ry, New Orleans being
founded in 1717. The French held Louisiana till 1762, when it was ceded
to Spain, and remained in her possession for a period of nearly fifty
years--till 1798, when France once more became its master. Five years
after, in 1803, Napoleon sold this valuable country to the American
government for 15,000,000 of dollars--the best bargain which Brother
Jonathan has ever made, and apparently a slack one on the part of
Napoleon. After all, Napoleon was right. The sagacious Corsican, no
doubt, foresaw that it could not have long remained the property of
France. Sooner or later the American flag would wave over the Crescent
City, and Napoleon's easy bargain has no doubt saved America a war, and
France a humiliation.

This change of masters will explain the peculiarity of the population of
New Orleans. The characteristics of all three nations are visible in
its streets, in its houses, in the features, habits, and dress of its
citizens. In nothing are the national traces more distinctly marked
than in the different styles of architecture. In the American quarter
you have tall brick dwellings, several stories in height, their shining
fronts half occupied with rows of windows, combining the light and
ornamental with the substantial and useful. This is typical of the
Anglo-American. Equally typical of the French character are the light
wooden one-storey houses, painted in gay colours, with green verandah
palings; windows that open as doors, and a profusion of gauzy curtains
hanging behind them.

Equally a type of the grand solemn character of the Spaniard, are the
massive sombre structures of stone and lime, of the imposing Moorish
style, that is still seen in many of the streets of New Orleans. Of
these, the Great Cathedral is a fine specimen--that will stand as a
monument of Spanish occupancy, long after both the Spanish and French
population has been absorbed and melted down in the alembic of the
Anglo-American propagandism. The American part of New Orleans is that
which is highest on the river--known as the Faubourgs Saint Mary and
Annunciation. Canal Street separates it from the French quarter--which
last is the old city, chiefly inhabited by Creole-French and Spaniards.

A few years ago, the French and American populations were about equal.
Now the Saxon element predominates, and rapidly absorbs all the others.
In time the indolent Creole must yield to the more energetic American--
in other