The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1921-06-01
Gl|MpSEs OF NEW ORLEANS

New Orleans has been governed
by three nations. Spain, France and
America and still bears the ear
marks of each ruler. II is perhaps
the most cosmopolitan city in the
United State to day. many of the
old land marks, especially Of the
French rule, still being in evidence
throughout the old part of the city.
The section known as the French
quarter is one of the most interest
ing, to a visitor. The French, or
Creoles are still there with all the
peculiarities Of the race. The quar-
ter is said to be typical of Old
France. The streets are narrow,
the buildings substantial and plain
on the outside. The entrances of
the houses look like holes in the
wall,-no fancy doors, or windows
in the lower story, no cellars, no
trap doors in the pavements. The
buildings are not over three stories
high, the second story has an iron
balcony-usually full length and
the third story has individual bal
comics for each door or window.
The lower rooms are used for bust
ness, the upper rooms for homes,
and they are furnished in the most
complete and costly manner. Each
home retains the flavor or old
French palaces, the furniture being
of the finest workmanship and of
the richest material, mahogany,
rosewood and teak, ornamented
with carved figures, and bordered
with gold, silver and brass. They
are usually square with a court in
the center, open to the sky and
fountain in the center with FISH in
it and bordered with flowers. The
rear part of the house is fitted up
for slave quarters, with barred
doors and windows. The front and
ellis of the two upper stories are
used exclusively for dwellings,; the
court is used for a rest place, and
has comfortable seats and lounges
all around. The object of this is
to have a cool place during the
torrid weather that is incident to
that climate. The iron work on the
balconies is of fancy construction
and it is said that slaves construct
ed them by hand on common black
smiths anvils and they show the
hammer marks to this day. Stand
ing on the street beneath these old
balconies, one can readily visualize
the conditions of society as portray
ed by writer's of that period. You
can easily imagine Spanish beauty
seated in one of these balconies,
plainly visible, but inaccessible to
the love-lorn youth on the pave
ment. But the boys of that day
were not disposed to become dis
couraged by apparent insurmounta-
BILE difficulties. They were resource
full and resorted to the only means
at hand to convey their alteration
to the objects Of love. There was
no law of God or man to prohibit
their singing in the streets, so they
resorted to this manner of wOOing
the black-eyed beauties on the bal
comics, using guitars and mandOlins
as a medium of expression. And
the girls usually were not averse to
this kind of wOoing, as they would
slyly wave their lace kerchiefs to
the SWANS, Notwithstanding they
their chosen admirers. Romance
lives there today as in Olden
times. If you will be patient
and watch these balconies you can
get a peep now and then of some
of these Creole beauties that still
grace old New Orleans. The Louisi-
ana French are patriotic, brave and
generous. When Napoleon was
banished to St. Hellna, the French
and Creoles of New Orleans de-
termined to rescue him and bring
him to New Orleans to spend the
remainder of his life. They built a
large house near what is now known
as Jackson Square, furnished Il
with all the comforts obtainable
fitted out ship, hired a crew, pro
visioned it. and put one of the OLE
caribbean Sea pirates in command
and 1t was just ready to sail wher
they heard that Napoleon was dead
The house is still in good condition
and is used for business and resi-
dence purposes. Disappointed, bu
none the less enthusiastic his New
Orleans admirers turned to the con
sideration of a memorial of theil
1 .x.oo. xaoaraI aud Er,narnr Napn