The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-25
A CREOLE LADY.
marry Y Brown Sees the Portrait of
One in New Orleans.

- VOW OEAShnS.
ny visit to New Orleans in the interest of
tne improvement Of Savannah's harbor
mas been exceedingly pleasant. The pro
verbal hospitality of the south finds a full
exponent In the Crescent city. New Or
leans Is no narrow-gauge town, but q great
city IN every sense Of the word.
oLeae IN her hospitality, great in the noble
lnan MOOD OF her people, great in her cult
ure and great in her commerce. New Or
leans Is fitting gateway to the great Ms
sissippi valley.
The officers Of the board Of trade hera
were exceedingly kind to me and through
1e VI hospitality have been the recipient
OF many favors.
In addition &c the favors have rsoeived
mere one OF my chiefest pleasures has bean
70 near the liberal expressions of the peopIe
toward savannah, the Queen CITY Of the
South Atlantic coast
Inc people Of New Orleans want to see
savannah made the great seaport of the
Atlantic coast, and will give US their sum-
port The mayor OF the city, Hon. Joseph
A:ohakespeare, has already gwen us a strong
leNer, which will be followed by appropri-
ate action OF the city council.
IL mas been my pleasure 20 visit the river
'front.' OF this city, and l stood in profound
admiration of It's magnitude. Indeed. the
crescent front of the river here furnishes
nIteen miles OF the most magnificent river
wharfage in the world.
But must depart from my description OF
the hospitality and business developmeat of
New Orleans and give you one of the evil
oences OF the refinement and culture of her
people.
Sitting with that elegant gentleman.
Secretary Henry II. Smith Of the board OF
1 k.ht hat koA al =
the wonderful beauty of the creole women.
but did not think that up TO that moment
had seen lady who could be considered a
type OF that particular class. He describe
at some length the distinctive form and
feature of the lovely creole women and then
said: Just stop into our sitting room aud
Will show you genuine type Of the creole
woman" We were ushered into the parlor
Of the board of trade and there upon the
wall hung one OF the most charming
pictures which l have ever seem IL covers
a stretch Of canvass about 6xS feet and
Is set in heavy gilt frame.
Beneath the picture upon heavy gilt
shield are these words:
LOUISIANA ALLEGORY."
J. GENfE.
The picture was purchased at great cost
from Mgr Genin, the author, and
the woman who stood as model for the art
ist to draw his inspiration from as he trans
ferred her lovely form and features to can
vas, is said to have been his own wife. The
this city.
But the entire conception of the painting
shows the eye Of great artist. First is
the life size portrait of wonderful creole
beauty, wrapped in the light drapery
suited to the soft and mellow warmth OF a
summer cline. The dark waving tresses
are artistically drawn into knot just be.
low the crown of the head, and the ends Of
those luxuriant tresses fall gracefully over
her neck and shoulders. The coil of iustrous
black is adorned by cluster of
richness Of that olive complexion Is relieved
by the tinge OF rich blood that mounts to
her cheek and seems in mellow pink tinges
to underly aud peep through the velvety
finish of the neck and shoulders. The
elegantly nodded arms are bare, which the
light drapery of Greciau costume covers
but does not all conceal a queenly from
exquisite outline. In her right hand is an
instrument representing the rudder of state,
and her face end eyes bear an expression of
matronly dignity and equipoise which
would do honor to a queen. The woman Is
standing with bale Of cotton on
her right and q pile of rice in
the sheaf on her left, while further to the
right is a field of tobacco and the left a field
of sugar cane. In the background is a typ
ical Louisiana plantation home with It's
magnificent live oaks. its sugar mill and
old-fashioned dwelling.
Above all this and In the distance are two
suggestive scenes. The one on the left Is
picture of war. A heavy cloud hangs over
q battle scene, which perhaps represents the
battle Of New Orleans, while on the right,
surrounded by halo Of rich sunshine, is a
picture of peace, plowman and his pillow
and reaper.
Having studied all the points of this great
painting, my eyes again turned to that
wonderful face ald those ricn and fathom-
less eyes, and thought that 10 that great
womanhood which were there represented
were all the most potent forces of homes.
civilization aud nations The deep and
fathomess resources OF woman's power are
not and never will be known. By the power
of her influence nations either rise to gran
deur or sink into ruin. By the sunshine OF
her smiles and the strength of her encour-
agement nations have risen to greatness,
peace and happiness, and by her frowns
aud her cunning they have been plunged
into gloom, war and despair.
But this picture is type OF southern
womanhood. and of that womanhood every
American is proud. To that womanhood
we owe our advanced civilization, and,
thank God, it has not been by the ballot, not
by the woman In office, not by the assump-
tion of any of the prerogatives of the sterner
sex, but by the holy influences of wife,
mother and sister. as queen Of the Ameri-
can home and the American heart, thai our
women have elevated and refined our lives,
our homes aud our civilization, and will
ever reign supreme. H. Z. BROWN.
TIE Telfa'r Academy and the Church.
A gentleman with whom was convers-