The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-12-23
CITY TOPICS.

for 1unerant vendors OF VARIOUS klnd9 OF goouss
Yesterday morning, ct the base. was man selling
some powder, the use of which viii transform any
metal to.slver. Near him was Q conductor, with
his bottle full Of old corns-trophies Of bis skill
at his side offering to extract apybody's corn at
once. The sides OF the base Of the statue were
adorned with black lettering expressive Of the
peculiar virtues and cheapness of somebody's
goods. Around the whole were group Of news
boys and errand boys, looking at everything,
chatting everybody, and having good time gen.
orally.
One city topic just now, and quite prominent
one, is the annual distribution Of prizes and dpo
mas of the Locquet Institute, to take place TO-
night. These affairs have always proved Of con.
siderable interest, which has been demonstrated
by the large audiences which have annually
graced the occasion, and there is no reason to
doubt that the present will be as agreeable and as
well attended as have been the previous gradua.
ting exercises. There are TO be various recita-
tons in French and in English. and music. As
the latter will be under the direction of NJ. Pre-
vost who is the music master Of the institute, it
may be expected to be very well worth the hear
ing. Besides, the sight Of three or four score
bright young faces, flushed with q consciousness
of the importance of the occasion, and beaming
with pardonabe pride at the thought of the plea.
sure their presence and their performances give
to their friends is not thing to be lightly missed
by any one. A pleasant evening awaits all who
go to Odd Fellows Hall, tonight.
Just before the election when the inefficiency Of
the police became too great to be endured any
longer, the people of New Orleans themselves
assumed control of their own affairs. when every.
thing became quiet This was lawlessness and
q new rebellion--now we are controlled by
mock police and governed by mimic police
ard-all the forms of law (so-called) are
complied with. But the essence of the law,
which is the protection of each mans life and
property, has vanished. Is this to continue! Are
these automstons in blue coats, called policemen,
to wander around our streets, doing nothing but
draw their pay, insult honest men and help their
brother thieves in securing their booty! Yet any
attempt to GUST them would be termed lawIess.
ness, and only by submission to this state of
affairs can the people of New Orleans continue to
be called lew-abiding. But we would suggest
to the metropolitans that there is something
which our people hold to be of more value than
the opinion in which they are held by Northern
fsnatcs-and that is the security of their lives and
property. At the present, every man who is on
the street after IL NJ, and wishes to feel safe,
must carry weapon, and carry 1t SO it can be
reached in a moment, for he knows not when he
may feel hand on his throat and hear the de-
mand, "your money or your life'-nor would he
be much surprised to find his assaulter carrying
club and wearing blue coat with crescent bat.
tons. for we have nc police now, only two kinds
of robbers, the uniformed ones and the non uni
formed, and the uniformed are the worst.
Day before yesterday man died, who, well
known and respected wherever known, made for
himself place, which, however humble it was 10
social relation, was well filed by him, and for
which it will be hard to find another occupant.
His name was James Roper. he was the propri.
etor of the gymnasium, on Perdido street. His
life was varied one. An Engshman by birth,
be has been circus rider, jockey, and trainer by
turns, and has even, we believe, contended for the
honors of the ring. He was man of peculiar dis.
position. But his excellencies were shining ones.
He was scrupulously exact in the discharge of bis
engagements, and was as punctua in holding
other people to theirs. Once let an habtue of the
gymnasium set day on which to pay his SUBJ
scripton and fail to appear on that day, and
Mr.. Roper never trusted him in the smallest thing
again.. He was extremely particular about the
conduct of the frequenters of the gymnasium.
Smoking was strictly prohibited, and swearing
brought a reprimand upon the offender repeti-
ton of the oath procured request TO leave the
institution. In all his life Mr.. Roper was exceed.
ing healthy, never knowing what disease was.
But as his sixty.ffth year began, he showed signs
Of decay, and about month or six weeks ago he
was attacked with asthma. The disease made
rapid inrosds q day or two since he was con-
fined to his bed, and ION Monday night at IL
O'Clock he breathed his last. He was a man of
spendid physique, having superb chest. but the
little exercise which he has taken in the last few
years caused flesh to accumulate, so when disease
came upon him he was little able to combat it.
Many of our readers will be sorry to read this
nouncement of the death of Mr.. Roper, "the old
man,. as he was called by his pupils, as but few
ever knew him well that did not like him in spite
Of his gruffness and odd ways. He was useful
citizen, and in his lifetime was the means OF doing
much good. May he sleep peacefully.
To one, like the writer of this, recently
returned from the arid deserts of Western Texas,
where even grazing fails and only the mesquite
shrub is able to extract life from the soil, the
transition to the fat glebe of Louisiana Is striking
and far from unpleasant. The returning tourist
from the finty plains and chaparral of the
country alluded to derives a real pleasure from
the very swamps and their luxuriant growths
bordering the Opelousas Railroad, and that plea.
sure is changed into positive delight when the
hungry eye, after long interval, first catches the
CLEAN of our perennial msgnolias aud orange
trees, with winter roses freshly blooming in their
shade. The delta of the Mississippi seems magic
ally transformed from the swsmpy Louisiana
lowlands, low to a garden Of refreshing
beauty.
The TRUE HAVANA CIGAR.-There Is liberal,
energetic ncrobe,t, eiuss. II aheisa-hy mama