St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1909-03-20

and with the men who were IN the
field Of activity in the grey past.
These "Reminiscences are written
BY an old citizen, a close observer
and q writer Of much ability. This
new feature of the Clarion's will
doubtless prove of infinite interest to
it's readers.)
On . pleasant forenoon in April
1864, ! young soldier il gray came
riding IeisurelY down Main street
from the direction Of Washington.
and when he reached the corner o.
Bellevue, where the Roos store nov
stands, he vauIted with ease and
agility from the saddle and tied his
horse to one of the old China trees
that stood before the old Hebrard
drugstore that had occupied that site
for nearly half a century. There was
ali air Of grace and distinction about
the handsome young soldier, the
insignia on whose collar and sleeves
denoted he was a lieutenant, and
s0on hn was surrounded by 4 pr0un
Of old men and boys, the only male
inhabitants Of the sad old village,
who eagerly piled him with questions
as to the campaign in North Louis
lana, that had just closed with the
battles Of Mansfield and Pleasant Hill.
Well was his reply, to use the
somewhat brutal words Of Gen. Tay-
Tor in his address to the army a few
days ago, the invader has been re-
pulsed and che Red River catfish are
feasting on his carcass while the
waters of that stream have taken On
q deeper hue from his blood" This
General Taylor was Richard, com
monty called Dick, the brilliant au-
thor Of Destruction and Re~eonstruc-
tor" and the son Of Zachary Taylor,
the hero of Buena Vista and Monterey,
and the only President that Louisiana
ever gave to the United States. Him
self q West Pointer, Gen. Richard
had just witnessed upon the
battlefield the glorious death Of his
young classmate, Gen. Alfred
Mouton, Of Lafayette, and it was
while he was yet under the spell Of
that great bereavement that be
the bitter and resentful words
that the speaker had quoted to the
gaping crowd around him,
The speaker was Edward Taylor
lewis, Lieutenant in the Second
louisiana Cavalry, subsequently a
eading Knight Of the White Came
ia, then organizer in st. Landry of
he White League, Senator, Congress
nan and Judge. He is still with US,
ale and hearty, and though the
ayen locks and long flowing beard,
ark as midnight, that he wore on
bat spring morning in 1864 are now
s white as snow, his form is as
rect and sturdy as when he grace
ully bestrode his handsome war
Iorse on our streets, the cynosure of
eyes, and brought to our sad and
lourning people the glad tidings Of
The name Of Lewis, however, can
Of be mentioned without calling to
lind at least two others Of that dis
Inguished family. viz; Thomas II.
ewis, Of 0pelousas, and William c.
evils, Of New Orleans, both Of whom
kind Providence has also spared to
bis day. The first, after CALAMITY
in the ranks, took up at the
lose Of hostilities the practice of
w at our bar alongside such INTEL
ctual giants and seasoned prac-
TONERS as 0yerton, King, Estilette,
.artel, Hardy, Garland, Dupre, Porter,
GORE, Bailey, and others and soon
rived for himself q name and q rep
.ation that have been added to and
ade brighter and nobler as the years
We flown by. He might have
the highest Offices in the /
# Of the people, but he preferred
remain in the ranks as d private |
lien, just as he had served his I
untry ii the ranks as d private ]
/