The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1904-02-17
WHAT ''LAGNIAPPE" MEANS.
Bonus With Purchase an old New
Orleans Custom.

Orleans Custom.
"Lagniappe" is a purely local institu-
ton, and the word itself is localized
one, signifying i bonus. generally in
kind, given to customer with each
purchase. some tritling article added
gratuitously to purchase in the retail
shops of the city Or the public markets.
For the origin of the custom of Civ
ing ..lagniappe'' ia the history of the
word one must s<o back to the early
colonial traditions Of Louisiana. The
old creole legend runs that when Lou
isiana was coded to Spain the Spanish
vendors opened their shops in the
French quarter side by side with the
old French marchands. a great rivalry
sprang up between them.
In the quarter lived an old Spanish
gentleman who had pet monkey.
Whenever he went to make his pur
chases of groceries or provisions he
took his monkey with him. Joco, as
tic monkey was called was great
thief While his master would be
making his purchases he would quickly
seize upon the nearest articles that suit
ed his fancy nuts, fruits. candy or the
like, and eagerly devour&len.
He was so quick and deXtrous that
he would have the article between his
teeth before his master or the vender
would be aware. Now. the colonial
/ Spanish had a provincial word, Eel
niape," signifying one who is skillful
or dextrous. Joco became so well known
in the stores for his great deXterity in
grasping whatever came in his reach
that the Spanish. like the French. fond
of giving nicknames called him lei
Niape."
Whenever the old Spaniard, who was
very liberal in buying, would appear
with his monkeysas he would conclude
his purchases the marchands would
hand him stick of candy, handful
of nuts or the like. saying, This is for
Ell Niapev The little children seeing
the monkey get bonus of candy, fruit.
ETC., thought they ought to have some,
too. and would hold out their hands
after every purchase for "el niape."
The custom grew, and as the two
races, French and Spanish, amalgamat-
ed the creoles softened the old term .el
niape" in the half French, half Span
ish, "lagniappe,' the term used today.
The pleasant institution of this petty
gratuity was looked upon as such a
gracious and kindly custom that it took
firm root among the various rationale
ties that poured into New Orleans aft
er the American occupation. Bold must
be the vender who would refuse in New
Orleans to give "lagniappe" to the lit
| tie child who holds out its hand in con-
fident expectation In many shops it
/ is used to encourage custom. To such
an extent had this gone some years ago
| that bill was introduced into the leg
| islature to abolish "lagniappe."
There was such a hue and cry in ia
| vor of the old custom that the bill was
| postponed indefinitely. 1t was declared
"lagniappe" was one Of our own Loui-
siana institutions, peculiar to ourselves,
a generous old time custom that in its
/ open heartedness had nothing in com
mon with the mercenary spirit of the
\ age.
Other things might go. but 'lagni-
appe' must stay. And so it did, kind
" relic of day that is gone. a custom
that often puzzles the stranger, but
which has only to be explained to make
him more than ever pleased with the
warmth and the glow that come from
the heart Of this Franco-Spanish city
in the bend of the crescent.-New Or
leans Picayune.