The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-03
THE BEGINNING.

Its beginning was simple. There came
to New Orlenas Il hundred years ago
persons from all countries in Europe to
buy and sell cotton and other great
Southern staples. Some of these traders
were from England. q few came from
France, more We're from Holland. Ger
many, and the Latin countries. They
came out to America to make a fortune
and so back to their native land and en-
JOY II. They had no home ties, for they
could bring none. and We're young and
romantic. They saw the graceful, soft
eyed quadroons. They could not marry
these women. If they wished to, for 1t
was against the law. but they could set
them free. and usually they did. The
children born Of these alliances consti-
tute the curious society which has eX-
listed for four quarters of century.
As the fathers of these children We're
usually rich, the young quadroon or
octoroon children were well educated
The girls went to converts Zone or two
of which maintained special and of
course separate classes for these girls.
and they We're taught all their white
sister ever learned. When they left
thcit tiC W ldHSt Iltl
daughter. just as in the best society"
the fashionable mother prepares to
make a good marriage for her girl who
Is just coming out
Remember-and this is the part most
difficult to comprehend by Northern
readers-these girls were and are as
innocent and as good as any girls can
be. Their mothers knew they could
not be married to white men. The girl
herself loathed the negro as much as
the most delicate minded white woman
que voluez vous? She had never been
alone with man moment since she
was 10 years old. She knew the rela-
tion her mother held to her father, but,
que vouleX vous? She had never been
taught that anything about it was
wrong; the good nuns of the Ursulne
or other converts. who taught her. let
that alone, for it would have been of
no use. The mother had her ambition,
as mothers have. no matter what the
color of their skins may be- In socie-
ty II Is the question of the largest for
tune that most frequently stirs the ma
ternal heart. Who, therefore. can
blame the poor creature who has never
known any better state, whose chief
religious duty consisted in loving her
children and having them duly chris
tened in the church? Who can find
fault with her because she wishes for
her child what the fashionable mother
so often desires for hers-a good estab-
lishment? Therefore. when the young
octoroon reaches the proper age and
has learned all the good nuns can teach
her, her mother looks out for a good
home for her when she is place.
This placeing is matter Of great i'm
portance to these girls and their moth
ers. and. indeed. all their relatives.
Twice year a very select ball is given
which the place women attend, and
of course. the eligible girls. There the
young girl sees about all the desirable
-gentlemen-men of the lcftiest
social rank-who are in society in the
city. The men see the girls. The eti-
quette is as courtly Hnd stately as at
any gentleman's house in New Orleans
At such times the formal acquaintance
rs made for these girls never remain a
moment alone with any man-save
their confessor, perhaps. or brothers
until they are place. The mothers OF
these girls have an intimate knowledge
of the Inside" of New orleans life, SC
far as 1t concerns rich. ''eliglble" (ac-
cordlng 20 their views) younrmen that
would astonish Partisan chief of se-
ret p9lice. Where they get this lnfor-
nation goodness knows. but they have
IT,
At laSt the proper person is selected
most frequently rich young foreigner