River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1872-10-11
Darnell came to me again to serve as

Darnell came to me again to serve as
interpreter.
GO Something must be done with the
children, he said Squire brow adj
vises that they be sent on to New York,
but that's just sending them to the
devil. It'll go hard, if we can't send
for them here in 'Hobath Bay. NY
wife means to keep the girl, and there's
half dozen have offered to take Louis. }
when we reached the house, we
called Louis. He was not boy whom
you could shove off into til rang of
lads in the village. Eos all Ills quiet
and childishness, he somehow made his
mark on you, stood off from the rest
with a sort of separate identity, per-
sonal presence, which amounted to
magnetism. Yet, withal, he was SIM
pie little fellow, not quick-witted,
either. We thought it right to tell him
what the arrangements were.
"'Mrs. Darnell has been like q
mother to your sister 2 I said. He nod
ded, with a look which showed he was
not ungrateful. 'She means to keep
her, and rear her own, Il continued.
GO Pardon, monsieur, but 1 have only
waited until Francois is strong, and I
will take her to our own home
"'But my dear boy said I, 'you
have no home. Re ally, now, you are
but boy,'-arguin g with myself, for
something made me feel that he was
more Of man than Darnell. you
must let us plan for you for few years.
Leave your sister here she'll be in
kind hands, and I'll give you a place
on my vessel. I'll watch over you as
if you were my own son ) for my heart
warmed strangely to the poor boy, left
to face the world without a rag he
could call his own. 'Come, learn the
trade of sailor with me, Louis
Louis laughed. But 1 am wood.
carver
"' Now, Captain Darnell said, it's
only fair to put all his chances before
the boy. Calder, the carpenter, wants
to take him as prentice. He's kind
man, Calder, and carpentering is sure
road to good living hereabouts. But
my own advice is that he turns into
seines and rods, and makes a fisherman
of himself. The seas the only meadow
where the crops never fail
The lads eyes sparkled, as I inter-
preted this to him. They are all so
good, crossing his arms over his
breast. But you see, monsieur, am
wood.carver. canuot be carpen-
ter, or plough that big water-feld.' -
laughing,-' for I am wood-carver.
There is vacant hut on the sands,
where shall live with Franchise
81 was perplexed. 1T is impossible,
at your age, that you can have learned
the trade of wood-carving =
go No, -coloring. But the men
of my family, they have the mind in
the fingers you understand One
paints. one is draughtsman, one is
sculptor. I am child, but 1 can carve
in wood. That is all. When I come
to try myself, knocking on his fore
head, - l find no talent but the one.
l carve in wood. VOLTA tout =
"' But nobody wants to buy wood
carving here. You will starve,' per-
sisted.
Louis shrugged his shoulders
500 But 1 am wood-carver, moi 2
"' As for your sister, she must re-
main with Mrs. Darnell. What can you
do with her p
'Themen of my house have always
supported the women, proudly. Fran
cOise shall not live on aims
"Darnell and were both out of all
patience with the lad. But though he
was affectionate and gentle and ready
to take advice on all subjects but the
one, on that he was obstinate and pig
headed belief. 1t seemed impossible
for him to comprehend how he could
do otherwise than work at the one thing
he could do best, and carry out the
peculiar traits of his family.
swell, to cut the story short, the
matter was still in dispute when I left
the bay. When 1 returned, year
after, l found the two children actually
living IN the hut, and living comforta
bly,. Louis had persisted in his wood
carving, which some of the fishermen
took in trade at first for fish and vege
tables, and at last one of the hucksters
carried some of his work to New York,
md succeeded so well in selling it for
him, that the boy was able to cl0the
himself and his sister, and to make
very snug little home out of the cabin.
snow comes the curious part of my
story.
"The next spring l had, as sHper-
cargo on my vessel, man named Fon-
querel, OF what nationality don't
exactly know; but, at all events,
very shrewd, intelligent fellow, wide
awake to all peculiarities in human ma
ture. One evening, in the cabin, talk
ing of shipwrecks, 1 told him this story
of Louis, just as I've tcll it to you.
He seemed remarkably interested in it.
"What was the boys name, did
you say9'
"'Dessoux. Louis Dessoux.'