The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1899-10-28

Wuou WdS u I6lf anu veneer 9OOklUR
as lily on dewy morn in comparison
with my sun tanned colaborers Of that
day. 1t was when the mirrors reelected
q more pleasing image Of myself than
they do to-day; when tie second days
sun went down behind the horisoa was
the recipient Of many encomiums; they
began with ridicule but ended with
praise. They had found that was not
the green and tender plant which they
had taken me to be. and that I was 1T
ted for something else than basting the
neither part of unruly boys, and was not
stuck up on account of q little book
learning. was probably - proud Of
my victory over that heterogeneous
crowd as was Gen. Grant Of receiving
the sword Of Gen. Lee at Appomsttox.
The popularity which l gained did not
extend 80 far, nor was II 90 lasting -
Gen. Grants, but 1t was won without
blo0dshed, tears and millions Of dollars,
for 1t cost nothing bat sore and painful
muscles. stiG and blistefed hand, and q
copiOus flow Of perspiration.
As the reader may like to know some
thing about the people who assembled
On that occasion. will describe some Of
them az remember chem. Tho over
seer was q doctor VINO had never % .
student warmed seat In Medical Col.
lege; there was psrson who never pray.
ed in grammatical English; there Was
the apiarist who was never 90 happy a.
when robbing the little busy bee" Of
her stored sweetness. or discoursing upon
its habits; there was the blacksmith
whose muscular arms served him we'll
in the hour Of need; there was the car
peDter who had exchanged the saw and
the plane for the hoe and the plow;
there was the pedagogne who preferred
listening to talking; there was tho FAR.
mer who resped oftener that he sowed:
this is. perhaps. a puzzle. solve 1t II you
can; there was the uneducated sWarthy
Mexican ever ready to give and take .
joke. but just as ready II angered. to
send dagger 70 Your heart; there was
the sullen and revengeful Gresser the
offspring of the Mexican and Indian;
there was the BLACKBOARD whose unre-
fined and irreserent repsrtees brought
involuntary smiles even to the face Of
ssdate parsOn; In the little army Of Ia
borers there was but one substitute and
he was furnished by the political sea-
venger Of that neighbsrhood-s tool Of
the Court house ring to do the dirty
work of the Bosses during election; such
as he may In one sense. be likened to
the carrion crow which IL found when.
ever there is a putrid carcass to feed up.
on; and he. the political scavengSr. 10
always on hand when the political stink.
pot begins to boil, for he never earns .
clean morsel. must not omit the forty
miner. for he was there. His disapp0int.
ments and hardship In search Of the
golden dust and seemingly desdened his
sensibilities had rendered him oblivious
to the passing incidents surrounding
him. whose thoughts were. perhaps, de-
loving into the future. doubtless still
hoping to "strike 1t rich" some day.
Nothing interested him but topics con.
nected with the times Of l849; start the
conversation on that line be would talk
with equal volubility about his hard.
ships and successes. and many Q
strange and interesting fact did be 70
late. The unsuccessful forty.niner - !
saw him In 1874 stood alone In bis per.
sonalty. One peculiar feature Of his
character was his unchangeable man
ner; he treated sil alike; he knew no
difference between the rich aud the
poor, the learned aud the ignorant, tho
we'll dressed and the lily clad. All were
to him upon an equal footing. He was
bitter foe to everything like sham;
his heart knew how to pity, sad his
hands were ever ready to help the needy
but he was not easily imposed upon BY
deception. He was 90 familiar with
hardships. dangers. and Disappointment
nothing any longer excited him. An
earthquake. the most terrible phenome-
non of natures disturbances. would mol
destroy bis composure. l hope, Mr.. Edi
tor, you will excuse the extended d.
erosion have fallen into by the vivid