Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. III.djvu/28

Rh the public, and deserves to be so, from her lovely figure, the nobility of her demeanour, and her exquisitely beautiful and melodious singing, although her voice in itself is not remarkable. Her hands and arms are of rare beauty, and their movement was in exquisite harmony with her singing.

The most interesting scene to me, however, was not on the stage, but in the theatre itself, where the ladies of New Orleans, seated in their boxes, presented the appearance of a parterre of white roses. They were all dressed in white, gauze-like dresses, with bare necks and arms, some of them very bare indeed, and some of them with flowers in their hair. All were very pale, but not unhealthy-looking, many of the young were quite pretty, with delicate features, and round, childlike countenances. Beauty is scarce here, as it is all over the world. The white pearl-powder, which the ladies here commonly use, gives to the complexion a great softness, in which, however, the art is too frequently apparent. I do not object to people, in social life, endeavouring to make themselves as beautiful as possible, but it should be done in the most delicate manner, and well done, otherwise the effect is coarse, and produces an unpleasing effect.

I sate in a box of the amphitheatre (which is divided into boxes) with an agreeable and musical gentleman, Mr. D., an acquaintance of my friend Lerner H.; and I had placed a beautiful white camellia which I received from him, in Mrs. G's beautiful dark-brown hair, and had the pleasure of seeing it shining out on her beautiful, noble head as she sate in her box in the front row. For the rest, I suffered from headache owing to the heat and exertions of the day, but was so anxious to be quite well by the morrow, when I was to visit the French Market with Mr. Lerner H., that by means of strong determination and strong coffee I succeeded; and accordingly at six o'clock in the early dawn, I and my cavalier took our way to the French portion of the city.