New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-04-25


80 Jean-sh Poquelin! O Jean-ab! Jea1
ah POquelin!'
1t Was not necessary to utter more tina
that. No hint of wickedness, defOrmity, {
any physical or moral demerit; merely til
name, and the tone of mockery: 80 Jeal
ali PoIuelin'" and while they tumbled on
over another in their needless haete to fl!
he would rise carefully from his seat, Will
the aged mute, with dOwncast face, went O
rowing, and rolling up his brown fist an
extending it toward the urchine, would pOu
forth such an unholy broadside OF Frenc
lmprecation and invective as would all bu
craze them with delight.
Among both blacks and whites the hous
was the object of a thousand superstition
Every midnight, they affirmed, the fen foil,
came out of the marsh and ran in and GU
u the rooms, flashing from window to wiz
dow. The story of some lads, whose wOr'
IN ordinary statements was worthless, va
generally credited, that the night the
camped in the woods, rather than pass tn
place after dark, they saw, about sunset
every window bloOd-red, and on each of tn
four chimneys an owl sitting, which turne'
his head three times round and moane.
and laughed with human voice. Their
was bottomlees well, every body professet
to know. beneath the sill Of the big from
door under the rotten veranda; whoever Sc
his foot upon that threshold disappeared
forever in the depth below. What wonder
the marsh grew as wild as Africa! TAX.
all the FaubOurg st. Marie and half thu
ancient city, you would not find one grace
less daredevil reckless enough 10 pass
within a hundred yards Of the house aftel
nightfall.
The alien races pouring into old New Or
leans began to find the few streets named
for the Bourbon princes too straight for them
The wheel of fortune, beginning to whir
threw them of beyond the ancient corpora
ton lines, and sOwed civilization and even
trade upon the lands of the Graviers and
| Girods. Fields became roads, roads streets.
Everywhere the leveler was peering through
| his glass, rodsmen were whacking their way
through willow brakes and rose hedges, and
the sweating Irishmen tossed the blue clay
up with their long handled shovels.
"Ha! that is all very WE'LL" qu0thed the
Jean Baptistes, ''but walt till they come
yonder to Jean POguelin's marsh; ha! ha!
hal" The supposed predicament SO de-
lighted them, that they put on a mock ter
rOr and whirled about in an assumed STAN
pede, then caught their clasped hands
laughted till the tears ran; for whether the
street makers mired in the marsh, or con-
trived to cut through old "Jean-ah's" prop
erty, either event would be joyful. Mean
time line of tiny rods, with bits of white
paper in their split tops, gradually extend.
ed it's way straight through the haunted
ground, and crossed the canal diagonally.
"We shall fill that ditch" said the men
in mud boots, and brushed close along the
chained and padlOcked gate of the haunted
mansion. "Ah. Jean ah Poguelin, these are
not Creole boys"
He went to the Governor. That official
scanned the odd figure with no slight inter-
est. He was of short, broad frame, with q
bronzed, leOnine face. His brow was ample
and deeply furrOwed. His eyes, large and
black, was bold and Op ned like that of
warhorse, and his laws shut together with
the firmness Of iron. He was dressed in q
suit of Attakapas cottonade, and his shirt
unbuttoned and thrown back from the
throat and bosom, sailor wise, showed
herculean breast, hard and grizzled. There
was no terceness or defiance in his look,
no harsh ungentleness, no symptom of his
unlawful lite or violent temper; but rather
peaceful and peaceable fearlessness
Across the whole face, not marked in one
or another feature, but as it were laid softly
upon the cOuntenance like an almost i'm
perceptible veil was the imprint of some
great grief. A careless eye might easily |
overlook it. but, once seen, there it hung;
faint, but unmistakable.
The Governor bowed.
''Parle-- rouS Francais'' asked the figure.
II ould rather talk English, if YOU can
do 3d." said the Governor
my name, Jean Poquelin."
"How can serve you Mr.. Poquelin!y
'My 'ouse is yond'; dans lie marais Ia bds.-
The Governor bowed.
Dat marias billong to me'
Ives, SIR"
ITO me: Jean Poqueln; I hown i'm
meself"
"WeII, si.?"
"He don't billong to you; get him from
me- father"
That is perfectly true, Mr.. Poquelin, as
ar as l am aware"
You want to make street pass yondY"
81 do not know, sir; it is quite probable;
mt the city will indemnify you for any loss
IOu may suffer-you will get paid, you I'm.
lerstand."
"Strit can't pass dare"
"You will have to see the municipal au-
horities about that, Mr.. Poquelin"
bitter smile came upon the old mans
ace:
Pardon, Monsieur. you is not lie Gou-
crneur?"
"Yes."
"Mais. yes. You har lc Gourerncm-yes
Teh-well. leone to you. l tell you, strit
ant pass at me 'Ouse."
But you will have to see"
~ come to you. You Is le Gourerncur.
know not the new laws. l ham q
rr-rench-a man FIR rench a-man have
dUer az CONFERENCE.-The come at |
is G0urefneur. l come at you. Ii me not
ad been bought from me king like rassals
the hold time, ze king gof-France
'Ould-a-shOw Monsieur lie G0urcrneur to
AXE care his men TO make stIit in right
laces. Nais. | know; we billong to MOI.
eur lie President. l want you do somesin
n me, ehg'
What is ita' asked the patient Gov
rnor.
II want you tell Monsieur lie President.
jrit--can't-pass-at-m
"Have chair, Mr.. Poquelin;" but the
ID man did not stir. The Governor took
uill and wrote line to a city official, in
Mr.. Poquelin, and asking for him
very possible courtesy. He handed it to G
MIR. POquelin," he said, with q concilia {
Try smile, tell me, is it your house that i
II Creole citizens tell such odd stories 7
,outr
The old man glared sternly upon the q
'eaker, ard with immOvable features I
id: e
You don't see me trade some Guinea
gga'p \
'Oh, no."
Aou u'h e'o AAC "dAc eOuo SluuPRlI0 |
Mo. sir; not at ALL" q
but, am Jean Marie Poguelin mine
e own b'zniss. Dat all right! Adieu"
He put his hat on and withdrew. BY and
: he stood, letter in hand, before the per- Z
d to whom it was addressed. This person r
lpluyed an interpreter.
''He says" said the interpreter to the p
icer, ''he come to make YOU the fair warn. h
!, how you muz not make the street pas G
his 'ouse." fl
The officer remarked that "such impu- l
nee Was refreshing;' but the experienced d
terpreter ira slated freely | n