Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-04-29

tiOnal local interest attaches because of
the fact that Mrs Haase is sister of
Mrs. Robert Wagner. of this city:
The overflow from the trimming cup
of speculation-mad, intoxicated Paris
under the merry regent, DUO d'Orleans.
should furnish the effervescing leaven
needed for the development of the lit
tie French-Canadian settlements on the
Gulf of Mexico. When wearied of the
astonishing monotony Of our modern
cities, the striking individuality of
New Orleans arOuses a feeling akin to
gratitude toward John Law. infamous
swindler though he was. whose daring
hand dashed the fTuctifying spray upon
the virgin soil of Louisiana. Though
more than one Manon, and more than
one nObleman of the calibre of the
Chevalier des Grieux were among the
first shipload OF colonists sent over
from France. yet there were in this
roughly collected mass enough good
elements for shaping the enterprise
into what should become the little
Paris of the west. And when, through
the perfdy Of the Due de Choiseul. il
was bartered of like a piece of mer-
chandise by Louis XIV. to Spain, there
.
not to be despised when we look upon
the magnificent architectural acquisi-
tions Of that period, and on Use Span
ish names that shine in honor and glory
in the history of the civ.
The Steel Dividing Line.
Coming from bustling modern St
Charles street. we cross that wide,
fOur-tracked thoroughfare. Canal street.
where trolley cars fly TO and fro like
TO many shuttles on a loom, to weave
the wool of modern life and activity
into the warp Of 200-years existence.
a more fitting division line between the
old and the new city could not be
thought of. and carefully picking our
way across it, always on the alert lest
we should have a rude collision with
cars or vehicles. we enter the narrower
streets of the vieux carre. where the
rush and noise gradually subside as
we progress. The change is not only
external but lays itself like a dream
upon our senses. The spirit of a past
age, of bygone generations still fingers
In these streets and houses; we begin |
TO understand the life that found ex- |
preston here, and to comprehend the |
hardships and vicissitudes this child of |
an old civilization encountered in it's |
struggle for existence in a wilderness. |
Where One Steps Into the Past.
II we begin our peTegrinations in this |
vieux carre. or as it is now more com
monty called. the French Quarter
with the old Ursulines convent. we
are justified by the facAthat it Is the
oldest building in existence in the city |
q a in, no yt-hn
ley. Moreover. II has preserved it's |
original character to this day. from |
the handmade bricks and roughly |
hewn cedar beams. the stairs put to- /
gether with wooden pegs instead of |
nails. the handwrought iron bannister |
on the same. and the "quicket" and |
iron knOcker on the front door
through the medium of these tangible |
things we get glimpses Of life that once |
filled these walls. Here the little band |
Of Ursuline nuns. brought to these |
shores by the "Gironde" on her fright |
full journey Of five months. saw history |
unroll her scroll. chapter after chapter. |
three changes of government. and
when Gen. Jackson was victor in the |
battle AT Chalmette. one of them stin |
lived TO shake hands with him and of |
Ter utT CONGRATULATIONS.
House of Refuge.
Passing through a wide hall. we
cross a long porch or gallery. as they |
say here. and reach a garden enclosed |
by brick wall. Above il rise on the |
further side a row OF low. brick rear |
buildings-slave quarters belonging to |
the houses in one of which Gen.
O'Reilly. the first Spanish governor. |
lived. When, on his order. a number !
of the city's best patriots were execu- |
ted on the charge of conspiracy. the |
shots that marked the end OF the trag-
edy were heard here in the little chapel
Of the nuns. where the wives and sis
tiers of the martyrs had fled to be sus-
tanned in their bereavement by their
friends the Ursulines.
one can well imagine the position
these little nuns occupied in the
young community when one reads of
the various missions entrusted to
them far from the least important
one being the care of the last ship
load of girls from France. the select 90
"fiiles Ia cassette." who were to be
come the mothers of the best creole
families
\ Glimpse Down the street.
In the street again. we are attracted
by the extremely pretty Beauregard
house: two flights of stairs with fancy
iron hannisters. leading up TO a COLON
AIDED porch. gives charming. coquet-
fish grace 10 the almost classic style
Of the building. AZ the same time con
veying an air of hospitality. And up
and down the street the two rows Of
houses are still untouched by modern
innovations. the fancy cast-iron two
story galleries" the tiled roofs. the
big low windows with their iron
guards. the high door-like gates lead
ing into those cool and damp courts.
that are al once the charm and. from
sanitary point Of view. the curse Of
these houses