heer weakness of its own political
corruption. It was made mainly of the poor and weak elements of the
people. Had it been ever so pure it could not have made headway against
the strongest ranks of society concentrating against it with revolutionary
intent, when deserted by the power which had called it to responsibility
and--Come! this history of a house must not run into the history of a
government. It is a fact in our story, however, that in the "Conservative"
party there sprung up the "White League," purposing to wrest the State
government from the "Radicals" by force of arms.

On the 14th of September, 1874, the White League met and defeated the
Metropolitan Police in a hot and bloody engagement of infantry and
artillery on the broad steamboat landing in the very middle of New
Orleans. But the Federal authority interfered. The "Radical" government
resumed control. But the White League survived and grew in power. In
November elections were held, and the State legislature was found to be
Republican by a majority of only two.

One bright, spring-like day in December, such as a northern March might
give in its best mood, the school had gathered in the "haunted house" as
usual, but the hour of duty had not yet struck. Two teachers sat in an
upper class-room talking over the history of the house. The older of the
two had lately heard of an odd new incident connected with it, and was
telling of it. A distinguished foreign visitor, she said, guest at a
dinner-party in the city the previous season, turned unexpectedly to his
hostess, the talk being of quaint old New Orleans houses, and asked how to
find "the house where that celebrated tyrant had lived who was driven from
the city by a mob for maltreating her slaves." The rest of the company sat
aghast, while the hostess silenced him by the severe coldness with which
she replied that she "knew nothing about it." One of Madame Lalaurie's
daughters was sitting there, a guest at the table.

When the teacher's story was told her companion made no comment. She had
noticed a singular sound that was increasing in volume. It was
out-of-doors--seemed far away; but it was drawing nearer. She started up,
for she recognized it now as a clamor of human voices, and remembered that
the iron gates had not yet been locked for the day. They hurried to the
window, looked down, and saw the narrow street full from wall to wall for
a hundred yards with men coming towards them. The front of the