The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-04-20
FORTY YEARS AGO.
TRAyELER's "REMINISCENCES or
NEW ORLEANS IN 1896.
what He Found 10 Instruct ana AmHse
Him-The Character and Habits Of
the ReOple-A Mem0sabIe occasion.

the feOple-A Memorable occasion.
prof Henri Mason In the Washington Ga
zetel
Just one week from our departure from
Nashville we landed In New Orleans. The
weather was beautiful and the temperature
Of the atmosphere almost at summers heat
Before leaving the boat, my travelling com
panions introduced me to q French gentle
man. friend and townsman OF theirs,
named Victor Dupuys, He was like myself
going to New Orleans on q trip Of pleasure
need not say how delighted he was ut our
meeting. Though his stay was to pc but
very Short he assured me at once that lie
would do everything in his power to make 1t
very pleasant to me, as he knew from his
past experience of the city every spot that
might prove interesting to me- My mind
was at once relieved Of all uneasiness In re-
gard TO what hotel ] would put up at, he tell
ing me that II / left the whole matter to him
| should be satisfied, and | at once assented
to his proposition.
| ! had often heard while in Washington for
eigners say that New Orleans was the only
city in the United States that reminded them
| at all of Patis-it was to certain degree q
| miniature copy OF the great city. AS we drove
along the crowded Streets on our way 10 MIR.
Shall's boarding house. then the most fash
particularly struck with the activity that
seemed to prevail In every direction. The
little sprinkIing Of French that could be
heard from the humblest to the highest class
of society gave t6 New Orleans an air of ori-
ginaity that was truly attractive. Every
where else You can at glance tell the nation
ality Of the people you meet. whether by
looking attentively at their features or by
(ltr 4t.4,.
was such q diversity Of Language, and also
such mixture Of blood, that it was almost
impossible to decide whether you spoke to
M exican, an italian, a Spaniard. an Indian or
Never had | seen such a profusion OF flow
ers exposed Tor sale or placed outside
the windows of private dwellings. Al
though we were SO near the Christmas
holidays, the vegetation bore no signs OF
winter Mr.. Dupuys, who had been In the
habit Of visting.New Orleans At that time Of
the year remarked to me that the midness
Of Its climate invited from every part of the
Union q great number OF invalids who came
there 10 recruit their health and others to en-
joy the festivities previous to the Lenten
season We met at Mr. Shalls many stran-
gers. partly from Tennessee, Alabama and
Kentucky. On being introduced by Mr.. Du-
puys as one Of his friends | had 10 difficulty
in obtaining comfortable room with the
privilege OF taking my meals at the table
d'hote or at the restaurant, Just as pleased.
Both for tho sake Of economy and ease Of
mind. | made at once my arrangements To
remain In the house. This gave me an oppor-
tunity of becoming more intimately acquaint-
ed with the floating population OF New Orleans
and the social manners of the different visit
ors who each day sat at our table. It was
really amusing to me to hear the attempts
made by people who had scarcely been in the
city more than O. couple Of weeks to mingle
the little French they had learned with their
English, and wonder that they were not I'M
derstood.
NY stay In New Orleans was to be so short
that beyond the round of familiar faces |
daily met ct our hospitable board | cared
but little about making any new acquaint-
ances Mr.. Dupuys, who had long been a
resident Of the city. had often asked me to
tial Creole families but preferred spending
my time at the Pavilion, as there was con
slant influx Of strangers, giving to the. house
the most lively appearances. Every day we
busiest parts Of the city. enjoying, as We
passed, the sight of the gorgeous stores,
which 1T that time of this year-we were very
near tile new years festivities quite
rich display. Among the several edifces
which drew my attention was the St Charles
impression the building left ON my raind than
by writing down the lines which O few years
after | found in q Western paper In praise Of
it: "Set 1t dow, the st. Charles Hotel In st.
Ii
Boston, and ten Q one you would christen it
college: In II ldOn. and 1t would marvel
lousy remind " / Of an exchange. In New
Orleans, 1t Is all uee-a palace for creature
comfort, q collegt Tor the study of human
nature, and an e3 lange for money and for
appetite sta t.as ;, r. t,a cro.oa4 ~ -.
and, indeed, the only one | ever paid 1t, for
never afterwards did ne tide of my business
bring me again to Lou ana. twas uudoubt-
ms M |
heard the sweet sounG' OF my own native
tongue and lived amor Z people kindred to
me in spirit, 1t is d0tb al whether / would
have filled the DEGREES of lay destiny.
The winter which had b ,en so far ex tremeIy
mild changed suddenly, and with success
sion of heavy snow storms and torrential
rains, brought in few days the thermometer
below zero. For the latitude Of New Orleans,
that fearing lest heavy frosts might follow,
and, perhaps, render the navigation on the
Mississippi river more difficult, resolved to
await the departure of the first large boat for
Cincinnati to take passage on 1t. We were in
the early part OF January. and my presence
at Lagrange was not required before the six
teenth, giving me ample time to reach that
place even should conclude to stop little
while at Memphis, Florence and Tuscumbia
When | told Mr.. Dupuys of my intention.
he expressed his regrets at our parting 50
soon, and the more especially as he had ar
ranged little party for us at the end of the
week. His object was to take me to
THE QUADRoON BALL
with which the lovers Of fun were to inaugll-
rate the festivities of the carnival Several
times during my residence in Washington
had heard Mr. Dimitry speak Of the balls
given ny that portion of the population of
New Orleans as being worth seeing, both on
account OF the richness of the tolettes of the
female dancers and the extreme beauty Of the
dancers themselves. Mr.. Dupuys seemed 50
anxious that ShDuId not ea va fine cifv with
out enjoying that sight, / agreed to accom-
pany him. We were to go go in full dress and
carry about US no money except what was alb
solutely necessary to defray the expenses.
seventh of January, 1896. and the strange
incidents by which 1t was marked / say
strange, for one should bear in mind that
even after having been in the United States
nearly five years, there We're many things
the hall 1hnrn fhn LII To,