The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1885-04-08

Workman or the wise visitor from the
Cast asks to be shown is the "French
and great many have taken
I, rooms in that antiquated portion of the
tity, under the hallucination that they
tyill learn French purely by absorption
a But there are no people more exclusive
han the Creoles, even to the lodging
"oouse keepers, who let rooms as regu-
gar business and never invite you to be-
come one of the family. They naturally
suppose that you have your own circle
of acqualntances and friends, and that
you do not amount to much If you do
not.
The visitor only sees the outward Gus
toms of Creole life, just as he views the
quaint dwellings aud curiosity shops of
the "native foreigners" who refuse to be-
come Americanized, even TO the extent
of learning our language Their lack of
industry and enterprise has measurably
retarded the growth of the city, but
more especially their section" am
told by city official that the entire real
estate property in the French quarter has
decreased in value from fifty to sixty per
cent within the past fifteen years.
Their shops somewhat resemble coun-
try stores in the matter of the variety of
articles kept. For instance, in jewelry
store the keeper repairs iewelry, sells
jewelry, and in addition takes iewelry
on pawn and buys old gold and silver.
On entering these ''jewelry store pawn
shops" the eye rests upon a large ''pla-
card, ''Ladies' and children's ears
punched speciality" Next door to one
of these mixed shops is waiter-girl
saloon, kept b. an ex-committing magis-
trate, where undoubtedly head punching
is specially. A notion store admits
portion of the truth in a sign that arti-
cles can be bought ''dear or cheap"
The secondhand bookstores refused pur-
chasing, few weeks ago. at any price.
They all tell the same story-over-sup-
piled. Their shelves are actually bend
ing beneath the weight of story volumes
and even entire libraries, sold by people
G gho have experienced more prosperous
igays. The works are mainly French, of
'liourse, and were sold at about what
sthe postage or transportation cost
the owner. Being great novel
readers, volume after volume of fiction
can here he found, as we'll as the torn
and tattered files of the Partisan story
papers. The ''young blood" though
clinging to his ancestry and the tradi-
tions of his fathers, IS SNmericanized to
the extent that he cares little for the
romance or history of a country be has
never seen, yet which he call7 his own.
So, in financial strait, he sells the
library of his sire to a second hand
dealer, and drops a tear to his memory
as he pockets the proceeds and heads for
the ROYAL or st. Charles street to tempt
the tickle goddess at his favorite rouge
et-noir, or perhaps to play baccarat in
the back room of an ''absinthe MILL"
There are saloons were absinthe is
made specially, and which arc mainly
frequented by absinthe drinkers, who
never patronize whisky saloons, as they
drink nothing but absinthe. except at
meals, when their favorite claret is part
of the menu. The sign "Absinthe Sa-
loon" causes the visitor to stop and Curl
ously peer in to see what kind of an es-
tablishment it is. But it is to the French
man what the ''coffee saloon" was to the
American years ago when whisky sa-
looms were known by that deceptive
title. A few of these landmarks still ex-
ist and coffee and cakes are sold at one
end of the rickety counter by de-
creplt, veteran-looking woman. On the
narrow streets facing the old St. Louis
cathedral are little shops resembling an
undertaker's, where coffins, wreaths, holy
candles, crucifxes from an inch to three
feet high, and all imaginery church reliq-
uaries are sold. Holy candles are kept
burning as long as the shop remains open,
and quietness prevails which gives the
lay place of barter a solemn aspect, in
addition to its half weird and mournful
appearance and surroundings. The
patron is awed into the subsection of re-
moving his hat, bartering is conducted
in an undertone and the proper change
handed over in solemn and dignified
manner. But the chink of the coin, the
high prices paid and occasional mis-
representations no doubt remind the
purchaser that, Notwithstanding the
solemnity of the places, they are Of the
earth earthly" and are after the dollar
of our daddies.
Adjoining the ancient cathedral is the
old state arsenal. where the flower and
pride" of the State were mustered into
the Confederate service, many OF
whom never returned. On the
next block is a "blood and thunder
variety theatre, where the chief qualiica.
ton of an actor is shooting, scalping i'm
aginary Indians and robbing stage banks
AS the admission is only ten cents, the
place is nightly crowded. A few doors
further and the visitor hears, eagle birc
by chancew followed by an indistinct
w-h-i-r. He knows what it is. But ever
the roulette man has raised his prices, o.
rather increased his percentage. Poker
rooms are more numerous even than fare
banks, and the percentage they take i
about on par with the profit of stopping
an express train or the fight of banl
cashier to Canada In 'seven up" eacl
player in the game is charged twenty -fiv,
cents an hour In poker one chi is takeI
out of each pot when the hand is called
The checks are generally ten cents
sometimes twenty-five cents. At thi
rate it is easy to figure how, after {
nights sitting, each player would retir,
loser and the "house" the only winner
These ''rooms are chiefly patronized b,