The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-07-27
THE TIMES HOTEL COLUMN.
Interesting Chats Heard in the
Corridors.
The Early History Of Louisiana-Vyh Init
the Term Creole Really Means-Tho
state Was Once the Garden Spot OF
Anerics-The Negro Question Dis
sossed-His Superstltions and Belief.

1
henry c. Leveque, Of Louisiana, is in
the city. Mr.. Leveque is large plan
ter on the Bayou LIE Fauche and is in
Innate with the Creole life of his State
He says that he is frequently amused at
the idea that the Creole is mixture of
French and negro. this being the con.
oeption that many persons have of the
meaning of the term, whereas, as used
In his State, it means any one born in
this country of French parentage. In
speaking Of his State he said: ,'Before
the late war Louisiana was the garden
spot of the world. Few persons, not in.
innate with her history in those days,
nave any conception of the wealth. re.
anement and culture OF the Pelican
| State.
"Our gentry, for the most part, lived
there in the country and even now tho
traveller may see the grand old mansions
Oh former days, but many OF them have
| depreeiated in value and gone to rack
and ruin. However, Louisiana is i'm.
| proving and while we can never hope
for the old eourtly civilization, L think
that there is a brighter era before u.s."
In speaking of the negro he coatin-
ued: They have always bee II super
stitious race. 1t seems inherent in
their natures, but perhaps it is so with
all ignorant races. You would be sur
prised at the beauty and pathos of some
OF their superstitions. While of a diff
ferent nature it mbles to n certain
extent the German folk lore of early
ages"
Mr.. Leveque then gave instances to
illustrate mis- position and said. THE
negro has wonderful faculty for at
taching the supernatural to any event
that is out Of tne ordinary course OF
things During the late war wealthy
| planter lived just across lake from nv
farm. He had beautiful daughter
who was devotedly attached to young
man OF the neighborhood. They were
engaged to be married but the war
coming on he went to it and that post
poned the event. During Banks in
vasion of the State in one of the battles
that followed he was killed. The girl
sank into a. stupor when she heard of
his death and from this hard spell of
sickness followed. When she recovered
she had lost her mind. For hours she
would wander through the grove In
which the family mansion was situated,
| seemingly Indifferent to everything
around her. Sometimes when the moon
shone she would sing the most pathetic
OF the old songs which she had formerly
sung to her sweetheart.
"She was perfectly homeless and
evinced no disposition to stroll far away
from home. One evening in early Sep
TENDER she stole away from the house
and wandering to the margin of the
lake, found little skiff in which she
pushed out into the lake. A sudden
storm came up and few hours after
the skin was found, but the girl had
been drowned. Whether she volun.
tarily drowned herself or the running Of
the little boat threw her out no one
ever knew. The family mansion is now
tenanted by family OF negroes and in
it is an old grey headed man who was
the coachman of the family when the
| young lady was drowned.s Not long ago
| saw him and thessold fellow in talking
of his old masters family said:
Marse Leveque. ebber sense Miss
| Maudie war drown'd dat ar lake am
hanted. Ebery year when dat night
comes, whedder de moon be shiny or
no. about de same time dat it happined,
do lake gifts light jist like de moon war
rising, and den cloud comes up and
de wind blows away out on dc water
and you see boat wild white yong
Teddy in 1t jist like my young missus,
| and above de growlin' of de storm ye
! kin har singin' Ist dix she ulster sing
1T doan las long and de storm goes way
| jist like it did dat night. tells you,
sar. dat lake am hanted.'"
Mr.. Leveque says that this is but an
instance OF tho negro to treat the ex-
traordinary as supernatural or to attach
| supernatural sequence to it.
AT Hotel Roanoke yesterday was reg.
istered gentleman who was in the
nrtn tl,n 4 81
and he told the following story OF
Southern politics at that time: 1t was
directly after the close of the war when
the South was bending every effort to
rid herself of tho class known as carpet
baggers, that great political speaking
was to be held in little town Of south
| eastern Alabama. The Republican
| orator of the occasion told me the story
few years ago about as follows: Il had
been employed to go down and stump
tho State for the Republican party.
This was to be my first effort and was
enthusiastic and full of hope. This was
Increased when saw my opponent.
Imagine Ichabod Crane fresh from
and you will have pretty good idea OF
| his personal appearance. To my sur
| prise his first remarks were addressed
not to the question but to my personal
| appearance. inviting his admiring con-
stituency to note we'll my white shirt.
stiff collar and polished shoes, to behold
my hat that one terrapin had been rob.
bed of to cover another; that it was said
that had diploma but that it didn't
make me any wiser than the sheep that
| first had 1t, and much more in the same
view.
LOT course this was vexing, but con-
tralled my indignation as best l could