St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-12-29
The PLACE. GIRLS.
A Curious Institution Of the
South Left From Slav-
cry Days.
Pure Young Women OF Beau
ty. Refinement, Modesty
and Wealth,
Who Make Alliances. but Not
Marriages, With Men Of
Society.
AS Mattresses They Live Qui-
city, and Give Their Lords
No Trouble.


city, and Give Their Lords
No Trouble.
New York Sun.
1t has been twenty-seven years since
the slavery that gave to the South much
of its wealth and power died at the
stroke of Abraham Lincoln's pen, and
many Of the curious social features
which were a part of and grew out of if
are well nigh forgotten. Besides slaves,
which were bought and sold, there was
an intermediate class Of people who
have peculiar history about whom
nothing has been said or written. l
allude to the place. women and their
children. The place. was almost en-
tirely confined to New Orleans. The
term comes from the French word
meaning placed" and the places
were women of all shades of color, from
the mulatto to the octoroon, who could
not be distinguished from the whitest
lady in the land. Sometimes when
girl of this grade of color was sold she
became a place..
1t is not, however. of the slave class
that wish to speak, but anotheri
Far More Interesting.
There has been always in New Or
leans peculiar society of persons of
color, who were not to be compared
with the ordinary negro. 1t was known
before the war as the free people of
COLOR" and still retains that name. In
it were the descendants of place. women
and the White men who maintained
them. Many of this class are very
rich; most of the women are handsome,
and the men and women are we'll e1u-
Gated. These persons scOrn the ordl-
nary negro or mulattO, for they them
selves have in their veins the blueSt
blood of the city and state they live in,
and, as the white people will not asso-
ciate with them, they are a community
by themselves. Very many persons in
New Orleans, generally Americans"
(by whom l mean those having no
French blood on either side), are ut
terly ignorant of the fact that among
the inhabitants of that most picturesque
of all American cities there is
A Society as Exclusive
as that of the Austrian court, the most
aristOcratic court in Europe, to which it
is almost impossible to gain admission,
which presents the colored race in a
condition and light that does not exist
anywhere else.
Its beginning was simple. There
came to New Orleans 100 years ago per-
SONS from all countries in Europe to
Duy and sell cotton and other great
Southern staples. Some were from En-
gland, few were from france, more
were from Holland, Germany, and the
Latin countries. They came out to
America to make a fortune, and go
back to their native land to enjoy it.
They had no home ties. for they could
bring none; They were young and
romantic. They saw the graceful, soft
these women il they had wished to, for
it was against the law; but they could
set them free, and this they frequently
did.
The Children Born
of these alliances constitute this curious
society which still exists. and has exist
ed for a century. As the fathers OF
these children were generally rich, the
young quadrOOn or octOrOOn children
were we'll educated. The girls went to
converts, one or two of which main
tanned special and. of course, separate
classes for these girls, and were taught
all that their white sisters ever learned
When they left there the mother pre-.
pared to ''range"her daughter,jus. as in
''the best society" the fashionable
| mother prepares to make a good mar
rage for her girl who is just coming
out. Remember-and this is the part
| most difficult to be cOmprehended by
Northern folks-these girls were as i'll
nocent and good as any girl can be.
Their mothers knew they could not be
| married to white men.
The Girl Herself
loathed the negro as much as the most
could. She knew the relation her
mother held to her father, but que
voulez vous? She had never been
taught that anything about it was
wrong; the good nuns of the UrSulineS,
| or other converts. let that alone, for it
would have been of no use. The mother
had her ambitions, as mothers have, no
matter what the cOlors of their skins
may be. In society it is the question
of largest fortune that most frequently
| StirS the maternal heart. Who, there
fore, can blame the poor creature who
| has never known any better state, and
| whose chief religious sentiment was
| that she should love her children and
have them chriStened Ill the only
| church? Who can blame her because
| she wishes for her child what the
| fashionable white mother so often de-
| sires for herS-a good establishment?
| Therefore, after the young octorOon has
| reached the proper age, and has learned
! all the good nuns can teach her, her
mother looks out for a good home for
| her, when she is place..
This PIacce-fng
is matter of great Importance to these
| girls and their mothers, and, indeed, to
| all their relatives. Twice year very
select ball is given. which the place.
women attend, and, of course, the eligi-
bic girls. There the young girl sees
| about all the desirable men-I mean
| gentlemen, men of the Hottest social
| rank-that are in the society of the
city. They see the girls. The ETH
quette ana department is as courtly and
| stately here as at any gentleman's
| house in New Orleans. At such times
the formal acquaintance is made, for
| these girls never remain one moment
! alone with man. save their confeSSor,
perhaps, or brothers, until they are
| placee. The mothers of these girls have
| an intimate knowledge of the ''inside''
of New Orleans life, so far as it con-
| Germs rich and generally 'eIigible''
young men of the highest social rank.
that would astonish a Partisan chief of
secret police. Where they get this in
formation goodness knows, but they
have it. At.last the proper person is
selected, most frequently rich young
foreigner, for not many creoles or
irAmericans nowadays desire or care to
j1enter into such relations. with their re-
suits, for lifetime.
The Man Agrees