The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-03
THE STORY OF TWO LIVES.
A SERMON DRAWN FROM A Ro-
NANCE OF NEW ORLEANS.
Uhe Life of Margaret and That OF Mlser
The One Gave Her Life For tho
People; the Other Thought
Only OF His Gold.
Maud Andrews in the Atlanta constitution.


pick up some new flower.
In this quaint tropical city with its Oh,
World houses and Old World ways there is
ever some new old story to learn OF TRACED,
or romance.
Some say the city has been written Il
death, but that cannot be, for there is al
ways fresh life in a land where sweet wild
yiolets bloom all winter, where the sun is
ever warm and glowing with fresh life, an d
where the birds sing ceaseless song of I'M
worn happiness. 1t is land beautiful at all
times, but most lovely in the month Of
April.
Then do the roses I'll the gardens with
beauty and fragrance hiding lowly dilapida.
ton with rich mantle of color and giving
to stately mansions higher, more heavenly
charm. Then do the dun colored marshes
begin to CLEAN with vibrant life. When
the rainbow flags burst their buds, the marsh
eircling about Lake Ponchartrain seems like
n dull silver necklace imbedded with pre-.
cious stones.
April Is the heaven month in New Or.
leans, still all are passing fair. During
Mardi Gras the days were lovely and the
gardens of the beautiful city were filled
with camellias and volcts.
There is grand old garden and grand old
mansion in New Orleans that none should
miss seeing. The garden embraces n whole
square on Chestnut street. and the mansion,
built some forty years ago by banker Mr.
James Robb, Is in the center. The place Is
surrounded by high walls, and the old Ger
man gardener, now its sole occupant will
show visitors over the grounds and building
IL is n garden where solitude has dwclt so
long that the leaves do not whisper together
and the wind seems silent aud afraid To stir
Tho white camelias on the great trees shine
like still stars against a dark sky, and the
crimson blossoms seem like blood stains
from the heart OF some dark Creole woman
There is an icy, sinister desolation about
lonely grandeur, more sadly impressive than
the decay of poor home. God, in His mer-
ciiul love, covers the latter with flowers
giving glorious hope Of the resurrection 10
come, but the former, cared for and cold,
stands before us a lovclcss iniidel made 10y
the hand OF man, preserved 10y his miserly
kept gold.
This old house knew Joy and light long
ngo but so long that there is no trace OF
former merrimcnt II only one OF The bank
cr's daughters or guests had left bit Of per-
fumcd lace or bangle on those polished floors
20 bcSpcak dainty young presence, the lit
tie ornament would have seemed as divinely
human rs beggar childs warm kiss upon a
dead Queens brow
The house is as carefully cared for rs
though IL were daily used. The mirrors
shine brightly and The woodwork glistens
clean and polished. The wide entrance hall
has an inlaid oakcn floor as sleek and dan.
gcrous ~ sheet Of ice. The furniture and
woodwork u heavy carved mahogany. aud
the walls are hung with paintings from the
old masters.
There arr seven drawing-rooms. the first
large circular apartment lighted from above
by superb stained glas. skylight, the wood
work and furniture Of handsomely carved
Rosewood, the latter upholstered In Nile
green brocnded satin; the walls are hung
with paintings, not one Of which cost less
than 5000. In the center are superb mosaic
diynns, the wood carving 81 which j. mag
niiiccnt, and the wrought raw silk uphOlstcr-
ing e1rgcously Eastern. Upon such couch
the sleeping beauty must have lain and In
such an enchanted palace.
The largest and hlndsomcst parlor Is octs.
Eon In shape, upholstered In gold II has
large oval, gilt famed mirrors in each square
The gilded chairs are upholstered In gold
brucadc and the carved woodwork ~ the
large. round marble ccutcr table II gildcd
The floor Is of polished inlnid oak, and the
ceiling Is frescocd In gold. 80 surrounded +
one with glittcring gold that ID seems rs II
broken 90 spill is gliticring dust over the
whole apartment. IL j. the kind OF room
one seldom sees outside oi Ouida's novels.
{ The two large dining.rooms are mngnin.
cent. aud dangerous with their slippery
floors. their polished panels aud great round
carved tables with the tall, forbidding Queen
Anne chairs seated around them, rs II await.
ing the coming Of phantom guests. Looking
upon these cOldly magnificent apartments
the thought came that all the dead and gone
people who had been ctcrtaincd nj these royal
boards assembled hcr nj midnight 10 lest
over the hollowncss and disappointment OF
their earthly lives.
There arr seven large airy Southern bed.
rooms in this mansion, oil completely fur.
nishci In rich. old fashioned mngnihccncc.
The four-post bcdsicnds had rich cnnopics
md hangings Of Eastern silk and satin bro.
Caic. and the furnituc-low, delicious
lounges. great carved rocking chairs and
quaint stools and OttOmans upholstered 10
correspond
Not trace of q womnn's presence IN all
these apartments whore " all Others one
would expect to hnd at least strand OF
shining hair or little BIT OF ribboul
Tho mansions last master was bachelor
and must have hated women, aud men, too
~ what they tell d him be true. he was
the famous Mr. Burnside, who made his
mill. IN New Orleans and left his prom.
crty 10 Mr Oliver Bcirnc, Of Virginia, nil
liuunirr himself
NJ. l,obh the banker aud first owner Of
The property. failed aud bis beautiful homo
WIS put up at public sale and bought in az a
low price, as gu Investment. by Mr. Burn.
side The wealthy, opcnhoartcd, rich man
and hi- family, who bad given ~ much
pleasure 20 tie world by their royal hospi.
tnlity. saw the great gates 81 their pnmdiso
close buhind them aud went out 90 ficc and
battle with the world. An the memory ~
that rmud old Southern home the love and
tie tyndcrncsa ~ u, The sid sweetness Of
pictuFing &C. royal beauty 20 the little chill !
drrn that came aficrwarl aud know II not
Most Southern women who arc mothers now
know al about such surruwful stories.
Well. when the old bachelor burnside On.
tered the great uakcn halls Of his newly pur.
chased mansion. DE had his servants pack up
ali the glass china aud silver aud there the
wine glasses covered with cohwcbs are stand.
inr now. At midnight they chatter and ic.t
So blinking way about the good times that
were. like old men telling thc jokes Of their
youth
At midnight, too the parlor chairs tell
their secrets. concerning the bellies and
lcluX who said soft things upon them about
The color and style u their costumes and
The love made by the wrong people 20 the
wrong pcoplc-tho same old story II lie
nul fashion The chairs know u all, you
may depend.
lut the lonely. misery old man cared
nnurht Tor romance or folly. a satin
chair was 20 him % piece oi wood and bro.
cndc worth ~ much. ug Tor winr-gluacs--
thuy wcru made l1r fools. lie closed up the
srBHI nuHrftusufs aud lived LA thp buarmgut