The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-08-09

Sha had never DetH ldubhh any 80
ia being wrong; tho good nuns OF tne
IrrauIine or other converts. VINO taugnt
bar LET that alone. for " "oulu nav
been of no use. The mother had her an
hilton. as mothers have, no matter VIVA VIVA
the color OF their skins may be- III soci'ss
a. is tho question OF the largest fortune
that most frequently stirs the maternal
heart Who. therefore, can pane ,no
poor creature who has never hhO"" a.y
better state whose chief rehglous 49,
consisted in loving her chidF.h a rs,, ns
ing them duly christened IN VIC Nhu's W,
who can find fault with her because sne
Wishes for her child what the lashiohhp's
mother so often desires lot "ei 49,
establishment Therefore. Whel 'ic sYt ~,
octoroon reaches the proper age ana nas
octoroon reaches tho proper age and has
learned all the good nuns can 'eavn hSi,
her mother looks ont for good nome ior
her when she Is place. - j.,
This nIaciug Is "A matter or great I'm
nortonce IN these girls and their mothers.
and indeed. all their relatives. Twice
yoar very select ball IS given, which
the Mace women attend, ana, OF cohia''
the eligible girls. There inc young el'
sees about all the desirable men s""tie-
men-men of the loftiest social rank-Who
ara in society I'm the city. The men see
the girls Tho etiquette Is as courty ana
stately as at any gentemahs NOISE ~
New Dreams. At such times the lV''na'
ACQUAINTANCE IL made. Tor these sltis
man-save their confessor, perhaps. or pi
thers-until they are place. The mothers
OF these girls have an Intimate knowledge
OF the INSIDE" Of New Orleans ire, 50
far as It concerns rich, eligible accord
ing to their vicwsl young men that would
astonish a Partisan chief of secret police
Where they get this Information goodness
knws. but they have II.
Az last. the proper person Is selected,
most frequently a rich young foreigner
for not many Americans now desire or
care TO enter into such relations. with
their results for a lifetime. The man
agrees to give the girl an establishment
and fits II Up. and she taxes possession
Here comes tho most wonderful part OF "
all I have never known man 90 fail in
his PROMISES TO the woman. Whatever he
NAV do or whoever he may cheat or liza
10. he keeps his faith with the woman who
Is his place.
II is a curious thing. but there are rea-
sons for II. No married woman would more
faithfully keep her marriage VOWS than
tho place woman keeps her faith. They
never break their pledge. Every Sunday
tho man dimes. II possible with his place.
and he Is expected 20 come 20 the house
once or twice week but there Is no
hunting him up or bothering him with
notes or messengers at HIS olncs or club.
Sometimes he may invitea a very in
innate male friend 20 dine with him
az tilis house. I shall never forget a dinner
or 'hl3 NoIi. some years ago where fNr
host was a young Greek merchant. whom
l knew well-an enthusiastic young fell
low-as handsome as an oli-time Greek
god. The girl-for she was only about 90
was az white az he; I'm fact. she had
that clear, ivory complexion that f. seen
20 perfection only among the host-hred
octoroons in Louisiana and the ladies' OF
highest rank in Rome. Naples and
eVnice. The young couple were very
much In love with each other, and there
was 10 more sign of the coarseness and
vulga1ty that one usually associates with
relations OF this character than there is
I'm tho prettiest nest that a man could SCI
lect for a dainty bride. in which she
should be shut out from all the world.
And after a dinner that In refinement and
correctness OF service and Arrangement
could not be SURPASSED the girl sang soma
low. charming love songs In "A sweet for
sign tongue. for Ike most OF her class.
she spoke very little English | wondered
n there could DO any sin where there was
no knowledge or intention OF evil, for our
first mother, Eve herself. over whom no
priest droned a service when she mated
with Adam, WAS not more perfectly
without guile than was this child OF the
tropics.
There are perhaps IN New Orleans to-
day two or threa hundred couples whose
relations 10 each other are those mem
toned II Is q matter that Is extremely
difficult TO write about. because Of its
deicacy but somehow tho innate vul-
Garity which is always a part OF relations
between tho sexes not sanctioned hy law
was absent from all those that / have ever
known place. As n class. no women are
more fascinating than are these quadr0ons
or octoroOns. They have the prettiost lit
tie hands IN the world and the dainticst
feet, scarcely larger than those OF a child
And then such eyes! Large full Of
languor0us sweetness and fringed with
the deepest black lashcs. II Is not diff
cult for one who has ever seen these WOO
men 10 understa ID tEcir wtr iarful power
over tho men Of the FAR South. There
IS larger percentage OF beauty among
them than there is I'm any equal number
OF ladies I'm tho best society anywhere In
America. As has been stated. they are
well educated. and nearly all of them
sing beautifully. for with their drop OF
negro blood they inherit the marvellous
negro voice. and because OF these things
presume. IL is that the men keep faith
So much OF the romantic and softer side
Of this curious phase Of life I'm the far
South. These women, as has been said.
usually have stain Of forcgn blood. Ia
which French IS first. but Spanish Por-
tiiguese. and Italian IS common. They
have inherited all tho fierce passions 81
their Latin sircs. once aroused they are
unfOrgi wing and dangerous IN the extreme
and they are prone 10 jealousy. especially
~ case OF the attentions Of their lords -
| lddleS IN society, VINO know uOtnllE or 900
this. and see in Monsieur y. or Y. only
an extremely good-lo0king and accom-
plishod gentleman, whom papa says is
| fast growing rich These place women
| have all tho deadly secrets Of the ohoah
and possess "A sikh I'm pOisOns which is
| marvellous. Some dark stories could Dee
! told 10y New orleans physicians if they
w0gld speak. Of poisons that defy meii-
| cal skill, that gradually wear away the
| victims nerve and brain or produce in
sanity and death almost Instantly Many
| tales are whlspcred-and true ones too-of
! men IN the fashionable world. rich. with
| everything else 10 make lifo worth tho
| living, who have tried the patience OF the
| place too far. and the creature who s.
/ as true herself as any welded wife could
| be and would endure patiently anything
! but supcrcodure. has turned at last and
used the dread secrets known only % her
| race. and madness comes only TO end n
certain death.
one evil OF this system is the illegtimate
| children. though they seldom exceed two.
/ The sons are usually well-educatcd. and
! some OF them have handsome fortunes.
| and arc the founders of families who are
] respected by both cOlored and white pcO-
! pie. From this class came tho Jouhcrts.
! tho Dumascs Marics, and M1eartes, all
valuable citzeus OF New Orleans. and
! wealthy and energetic men. There was 70
| woll-knoWn broker n New Orleans named
! John clay (he died several years agol.
who was said 10 be the son OF the Sage
OF Ashland. and. If looks had anything 10
90 with H. the story may have been true
| Tor he was the very image CI old Harry
! Of the West" I'm delicate brown. The
| story was that he was the son o. Henry