The hot, muggy air was filled with noise. Jack andAnnie heard the clippity-clopof horses' hooves. Theyheard voices calling out "Crawfish pies!""Buttermilk!""Gumbo for sale here!"Jack looked down at his and Annie's clothes. Theywere both wearing white shirts and dark trouserswith suspenders. Jack's backpack had turned into acloth bag. Neither Jack nor Annie was wearing shoes.
"Wow, we're barefoot. That's cool," said Annie.
"And at least I can run in these pants. I like them 1124***lot better than the dress I wore on our last mission.""Yeah." Jack smiled, remembering Annie's long,frilly dress in Vienna and his velvet coat and whitewig. "I like being barefoot, too," he said. "But whatyear did we come to? I can't tell from our outfits."Jack and Annie looked out the window. The treehouse had landed in a grove of palm trees. Not faraway, steamboats churned down a river. Below themwas a bustling city scene. Rows of stores lined bothsides of a wide street. Vendors were selling food fromcarts. Women shoppers wore long skirts, and menwore white suits and hats.
Mule carts and horse-drawn buggies bumpedalongside a few antique-looking cars. Moving downthe middle of the street were red and green train cars.
Each one was attached to an electric line overhead.
"This is definitely a long time ago," said Jack. "Butwhen exactly?"25[Image: Annie and Jack.]
26"I can't tell," said Annie.
"Maybe our research book can help us," said Jack.
"I'll look up Louis Armstrong." Jack looked in theindex of A History of New Orleans Musicand founda chapter on Louis Armstrong. He read:
Born in New Orleans in 1901, Louis Armstronggrew up to be one of the greatest jazz musicians whoever lived.
A photo showed an African American man playinga trumpet. His cheeks were puffed out and his eyeswere closed. Stage lights were shining on him.
Thousands of people were in the audience. Thecaption under the photo read, Louis Armstrong, Kingof Jazz.
"So what is jazzexactly?" asked Annie.
"It's a kind of music," said Jack.
"Well, yeah, but what kind?" said Annie.
Jack looked up jazzin the glossary of their book. Heread:
Jazz began in New Orleans in the early 1900s andwas first played by African27Americans. It is a style of music that has a strongbeat and is played with lots of feeling. Jazz melodiesare often made up on the spot.
"Got it," said Annie. "Read more about Louis." Jackflipped back to the pages about Louis Armstrong andread:
As a young teenager, Louis Armstrong oftenperformed with "kid bands" on the streets of the city.
Eventually he played with older musicians in dancehalls and developed his musical talents performing onMississippi riverboats. When he was twenty-one, hemoved to Chicago, where-"Stop. That's all we need," Annie broke in. "It is?"asked Jack.
"Yep, we'll just ask someone what the date is," saidAnnie. "Then we can figure out how old LouisArmstrong is, and we'll know where to look for him:
the streets, a dance hall, or on the Mississippi River."Annie picked up the magic trumpet. She tucked28it under her arm and started down the rope ladder.
"I guessthat's a plan," murmured Jack. "Sort of." Heput the New Orleans book in his bag and followedher.
In their bare feet, Jack and Annie hurried a shortdistance to the wide, busy street. A sign read canalstreet.
The sidewalks on both sides of Canal Street werecrowded with vendors pushing carts and shouting inrich, loud voices.
"Buttermilk! Buttermilk! Fresh from the buttermilkman! Bring out your bucket! Bring out your can!"shouted a man.
"Blackberries! Mighty fine! Three sacks for a dime!"called an old woman.
"Read all the news! Chase away the blues!" sang aboy with newspapers.
"Let's buy a paper," said Jack. "It'll tell us the date."Jack and Annie ran over to the boy sellingnewspapers.
29"A paper, please," said Annie.
"A penny, please," said the boy.
Jack and Annie dug into their pockets.
"Uh-oh," said Annie. "No money.""Uh-oh," said the boy. "No paper." He started towalk away.
"Wait, please," said Jack. "Can you just tell us thedate?""October thirty-first, the eve of All Saints' Day,"said the boy. "You didn't know that?""Uh, not really," said Jack.
"And what year is it?" Annie asked.
The newsboy scowled. "It's 1915! Don't you twoknow anything? Who are you?"Before Jack could think of an answer, Annie blurtedout, "We're musicians. We came all the way fromFrog Creek, Pennsylvania." She held up their trumpet.
"Oh, right. And it's a different year in Frog Creek,Pennsylvania, than here in New Orleans, Louisiana! Iforgot!" The newsboy headed up the30street, laughing at his own joke.
"Well, yeah"said Annie.
Jack laughed. "Okay, Louis Armstrong was born in1901, so if it's 1915...""He's fourteen years old," said Annie. "So thatmeans he's playing with kid bands in the streets.
Excuse me!" she called to the buttermilk man. "Canyou tell us where some kid bands might be playingtoday?""Try Jackson Square in the French Quarter," saidthe man.
"What's the French Quarter?" asked Jack.
"It's the oldest section of the city," said thebuttermilk man. "Catch that streetcar that's stoppingup ahead! It will take you right there.""Thanks!" said Annie. She and Jack ran up thesidewalk.
"So I guess those train cars in the street are calledstreetcars," said Jack. "Makes sense!" said Annie. Jackand Annie ran to a streetcar stop. They31stood in line and then climbed aboard. "Oh, wait,"Jack said to Annie. "We can't! We don't have money!"He started to leave.
"Hey, sonny, are you coming or going?" said theconductor.
"Sorry. We made a mistake," said Jack. "We don'thave any money.""Don't worry, there's no fare today. It's the eve ofAll Saints' Day," said the conductor.
"Oh! Good," said Jack. He and Annie chose awooden seat near the door and sat down.
"Could you tell us when to get out for JacksonSquare in the French Quarter?" Annie asked theconductor.
"Sure thing," the conductor said.
Annie rested their magic trumpet on her lap. "Luckyfor us we came here on the eve of All Saints' Day,"she said to Jack.
"Yeah, but what does that mean?" said Jack. As thestreetcar headed along Canal, he looked up All Saints'
Day in their book. He read aloud:
32November first is celebrated as All Saints' Day inNew Orleans. It is a day to honor those who havepassed away. Sometimes on the eve of All Saints'
Day, people wear costumes and have parties andparades. Considered the spookiest night of the year,the eve of All Saints' Day is a good time for ghostsightings.
"The eve of All Saints' Day sounds like Halloween,"said Annie. "It's the same day, too: October thirty-first.""Yeah," said Jack. "But what do they mean, 'a goodtime for ghost sightings'?" He kept reading:
The city of New Orleans is often called the mosthaunted city in America. According to legend, the oldblacksmith shop on Bourbon Street is haunted by theghost of the famous pirate Jean Lafitte. Some say thatSaint Louis Cathedral is haunted by a Spanish priest,and that a hotel on Chartres Street is haunted byConfederate33soldiers. There have been ghost sightings in manyother places throughout the city as well.
"Ooh, sounds scary," said Annie.
"Huh," said Jack. "Well!" He slammed the book shut.
"Forget ghosts. We didn't come to New Orleans tolook for ghosts. We came here to look for LouisArmstrong, the King of Jazz." |