The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-08-29


examples. The good Father was endowed with
that perfection of grace and manner, that pen
sonal address so peculiar to the Catholic clergy,
and he enjoyed the heartfelt satisfaction of
bringing many of the women and children,
and even some of the men, 80 the holy waters
of baptism.
Sour Josephine, too, was commencing to ac-
natives. The children would assemble night
and morning around her for instruction; al
ready they We're beginning to understandable
first principles of our holy religion and some
few words of the French tongue; but she was
not Mt fault when language failed her, for the
beautiful symbolism of the Church scarcely
needs words to impart its soothing influence to
the human heart 1t is common to all ages
and all chimes, and may be read in any lan-
guage.
The fort was distant about three miles from
the slight eminence the banks of the Mis-
sissipp, where the cross had been erected.
Frequently, towards the close of a long summer
day, when the calm waters of the river were
rejecting the changing beauty of the clouds
above, and the whole of this vast domain of
nature lay in deep repose, the good priest and
the Sister might have been seen vending their
way towards the little nook which had now
assumed in the infant colony the title of eco
teau dc la Croix," or % Hill of the Cross"
The good priest generally carried some inn
plements of agriculture, and Sour Josephine's
hands were filed With rare flowers and beau
tiful creeping vines for which she had searched
the depths of the American forest So great
had been the care of the two in enltivating and
blowers s,feady 5Ioomed here, md 5i.S sffss
planted at the base of the cross extended their
plant tcndrils, as ii claspiDg it in loving
brace. t
AS the church was not yet completed, the
good Father was accustomed to assemble his
dusky audience and celebrate the divine mys-
teries here. The spot had grown dear to all,
and it was most attractive to the imagination
to look up to the lofty branches of the majestic
trees obscured by the deep veil of shadow. and
dream that You knelt under the dim arches of
some vast Cathedral. a-.~ .s. -.
CHAPTER MI.
Que evening, Sour Josephine was -busily
engaged with her needle, aud many of the
young Indian girls around her, each ono en-
gagged with some of those little arts which
make up the occupation of the women in all
countries. Some We're weaving mats, others
plating their brilliant baskets of cane, aud
others were featheriug ca pointing the arrows
OF their brothers or ioyers. Presently two OF
tily approaching. They wished to see the
| Chevalier de Tonty immediately, TO inform him
that four of the young Indians, accompanied
! by one OF the Frenchmen, had been out at some
distance iii the woods, on Il hunting expedition,
| and that they had seen and recognized some
| Indians from n wariiSo tribe in the far West,
| w no were their greatest enemies. The small
I party had secreted themselves among the thick
| reeds of a swamp, and had thus escaped un-
| seem They had just arrived at the village
| " it'll the alarming Intelligence. They described
! the most feTocious among those who inhabii
| those vast prairies. They were said to worship
the sun, and in their iendish rites they paid
| idolatrOus homage to the god of fire. When
questioned by De Tonty as to their numbers
they said to be as numerous as the pigeons
| in the woods, or the stars in the heavens. They
proceeded to give account of disastrous
| Invasion from these formidable savages about
! five wintcrs previous, when their plantations
of maize had been entirely destroyed, and
many of their women and children had been
| hnfa hnra mr. tnx iris Ars I'M
/ preston had this former massacre made or
their fears that they were now almost wrought
| to desperation. They assured De Tonty that
| the sagaeity and cunning of these men was moi
to be matched, and that the only way to secure
| their safety was to lay waste with fire con
| Siderable space around them, that they
might be aware of the stealthy approaches Of
the enemy, who, under cover of the long gras:
and underwood, and the gigantic shield of the
! oak and cypress, were able to advance upper
ceiyed, and rise up at their very doors. DE
sent out scouts with two of the most exPe
rienced chiefs and guide. These returned
after an absence of three days. and reported
| that they had seen nothing.
The extensive clearing was Immediately cum
| menced, and as both the French and Indiani
labored for their mutual safety, q great deal
| was accomplished in a short time
Three months had now elapsed; 10 was late
in the fall thehttle colony was at the height
of its prosperity, and nothing more had been
| seen or heard of their enemies from the West
1t was generally supposed by the Indians thai
they had been proving about, intending an
other invasion; but having ascertained tbs
close proximity of the whites, they had beer
deferred by the fear of the firearms.
! This little incident had q beneficial influence
| on the Indians. 1t knit more closely the bonds
of friendship which always existed batween
them and the French. And indeed it was most
beautiful to witness the daily intercourse be
| tween those two little hamlets. They lay side
by side in the depths of the vast forest, so neal
together that the ailvery laughter of the maid
| eu and the joyous prattle of the child might
have been heard echOing from ono to the other
morning, groups from both settlements might
| have been seen making their way towards The
Hill of the Cross" where they all knelt il