The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-01-12

out HUN Nd'Hp dltCi q DISNN'd1iSu Htci'
when he found Francois striving to out
strip him is pursuit OF the game.
Why, Frank, what are you doing
here ? said Walker.
I'm after that deer replied the boy.
You after deer! why YOU couldn't
hit the side of barn at twenty yards. if
it was tied fast for you
'Je ne sails pas, said Frank, but may
be could hi you at a hunderd =
Such youth was Francois Clement
too forward for his years or place which
face. in great measure, led to the sad
catastrophe of his demise.
Sitting outside of tent, he saw a gun
inside, which he took hold OF by the
muzzIe, seeking to draw it out under the
streachcd canvass and while in this act
some obstruction touched the lock, dis
charging the instrument, and driving an
ounce ball through the lower lobe Of poor
Franks left lung!
1t was about an hour before sunset, and
when that hour was fading to AN instant,
he was still reclining on DR.. Iilghman's
knee. A prophetic but chilling inlelli-
gence seemed TO kiudle in the boys eye,
as if just impaired by an icebolt in the
heart, when lis gaze turned from the
darkening west to the doctors face, and
he mourniully said
Lay me down, doctor lay me down
and let me rest; l am dead ! / am
dead !!
The doctor endeavored to assure him
that he should still be calm and cherish
hope, but the cold conviction of sudden
death seemed to have frozen into the poor
boys soul
Mon Dieu! ie suis mort ie suit
mort! 0! mon Dieu = lie exclaimed,
burying his face from the sinking sun.
He was born in Saint Charles, Missou-
ri, of French parents, and always spoke
in that language when most affected.
1t is known that Two catholic priests,
besides several lay brothers, accompanied
us TO the mounlauS--m missionaries, going
tn settle with the FIalhead tribe. Father
De N0s came to poor Frank soon after
his accident and never left him again IN.
til his last breath Of mortality had passed
away, save for the few instanls when he
went to robe himself for administering
the extreme unciion.-The presence of
the good old man rendered the scene one
of deep and affecting soemnlty. With
calm and Impressive persuasion, he ban
ishel wildnrss and fear from the boys
heart, and turned his thoughts on happI-
ness and heaven. Then flew the heart
of Francois homcward to his mother, and
all his remaining words were for her.
'Oh ma mere, ma chere mere jo
meurs je maurs !! jo ne tie varrai jamas
encorel.' Still he went on, but his
words were all in French, mourning il
the tenderest manner for his mother.
My dear mother viii never sec me
again am going to another world, and
she is not near me she will never kiss
Francois again she does not see me
she will see me no more Mother mo-
Their ! Oh my dear mother!
He lived until about eight o'clock in the
evening, daring which time he faded
gradually, his brow growing paIer, but
his eye perseverng, until the last mo-
ment, It's clear and boyish lusier, that
seemed even brighter and more remarka-
bic as his parting moment came nearer.
The group around that dying boy was 4
thing that rlveted the gaze Of many an
eye in camp; but onc object, especially,
held a peculiar and mmkcd prominence
this was Antoine. the hunter, the BROTH
cr of Francois. This fine form Of the
sturdy sun-burned mou,aineer seemed
like figure hardened into bronze, as he
kneIt. speeches. and immo,abIe, beside
his dying brother during the gloomy
hours Of that evening. He kissed the
hoy repeatedly, hut never wept or uttered
a syllable. He sat with the corpse, and
never spoke. When the camp moved away
from the grave next day, there we left
Antoine, all alone, and there lie stood, his
figure growing lndistinct in the distance
until all sight Of him was gone; and new.
er, during all the rest of our travel, did
Antoine mention his brother, until, when
on the sleamh0cl, nearing his home,
with a choaking voice and eyes filling
with tears, he asked the writer of this to
give him on paper the dying words Of
Francois.
Poor Francois! All tie deccncics Of
the grave were given TO him mass was
said Cor his youthful, and, we presume,
spirit; the ground was levelled
over him, and fire vas burned upon she
spot, for 1t was necessary to hide, not
mark, a christians grave i'm that far land