like so
many colts though the grounds to the
pavilion The park is yet in its "callow
YOUTH having been appropriated for that
use only about a year ago, and is much
more like country wood lot. But little
it -nattered to any of US, for there were
trees and grass and swings and freedom
none of that don't step-o me" look so
10 children. Great, notle trees
were scattered all about oaks, English
elms, water oaks, spruce-pnes, which is
combination of both, and white pines and
other evergreens, many of them youdg
Near the entrance is the pavilion proper
there are other small ones scattered
about). This one is a fine new building
of commodlous proportions. 1t is fur
aished with seats, lunch counter, waiting
rooms, etc.
After depositing our baskets, the child
rem ran off to the bears house There is
but one bear there at present, fine, sleek |
fellow, young. but full grown. His house
IS circular pit b-icked up. Above it is |
small pavilion shaped structure, with wire |
for owls, eagles, Djebald |
rats and such natural curiosilies jack, |
5he bear, had very pleasant, confding
ook, and do not doubt he would have |
Rugged the children to their hearts con- |
ent had one of them fallen over the rail- |
ng. They feed him twice day on fresh |
neat and corn bread There were two |
ow arches for him to lie and sleep under,
out he looked lonely and must have longed |
or his free, happy forest life. The child.
EN- fed him with nuts, candy and bits of |
at ham left from Our luncheon, he stand
ng on his hind legs and begging, by
eaching out his paw. They have in
wire cage or house. fox and opossums, |
I'D and young, and 1accoon is chained in
he grounds.
After viewing all these animals till sat-
SIZED, we lunched, swung and amade
merry da,v, and then, filing our baskets
With woodsy treasures, washed the berry
tains from the tired little faces hailed
passing car and returned home, full of
!appiness and pleasant memories. Thus
nded our first Alabama picnic-E s. L,
N0ntqOnaeTY, AlG.