The Opelousas courier., 1893-08-26

For many months, Mrs. P. A. Gray
has in truly Christian spirit striven
industrionsly and continually to have
the Public Cemetery in Opelousas put
in a condition to be admired. Her ar
duous labors have not been bestowed
in vain. The wilderness like appear
ance of the place has been made a
pretty lawn, where mourners can walk
among the graves without laceration
by briars, thorns and brambes and
mediate over inscriptions and graves
which but for the work which has been
done, had been inaccessible and illegi
BILE in many instances. Too much can
not be said in recognition of Mrs.
Gray's indefatigable agency in all that
has been done to effect this great change
and we feel sure that every one who
will take walk through the cemetery
must feel pleased with the improve
ments made there. Those who have
contributed to the work, and very
many have done so quite generously
are equally entitled to praise and the
gratitude of the people of Opelousas,
We are sure that promenade through
the cemetery would be gratifying to
them, because affordlng proof that
what they had given has not been
wasted or misappropriated.
There is one old man there upon
whose shoulders the weight of many
years, and upon whose head the frosts
of many winters have accumulated,
and who from the beginning of the
work has been laboring industriously
from day to day. One who can now
be seen there battling with the weeds
and springing brambes with con-
stancy and fidelity which very few
would have practiced so long for SO
little recompense. We allude of course
to Patrick Downey, the present sexton
of the silent city. He has accomplish
ed much by constancy of effort. In
fact he it is who has metamorphosed
the disgrace of Christian community,
into a spot of beauty. The old man
has been exposed to the ardor of Sum
mer heat-to the blasts of Winter, and
to other inclemencies of the weather,
through many long months. Soon, q
comfortable house for him and his fami-
ly, will be ready for his occupancy, and
we trust generous public will award
him fitting need of thanks and praise
for his faithful work. Patric Downey
has done more to beantify our public
cemetery than any other would have
done for the meagre pay he has re-
ceived for it.
We hope he may be kept there as
the sexton-that he may be made COM
Portable in his habitatiOn now about
being finished, for we are convinced no
better man can be selected in his place.
He has been and is faithful and efficient
and we trust an appreciative public
may see that he be justly compensated.
-@@@
Where could you find prettier ex-
ample of the evils of future gambling,
than the failure of the pork corner at
Chicago few weeks ago, when pork
fell in value from $40 to $40 per barrel.
A number of gamblers bought up mil
lions of dollars of "wind pork just as
others buy "wind cotton-n They made
the Southern people pay an outrageous
price for pork in fact they were the
cause of robbing our people of thou
sands of dollars. They probably pur-
chased a hundred barrels of pork,
where they owned barrel of actual
product. IF the Hatch anti-option bill
had passed Congress last year this cor
ner would not have occurred and the
Southern people would have saved a
great deal of money. 1t will not be
forgotten that Senators White and Caf-
fiery both voted against the bill to down
the gamblers. Don't let the people for
get that fact.-Alexandria Town Talk.