The Opelousas courier., 1896-02-08
CORRESPONDENTS.

hOSC1USCO, MISS, Jan. 70, 1870.
EDITOR COURIER:
On the 10th I left Opclousas-bound for!
didn't know nor care just where, SO | cOulG
find health and strength when l got there. J
settled myself AM. gazed out at the varieC
scenes which flashed i'll view and then disap
peared before one could take in their signif.
canoe. Tie pl0wed fields, with their dead
corn stalks or black and broken cotton stalks,
which told the tale OF last years harvest, were
not altogether unlovcly, for the sedge grass OF
the most delicate shades OF tan and brown
made a border both aesthetic and rcstful to the
eye. Neither were the woods at a disadVan-
tage, for their brown and leafIess limbs were
often hriShtcnened by brilliant touches OF
colol-the green of the holly, magnolia and va
rious vines and beautiful bright red berries.
The first animate thing to attract my atten-
ton was an ebony hued son of Adam who
stood ON top of a stilc, and with an immense
dish pan tried to flash the sunlight into the
sensers were blinded by his reflections, but
/ am sure he felt rewarded for his trouble for
his white teeth shonc and his black dimples
turned in and his twists of wool stood straight
out ali in mute attestation of his g%ratitied
frame of mind. Who wouldn't be a 'nigger'-
sometimes / shut my eyes and leaned back
happy little pickaliinnles without wealth or
care-othcrs miserable thinking wretches for
ever chasing the almighty dollar - have
never thought the matter to its logical con-
clusion, f%orjust then [ was forced to attend to
the remarks of some drnnImers. "He says he
is ready to die and is going to Heaven" HE
Is scared 10 tlttIl. All HAT Itlh Is put Oh.
No sir; he isu't Il bit afraid. | saw him and
talked to him." Boys, don't you hope you
Will get there i'll time to see the old fellow
drop?" Such remarks were interspersed with
rOtIs of laughter. Then one man began to tell
about visiting the doomed man i'll Jail at New
lberia-how he had joied with him about the
angel Gabriel coming after his white soul-and
well, | moved my seat and tried to think OF
something else. AT New iberia how these men
scrambled off the train and hurried to the
hacks, and | COULDN'T restrain a Sigh Of relief
HtJLap I h.ar III ~ -.I,. I..-- Hl, 800, IN -.,I
not hurry; he dropped 3 minutes ago" What
Il thoughtless, selfish Old world it is.
l am not going to say anything about New
Orleans; you have all been there, aud you all
KNOW What a charming place ii can be. My
stay there was not long. My first object was
to place my sou at school at Clinton, La. We
Travelled on the Mississippi Valley road to
Ethel. Between Baton i.ouge and New Or
leans there seemed to be nothing but big plan
tations. Every plantation had It's own L. K.
station-a little square shed about Sx1O-and
the tram stopped at every shed to put off
hunters dogs and negroes. We did not think
the country hear as attractive as our own
rich Opelousas pralrifs, but may he one can
not judge accurately from u car window. We
reached Ethel about II Il. III. and Clinton at D.
IN. We called At tie home OF MI. Lewis whom
OpelousHs people all no doubt remember. He
was absent, but we lad Il pleasant chat with
Mis-. Lewis, and then proceeded to Silliman In
%stitnte, and made all necessary arrangements.
III the school proves as good his its buildings
and grounds are attractive, we will certainly
be satisfied. A night pleasantly spent at the
hospitable home OF our friends, the Densons,
and then goodbye must be said to our boy.
10 the plea for just zone more day we turned
il deaf ear, for we knew by our own experience
that the panS is not lessened by putting off
the evil day; and WE all have to learn the nard
lessons OF life to become selfreliant, strong
men and wcmen. SO We left him trying to
choke back the tears and started on our hunt.
How many thousands-nay, millions of miles
have been Travelled by. people hunting for
health" we wonder. and how many have ever
lDlnul II ( L mad promised to sion at several
places-Baton Rouge. Natchez and others, but
W. and | held a consultation, and as I felt sick
and tired and he l0meSick and discOnsOlate,
we concluded to go on and visit klnfolks first.
