Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1850-09-14
Courting i'm French Hollow
BY "SOLITAIRE


cross daddy, and romantic old nanny Il
want to put their fingers into the young un
dish of sweet doings, and the gals fractions
besides, why, feller that's yearnin' after matr
mony is very likely to get his fires dampenet
or burst his biler."
Thus reasoned Tom Bent to a select part
of river cronies who were seated around hir
upon the boiler deck of Mississippi steamer
as she sped along one bright night in JUNE
somewhere in the neighborhood of Bayo
Teche. The subject was courtin, and on tina
particular question Tom was considered al
oracle; for, besides having strong penchant fo
the fair sex, he had run many risks to ingra
tiate himself in their affections Tom was nov
fast falling into the sere and vel ow leaf o
bacheorism, and although he had vowed unal
tered affection to at least one fair one in eacl
town between the mouth and che rapids, h
still remained in unblessed singfeness.
| "How about that AFFAIR." OF your'n with o't
Fecho's gal in st. Louis, Tom!" inquired ont
of the circle.
"What, that little French gal,' inquired Ton
with grin; A3al, that thar was salty serape
boys, and though the laugh is agn me thar
I'm blessed if l don't give you the sarcum
stance.
So Tom squared himself for yarn, wet his
lips with little corn juice, took a small strip
of Missouri weed, and "let OUT
"1hat gal of old Fecho's wur obout the poo
arter; her eyes just foated in her head like a
stars shadow on Mississippi wave, and her
model was as trim as the steamer Eagle; sides
her paddles wur the cleanest shaped tixins that
ever propelled anything human, and her laugh
liza obotl hon sc, {rips z
cou!dn'tbe beat. She run into my affecshuns,
some on the balls in Frenchtown, and thar
gin to edge up and talk tender at her, but she
on y laughed at my sweet'nin.' Arter spell,
needcessty of town side by side together, she
marry an American! Eff | warn't snagged at
sittin' on a bench smokin' and lookin' on at the
short spell. 'Wel, Marie, said |, sef | melt
the old man down, will you gin ing"
"sOh,' says she, you so vair strong at the
vat you cal coar, l shall not know how to say
you leetel no?"
$50, havin' fixed it all with her smooth as
full freight and a June rise, drew up along
chIE.ey for fresh draw of his pipe. Old
Fecllo had been mountain trader, was strong
timbered, not much the worse for wear, and
looked wicked as a tree'd bear. fred up and
generated an inch or two more steam, and then
blew off at him. That's an onconscionabie
slick gal Of your'n, Monsieur says |, to begin
with; and it did tickle his fancy to have her
cracked up, cause he thought her creations
finish in = 7
'Oui, Sair,' says old Fecho, she vair fine little
gal, von angel yizout de wing; she is, sair mine
only Won flle.'
"'Well, she is scrouger,' answered |; "a
perfect high pressure, and no disputed
"'Vat you mean by him, eh vot you call
vat is he, sar my leetle gal no
vot you call Won s-c-r-r-r-ouge, sar' and here
old Fecho went off into mad fit, jest as efTd
safety vaive,' but he would blow off his WRATH
rage, he swore he would take the little gal off
home; and I'm blessed ef he didn't. As soon
as eyed the old fellar startin' got in his
wake and followed him, determined to find
out whar he located; and arter an eternal long
wiDdiD' through one street after another,
down he dived into French Hollow Just as
he wur about to enter house bulls agin the
side of the hill, the old feller heard nv foot
steps, and turnin' round in the darkness he
H
".Ah ha! Won sneak Yankee doodle, vot call
my leetle gal von s-c-r-r-ouge, shall cut you
Ill up into von ieetie piece yidout von whole
aYou know, boys, amt easy skeer'd, but |
,wn that old felIar did kind make me skerry;
hey told such stories about the way he used
o skin Ingins, that Igin to think twas about
,est to let him have both sides of the channel !
f he wanted it, so didn't dar to see Marie fur
j long spell. One day felt strong hanker- 7
n, and jest stroled along the holler to get a |
Glimpse on her, and, sure enough, thar she wur
ieanin' out the winder, smisin' like the morn
n sun on sleeping bayou. ! sidled up to I
he house and asked her i'll darr cum and sit
p with her that evenin.' told her was lust I
ritterin' away all to nothin' thinkin' on her,
nd a small mite ofcourtin' would spur me up
mazin'; and then gin her such look, that
he auttered into consent as easy as mockin'
ird whistles.
asOh, oui, you shall come some time dis.
ight, when mon pere is gone to de cabaret;
ut you must be vair quiet as Won leetle rat,
It dey call dc mouse, and 60 way before he
ines back to the maison.' 49,. /
SIN course promised to do just as she said.
kissed her hand, and said aur raroir, as the
rench say for good bye, and then padded off
wait for night. Ifelt wuss than oneasy un-
The time arriy. and when it did git round
n ID crawl all eyer--1 swar was leetle
eered Howseser, it warn't manly to back
lttUow wien the gal was expectin' me, SO / !;
AIRED forfhe Hollow. think darker night
is never mixed up and spsesd upon this
arth--ynu remember. Bill, the night YOU
eered the Eagle square into the bank at Mill i
MS bend well, il were jest a mite darker {
All that! A muddy run winds along thro' {
Q rayine whar the f,0nse stands, and wur
near aoppinf into it several times. j t
piece ofcandle 10 the window lighted me to Fl
bar the gal was waitin,' and when tapped at