St. Landry democrat., 1890-11-22
THE EXCHANGE TABLE.
BY MRS. ELLA BENTLEY.

of the kiss Of love and the clasp of death
4 CITY daily Is waiting there,
Cheek by jowl with country mate,
Which sets out its feast of reason rare
In row upon row of sAsnng plate,
TIL sigh while look its pages through,
Hunting in vain for something new
Next turn to a weekly friend.
And into its welcome columns dip,
Picking out It'd bits from end to end
That my hungry scissors will cut and cilp'
For an exchange editor has no soul
And will gladly steal from a neighbours scroll.
Then follows in order bright Review,
Which holds out an Olive branch each week.
O. tits journal tried and true
Whose ola Dodrida of items seek;
Then the Sugar Bowl with its nuggets of News
Quickly my eager thoughts peruse
The Republican joins in the hurrying throns'
The Times Democrat with its stately tread
The Item, brilliant with its bits OF song
From our poet friend, its Associate Ed;
The Evening States with its brilliant fame,
And the Picayune a grand old dame
Whose Sunday issue some new Field
of learning and wisdom deep doth hold,
With its cherry desk, whose queen uo1L
yield
Part of her kingdom to Catherine Cole,
While away in TIE north Of our sun-kissed state
The Busy Bee seeks its Panzy mate.
Anon Reporter interview,
Whose Voice rings out like Clarion call
The Pioneer Of an Era New,
With Banr er hung on the outer wall,
A Signal of Pr gress and Enterprise,
Bound by many Commercial ties
And here is the purest of all my friends
II shines like Beacon light affair."
No party spirit, no impure ends,
Can darken the rays of the Morning Star
our sorrows It softens, our weals enhance,
Upheld by its ally the brave Advance
Far up on my mental list rate
The Capital trio graces three.
Item and Truth and Advocate,
Where the rhythmic thoughts of Addle Lee
Are carved deep on the roll OF fam,
Tho, o1r recreant officer chang her name.
Guarding Lafourche's ripping breast
sturdy Sentinel firm doth stand,
And search it DER with hearty zest
For words from the gifted ESTES hand
While flaming athwart Star kemmed SKY
A sparkling Comet hangs on high.
Next to my clasp is fl dgelng young,
Whose No. /, please Y" timidly stands,
And seems to beg with pleading tongue
For the press to hold 1t out helping hanus
Welcome the Mirror, Comrades mine,
Long may the light OIL its surface shine.
Here is the South with its tropical name
Breathing of blossoms and bending pines;
And here a Planter OF sugar fame,
Where sparkling Dymond shimmers and
shines;
And then the Delta. with willing hands,
A model of Southern Industry stands
Critic and Courier. Pilot and Blade,
Messenger merry and Herald Of right,
All meath my cleaning shears are laid,
And Echo sigh as they fade from sight,
While the Town Talk gossips with nodding head
Of the Telegraph Bulletin newly wed.
An Advertiser is waiting nigh,
Who very dear to my heart has grown,
And the Baton Rouge Sugar Planters eye
Cleans out with radiance all its own
Sent forth from their editors teeming BRAIN
They speed on their mission of JOY or pam.
The bright Gazette and the Cagraph
Jostle their neighbor, the Shreveport Times.
And I pledge them deep In hearty draught,
Which will render more random the jinsling
rhymes;
Next Caucasian brave and bold
An American grasps in its hearty hold.
A Patriot Democrat falls into line
With Pelican Banner upheld above
Then the good Home journal, whose columns
shine
With the lofty purpose of brotherly love.
In the Interim of this hating lay
seek for a rhyme to 'Mechacebe.'
The sound of the Reveille cleaves the night,
And the Voice of the Waterman echoes the
cry,
A indicator of all that's right,
A Protector to whom the aggrieved may fv,
Independent the press is to do and dare,
And its realm no craven heart can share.
Here's Friend and Farmer, jovial team,
Scions twain of an Age Progressive
While anon there sparkles sunny CLEAN,
Shot forth from the Eagle Eye expressive;
And then the Hornet, bereft of sting,
Fits gaiiy by on gauzy wing.
Newspapers are Protean, of purpose grand
They Chronicle thoughts for the reading wo Id,
Then fighting for honor they take command
With a Banner of wisdom and Truth unfurled !;
At times a Leader in battle array,
Again but Bulletin board of the day.
One by one they have drifted past.
These visitors CHEEKY in inky coats;
With farewell murmur I'm left at last
But pile of clippings with marginal notes,
For this is secret must reveal:
We always credit what We can't steal.
Now hanging high in the lambert east
silver Crescent is shining bright;
My work Is DER and mental feast
Do my paper friends render me day and night
My paper friends in their varied dress,
Who speak with the voice of mighty press.
Some were bulky and some were small,
Yet all from their covers have parted wide,
And lie where the CLEANS of the lamplight fall,
After whispering the news of the passing tide ::
Of famine and food and the summers breath,
OF the kiss of love and the clasp of death.
L'ENvoI.
Here's to my exchange table now,
And here's to its guests with a willing hand;
And here's to the editors true, trow,
Never was known nobler band;
And here, my friends, Is the heartiest toast,
To the Capital City, our gracious host.
Re%
The South.
A gentlem an who has recently made an
tour of the Northern and Eastern
cities, says:
''That in all of the populous cities,
nothing but kind words are expressed for
the South and it's growth; that the near
future is going to witness moro ranid