New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-06-18
For the New Orleans Republican,
THE MYSTERIOUS WAIF'.
BY NJ. F. BIGNEY.


THE MYSTERIOUS WAIF'.
By NJ. F. BIGNEY.
The "Old French Market" is one of thu
peculiar institutions Of New Orleans. Il
not only enjoys the reputation of being the
best market in the city, but possesses at
fractions enjoyed by no other market in
America. There is nothing specially impos
ing in it's architecture, and its display Of
meat, fruit, fish and vegetables is not 90
superior 90 to give it decided advants ges.
1t is, however, unsurpassed in it coffee
stands, several of the urns of which are of
solid silver and of magnificent proportions.
But what gives special characteristic to
the old French maj ket is that strange mix
sure OF tribes and tongues and peoples
which may be observed there every morn.
ing, and particularly every Sunday morn
ing. On such occasions it presents the ap-
pesrance of food bszsr, at which the re-
representatives. of all nations meet and con-
verse in their peculiar languages. Their
varieties Of garb, complexion and nation
ality, added to the confusion of tongues
which marks their social and commercial
Intercourse, constitute a heterogeneous
medley to be found nowhere else, either in
the old world or the new. The Monaghan
jostles the modern Greek, and Russian,
German, Frencbman, Englishman, Ital-
ian, Spaniard, Mexican. African, In
dian and American mix together as
respective chapters in the great volume
OF humanity. The types also are variousIy
interblended. Between the American Of
the West, his Yankee cousin of the North,
and the Creole of Louisiana, there is as
marked difference in feature and charac-
ter ~ there is between the natives of any
three European nations, and when the
blood Of these and other varieties mlngle
IN conssnguineous evolution, new admix-
lures are produced, materially different
from the parental types. Ethiopis stretches
out her arms under all varieties of color,
admixtures Of blood and corruptions of
language, and the representative red man
the only genuine free-soler upon earth
stands by while his faithful squaw disposes
Of his game and of her own roots and herbs.
In this connection the fact is worthy of be-
ing noted that the Choctaw Indians in
Louisiana enjoy privileges not accorded to
Indisne, negroes or whites in any other
community. On steambOats and railway
lines they travel without question and with
out charge, and wherever they 60 their |
squstter sovereignty is invariably re-
spotted. Once lords CT the coil, they still |
maintain tacitly acknowledged seryituGe |
thereon.
In front of the old French Market, which |
stands near the river bank, there is com. |
mon landing place for fishing ekiffs and |
oyster boats. The language used on this
landing is chiefly of the Scilian variety, |
and there, not unfrequently, Sicilian feuds
break out, and Sicilian vengeance makes
the knife its minister.
In 1852 fisherman named Grabig occu-
pied little floating habitatiOn between
the wharves, which then constituted the
boundaries of the old French Market land
ing. 1t was strange place to cali q home,
yet it was the only home the fisherman
possessed. The architect in its construc-
ton had made an absurd compromise be-
twixt boat and hut, retaining some of
the toughest peculiarities of both. What
ever it might claim on the score of useful
ness. it was certainly not ornamental.
About ten feet long and five feet wide, it
presented the appear ance of ride box,
covered with tarpauiin by way Of roof,
and port holes were provided for the
qusdruple purposes of entrance, exit, air
and light. In this strange floating habita-
ton the fisherman lived in content, play.
ing the philosopher, as Diogenes did before
him. in his tub.
In addition to this floating castle, with
its watery defensee, which served him bet.
ter than moated ramparts, Grabig had .
little ekiff, by means of which he conducted
his fishing business, and. when it 80 pleased
him, ferried himself to his quiet home be-
t ween the wharves. The cares of the world
never troubled Grabig. No tax gatherer
visited his humble abode. He paid no
ground rent, no water rates, no license,
and, truth to soy, he looked with something
like contempt on those who did. But, not
his eccentricities, he was, in
his own way, industrious. His button lines
were stretched far ont into the river, and he
overhauled them at regular intervals, ~
we'll by night o. day. What with the pro-
duct Of these lines, his shrimp baskets, and
such waits - tho worlds greatest river
cast in his way, he managed to provide for
ais every want and secure for himself -
much of comfort and content % usually F,
falls to the lot of hermit or philosopher. /,
On tho morning of the first of September,
IN hour or 90 before dawn, the happy fab.
erman was awakened from . pleasant
dream BY loud splash, a. of something
~ tr n.