The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-03-29


were meetings" in '''tho little Paris meet
ings which, II is to he hoped, were not subject
to the scandals which are whispered, or rather
ern racing clubs Of New Orleans.
In those days there was no railroads through
this part OF the country: There is only "a little
liver as any that could be suggested. But there
eighty feet wide. and yet ~side-wheel steamers
Of pretty good size, longer; IN fact, than the
width Of the e%yon; tri nenit from New nr,
couldn't turn around II they, were longer than
tho bayou was wide. for the bow and the stern
swept up over the bank and made the feat pos
siblc. Still they required delicate manage
ment, and they did not make any Empire state
travelling then. and there was time for hearts
to he lost and won mot to speak of good round
sums. In, dollars between New Orleans and
There is one thing Of which the people Of the
town do not sny much. In fact. they say moth
ing ut all about IL unless they are asked. This
thboCed subject Is lcprnsy. One woman died
here Of leprosy five or six wears ago, and "A dec.
ade before that there r., was mot her ease tn ., a
st. Martin. but in the hospital at New Orleans.
After his death. however, the house here. one
Of the largest IN the place, was closed for years.
and little by little the Ivy grew up about 1t
and covered its doors and hid its windows
until it looked. as some one said, as il green
lately by the mans son, and is occupied once
more. while the descendants of the two lepers
marry and keep store and live among their
n"ighbors quite ~ If there was nothing worse
tl,tn whooping, cough in the family. The
population u few years ago. and it $ sand that
no further signs of the disease were found.
There are not many native products to he
Martin. One cannot bottle up the quiet charm
Of the place. nor pack the peach trees into ones
bag, nor carry the old houses in ones pocket;
But there is one interesting purchnseable and
pacKablc product. and that is the cloth woven
give their orders in New Orleans for these
things. and the Woman's Exchange, which Is
the medium through which the 'Caian women
can he reached, sends the order to one OF the
wives of the farmers ont in. this locality.
The enterpri;ing n'aian then gives what she
hors to come and spend the afternoon and bring
their cards not to play PROGRESSIVE euchre
IN shape. and they do "A lot of gossiping in their
soft pat4is. I'll" hostess serves gumbo and
a most profitable afternoon at least for the
mistress OF the order.
The flying tourist will scarcely lie so for
tunate as to he able to attend n 'Caian ball, but
IL he euCcumbs to the charm of the country and
settles down here for II month or SO he may
have that novel experience. The falan farm
erS have an occasional ball house where these
affairs are held-an unuainted wooden house
with "A tolerahly good sized room for the dane
ing and n smaller room where the babies are
put to sleep during the evening. The music
consists tSe OF Two or h ,nrer nau les G hn1 Is t TraTa "a
lemonade to be had during the evening ms well
as black coffee: the latter is furnished at every
turn in this country.
The 'Caian Is II good dancer. light and grace
full. and the younger women are so pretty that
u 'Cajan ball Is not n thing to be ,lrspiscd even
from an aesthetic point of view. 1t LASTS until
. or 3 o'clock In the morning. and when il Is
over the head musician goes out into the yard.
fires of n pistol. and shouts, lie bal est mi ~
Then 1t IL time to go home.
The older women have sat around the wall
and tho babies have slept peacefully in the al
Joining room. which is called ie pare dur J'titS :
hut there was one instance when. If rumor is 10
he believed, their innocent slumbcr was not
respected Rs il should have been. The deed IS
variously ascribed to some 'Cajan Youths and
10 some young men from New York. but the
New York theory seems scarcely plausible.
The mothers have n COMFORT, "a they Gail it. a
bright calico garment in which they wrap the
babies, and, ms they weave the cloth themselves,
they have their own patterns and tints which
they can easily recognize. The story goes that
these unrcRenerate young men changed the
courerfs during the evening and that when the
ball was over there was confusion in their
say that each mother picked up the baby wear
worn. and In the hurry and the darkness went
Off home with It, and that. owing To the dis
tances at which they dwelt from each other.
H. was days before tho mixing of the babies was
Strengthened out. and months before tho
mothers and babies settled down to their usual
calm existence. They did It eventually. 1t
would take IA good deal more than IA confusion
OF babies To long disturb the even tenor of ex-
istnrII. in Aruliu