So, kosciuskO was decided upon as our first
stopping place. And now We were travelling
through IL country which was trle to life
that is it was all ups and downs. The hills, the
hills, though mott very great ones, were Won
full to w. and indeed, they do rest the eye and
give variety to the landscape after one
has gazed over level fiat country for so long.
Every few miles We would pass enormous brick
yards. W. wanted to know why they had so
many bricks. l told him that twas hard for
bricks-that III Louisiana We grew corn cot
ton. cane, rice, pines and most everything,
but here twas different. We'll" he said,
''they don't grow bricks i'll elousas-they
make Il few but they amt pretty like these
and they don't grow" And they were beauties,
and OF all k~inds-from bright red pressed
brick to ugly notified fire brick.
Ever and anon We WOnld chatter over a clear
stream of water whose white, sandy banks and
rebbiy bottoms made one think lOngingly of
spring and fish aud bare feet and bad colds af-
terWard. And the pinesi thousands of them
on either side, standing tall and straight like
grim sentinels. The shadows were lengthen-
ing and our attention was attracted within tlft4
car. A young woman entered she was heavi- /
~ draped Ill black, carried a tiny bundle in f
her hands, a basket on her arm and led a little =
three year old ~ ny the hand. She sat down
and began t9SET and sob. My little boy made
friends wxTner little boy through the gift of
an orange. She seemed to think that was i'll
PRODUCTION enough. SO, she began to tell me of
her woes 1t seemed to relieve her, so l list
encd while she talked of her husbaud-hoW in
telligent, and how handsome, and how prom
Using, and how well thought of and how sud
denly lie died. Poor little thing. I felt sorry
for her, but hers was not a nature to nurse
sorrow, and it is fortunate that few are. Soon
she bralchcd to other topics. We found that
she knew people that | knew, and we had at
tended the same school, and we felt like old
friends, and L held her baby and she told me
inst exactly about the changes I had to make,
and the brakeman yelled out jackson !" l
tue little widow with her traps, and We
went to the Lawrence House to wait for our
train. We sat down to an excellent supper,
but who cares for tempting dishes when one
can't eat ? But | listened! Jackson was in the
agony OF u violent political fever. "Money
Money !! Money !!!!' was heard ON all sides. The
caucus was to nominate a man for
s. Senator and Mr.. Money was prime favor
tie, and since then has come out winner in the
contest. The day before Mrs. Bell had been
and amid much excitement, State Lii
y 1hc oiioWluS week WAS 10 witness
the Inauguration OF Mr.. McL.aurin as Governor
II the State. Altogether Jackson had cause
or excitement.
A wait OF a couple of hours and we were
III again. Pitch dark outside; so we had to
urn our attention to our fellow PASSENGERS.
Nearly everyone was asleep or trying to be.
Except a bridal party. l think they had par,
AIKEN OF a champagne supper. He kept nut
ing his arm around her and kissing her and
allied her sweetheart, and looked at her-to
Ill OF which she would say, with Il Idon't-
ln2n w n . " nr Snpf, rs MIN tI-1-x =.
gu not TO-" l got tired and and looked out i
nto the dark. Did you ever try to look into {
ne dark! 1t is gfuesOme work but MANY of {
spend our lives trying to see through the {
ark. 'Durant !" how glad | was to hear il!
! few minutes wait, and we were off again. |
IS the hrst gray streaks of dawn told of the I
!omlng day, we stepped off the train at Kos I
lusko. Tired, dizzy, faint and sick, 1 was not i
orry to stop, but l forgot all about feeling bad '
wing tones OF welcome. Thirteen years of q
hsence Ny, what changes! Gladly 1 Law c
own my head III peaceful rest and dreamed I '
as a merry, rOmping girl again, but l feel the T
eluslon when | look at my great big cousin. f
hen last 1 saw him he was only a mischieyous n
laVer OF nlne-and now he weighs nearly two \
undred pounds and banters me fora waltz Y
own the hall, bntinstead | 60 to the glass and A
'ok lndustriOusly, c~unsclentiously and relig-
.usly Tor grey hairs but I f0und noae, and
ttlat ! must possess the peculiar Il
lade OF brown called "cOntrarg brown" which s.
only to ahem-peopIe possessed of n
will power, and are said to absolutely re- y
lse TO turn grey. I guess the COURIER readers h
'e tlred OF my nonsense; so, goodnight. ri