The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-08-12
A Glimpse of NeW Orleans

M 0Ew ORLEANS is always an in- llW teresting topic of conversation c and an agreeable subject to write about, and especially so when the viewpoint" Is that of one who was born and reared in that ex- otic city, of which George W. Cable and others have written so charm ingy.
 Mrs. Shelby Glass Taylor, who was Adele Vincent of New Orleans and now a valued member of Birming- ham society, was chatting with me q few days ago about recent visit she i made to her old home-where the French opera and the French mar ket and the insouciant nonchalance of the foreign types in that famed city make the "carnivals'-the only real "Mardi Gras" which exists now "a world famous pageant and where the only real French atmosphere" is prevalent in all it's attractive fascination in the United States. Mrs. Taylor was writer of wide reputation before her marriage, de- claring that she was only butter fly until the great sorrow of losing her mother came into her life tlans- forming everything, and the "call of the pen" asserting itself so won drously that she captulated in fa- vor of this vocation, which she adorned with her talent and clever ness
 Mrs. Taylor received her newspa- per tute.age under the famous Helen Pitkin and conducted the "Woman's Page" on the Times Democrat for
 several years; she also wrote the "carnivals" for town and country" and later the work she enjoyed most was for Tropical Travel" widely read magazine published in Boston. T made several trips to Panama and Central America" Mrs. Taylor told me, and I thoroughly relished , these delightful trips, afterward ptt- ting them into stories for the Boston magazine.
 But that is a story of other days" Mrs. Taylor laughingly said. Now the duties of motherhood and wife l hood are so insistent and my life IS so abundantly sweet and full with these treasures of a womans heart that I have been carried away from writing, although l must confess some etimes to a strong lure of the pen and the paste pot.
 But what l started out to tell you" Mrs. Taylor continued, lis that I've only recently returned from a i brief lingering fn-dear old New Or leans. An! now I see your interest | bristle."
 "of course" said I, "how could it | be otherwise?'
 Well, am I aware" Mrs. Taylor | interpolated, "~of your admiration and everybody's in fact for my delight | ful home town of fanciful imagin- lngs.' Many have asked me since my return with note of disappointment and regret in their inquiry if New Orleans has forfeited any of it's charm, since it's wonderful strides. To this I answer: 'No;' for as incon- gruous as it does strike one to see such evidences of real metropolitan advancement and life 1t just adds a double fascination of the large brist- ling American city, coupled with a halo of dreamy mystery and quaint ness. The 'Quartier Francais' or l French Quarter is not divested of | an iota of its enduring and inspira- : | ton of the efforts now made to pre- I serve its historic significance Many l societies and individuals have chosen for their pet endeavor the restora- | tion and preservation of the 'Vieux | Carre.' Dilapidation is being speedily restored without marring the archi- = tectural character of public centers | and landmarks"
 Great interest was awakened last IA I l Quarter club which proved an in- centive for the assembling of interest ing people. thus stimulating an in- terest in this old section--the Petit Theatre movement too. had its eff feet in drawing residents and strang- CTS into the portals of this historic realm," said Mrs. Taylor Through | Helen Pitkin Schertz, our beloved writer and philanthrophist, Mrs. Oscar Nixon. Mrs. Philip Werlein, to say nothing of the masculine con tingent. theatricals were given twice monthly and very creditable home talent had chance to display itself in really worth while plays.
 "Old southern mansions long given over to dishabitation have assumed a spirited atmosphere in their guise | of modernized apartment abodes- many whose artistic temperament is predominant choose this atmosphere l rather than the uptown American-