The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-11-13
A Sunday in New Orleans.


Joaquin Miller in New Orleans Times Democrat
Iafose at six, my first Sunday, and took
a car to the French market. Returned to
my hotel, Dreakfasted and went to hear the
celebrated Carolina preacher, DR.. Palmer
"a strong man in every sense. Dinner,
and then four hours drive with an editor,
native of the city, about the Exposition
buildings. More than fifty acres under roof
More than thirty acres in single build
ing. ''Will you get her ready p | asked.
'.Get her ready? We have fifteen hundred
hammers driving every day. Fifteen hun
dred thousand nails every few hours will
get her done mighty soon now
The buildings are rifle shot from the
banks of the Mississippi. The place is high |
and dry now, of course above all approach |
of floods level as a lawn, green, cool, beau
tiful. with avenues Of oaks that have no
equal on earth; but the grounds are going to
be sinnddy. The ground is black Ore |
gon Camus muck it is the mud Of Illinois. |
in fact, worked over and washed down and
made tenfold more sticky by its long trans
portation. But of course planks-and there
are plenty of them here-will keep your
feet from the mud. 1t is going to be simply
tremendous success. | can tell you more
Of the details two weeks later. In the three
great exposltions Of the past | was sent to
report upon the show grounds. | was sent
to Vienna. to Paris and also to Philadelphia
as am sent here. long III advance OF the
opening, and | can only say that things
here compare most fayorably with the best
prospects, as | remember them and re-
counted them at these other places. And
that is about all that am justified in say
ing row, and will say this, however, to
my friends and readers-and have about a
million, l believe-that any one who fails
to visit this city and these scenes at this
coming fair, health and all things permit
ting, is simply silly. This city hopes to
get some good out of the coming show.
The main good. my friends. will be to the
North. You want to learn something OF
the size, the story, the glory and the splen-
dor of YOUR land. You want to see these
people here, too A yanquished, beaten
and impoverished people, but brave. and
good and true, and as warm at heart as the
sun above them. ! am already assured,
from what see, that it is going to be the
greatest thing Of the kind that has ever
been on earth. That is saying very great
deal, certainly. But bear in mind that out
side the million dollars, these brave, sun
ny-hearted and show-loving people have
perpetuated their carnivals through all
their trials and have long been celebrated
for their matchless skill in getting up such
things. So you can safely calculate that
to miss this exposition will be a life re-
gret.
But to continue the Sundays excursion.
went to see the Bandit King" and
Bunch Of Keys at night alternating be-
tween the two theatres, which stand close
together. The heat was too intense, and
before the plays were over, went out and
walked down Canal street. stripped and
plunged into the river, from the wharf,
which slopes to the waters edge. Not
soul in sight, not even q policeman. The
electric light made the water sheet of
silver, and did not see that the swift,
strong river had caught me up in his arms
and was rushing on with all his might to
the sea- Perilous. But what it matter
When | got back and sat catching my
breath on the edge of the wharf | saw
lot of jet. black bugs as big as mice sitting
ON the edge of the plank at my side. |
never saw such creatures in my life. Now
and then they would dive off into the
water, One of these bugs finally elbowed
around and lifting up his hind legs looked
me squarely in the eyes. He had NOUS
tache like the King of Italy. / fled pre-
cipitately, as soon as could dress.
sauntered up Canal street three blocks
and turned down street to the right. |
heard men calling out games and names
which | had not heard called for thirty
years. Up wide bright stair of brass,and
gambling was before me in all its doubtful
glory A policeman looking on, good order.
no noise except the men calling out their
games. Twenty seven tables going in this
room. No woman in sight. The dealers
were generally little pot-bellied and bald
headed Frenchmen. The language mostly
spoken was English. l went out, down.
up again saw four other places, all so
alike that need not mention them.
passed on, down q hundred yards or
so toward the French quarter. and heard
wild, discordant music and the cracked and
squeaky voices Of matured women who
were dancing and singing by dozens right
and left pushed open some of the doors,
and dingy floors were packed with men
and women.
1t was time to go home. | wish | had
not seen it all. wish did not, as truth
full chronicler, have to set it down here. 1t
mars my picture of discoveries and Of the
mighty scenes that have been before me.
God, how pitiful is man, and how contemp-
tible he can be. even in the presence OF all
- Nrt,