The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1876-05-25
A FRIEND INDEED.

| think I must begin my story by tell
ing my readers the meaning of the word
"roder." It would be incomprehensi-
BILE to any one outside the grazing dis
tricts Of Louisiana, for it is Creole
noun, formed from the French verb,
ssroder'' Ito roam). A roder means
gathering of cattle at certain seasons of
the year, in the great prairies Of Calca-
sieu, st. Landry, and other pastoral dis
tricts Of Louisiana. Every spring and
fall the owners of immense herds col
lecttheircattle in s'corrals" (cowfpens),
brand the calves, separate from the rest
those intended for the New Orleans
market, and drive back the balance to
the grassy, fowery paradise of those
gulf-bordered prairies, which remain
green even in the depth of winter.
The owners of these herds do not
generally live attheir "vacheries" (cow
farms). They are usually men of
wealth, who employ stvachers" (cow
drivers) to attend to their stock, paying
them SO many calves for every hundred
they brand; and thus, in time, the
yachers become proprietors themselves.
The vachers are alight-hearted, cheer
falrace of beings, knowing nothing Of
the outside world. They frequently re-
main for several generations in the en-
ploy Of one family. Their little cot
tages, scattered at intervals over the
vast prairies, are the abodes of thrift,
and simple enjoyments. The men,
save in their peculiar vocation (cattle
herding), are not models of industry
but the women are untiring workers,
and the product of their loom-the fam
ous Attakapas cottonade-always
brings the highest market price.
These people are descendants of the
Acadiens, preserve many of their old
customs and superstitions, and if theil
speech is no longer the incomprehensi
bic patois peculiar to those people, vel
It's French is full Of idioms which show
plainly the root whence they sprung.
9 For riding and dancing these vachers
have not their equals in any country in
the world. The roder may continue a
whole week. There is hard riding eve
y day Of that week, from day-dawn to
dusk, and harder dancing, sometimes
all night, at the house OF the principal
yacher, where the great corral for the
year may be placed. The women from
all quarters flock to the spot, and the
boiling, baking. stewing, frying, for the
great supper, which winds up every
days work, is something which must
be seen to be understood.
Among all the vachers, men and boys,
who were engaged in the fall roder OF
lS1L, on the "Grande Prairie,' there
was one specially noticeable for his
skull and daring. Louis Yves was a
bright, intelligent lad of 1907 10, hand
some, 1.-THE and graceful, as the vachers
usually are. He was an orphan-a
dreary thing in other countries; but
what does orphanhoed mean among
mat kindly, primitive peoplep It sim
Ply means that the one thus bereaved
y, by right Divine, to have the warmest
corner at any hearth in the community,
and the gentlest treatment from every
member OF the household where he may
moose to take up his abode. If he is
ceiormed, siekly, or even an idiot, who
csa never be useful, the obligation is
considered, still more binding. But
Lcals responded with all kind Of help
" acts to the care and tenderness Law
nned upon his childhood. iss
ns iavorite home, however, was with
srre Laclede, &vachef of Mons. Sou
Ose. Laclede lived ten miles from his
VITA (cow pen) on Grande Prairie, in
pine forest on the bank of Clear
week 1t was a beautiful stream of
saa,ng water, which, making an abb
w. oend, flowed back Of Laclede's lit
y Iarm, as well as front. In fact, the
49,. e vas on an island, connected by a
forest. ~ "''A '''0 '''l'
tae lamay consisted OF Laclede, his