Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-06-01
THE LOUISIANA CREOLE.
SOMETHING OF HIS HOME LIFE AND
CHARACTERISTICS.

The Ancient CrenIe Averse to Change and
InnovatIons-The Representative of an
Era That Is Rapidly Passing Away.
The Mother.
The ancient Creole abhors change and
looks with disfavor upon anything contrary
10 the usual flow of events or customs for
eign to those OF his forefathers. Even in
architecture the spirit asserts itself. In the
American portion of New Orleans old land
marks nave rapidly disappeared, and on their
sites new and elegant houses with every
modern appurtenance rear their stately
columns but down in the old French quarter
there Is a marked difference. The whole
faubourg, with few exceptions, seems TO have
reached the point where evolution has ceased.
The houses are singularly curious and an
gular; the owners look with peculiar pride
upon these grim, solemn structures, and
cling afTectionately to them because Of old
associations and influences in their eyes con-
sideratous Of far greater Importance than
the DEGREES of modern fashion. In house
decorations the distinction appears with
greater nicely. Where reparation or renova-
ton becomes necessary, while scrupulously
particular as to the quality of materials
used in embellishing old tapestry is rehabil-
itated, so as to correspond with tho ancient
models, frescoings are renewed, with view
OF preserving as far us possible the original
design.
In consequence of the growing social rela-
tions between American and French New
Orleans, the young Creole, with enthusiastic
appreciation Of the beautiful and novel, fire.
quently suggests to paterfaInilias the pro
priety of refurnishing or reconstructing the
home in keeping with the gsthetic spirit of
his more progressive neighbors; but all such
proposals are silonced by II perempJory re-
fusal, to tear down those time honored
structures, or to allow those respected fur
nishings to fall under the auctoneer's
hammer would be acts of dissertation upon
which the shades of departed ancestors would
rise in Judgment.
The Creole gentleman of the old regime is
a representative of an era that is rapidly
passing away; "a day in which honor was held
a thing SO dear so sacred, that the least sar-
castle Jest was construed into an insulting
imputation for which an immediate apology
was demanded, or confutatiou at the swords
edge; a day in which the most distinguished
courtesy and gallantry was accorded woman;
when as an instance thereof, q gentleman
could not without the greatest breach Of
politeness ask of u lady permission to light a
cigar In her presence, much less raise his hat
to her upon casually meeting IN the street,
without first throwing away the smoking
weed, even though it were most expensive
and fragrant Havana to which a match had
but a moment before been applied. He is a
true type of the men of the old school, in
which "noblesse oblige" was gentleman's
creed.
Monsieur has been an expert duelist in his
day, and his "reminiscences of the Spanish
and Italian fencing schools are very enter
tanning He has also been q patron of the
rod and the gun, and knows every turn and
twist in the swamps and bayous around New
Orleans, has had an intimate acquaintance
with the celebrated chasseurs de Panceine
jours, and relates with jest his own expert
ence In search of becasines and canards; he
will impress upon you his unerring skill as q
marksman by telling how on one occasion,
when several birds lowered in the air, he
raised his gun and, bangi she had seen but
three and five came down" Age has not
diminished his admiration for the fair sex;
he is as courtly gallant and ready to bestow
a stately compliment as in the brightest flush
of youthful gayety. He is proud of his name,
OF the positions of trust and honor he or
members of his family have held in the COM
munity and his mission to foreign courts;
but far and above all this is he proud of his
French and Spanish origin, and holds as his
pTetlOuS pOSStsSOh u iOIBb uHllb" IVA
which contains the decorations and incon-
testable proofs Of his noble ancestry.
The Creole motherl No ordinary woman
IL she no vain seeker after fashionable no
toriety, no loud advocate of womans sup
posed rights, no aggressive competitor in the
ranks and caliings of men. She is the queen
of home; that is her supreme sphere, her ideal
realm, where love is her throne and the at
tendant ministers purity and truth. In the
rearing of her daughters the beauty of her
life most asserts itself. From the moment
that the duties of matronhood claim her ut
tentiou she leaves the gay world, of which
she has been such a brilliant ornament, and
In the quiet secusion of her own home de-
votes herself unreservedly to the training
and education Of her children, and when the
eldest daughter is of an age to enter society
for a second time the mother appears upon
the social stage Time has but matured her
girlish charms into mellow glow of autumn,
and as the chaperon of her daughter, la
belle Creole with her eyes of gypsy bright
ness rich clear complexion, and face spark
ling with intelligence and vivacity, not once
does madame deem it prudent to dispense
with her motherly supervision until her
carefully guarded jewel is given to another's
keeping at the bridal altar Then the mother
retires to her own tireside, not again to figure
in the world until a similar occasion requires
it-Marie l.. Points in New Orleans Plea
yune