Page:A hairdresser's experience in high life.djvu/290

292 to a great many men for a length of time, and when finished, every kind of makers had employment; dress makers, cap makers and cloak makers, and the dry goods merchant realized his profits in the increased demands for silks, satins, velvets, feathers, and flowers, and rich laces of every kind and texture.

I have combed many ladies for the opera who are christians, not only in profession, but in reality, and are as good ladies as ever belonged to any church. They did not think it any sin to go to the opera, or they would not have gone. These take conscience for their guide, they don't move with the mass for excitement; they go to please the eye and gratify the sense, and their conscience does not condemn them. Ladies, when in New Orleans, attend the opera, but while here, they condemn it. But, indeed, I don't wonder at their wishing to go in New Orleans, as it is a most beautiful sight to see the ladies at the opera there, to say nothing of the most enchanting music. The young ladies all dress in white, while the married ladies go in full ball costume. All have the most beautiful boquets. In the New Orleans opera house from the parquette to the highest tier, which is appointed to slaves, every one has a boquet, and the whole house is filled with the odor of flowers. There are boxes appointed to the beautiful quadroons, which New Orleans is famous for, and they are considered among the most beautiful women in the world.

In New Orleans all go to the opera, and to concerts to hear the music, and pay so much respect to both performers and audience, as to keep still and lady-like, during the performance.

Every city has its own mode of putting down those