The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-11-28
LIZ CAFE DU SJLEiL.
BT n. " BALIoT.

Oelng on business tour among the
Southern and Westcrn States, found my
self, sometime in November Of 1893, in
the city of Creoles and masquerade balls.
and it being healthy searon OF the year
for sojournin this city Of sHampy bound
ary, had determined to look about the
place, and so impress its peculiarities and
localities upon my mind as to serve Inc for
future reference.
New Orleans the Crescent City, affords
strange mixture of human nature, re-
presenting almost every nation ana conn
try upon the face of the earth. The city
is, as it is we'll known, almost equally d-
vided in regard to inhabitants, of French
and American extract iutermiugling with
whom there is plentiful sprinkling of Span
ish, German, Swiss, Irish, Creoles, &c, for
ming altogether an heterogeneous COM
pound of human nature, not to he met
with perhaps in any other city in the world.
Add to these floating population of some
thousands from the up country, or back
woods, consisting of the western adycntu
rers, bowie-knife bullies, hlacklcgs, and
the scum of the river cities which finds its
way down the stream, and you have
|dagureotype of the people Of this cspital
of Louisiana.
After an evenings stroll upon the levee
/ had dropped in at LIE CARE pU SoLGIr.,
or, as it w.s known in the American see
ton of the city, The Sun Coffee House"
and sat slipping my coffee and studying
the various grouds that filed the spacious
saloon, when a singular occurrence took
place which design to relate.
It was medley company that filed the
cafe There sat representative Of lfol-
land, solid and heavy, taking copious gulrs
from the mug at his side, while at the
same table. and apparently engaged in
concentrating some business arrangement
with the Dutchman, sat light, siracious
Frenckman, the very opposite in point Of
character to his compsnion, and there
were well-fed and rosy-chceked English
men, too, aud sagacous Yankee conyer-
sing with black eyed Creole, with an
almost efFemnate person, and form for
a sculptor. A d-shouldcrcd Scotch
man, cool and calculating, was PLAYING
cards with a citizen at table; cren the
half breeds ofthe native tribes OF the West
were there The rudc speeches and rough
jokes that fell upon my ear in various
tongues and mingled languages, Jared
harshly against my feelings.
At table nearer than the rest, obser-
we'd one party whom l readily detected as
"sharpers" or blacklegs whose expensive
dress and off-hand manners could not dis
guise their true character; they we're Of
that class of gamesters whom We designate
as genteel gamblers. particularly notic-
ed one among their number who swore
the loudest of the crew about him. his
time and voice being occupied in beasting
of his prowess, and being perhaps some
what excited by an extra glass, he chai-
lenged any of the party TO set-to at cards
or fiisticuifs. Being well armed deter
mined to stop and witness the fellows
conduct.
| / soon learned from one who sat near
me, that he was noted gambler and du-
elist; man who was great braggard,
and yet he had established an undoubted
courage, from the fact ofhis having fought
and killed several noted characters who
had formerly moved in his own sphere of
society. He's up to spree to night,
said my informant, and will not be sat
isfed until he had insulted some one.
About this time | observed a young
! fo orIn mir of I,i,
Of the servant took a seat at seperate
table, near by. He was young. quiet
and pale faced youth, indeed almost boy
and evidently stranger in the city. The
crew of sharpcrs, winking to each other
intelligibly, set their eyes on him immcdi-
ately, while the bully, whom they called
in their cant speech Fetlock, forthwith
set about some plan to insult and draw
him out; the plan probably being thai
when FetIock should threaten the youth
the rest of the party would interfere, and
pretending to take sides with him, ingrat
late themselves into his confidence thu.
affording them an opportunity to play
their usual game upon him. Thus i
seemed that Fetlock, who was considered
by his party to be utterly invulnerable
was used as tool-pigeon, or dccoy duel
for similar occasions.
The black-guard commenced by throw
ing out some vile hint, the import ofwhicl
could hardly be mistaken, for although i
did not absolutely name the new conner, al
eyes were turned towards him. The youns
man blushed deeply, and the blue veins il
his forehead strained almost to bursting
yet he took no further notice of the insul
than his countenance betrayed, nor did h.
even turn towards the speaker who hat
: thus publicly insulted him.
Foiled lii his attempt thus to engage tn
: stranger in controversy, Fetlock, so cal
led, threw a small piece of fruit, while tn
company were still regarding both, whicl
fell Immediately before the youth npon tn
| table. Startling at the moment, the stran
ger arose, and turning towards the peripe
J traitor of the insult with calm voice ob
served: