The Democratic advocate., 1875-06-05

blushing gamester, and tho bold and god
less Magdalen. This was the era Of mag.
ni6cent gambling palaces, aud the champ
ion days Of faro. Under the "0aks, now
the City Park, Aourished the duelio, and
the Galway code was not more strictly
carried into execution in the duelling days
Of Ireland than that Of the 0rleanian.
To-day the Crescent City docs not boast
of an influx of strangers from the ends Of
the earth. The Saint James Hotel has
long since closed its doors; the St. Charles
is still thrifty, but the grand old Saint
Louis, with its Louvre-look and great,
frescoed rotunda, has been transformed
into an arena for Legislators of varied
colors.
All Saints day, tho first celebration of
the city of carnivals and masquerades, still
ushers in the business season-the first of
November. Bouquets and imnlortelles are
still thrown upon the marble monuments
of the dead; pictures of those passed away
are still hung in the parlor, like recesses
Of family tombs; dirge-bands and solemn
professions still play and march through
the beautiful cemeteries in which every
guild builds spacious and towering mon
ument; throngs of people turn out on the
recurrence Of the sacred day, but in most
other respects New Orleans has but few
customs left to remind one of the gay days
of the Caldwells, the Mandevilles, and
Marignys.
There is one other quaint and curious
custom introduced by the French-Mardi
Gras, Fat Tuesday, A mad-cap hilar-
ious time when everybody has uncommon
liberty to do what everybody will, so that
the police regulations are not violated. 1t
is a sort of leap-year day for lady masque-
raiders. Under cover of masks and domi.
noes they can firt, and pop the question,
or lead their male friends into an unex-
pected quadrille of fun and frolic Whole
streets are illuminated on the passage of
the Mistick Krewe of Comus, and daylight
only terminates the mask and fancy balls
which celebrates the occasion Last Feb.
ruary the day procession was not on the
march, the reason given for the disappoint-
ment was: financial stringency.
Senator Morton recently said that New
Orleans is 'dying city" 1t is not dy-
ing, but diseased There has been too
much politics, and not enough union aud
energy. Its commercial situation is so
fine that in time it will recuperate and
become more prosperous than ever. No
one act Of Bienvile better establishes his
sagacity than while seeking site for
great commercial city, he set up his theo-
dolite in the Ptase d arms, opposite the
Saint Louis Cathedral.
When the day of prosperity comes, its
ancient customs will be revived in full
force by its mercurial population. Amer.
leans leave for other cities aud States; the
French and Spanish remain in their quaint
houses, cling tenaciously to their language,
customs and religion, and wish for speedy
return of the days of lang syne.
1t can scarcely be said that spring comes
TO Southern Louisiana. The seasons are
by no means defined. Autumn, perhaps,
has brief existence, when leaves fall
from few sensitive trees, and the wealth
er is just cool enough at night to make
single blanket comfortable. But there
are no rainbow colors among forests, such
as make autumn in northern ATTITUDES the
fading, yet glorious beauty Of the year.
Spring, the seed-time, and Summer, the
harvest-time, are so nearly married in tenn
perature that we omit the former, and
speak only of New Orleans in Summer.
Proximate swamp, water, and evapora-
tion, make the climate moister and cooler
during the hot season than is generally
supposed. Rarely, indeed, does the ther-
mometer achieve hundred degrees Far.
enheit. Whenever this occurs, complaints
Of heat are universal, and the mercury, as
if wearied with human protests, suddenly
retreats downward. Even on the exposed
tree, sunstrokes are almost unknown, and
the Orleanian is amazed while reading
accounts in northern newspapers Of people
being struck down by this as if engaged in
pitched battle.
Deliciously cool are the summer nights.
Sunset brings ladies 10 their verandas, and
much of the time between tea and mid.
night is spent on these wide and almost
universal exterior extensions. Breezes
float out from Lake Ponchartrain, and
from the great river, which Calhoun fitly
called an finland sea, and from the Gulf
come spicy winds, all the way from Darien,
Honduras, and the Mexican shores. The
very air is odorous with the perfume of
flowers. Stars shine with bright, soft
lustre, and the "inconstant moon throws
down her wealth Of yellow radiance with a
prodigality unknown in ungentle climes.
The proverbial siesta prepares the can't
getaways for an evenings drive on the
finest shell roads in America; or plunge
into the waters Of Ponchartrain; or the
starlight, or moonlight ramble, or pleasant
chit-chat on verandas at home. Il is
scarcely necessary to say that, during these
summer evenings, more than Mantuan in
beauty and fragrance, the romantic drama
Of the Capulet and Montague is enacted in
the most natural manner. The fact is, a
Creole girl would never publish her love
with that righteousness which character
ICES the Juliet Of an actress. Even Friar
Lawrence would not be permitted to help
"" "h eheh VI thc hCdEt. Dhiu suTeWu
lady observer to us one day IA Creole
girl understands thoroughly the art ofloye-
making. She will take man in every
time with her eyesl''
Take your fast drives, o absentee
promenade, sweet lady, and listen to the
so-thought heart utterances Of the lover
bending low at your side, and apparently
hanging upon your accents mix as you
will in the masquerade of life at Saratoga
or Newport, but never think that the
Orleanian is destitute of enjoyment at
home.
The winter season is devoted to business,
but the summer, exhaling a paradisian
fragrance, quiet, calm, and glorious in its
sunlight, starlight, moonlight, is the season
of rest, Of interchange of social civilities,
Of promenade, and love-making There Is
time for all these things, and SO the warm
season glides along pleasantly and happily
enough to acclimated thousands.
The pleasure spots By the lakeside