Within  the  last  decade  the  congregation  of  the
Saint  Louis  Cathedral  changed  its  character.  Up  to
this  time  this  church  was  still  considered  one  of  the
most  aristocratic.  The  elite  of  the  old  Creole  fam-
ilies still  resided  within  its  limits,  and  on  certain
feasts  there  were  gatherings  in  the  Saint  Louis  Cathe-
dral that  could  not  be  witnessed  elsewhere.  Nothing
to  be  compared  with  such  distinguished  attendance
could  be  seen  in  our  days  except  on  special  occasions
when  the  Archbishop  officiates  solemnly  at  the  altar.
—  78  —

Then  the  church  resumes  its  air  of  ancient  grandeur,
and  amidst  the  throngs  of  people  that  fill  the  nave
and  the  galleries  to  their  utmost  capacity,  it  docs  not
take  long  to  distinguish  the  last  descendants  of  those
who  once  formed  the  unique  element  of  the  congre-
gation. Nothing  is  more  to  be  regretted  than  this
gradual  exodus  of  the  old  Creole  families  from  the
French  section  of  the  city.
The  ancient  Creoles  of  New  Orleans  were  noted
the  world  over  for  the  gallantry  and  urbanity  of  the
men,  the  exquisite  grace  and  artistic  taste  of  the
women,  their  elegant  and  cultured  homes,  which
made  the  Cathedral  Parish  a  marked  center  of  refine-
ment and  education.  The  removal  of  so  many  of
these  old  families  to  new  and  more  progressive  sec-
tions of  the  city  marks  the  passing  away  of  a  typical
epoch  of  New  Orleans  life,  and  the  Saint  Louis  Ca-
thedral cannot  too  deeply  deplore  its  abandonment  in
this  day  by  those  whose  forefathers  it  sheltered  when
chivalry  and  romance  bloomed  in  Louisiana.
