LADIES ORDINARY. [CHAP. XXVII. 



so well !&quot; &quot; Did you suppose that we had adopted some one of 

 the Indian languages ?&quot; &quot; I really never thought about it; but 

 it is wonderful to hear you talk like us !&quot; 



Looking into the shop-windows in New Orleans, we see much 

 which reminds us of Paris, and abundance of articles manufac 

 tured in the northern states, but very few things characteristic 

 of Louisiana. Among the latter I remarked, at a jeweler s, 

 many alligators teeth polished and as white as ivory, and set in 

 silver for infants to wear round their necks to rub against their 

 gums when cutting their teeth, in the same way as they use a 

 coral in England. 



The tombs in the cemeteries on the outskirts of the town are 

 raised from the ground, in order that they may be above the 

 swamps, and the coffins are placed in bins like those of a cellar. 

 The water is seen standing on the soil at a lower level in many 

 places ; there are often flowers and shrubs round the tombs, by 

 the side of walks made of shells of the Gnathodon. Over the 

 grave of one recently killed in a duel was a tablet, with the 

 inscription &quot; Mort, victime de 1 honneur !&quot; Should any one 

 propose to set up a similar tribute to the memory of a duelist at 

 Mount Auburn, near Boston, a sensation would be created which 

 would manifest how v/idely different is the state of public opinion 

 in New England from that in the &quot; First Municipality.&quot; 



Among the signs of the tacit recognition of an aristocracy in 

 the large cities, is the manner in which persons of the richer and 

 more refined classes associate together in the large hotels. There 

 is one public table frequented by bachelors, commercial travelers, 

 and gentlemen not accompanied by their wives and families, and 

 a more expensive one, called the Ladies Ordinary, at which la 

 dies, their husbands, and gentlemen whom they invite, have their 

 meals. Some persons who occupy a marked position in society, 

 such as our friend the ex-senator, Mr. Wilde, often obtain leave 

 by favor to frequent this ordinary ; but the keepers of the hotels 

 grant or decline the privilege, as they may think proper. 



A few days after the Carnival we had another opportunity of 

 peeing a grand procession of the natives, without masks. The 

 corps of all the different companies of firemen turned out in their 



