The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1863-10-02
The Sort Of Life Army Ofncers,
Observation-Disclosures etc.,
are leading In New Orleans.

UOVcr4m6UtCOMg % CtCss
are leading In New Orleans.
Irorrssp6 nd .ace Of the Miss uni Rsp6b. lean ] |
New ORLEANS, September l0.-Your
does not profess to be q
saint. lido not think that any enlightened
synod would consider me, in an ecclesiasti
cal sense frst-class "pillar;" and yet, in
my more pensive moments, there are things
in the Crescent City which look little
queer, and not entirely virtuous. pHQ |
| do not allude to the fact that quarter
masters-live in palaces here.-A quarter
master who does not make himself entirely
comfortable, ought to be dismissed the SER
wee. Quartermasters get neither glory nor
credit for honesty; let them have gooo
times. .a....
Nor do l allude to the fact that officers
on duty have been known to make a good
deal of money. An officer on duty in
large city needs good deal of money to
pay lis creditors. 5-..
But what would cite as curious, and to
my Northern. bred mind even startling, Is
such scene as this, for example-time
p. M; place - street; atmosphere plea
sanity cooled by sunset breeze; white
marble house; large street door wide open;
windows open nymphs in white muslin on
the balcony; music of piano; apop OF
champagne cork; two carriages at the
door,
Let US go in. Does it strike you as being
rather cool to walk in without an invitation
or acquaintance By no means. Madam,
the proprietress, is enchanted to see u.s.,
She never saw us before, and do not think
she will ever see us again. She is fresh,
neat, jolly person. not bit Of harridan,
and talks like town meeting. The nymphs
on the balcony are also polite, atfable, even
witty-and are so exceedingly courteous as
to overlook the fact that We came without
invitation or acquaintance.
This is what the world calls a very bad
place-a house of doubtful-no, very decid'
ed, and indubitable character. 1t would be
very improper of me to give it any distinct
| name, for circumlocution is necessary to the
preservation of virtue.
Now these nymphs are not alone. They
have choice lot of friends to chat with,
and to drink the festive champagne withal.
There is Gen. Asterisk in full uniform, and
Col Lillypod, and Major Hollyhock, and
crowd of others-double rows of buttons,
and single rows Of buttons The windows
as have said, are wide open, the street is
full of passers-by, soldiers, citizens, honest
women, and others They know the status
of the house; they have heard of the soci-
al evil, and yet there they see Gen. Aster-
sk. Col. Lillypod, Major Hollyhock and the
rest, and the;nymphs, and hear the jingle
of the piano, and fusilade of corks.
Perhaps it is the custom of the country
to parade ones vices in this way. Some
one tells us that in an African city you
might enjoy yourself by walking naked to
market, buying a watermelon, cutting 1t in
two, scooping out the pulp, sitting down in
one half the rind pulling the other over
your head, and eating the pulp. Perhaps
IN Timbuctoo such an amusement would
meet with encouragement. Possibly in
New Orleans the utter absence of secresy
or shame; the putting away of the fig leaves
as old fashioned formalites, may be ex-
cused by the custom of the country. But
as ! have said, though claim no merit Of
my own, this philandering of officers OF
rank, in uniform, in daylight, in public,
seems just little odd. Officers, days past,
have been cashiered for such conduct; but,
then, We live in days of progress, and the
age advances rapidly. 1t seems just little
sad. too, to know that many Of these PHI
laundering folk double rows and single rows,
stars, eagles, leaves and bars, have sweet
wives at home in Massachusetts, New
York, In lana, Illinois, who are watching
and praying, perhaps at the time when their
husbands are under the tiercest fire --corks;
who have great faith in their husbands hon
or, and will be very indignant when they
read this letter-if they ever do read it,
But will not preach any more to-day;
being ysef but inditfercntly honest.