Old Creole Days: A Story of Creole LifeCable, George Washington
General
Old Creole Days: A Story of Creole Life
Cable, George Washington
Creoles -- Fiction; Historical fiction; Louisiana -- Social life and customs -- Fiction; New Orleans (La.) -- Fiction
He had guessed aright. The wages were too precious to be lost. The
manager had written her a note. He begged to assure her that he was a
gentleman of the clearest cut. If he had made a mistake the previous
afternoon, he was glad no unfortunate result had followed except his
having been assaulted by a ruffian; that the _Danse du Shawl_ was
promised in his advertisement, and he hoped Madame John (whose wages
were in hand waiting for her) would not fail to assist as usual. Lastly,
and delicately put, he expressed his conviction that Mademoiselle was
wise and discreet in declining to entertain gentlemen at her home.
So, against much beseeching on the part of 'Tite Poulette, Madame John
was going to the ball-room. "Maybe I can discover what 'Sieur de la Rue
is planning against Monsieur over the way," she said, knowing certainly
the slap would not be forgiven; and the daughter, though tremblingly, at
once withdrew her objections.
The heavy young Dutchman, now thoroughly electrified, was writing like
mad. He wrote and tore up, wrote and tore up, lighted his lamp, started
again, and at last signed his name. A letter by a Dutchman in
French!--what can be made of it in English? We will see:
"MADAME AND MADEMOISELLE:
"A stranger, seeking not to be acquainted, but seeing and admiring all
days the goodness and high honor, begs to be pardoned of them for the
mistakes, alas! of yesterday, and to make reparation and satisfaction in
destroying the ornaments of the window, as well as the loss of
compensation from Monsieur the manager, with the enclosed bill of the
_Banque de la Louisiane_ for fifty dollars ($50). And, hoping they will
seeing what he is meaning, remains, respectfully,
"KRISTIAN KOPPIG.
"P.S.--Madame must not go to the ball."
He must bear the missive himself. He must speak in French. What should
the words be? A moment of study--he has it, and is off down the long
three-story stairway. At the same moment Madame John stepped from the
wicket, and glided off to the _Salle de Condé_, a trifle late.
"I shall see Madame John, of course," thought the young man, crushing a
hope, and rattled the knocker. 'Tite Poulette sprang up from praying for
her mother's safety. "What has she forgotten?" she asked herself, and
hastened down. The wicket opened. The two innocents were stunned.
"Aw--aw"--said the pretty Dutchman, "aw,"--blurted out something in
virgin Dutch, ... handed her the letter, and hurried down street.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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