Evening star., 1909-04-14

a liberal education. and when he became
Of age received good start In COM
merciai life. While he was still young
man he went to New Orleans. and became
the city, but a general favorite In So
ciety He built himself stately mansion
at the corner of Chatres and Toulouse
streets, and kept large retinue OF slaves,
stable full Of the finest horses and car
riages in Louisiana. He entertained like
a prince and attracted to his home the
proudest men and the loyeliest women in
New Orleans society. He was considered
the most desirable match in the city, and
became engaged to the beautiful dausn,
Spanish creole OF naughty disposition.
high social position ana great wealth.
After an engagement OF only few
months Senorita Almonaster Tilted Nc
Donogh to marry Pont Alba. a Spanish
Rrandee It was she who built those
quaint. long blocks of houses around the
square in front Of the Cathedral Of New
Orleans. and for generation she was the
recognized leader Of the aristocratic clans
Of New Orleans.
ciety and changed his habits and man
ner Of life. He closed his handsome home
and became hermit and miser, s2end-
ing the rest Of his life lonely recluse.
devotins his entire time to business, with
only one ambition-the amassing Of money
He became the wealthiest man in the
state, and when he died in 1850 he be-
queathed his entire fortune In equal
shares to the children OF New Orleans and
Baltimore, In care OF board OF trustees.
year. on May 1. his birthday, the pupils
of the public schools in both cities should
be given holiday to remind them OF him.
Evidences Of Sacrifices.
Everywhere in New Orleans may be
H.
sacrifices and the good works OF women.
I wrote Of several in previous letter
The Ursuline nuns were the pioneers Of
education ana charity in tho Mississippi
valley. They were invited to Louisiana
by Gov. Bienville, and arrived In 1927.
Their school in Chartres street Is the old
est institution for the education Of young
women in America, and they have an i'm
posing building with gables, towers and
The grounds stretch back to a large plan
tation, which Is an important source OF
revenue for them.
On Dauphine street is the first free
school ever opened for colored children.
It is called 'The Scoie des orphelins In
eighty years ago by q colored women
the Widow Couvent--whose husband, q free
man OF color, acquired considerable for
tune In slavery days. but left no family
olic. inherited all his money. and before
her death arranged for the founding Of
this school for orphans Of her race.
Mrs. D. A. Milliken Of New Orleans
children, at cost Of sl5e.oOO. in memory
Of her husband. and left 1t handsomely
endowed
Mrs. NJ. A. Hunter. widow of Commo-
dore Hunter Of the navy. founded the
n n
loaded with immigrants arrived at New
Orleans with twenty little children on
board who had been rendered fatherless
and notheriess by cholera during the
was then prominent In society and well
known for her charitable disposition,
gathered the little waits into her own
house until she could flnd and fit up an
merchant and planter. offered a tempo
rary home for them on the corner of
Julian and st. Charles streets, and took
upon himself the privilege OF erecting a
more suitable building, which was called
Poydras Asylum. and at his death was
handsomely endowed.
Poydras q Quaint Character.
Julian Peydras was a quaint character.
originally a peddler. who carried hts
pack from the mouth Of the Mississippi
to st. Louis every year for five or six
years. and ultimately became one Of the
wealthiest and most influential merchants
Of the south. He was always a poet and
scholar; he wrote the first poem known
to have been composed in Louisiana prov.
ince, and published the first book of
poems In the south. He came from q
distinguished French family, 1t is said,
and was born with great wealth, but lost
his fortune in Santo Domingo. and emil
grated to Louisiana to make a fresh
start.
He invested the few dollars he had man
aged to save from the wreck In a small
stock Of miscellaneous merchandise
which he offered for sale at the planta-
ton houses along both banks of the Mis-
sissippi. travelling on foot at first. and
then in q one-horse wagon. He saved
his profits and reinvested them, and be-
fore he was forty years old was con-
spicuous figure in social and commercial
circles. He had one Of the finest homes
in the colony, near where Poydras mar
ket now stands and when ex-King Louis
Philippe Of France and his brother came
to New Orleans as exiles they were his
guests. But Poydras never married, and