Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-01-15

god. The girl-for she was only about
twenty-to all seeming she was as white
as he. She had that clear. white complex
ION that Is only seen to perfection among
the best bred octoroons of Louisiana and
the highest rank women of Rome, Naples
and Venice. They were very much III
love with each other, and there was no
more sign OF coarSeness and vulgarity-
such as one usually accociateS With rela-
tlnns of this charlottesville than there
Is IN the prettiest nest that man could
select for a dainty bride, in which she
could be shut out from the world. And.
after dinner that in refinement and cor
rectnass of service and arrangement could
not be surpassed, the girl sang some sweet
low fOrel2 n songs In a soft foreign tongue
for. like most of her class she spoke very
little English. | wondered if there could
be any sin where there was no knowledge
or intention of evil, for cur first mother
Eve herself, over whom no priest doned
a service when she mated with Adam,
was not more perfectly without guile
than was this child of the tropics
THEY ARE
In New Orleans to-day perhaps 800 couples
whose relations to each other are those |
have described. 1t is matter that is ex
| tremeiY difficult to write about, because of
It's dellcacy, but somehow the innate vul-
garlty which Is always part of relations
between the sexes not sanctioned by law o.
religion, does seem absent from those that
have ever known. As class no women
are more fascinating than are these
quadroons or octoroons. They have the
prettlest little hands and the daintiest feet.
scarcely larger than those of child And,
then, such eyes! Large, full of a langu-
orous sweetness, and fringed with the
deepest black lasheS. 1t is not difficult
for one who has ever seen these women to
understand their wonderful power over
the men of the south. There is a larger
percentage of beauty among them than
could be found In any equal number OF
ladies In the
| BEST SOCIETY ANYWHERE.
They are well educated, and nearly all
of them sing beautifully; for, with THEN
faint of negro blood, they inherit the
marvellous negro voice; and because Of
these things, perhaps, IL is that the men
keep faith where one might think they
would tire with safety or disgust.
The women usually have a strain of
foreign blood, in which Spanish, Portu-
guese or Italian predominates. They have
inherited all fierce passions Of their Latin
slres. Once aroused they are unforgiving
and dangerous IN the extreme, and they
are prone to jealousy, especially in case Of
the attentions of their lords to ladies in
society, who, knowing nothing of all this,
and see liz NJ, X. or Y, an extremely
goodlooking and accomplished gentleman,
who papa says is fast growing rich. These
place. women know all the deadly secrets
of the obeath and possess a skill in
polsOns which is marvellous. Some dark
stories could be told by New Orleans
physicians, if they would speak, of poisons
defying medical skill, that gradually waste
away the victim S nerve and brain. and
others, like the loco, that produce insanity
and death almost instantly.
MANY TALES
could be told, and true ones, too, Of men
high in the fashionable world, rich, with
every thing material to make life worth the
living, who have tried the jealous patience
OF the place. too far, and OF the creature
who is as true herself as any welded wife
could be, and would endure patiently any
thing but supercedure, who has turned al
last at real or fancied wrong and quickly
used the dread secret only known to her
race.
One evil of this system is the illegiti-
mate children, though they seldom exceed
two. The sons are usually we'll educated.
and some of them have handsome fortunes
and are the founders of families respected
by both white people and colored. From
this class come many valuable citizens and
wealthy and energetic Louisiana business
men. There was a well known broker in
New Orleans named John Clay, who died
! several days ago, said to be the son of a
noted politician. At his death John
Clay was worth 5000, 900, made in honor
able trade.
A CURIOUS CHARACTER
named Delacroix was another son born of
such relations. He became a great miser
and owned at his death nearly 81 900, 900
WORT. of real estate in New Orleans and
its vicinity.
There are many cases-wel known. too
of men who had two families, one quad
room and the other white and legitimate
| have in my mind now such case, and
| the colored sons have done far better
pecuniSrily than the whites, though both
| bear name honored for years in the state
in which they were born. Most of these
women inherit some money, and often
handsome fortunes. They help the men
| whom they are places to with a zeal and
earnest, that would do honor to any wife
| had friend. prominent cotton mer
chant, who in the panic of 1878 was in
terrible straits. He would surely fail
and his commercial credit was gone un-
less he could get $4,000 The banks
would not help him, and he was almost
upon the verge of suicide. He was
place.
TO A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN.
She somehow heard of his trouble, and
did a thing these women never do ex-
cept IN matter of almost life and death.
She sent for him. rs this true which
hear, Alphonso?' she asked, in soft,
graceful French, to which beauty was
added by the perfectly modulated voice
Mon ami, why did you not tell me?
Here is something for you, and she put
into his hands an envelope. He opened
it listlessly, and there was a check upon
the strongest bank in the city, the Canal
bank. certified, for $4,000! She had
heard of her lovers peril, and had gone
to her brothers and sisters. who were very
well to do, and had obtained this money
for him
In 1875, when the visiting statesmen
were in New Orleans trying to insure a
fair count, | remember to have spoken to
gentleman from the north of this pecu-
liar New Orleans institution, and he told
the others. They Immediately became
very anxious to see some of the place.
women.
L should have said before that about all
the recreations of this class are going
sometimes to the theatre and twice a year
TO a grand ball TO which none Init thew