The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-04-19


here is terrible. Think Of it, mademoiselle, we
have no tbeater. no music, no society. and no
domestic HE. To find LADY here is Ike the MI.
raculous advent Of an angel" Mary blushed, and
had DO courage TO make the sprlghtly answers
she had made the cOmmandsnt. The fine air and
grand compliments of the cspitaiDe overcame the
little thing bat she looked distrsctIngly pretty as
she sat opposite 10 him. smiling and blushlng wnen
he addressed her. and only saying, "Oui, Mon
sieur," or Non, Monsieur" or at most, "Nrai-
Docs msdemoisene ride ?" asked the gallant
captaine.
"Oul monsieur
"Tben msdemoiselle shall ride my little barb;
there is hardly such horse anywhere, msdemoi-
selle. so docile. so sweet-tempered, and so sure.
footed. II is not every lady would trust with
my little horse, but know how an Englishwomsn
can sit in the saddle and am proud TO offer it to
pademoiselle.n
ale vous remerce bien, monsieur"
Then the capitaine talked Of Christmas day
1--WE will have a little fete champetre in made
moiselles honor" he said; I'VE will go to the
great WATERFALL of BOiSel Kebir, and breakfast
there. ] will invite my cOmmandant and all the
officers OF the garrison. Monsieur can make
sketch, end mademosee cal gather flowers"
We expressed ourselves delighted at the pro-
posal, and after promising to send Mary osriches'
eggs AID jackals' skins to take to England, the
captaiIe left US.
. / don't like the capitaine as well as the COM
mandsnt" Mary said; but how kind they all
are 10 us 1t is as if we were princes on journey
OF triumph. Tom, what days to remember are
these -
al think your head will be fairly turned, what
with the commandsnt's dinners and the ca
laine's fetes champetres," said, " and i. =
lieutenant -"
Monsieur lie Lieutenant" announced Do
niqIe, opening the door calmly, as If nothing wa
the matter.
We had been twice so shocked and surprised
lat We had no more embarrassment to expend on
the lieutenant Indeed. he was rather shy him.
self which was the very thing 20 reassure a warm
hearted sympathetic little creature like my sister;
and they began TO talk together without any
effort. he was young and handsome, with very
frank, pleasant expression.
~ am afraid that it is useless for me to offer
my poor services be said very modestly, my
superior officers having forstalled me, but il will
make me very happy to do anything for you. If
macemoiselle would like any stuffed birds or dried
flowers and plsnts, it will give me pleasure TO pro-
cure them for her, and perhaps monsieur would
ike me 10 show him some wonderful things 20
paint. | draw little myself and know where
the finest points OF view are to be found"
We thanked him heartily, and accepted all that
be offered us. As il was now time for our second
breakfast, or. more properly speaking. lunch, we
pressed him TO psrtske of it with US. which he did.
We should not have ventuTed upon inviting the
cOmmsndant, much less the captane, so uncere.
moniOusly, but the ieutenanps diffident manner
had let US quite at our ease.
"but if monsieur and msdemoiselie will visit me,
vii 90 the bonors Of it with pride and pleasure.
/ - n at least offer them llstle music"
" Yes, know that you play" Mary said smil-
ing; "Our rooms JOIN, and heard you playing
before went 10 sleep last night"
20, msdemoiselle. 1 shall never forgive myself
if ] disturbed your
mo. indeed you did not, monsieur. Much as
like the music, was too tired to listen to 1t, and
went to sleep all the same"
Then they both laughed gleefully like children,
and the lieutenant promised to play to her and
send her to sleep every night. After breakfast,
be accompanied US on a tour OF inspection. We
soon saw all that there was TO see OF Ieschoun,
namely, little line Of bazaars kept by Jews and
negroes little boulevard of years growth,
two imposDg-lOoking gates, one looking towards
Morocco, one towards the Sahara, straggli
camp, and a wall of decentralization. There
WeIe gardens in embryo here and there,
but no trees Of any size. and not till you
had rot fairly away from Teschoun, could you
perceive that It's aspect was striking or I'M
posiI G. Then, looking back from the craggy
nights that surrounded il, the white line of the
camp and the belt of verdnre eneircling it like a
ribbon, struck the eye pleasant contrast to
the warm, yellow atmosphere of the earth and
sky. The warmth and the yenowuess we're de-
hcIous. fresh, sweet breeze blew across our
faces from the desert. We sat down and drew it
in with long, devouring breaths.
hundred yards behind US, his bright brown
body sharply outlined against the pale, amber
colored shy, stood little Bedouin, smiling down
upon us.
IL was perfect personi6catioq of eastern life,
and ! made a sketch whilst the lieutenant told
Mary of his hard campaign southwark and his
joy at catching the first glimpse of TeschOun
from the distance. When we returned home we
found that the commandments servant had left
a bunch Of roses for Mary, with his master 8
compliments, that the capitaine's servant had
been sent round with bis masters horse for her
10 Try, and that the general bad sent word by
h. cd H. hot ba do fuRaal fba
pleasure OF calling upon us that evening. Mary
and felt utterly overwhelmed by such goodness
and condescension. A real starred, laced general
was about to call on us. We could hardly
believe that we were our identical insignia
cant selves, who, but for you, most sweet and
honOred paironess-would have sunk under the
burden of toll imposed upon us. But how all was
changed The poor unknown artist was treated
a. II he had been Sir Peter Paul Reubens; the
humble little school teacher was feJed and fat
tered like the wife of cOnquering commander
in-chief.
We had invited the young lieutenant to drink
tea with us at eight O'Clock, and were enjoying
little music after a very sociable reunion, when
noisy excitement seemed TO shake the house like
the shock of an earthquake, and Monsieur le Gene.
Ial was announced Dominique's most impressive
manner.
NJ lie General was by no means an awful
looking person, and indeed we had so largely
expended our surprises already, that we had
more at command He was an excessively
s out, merry person, middle aged, Of
a beautiful complexion, and a capacity to
wink tnat would have vulgarized any one else but
a general. He made himself very pleasant
accepted cup of tea. praised Mary's French,
ssd that he intended to dine with rs at the COM
mandant's to morrow, aud told us some laughAble
stories about the Arabs. l noticed that the
lieutenant seemed quite Overawed by the pres.
ence of the general, and sat, flute in hand, like
statue. Mary tried to put him at his ease, but to
no purpose. II did not mend matters when the
general began first to twit HIM about his musical
accomplishments, and then to catechse him on
military matters.
lyon were in that affair of 80. in Kabylia,
weren't your" he asked in that quick, positive
military tone, to which we with difficulty get ac-
customed.
"0ui, mon general."
cit was badly managed thing. believe. The
Kabyles got the better of you more than once,
didn't they?"
+" believe so, mon general"
" Bah ~ cried the general turning 70 me.
I" You see what these young officers know Of their
trade; have no doubt that monster lie lieutenants
musical education is much more advanced, and to
sereuade msdemoiselle suits him much better than
TO make war against the enemies of his country"