Mahogany Hall
an Ultimate Potion story (set in New Orleans)
by Tal Greywolf
---
Tyler sighed as he looked down at the table, the spread of old photographs mixed
in with some of the newer shots. He picked up one image, taken when Disneyland
opened back in 1955, another when DisneyWorld opened in 1971. Those were fun
days, he recalled, attending the openings with Felice and participating the
first with Walt himself.
He examined several other photographs, some of modern trips, others from trips
taken by horseback and wagons, pack mules and elephants, canoes and boats. So
many ways to get around, and Tyler had taken so many of those ways. So many
ways, and so many people...
His eye caught a photo, and Tyler picked it up. Dated March 23, 1912, it was a
hand print from one of the photographers of the day, E. J. Bellocq. The image
was of a pair of whores, in fact, of Tyler and Felice. They didn't use those
names, and in Tyler's case was female. But the look was interesting, and
Tyler's mind drifted back to that day, and the days prior...
---
"Ok, girls, let's get ready for this evening's gentlemen."
Tyla looked up at the speaker, a slightly dark skinned lady who spoke with a
Creole accent. Lulu White may have been the madam of Mahogany Hall, but she ran
the place with firm control. We want to put on our best for the gentlemen
who'll be here," she added, her Creole coming through slightly.
"Yes, ma'am." That came from the half dozen ladies in the hall, Tyla included.
They made an eclectic group of ladies of the night, from Elizabeth and her New
York accent to Mala and her patois. Tyla was one of Miss White's latest
additions, she and Felita arriving via a steamship into the port of New Orleans.
Within two days they had been hired by Miss White, working in the bordello on
Basin St.
After checking on the rest of the ladies, Miss White pulled Tyla over. "One of
the city government officials is visiting tonight," she told her bluntly. "I
want you to do your best to show him a good time with your skills."
"I will, my lady." She started to turn away, but Lulu's hand held her for a
moment."
"It's the mayor," Lulu said in a low tone. "He might not be officially on our
side, but he's not stopping us from doing what we do. And that's just as
important." With that surprising statement, she turned away, leaving Tyla with
her own thoughts.
"Problems, dear?"
Tyla turned to face Felita. "Just some final instructions for tonight," she
said.
Felita looked at Tyla for a few moments, then leaned in and whispered, "It's
about tonight, isn't it?"
Tyla sighed. "Yes," she finally said after a while. "We'll have the mayor
coming in."
Felita let out a sigh. "Wonderful. We'll just have to do the best to entertain
him."
---
An hour later, there was a knock on the door. Miss White went to the door, then
escorted in a dapper looking gentleman. He had with him one of the cameras of
the day, and made a general announcement.
"Ladies, this is Edward Bellocq. He's a photographer I've asked to take some
photographs of you ladies. Just follow his instructions, and everything will be
fine."
The dapper gentleman tipped his hat at the ladies. "I'll try not to interfere
with your work," he said, a slight accent coloring his words. "Just go about
your business, and when I'm ready I'll take a few photographs." With that, he
started getting his camera, a Kodak camera, on a stand while the ladies worked
around him.
---
"So where are these two new ladies you've mentioned," Martin Behrman asked.
"Up in the Rose Room," Lulu replied. The madam and the mayor had known each
other for a few years, their relationship cordial. For his part, Mayor Behrman
simply nodded toward the stairwell.
Moments later he knocked on the door and entered. On the bed was Tyla and
Felita, smiling warmly.
"Welcome to Mah..." Tyla started to say, but the Mayor shushed her.
"I'm just like anyone else, here." He let a small smile grace his lips. "No
more, and no less. So I expect you two to treat me just the same."
Tyla looked at Felita, then they both nodded. "As you wish, sir," Felita
replied.
---
E.J. Bellocq wandered down the halls, searching for subjects. Most of the rooms
by now were occupied with those ladies busy with their gents, but from one room
he saw a gentleman preparing to depart. Curious, he walked down the hall, only
to be surprised by...
"They'll still awake," the gentleman told E.J. "You might get a picture of them
in repose," he added before turning away. Edward was stunned but for a moment,
then knocked on the door.
Inside, he saw Felita and Tyla reclining on a couch. "Pardon me, but I just
want to get an image of you two at rest." With that, he set up his camera
quickly as the ladies continued to lounge, tired from their night. He took a
picture, swapped plates and took another image. "That's all I need, ladies.
Good night."
Without saying a word, the two snuggled warmly together.
---
Tyler sighed at the memories the photograph brought up. A century later, and so
much had changed, yet so much was the same. New Orleans was still fairly much
the same, what with the situations being fairly much the same.
Martin Behrman remained mayor of the city for ten more years, he recalled.
Despite the efforts of the local politicians to keep Storyville going, the place
was shut down under Federal order. "You can make it illegal, but you can't make
it unpopular" was a common phrase used by the mayor, and it was true.
Miss Lulu White disappeared without a trace shortly after the closing of
Mahogany Hall. Despite efforts to find her, no trace of the lady was found.
Tyler sometimes wondered if, like himself, she was a shape shifter and simply
disappeared into the far distances.
John Ernest Bellocq was equally a mystery. Little of his life was made known,
all that was known was that his funeral was held at St. Louis Cemetery #3. It
wasn't until well after his death that his photographs became known and revered,
those photographs displaying a slice of life in old New Orleans.
Many of the ladies of Mahogany Hall made a life elsewhere, in some cases forging
a life well outside of the bedrooms and hallways. Tyler recalled one lady, a
young gal from the Midwest, who later traveled across Africa and Asia. But most
of the ladies sank into marriages and obscurity.
Sighing, he placed the photograph in a special frame. Being acid-free, it would
remain as in, protected from the elements for decades. He then took the photo
and hung it on the wall, next to several other photos of Felice and him
traveling up the Nile and viewing the pyramids.
"Sorting through photographs again?" Tyler turned to see Felice walking over to
the table. Tyler nodded, indicating the photo he just hung on the wall.
"Yah, just an old memory of the days in New Orleans." He sighed gently. "So
many of the ladies simply vanished, especially Miss White." He nodded towards
the photo in the frame. "Never mind Mr. Bellocq, he was a mystery to everyone."
"Oh, he was a mystery, all right." Felice sat down next to Tyler. "No one
knows what happened to him personallly, after those days in Storyville." She
sighed, then kissed Tyler warmly. "Enough about the past," she said in a sly
voice. "Let's worry about now."
---