Argosy and Railroad Man's Magazine — page 49: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

De ” WHOSE pressed but a few moments’ before. Her eyes were bright, her cheeks flushed as though she labored under some extreme excitement. © “On the contrary,” said De Charleu, in his soft drawl, “I fancy madame would enjoy it immensely.. It is one of the sights.” He turned to me as if appealing for con- firmation. Embarrassed, I hesitated. Nita at once came to my rescue in her charming way. “You are right,” she replied brightly. “T forgot for the moment that she is a stranger.’’ She turned to Mr. Burns. “ We accept with pleasure. You are most kind to think of us. And now you-will excuse us?”’ She rose as she spoke. ‘ I have prom- ised to show madame the sights for a little while this evening. And we must be dress- ing or we shall not get anywhere. She has had a long journey, and will want to retire early.” / “Tl take you in my car,” Burns said eagerly. ‘No, indeed you will not, you most kind man,” Nita cried laughingly. “See New Orleans for the first time in a modern con- veyance? It would be sacrilege.” And be- fore he could protest further she had flashed out of the room. I followed more slowly. Nita sent Susan, the maid who had served us at dinner, to assist me. “ Show Miss Eleanor to the blue room,” she said to the girl, who led the way up- stairs. As Susan>vand I were quite near the second landing, I looked down in time to see Mammy come out of a room further up the hall. She held out her arms. Nita ran into them and seemed to fairly crumple on the old woman’s bosom. My room was large and cold, but mag- nificently furnished. The walls may at some time have been blue; now they were dark, and quite devoid of color. The great, canopied, four-post bed that stood in one corner, must have been put in before the room was finished, as never, by any chance, could it have come in by the door. A hand- some old dresser, a large wardrobe, a quaint little commode and a what-not, some stiff tapestry chairs, one rocker, a marble-top HANDS? 7 391 table, and a modern writing-desk completed this room of dismal Old World splendor. The wardrobe alone would haye made any room in my tiny flat look crowded, not to mention the bed. Here the room looked barren, almost empty. A poor fire tried hard to brighten the scene. When my hostess and I were again in the picturesque family carriage, with old Uncle Jesse as driver and guide; withthe: bright flowers and brighter faces about us that mocked decay, the depression of the great dark house lifted from me, and the lazy, drowsy, singing breezes sweet as musk, laid hold of me, a thrilling torture. Romance seemed lurking in every vine- draped arbor, under every moss-hung oak; even as tragedy stalks the very streets them- selves. Quaint old stone structares stood like sentinels, in courtyards, whcse magnificence was guarded by high brick walls, over which the sweet olive sent its fragrant breath. The umbrella, chinaberry, the magnolia, and the flowering mulberry flaunted their scorn of prison walls and sent out long arms of deli- cious coolness to shelter the sun-stricken streets. _ Occasionally one caught a glimpse of dark, flashing eyes from behind heavy wood- en shutters. Little negroes who sat(about pounding bricks into dust, spied us with their quick eyes, and ran out holding dirty little sacks, high above their small tabby heads. “ Please, missis, buy a bag o’ rednin’ for your banquette.” White teeth glistened in oily-brown faces, and black eyes. snapped as they caught the coins we tossed to them. And they went back to their occupation, seldom recollecting to deliver the merchandise, Even here in this more quiet part of the city the spirit of pleasure charged in ram- pant glory. French voices chattered on their highest notes, and shrieked with laugh- ter at anything or nothing. Flowered mus- lins and silks and brilliant ribbons pro- claimed their best dress—and the young made love openly. “Ah, here we are at the famous old French market,” Nita was saying. “ Drive close to the banquette, Uncle Jesse.” comicbooks-=com: Sr a ae. pe —— he et