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

ers lag behind and turn back, suddenly re
Numbering how near morning it is. Blu
the most part push on, tearing the air will
their clamOr.
Down ahead of them in the long, thicket
darkened way there is-singularly enough
| faint, dancing light. 1t must be very nea
the old house; it is. 1t has stopped now.
| is q lantern, and is under a we'll known sap
ling which has grown up on the waysid'
since the canal was filled. Now it swing
myateriously to and fro. A goodly number
of the more ghost-fearing give up the sport
| but a full hundred move forward at run
doubling their deviiish bowling and bang
| ing
Yes; it is q lantern, and there are two
| persons under the tree. The crowd draws
| near-drOps into a walk; one of the two il
| the old African mute; he lifts the lantern w
so that it shines ON the other; the crowd re.
coils; there is hush of all cIangor. and all
at once, with a cry Of mingled fright and
horror from every throat, the whole thrODg
PUSHES back. dropping everything, sweeping
past little White and hnrrying on, never
stopping until the jungle is left behind, and
then to find that not one in ten has seen the
cause OF the stampede, and not one OF the
tenth is certain what it is.
Theirs is one huge fello " among them who
looks capable OF any villainy. He finds
5OMctuIDS " luOuut Ou, duU. III UuO NrtOlo
patois, calls general halt. Bienvenu sinks
down, and, vainly trying to recline grace
fully, resigns the Leadership. The herd
gather round the speaker; he assures them
that they have been outraged. Their right
peaceably to traverse the public streets has
been trampled upon. Shall such encroach-
ments be enduredi 1t ls now day.
break. Let them go now by the open light
OF day and force free passage of the public
highway!
A scattering consent was the response
and the crowd, thinned now and drOwsy,
struggled quietly down toward the old
house. Some pressed ahead, others saun
tered behind, but every one, as he again
reared the tree, came to a stand still. Little
White sat upon bank of turf on the op.
pcsiie side of the way looking very stern
and sad. 10 each new conner he put the
same question:
"Did you come here to go to old Poque-
lin'sl"
"Yes."
"He's dead" And if the shocked bearer
started away he would say: Don't 60
away"
"Why notl'
II want you to go to the funeral pres
emily"
If some Louisianian, too loyal to dear
France or Spain to understand English,
looked bewildered, some ore would interpret |
for him; and presently they went. Little |
White led the van, the crowd trOOping after |
him down the middle of the way. The gate, |
hat bad never been seen before unclaimed, |
was open. Stern little White stopped short |
distance from it; the rabbe stopped behind |
hin. Something was moving out from under |
The veranda. The manv whispers stretched |
Upward to see. The African mute came very |
lowly toward the gate, leading by cord in
he nose a small brown bull, which was har-
lessed to u rude cart. On the flat body of
he cart, under a black cloth, were seen the
outlines of u long box.
"Hats Off gentlemen" said little White,
10 the box came in view, and the crowd
ilently uncovered.
"Gentlmen," said little White, "here
ONE the last remains OF Jean Marie POque-
in, better man. I'm afraid, with all his
ms, than any of you will ever be-"
There was profound hush as the vehicle
anne creaking through the gate; but when
turned away from them toward the forest.
hose in front started suddenly. There was
backward rush, then all stood still again
taring one way; for there, behind the
Ter, with eyes cast down and labored
as left-of little Jacques Poquelin, the
ing hidden brOther-a leper, as white as
low.
Dumb with horror, the cringing crowd
azed upon the walking death. They
atched, in silent awe. the slow cortege
'eep down the long, straight road aud
ssen on the view, until by and by it
opped where wild, unfreNrented path
ranched off into the underground toward
he rear of the ancient city.
''They are going to the Ierre aur lie
cnr," said one in the crowd. The rest {
atched them in silence.
The little bull was set free; the mute {
fled the long box to his shoulder. For a
oment more the mute and the leper stood
sight. while the former adjusted his I
,avy burden; then, without one backward /
ance upon the unkind human world. turn /
e their faces toward the ridge in the | a
'pths of the s~amp known as the LepArs il
and, they stepped into the jungle and dis t
'peared.-Scribner's Monthly. 8