The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-08-22
For the Morning Star and Catholic Messougerl
THE HILL OH THE CROSS,
A Legend II ALoulsiana
CHAPTER ]
y g. 3

b
.As IL can never be q matter Rf indifference To
intelligent beings to ~have. some record, some
legend at least, of those who hyed and acted
before them, we viii endeavor Nn this short
narrativc to produce something not wholly UNI
profitable; and for those who hayS relish Tor
the great the beautiful it containS preccpt,
amoral. But we fear TO speak N&eh an uhs
ardor that we feel of the deeds of daring and
F. devotion enReblihg our native taurS -ttftccr
we almost fear to open the pages ofNhistory
lest the glowing descriptions given by the hrst
adventures of the beauty and fertility\ot the
soil might awaken the curiosity and cnpidity
of new invaders .. .
Poor, down-trodden Louisiana! Dear Wand
of the birth of so many braves, your soil Mas
1,nen the scene of many n thrilling incldeht;
the glitter and pomp of many martial eNhe-
dition has enlivened in past days your prlmS-
val forests. y
II does not enter into our plan to go into ain
the historical details relating to the period OF
our story, We will only touch upon the most
prominent characters and the most startling
facts It w6uld he almost Impossible TO con-
fine ourselves to history, for III overlooking the
first memoirs of IouisTann, we frequently nave
no other test of their authenticity than theJr
own intrinsic evidence OF talslty OF truth
And this test cannot always be relied on.
trite historian declaiIp, tradition ornamented
by fiction has always been large lhSreoiGhI
in the composition of all histories. Still a
great many purely historical facts can DE
Rroupht to bear on the first distinguished
characters who figured on this great natural
theatre. 80 p 81 = :. -. ~,
Iabprs their fatigncs. their holy missions
their self-sacrifice, we pass and repass Without
emotion, perhaps even without thought, oVei
the very places wateTed by the tears, nay
even the blood OF some holS plle't SONIC I2a'E'
cheValier.
II was about the year 1850 when the whole
of civilized Europe was intent on the dlscev
cries in the New World--Yhen men OF grca
and noble minds, the highest abilities, and th
greatest self-devotiOn, were sacrlhc!pg them
o. selves daily, urged on by their zeal for annex
ing new territories to their mother countries
or bringing sonis rnnsomed ~ tne pioo1 ot On
Many hurried on, led by the bold spirit OF ad
venture, laying aside all the luSurles ana CON
forts of civilized life, which long habit an
use seemed to have rendered Indispensable,
Among the many illustrious and distiu
Tuished characters who proceeded Ghlthef wer
=. the Chevalier Henry de Tonty and his sistc
the gentle Josephine Ihe courage ana nc
dress of the iron handed De Tonty, (haVtng los
n hand, he supplied it by an artificial one mad
of iron,) have hardly obtained partial JustC
from the historian and the piety, dcNotio
and heroisntf of "SGur Josephine" rs almo
lost in oblivion. Her deeds Oflove and chart
were performed with few to observe them an
fewer to record but she toiled not Tor IL
praise of man--she looked to heaven, and he
ven gave its own reward.
CHATTER H.
The Chateau De --, the residence OF Il
venerable mother of Henry do Tonty, wo
again its look of dignifed hospitality. III
heavy lamps swung again, diftnslng hg
through the dim corridors The doors we
no longer closed, the fires burned brightly
the deem embrasures which served for Gimme
in the mansions of those days. The old butl
had assumed with his newly braided livery I
former look of extreme care dor the GNa
ordering of everything within and Wltho
the spacions DRAWN g-roomB. The young m;
ster had returned, after an absence OF eng
years in the French service, and he hlmS
would now have an opportunity OF brig