Omaha daily bee., 1882-10-07
A NIGHT In NEW ORLEANS,

There were two of US chatting ant
smoking cigarettes at the corner Of
Canal and st. Charles streets in thai
quaint ana old city, New Orleans
city of never.ending charms, and o.
queer phases of life and mysteries
without number; q miniature Paris,
with its bijou theatres in the French
quarter, where the play is il
French, and the English language is
foreign tongue; and where the moi
wear their hats and the ladies eli
absinthe and puff dainty rings Of
cigarette smoke from pretty mouths,
"Well, where shall we go TO-
night2' Morlan asked me.
''Grand Opera House. | suggested,
"What-srn't you tired OF Janau.
schek's diamonds yetY'
"Well, say the varieties"
"There is nothing there but the
frescoing in the lobby"
Academy
"Bah!"
We annexed away in silence, anG
finally decided to see Mile. Mathild,
at LIE Petit Franchise theater, on
Charities arrest.
eff Golson is in tho crowd, wei
appropriate him. Aha there he is
now. Golson, come hither!" cried
Morlan.
A number of young men had
crossed Canal street, and were passing
up st. Charles toward Common, 9th
ers continuing their way along Canal
to Baronne. A handsome, small deli.
cate student emerged from the crowd.
He had hands as small and white as a
woman's, long, black hair, a pale,
thou1htful face, and large, calm, OK
pressive eyes. / was introduced to
him, and he grasped my hand warmly
and firmly.
"Have you anything to Go tonight,
Golson2" asked Morlan.
"Anything to do2 Oh, yes, some
internal thesis, l believe; but hang the
thesis and, by George! the dissection,
too. Where are you goingF'
"To the French theatre"
"What, the absinth and the head
ache2 Come with me to the college.
My little girl will do the tight.rope
from the roof, and I'll introduce YOU
urged Golson.
We turned up st. Charles street to
Common, down Common to Baronne
and the college. Crowds were be-
ginning to gather at this point. We
treaded our way through the throne
that pressed against the railing around
the college yard, and entered a small
door at tie side. We climbed four
flights of dark, dismal stairs, and tum.
BLEED at the,turnings. We felt oui
way along a hall pervaded by a sitting
blackness and a musty smell from the
dissecting rooms. The light from the
street below streamed meagerly
through a window, and showed us the
extremity of the hall. We climbed
and crawled through q hole in the
ceiling. Here the darkness was in,
tense. We found another ladder close
at hand, and by feeling for the rounds
gained the top and emerged upon a
steep roof.
We looked around. New Orleans
lay at our feet in all the glory of q
starry night. On the south we could
trace the river winding in a crescent
form around the city, and rejecting
the colored lights from the shipping.
Away to the northeast could be seer
the dark, fat surface Of the lake, TIC
the southeast lay the French Quarter,
| with its tall, old. fashioned houses and
its narrow streets. To the westward
Upper Town stretched all its wealth
and grandeur over a large area. I'm,
der our feet was the glare from Canal,
st. Charles, Camp, Common, Caron-
delet, Bsronne and Tchonpitouslas
streets.
A parapet about twelve inches high
was all that could have preserved ur
from the morgue, If the foot had slip
ped an inch, or the treacherous slate
had broken. Three persons were
! standing in the gutter against the par
spet. Of these, two were rough-look-
ing men; the third was a woman in
tights and short skirts, covered with
spangles and stars and gold lace. The
men were engaged withcertain pulleys
and cords in drawing to a greater ten
sion the wire cable that stretched
from the parapet of the college to the
building opposite. The woman was
standing in the shade of the psrapet,
and looking down abstractedly upon
the thousands of human beings who
packed the street, and whose upturned
faces, 30 expressive of anticipation,
she seemed to be studying attentively.
"Already here, Zoe9" asked Golson,
IN his soft, smooth voice.
The woman started and turned
quickly toward him, an expression OF
intense happiness lighting up her face.
81 was looking for you below" she
said. II wal afraid, but l am strong
now. You don't think I will fall, dc
you2"
"Certainly not. You are very fool
ish to ask such a question"
He introduced us as his friends, and
she greeted us pleasantly. She had
rather IN agreeable face, though we
could not see ~distinctly, the only
lighting being that of the stars and tbs
faint glow from the lamps and torches
below. In any event she had a pleas
ant voice and that was sufi Gent. Sh,
also was small and delicate and young
A shawl was thrown over her bar
shoulders and arms, but she shivereC
In the night air.
II was thinking, Colby" she said
and a more decided ~shivering shool
her delicate frame; 81 wonder wha
they would think, and how the,
would feel down there"
"Nonsense, little Zoe!"
She laughed softly and put her arm
through Golson's, and looked up int
| L.. E,on NTH tnnnhinn tanlou,n.