April 30 Sunday – 7 AM at the train depot, Sam met Joel Chandler Harris, who’d traveled from Atlanta. Harris registered at the St. Charles Hotel, where Sam was staying; the two then met George Cable and attended church services of the Prytania Street Presbyterian Church, Rev. J.H. Nall. The sermon was on John 14:2, “In My Father’s House are Many Mansions” [MTNJ 2: 468n127; 507n245]. Afterward, interestingly, they took in a cockfight. In Life on the Mississippi, Sam changed the day of the following cockfight from Sunday to Saturday, evidently to avoid criticism. First, his notebook:
Cockfight Sunday, Apl. 30.
Circular, amphitheater arrangement partially filled (200 or so) with audience of whites, negroes, creoles, Mexicans, Spanish, &c. / Honor of an introduction to the proprietor—a Frenchman.
From Life on the Mississippi:
We went to a cockpit in New Orleans on a Saturday afternoon. I had never seen a cock-fight before. There were men and boys there of all ages and all colors, and of many languages and nationalities. But I noticed one quite conspicuous and surprising absence: the traditional brutal faces. With no cock-fighting going on, you could have played the gathering on a stranger for a prayer-meeting; and after it began, for a revival—provided you blindfolded your stranger—for the shouting was something prodigious [Ch 45].
Joel Chandler Harris recalled leaving the cockfight in mid-fight, calling it “disgusting in the extreme” [MTNJ 2: 551n55].
More from Sam’s notebook on attending Winan’s Chapel, also known as the First Street Methodist Episcopal Church, Rev. Stephen Priestly, pastor.
Colored church Sunday eve’g. / Opened with singing of a choir. 12th Chap. Daniel read by black clergyman, during which an aged deacon back by the door chided some young dusky damsels saying “Takes yo’ long time get seated. Settle yo’ d’rectly ef yo do’ get seated.”
Clergyman then lined a hymn. Offered prayer very well, —better than some white ministers because it was short. The whole thing was a failure because too good for literature. / White woman preached [2: 552].
Madame Fogarty, New York, billed Sam $160.00 for silk costume, $130, bonnet $30 [MTP].
Hubbard & Farmer bankers & brokers sent a statement with a balance for May 1 of $4,145.63 [MTP].