I am looking for the origins of the song "the Lakes of   
   Ponchartrain". Reading the lines of the song , I feel it refers to
   the Spanish American war of 1898. My reason for saying this is
   the reference to foreign money ,possibly Spanish pesetas , not
legal tender in New Orleans ! Also the reference to receiving
   kindness from a dark girl , which our hero appears to have found
   surprising at first . Might this refer to racial differences in
   Louisiana at the time ? Love to find out more .