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CREOLE SKETCHES

nothing more curious than some of these vocal advertisements — these musical announcements, sung by Italians, negroes, Frenchmen, and Spaniards. The vendor of fowls pokes in his head at every open window with cries of "Chick-en, Ma-damma, Chick-en!" and the seller of "Lem-ons — fine Lem-ons!" follows in his footsteps. The peddlers of "Ap-pulls!" of "Straw-bare-eries!" and "Black-Brees!" — all own sonorous voices. There is a handsome Italian with a somewhat ferocious pair of black eyes, who sells various oddities, and has adopted the word "lagniappe" for his war-cry — pronouncing it Italianwise.

He advances noiselessly to open windows and doors, plunges his blazing black glance into the interior, and suddenly queries in a deep bass, like a clap of thunder, "Lagniappa, Madam-a! — la-gniap-pa!" Then there is the Cantelope