The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1888-05-12
Hospitality in st. Landry.
Royal Entertainment of the Press.
oPELoUsAs AND wAsHINGTC
N. .. City Item.

cfLLOboAS AND w NASIlINGTON.
N. o. City Item.
The hospitality of the citizens of OPP
elousas and Washington to tho State
Press Association deserves moro than
passing notice. 1t does credit not alone
to the parish of st. Landry, but to the
whole State. 1t shows that tho hospi-
tality of the Old South is prominent
feature of the New.
1t would be impossible to detail the
various attentions of the citizens to
their guests. The latter were made to
feel entirely at home. Two events,
however, are entitled to special consid-
Grafton.
The first of these is the grand enter
tainment provided under the aus
pices Of the Opelousas Social
Club at their elegant hall. The
hall was beautifully adorned with
wealth of floral decorations by the la
dies, who display so much energy COM
bined with such exquisite taste in these
matters. The front rows of seats were
reserved for the journalists. 1t is need
less to say that the hall was crowded
before 8 p. M, the opening hour.
The programme opened with an over
ture by the Breaux Bridge band then
followed an address of welcome COM
posed by Mrs. M. b. Williams, and
read by Mr.. Joseph L. Cain, who is a
fine elocutionist piano solo,. exceed
ingly well rendered by Miss Julie Bloch,
pupil of Prof. r. Mayer; recitation
by Miss Corinne Isaac, a young lady
who possesses dramatic talent in IA high
degree song by Miss Cecile Schwartz,
| who has a charming voice and who
kindly responded to an encore; a poem
by Mrs. Martha r. Field, of the Plea
yune, "One Morn Peri at the Gate of
Eden Stood Disconsolate," but, unlike
the Peri, Catharine Coles maiden seek
| ing the way to Paradise sits by the
rpadside and inquiries the way of pass
ers by In Moore's fancy the penitents
E'tear unlocked the Eternal gates, but in
Mrs Fields beautiful allegory, love was
the talisman that made paradise on
earth.
Next was piano duo very finely rem
dered by Mrs. Joseph Bloch and Miss
Julie Bloch. The last performance on
the programme was song by Mrs. A.
| W. 11hde, WHICH w u5
encored.
The audience then paired off and
marched to the refreshment room to the
lively music of the band. After justice
had been done to the elegant spread,
the hall filled with dancers and lovely
girls and gallant youths moved in the
graceful rythm of the waltz. AS the
editors are more nimble with their fin
gers than with their feet, they were the
| first to retire from the action and left
the field to lighter trippers.
On Thursday morning the journalists
were conveyed in carriages to Washing
| ton. They were met near the town by
o large reception committee and two
brass bands, the Washington and the
Corona Cornet. Forming in procession,
in line of carriages nearly mile long,
the party drove through the principal
STREETS, after which ranks were broken
and the visitors driven in the suburbs
to various points of interest. The Item
was fortunate enough to be in charge
of Capt. Crawford, formerly well
known steamboatman, for what the
Captain did not know about his parish
was not worth knowing.
About ] tp m. the party reached
Woodwork Springs, beautiful spot
in the woods about a mile from
Washington. Here were assembled
more than five hundred ladies and gen.
tlemeD, including citizens of Opelousas
4 who were invited guests.
| Mr.. B. F. Hardesty made the welcom-
ing, address, which was feelingly res
pended to by Gen. Jastremski. The
journalists were then seated at a table
spread beneath outrageous monarchs
; Of tho forest. Some of the prettiest
girls in the parish served as walters,
4 and gracefully and nimbIy dished ont
turkeys, chickens, pigs, salads, aud. all
manner of cakes and sweetmeats.
/ When the substantials were duly ac-
4 commodated the flow of soul began.
\ Toasts were eloquently responded to by
by Messrs. Lafargue, Bentley, Laurent
IDupre, Claiborne and DR.. Robertson.
/ At the conclusion of the feast the
Press Association was called toaEder by
President Jastremski, and unanimnss
vote of thanks rendered to the citizens
of Washington for the splendid enter
tainment and other courtesies. MIR. +
d Jacobs was the chairman of the citizens
committee and Senator Willis Prescott
of the reception committee. Ii is fair
to saw that while these and other gen
tlemen on the committees are entitled
to much credit, the ladies did the most
1 Is he