St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1888-08-04
OLD CREOLE CUSTOMS.


OLD CREOLE CUSTOMS.
usv Orleans sossety sem nesess the Ira.
aisioas of the Old Regime.
The social customs Of New Orleans
differ widely from those Of any otheI
city Of the Union. derived as they
largely are from tho usuagcs and pre-
cedeDts Of the French and Spanish
regime. many Of which hold good TO.
day. The old French social law. which
divided people into three different
classcs-thc aristocrat, the bourgeois
and the canaille-has to y great extent
become dead letter.
Tho middle class is to-day an un.
important factor in society here. One
misses also that subdivision into cliqucs
and sets witch exists elsewhere. In a
social sense New Orleans is virtually
= dual city. the dividin. line between
Canal street. its principal thorouShfarc.
Above this dwell the Americans. who
now predominatc in the population.
Below it live the Crcoles, the descend
ants Of the naughty cavaliers and
beauties who formed the court OF the
French and Spanish Governors Of the
province. and who still hold sacred
the stately manners. the stringent
customs and the prejudices of their an
cestors They. however. have for the
greater part suffered rcverscs of for
tune. This prevents their active partici-
patton in society or the lavish mode Of
entertainment to which they were
accustomed.
1t has not deprived them. however.
Of a certain influence over the social
tone Of the city. and in no respect is
this more readily manifested than in
the universal observance of the chap
eron system. This system is closely
adhered to rs well in American as in
Creole circles, and the penalty Of its
disregard is scandal and gossip. and
perhaps. If the offcnsc be sufficiently
serious. social ostracism.
Young ladies do not attend the
thcatcr with gentleman without -
chapcron. especially at night. unless
they be nearly related or bctrothcd
Under NO circumstances is it possible
for q young girl 70 lunch or dine in a
public restaurant unless q chaperon
bc present. and few New Orleans girls
would enter such place except To at
tend lunch or dinner party to which q
number of guests were hidden and
where one or more chapcrons were
present.
As regards horseback exercise. in
which New Orleans girls indulge bat
rarely, the rule requiring a chaperon is
much less riSi,lly enforced. but upon
driving without the matronly protcc-
ti"n there is virtually an absolute pro
hil,;tion.
Social calls are for the most part
confined to Sunday evening. when
gentlemen present themselves rs early
rs seven o'clock. and are expected to
withdraw not later than eleven o'clock.
goOd breeding. of course. requiring the
first conner to yield to his successor.
Formal calls arc paid only on Sunday
or on the evening of the hostess
special reception days. and do not here
much exceed half an hour.
In Creole circles the mother Of the
young lady receiving the caller is in
variably present. but among Americans
the custom is observed only according
to the degree Of intimacy between the
parties. Excursions. picnics. etc. form
no part of the social entertainments Of
New Orleans. though occasionally par
ties are formed to visit the neighbor.
ing plantations when the cane is being
converted into sugar. In such cases
the host makes point Of providing at
least one. and often several. chaperons.
Invitations to balls. parties. or rcccp-
tons are ALWAYS worried to include the
chaperons. and subscribers to the club.
german or cotilliOn. Of which at least
one is given during the season. arc
furnished with separate car,ls for chap
erOns and partners.
In matters of courtship and marriage
the Creoles follow the French plan and
the maternal supervision ends only
with the signing Of the nuptial regis
try. Among the American portion Of
the population the American custom
prevails. and the moment an acquaint-
ancc merges himself into suftor he is
accorded greater freedom Of communi.
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