The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-09-24
The March to the Opera House.

The March to the Opera House.
The entrance to the City Hotel had been pref
tily adorned with arch of evergreens and painted
devices. 1t the center were the arms of Missouri
with those of Louisiana on either pillar was por-
trait of Seymour and one of Blair, while above
were the words, heartfelt by those who placed
them there: "Welcome to the St. Louis Delega-
tion." Forth, then, from this beautiful door. way
at the appointed hour came the guests of the
Democracy Of New Orleans, with them came a
number of our own matrons and bevy of Louisi.
anais fairest daughters, escorted by gentlemen
whose sterner virtues, well displayed on other oc.
casions, made them but the more gracefully bear
the honors thus conferred upon them. The car
rages-on the horses of each, by happy thought,
to whose unknown author we here give the credit
which is his due, badge indicative of the persons
who filed each particular csrriage-were all
ready, and IN very snort time tho vholo.oorssse
was iu motion towards the Opera House.
The march though in itself beautiful, was a
faint indication of what was to come in the even
ing. The long row of carriages, freghted with
ladies' whose varied beauty indicated the several
climes which each called home, their escorts,
attired in the full uniform of the Blair Knights.
made more gay for the occasion, the prancing
steeds gaudiy caparisoned, the miniature national
colors which were placed everywhere that flag
could be placed, the double and triple rows of
delighted spectators which lined either sidewalk,
and sometimes even blocked the progress of the
procession, and the golden glory of the setting
sun, which, like the benison of the Almighty upon
the cause in whose honor the demonstration was
made, lighted the whole scene with crimson
splendor which doubled eech beauty; all these
together formed a picture, the sight of which,
coupled with thought on the noble motives
which had created it, would have made the heart
of every true man beat quicker in his bosom, and
his pulse throb faster in-response to mighty
emotions of joy which it would surely call into
being.
The Opera House.
Long before the hour announced for the open.
ing Of the doors the streets leading to the building
wherein the presentation ceremonies were to take
place, were filed with troops of ladies' all hasten
ing, lest, perchance, they should fail of obtain
ing good seat. And well might they hasten.
By six O'Clock such q crowd had assembled
around >the entrance to the Opera House, that
when at last the doors were opened the first rush
filed nearly every seat, and ten minutes later
standing room was privilege for which many
longed in vain. hasty glance around the thea.
ter-a glance well repaid by the sight thus re-
yealed- and our reporter sought the street Just in
time to behold the arrival of the head of the pro.
cession, which were the carriages containing the
ladies Of the st. Louis delegation Their precious
freight deposited these carriages moved on, only
to be followed by others and others, until at length
all the ladies had ali GIFTED. A few moments de-
voted to the arrangement Of the ladies on the
stage in the vsric-s positions assigned to each,
and the heavy curtain slowly rose, displaying
scene the like of which we confidently assert has
never been before beheld.
The house was literally pscked-so much so
that the words ordinarily used in expressing that
fact are utterly incapable of describing its ap.
pearance. In the front row of the dress-circle
were the ladies of St. Louis-the ladies who have
come so many miles to show to US, the Democra-
ey Of New Orleans that, in Missouri as well as in
our own fair State, the smiles Of woman are
ever given to the cause Of freedom, and her en-
couragement ever cheers the champions of liber-
ty. The parquette was filed with the families of
the members of the Knights, behind them the
knights themselves, looking doubly handsome In
their handsome uniforms. In the rest of the the
ater, excepting the parquette boxes, which we're
occupied by the members Of the State and Parish
committees, we're the ladies of our own town-aud
shall we describe them shall we, inspired as our
pen must have been by such a sight, attempt to
tell how beautiful it was Be Hildered too, by the
glsnces of SO many bright eyes, By the vain en-
deavor to pick out some one pair that was pre-.
emineuty bright, by the countless phases Of beau
ty which met our glance wherever we directed 1t,
what could poor reporter do but simply look,
enjoy TO the full the magnifcence of the scene,
and appeal TO the imsginations of those unfor-
tunste persons who did not themselves behold il
to FL up the blank which we are compelled to
leave from sheer inability totel all our thoughts
But if the audience was so attractive scene,
a glance at the stage revealed one, that but for
the prior view of the house we would
have deemed peerless. At the back, on
a raised platform sat the presidents of
the various Democratic clubs, g0odly
fhau he han ~