The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1886-11-19
A LOST OPPORTUNITY.


In an out-of-thc-way section Of what
Is known in Louisiana as the Attakapas
country lies the little prairie Of Queue
Tortuc. or Turtles Tail. Its :nhabit-
ants are the descendants Of the original
Acadian settlers, and for over q
century past they have kept almost en-
tirely to themselves. marrying and
intermarrying. so that every resident
there Is related TO every body else in
the prairie. They have a decided
distaste for any thing that tends toward
progress. and the habits and manners
OF their fathers are followed as pieous-
Nv as are the instructions OF their
priest Supplemented. gay and inn
bued with ali the esprit Of their French
ancestors, they are probably n con
tented a people a can be found on
either side Of the Atlantic. Raising
cattle. tilling some cotton and loving
their families. they entertain but little
regard for what - TRANSPORTING IN the
great world beyond the boundaries Of
Queue Tortuc- Their wants are but
few. and with enough coffee. tobacco
and corn. they live contentedly 10 q
ripe old age. Strong in their affections,
family ties are held in reverence. and
a fourth cousin receives As hearty a
welcome At their simple homes as a
brother or near relative. They are,
however. exceedingly shy Of strangers,
and II requires along residence in that
locality TO secure even the faintest APP
proach ~ int. macy with them.
Near the center of the prairie. in a
plain cottage Of four rooms. the Pom
pom family lived in that bucolic sim
plicity which had given such longevity
to their ncestors TO the observer Il
would seem that the same strings Of
red peppers were hanging from the
rafters that were picked in the forsies,
and the same little black coflce-pol
was resting beside the hearth out d
which their ~grandsire. Pierre Alcibiadt
Ponpon. had taken his morning cup
There could be no question about thu
furniture, for all Of IL, save one modern
bedstead. purchased in later times fol
the girls. was Of 50 primitive a type II
was even eloquent OF it, antiquity. A
one end Of the gallery an antiquates
kand-loom told where the family nan
kin cottonade came from. and . col
lection Of empty sardine boxes undel
the house suggested newly &C
quired tastes not entirely in keepin,
with the primitive character Of III,
aforementioned loom. -Four yellow
haired dogs dozed languidly in th'
afternoon sunshine on the bare patel
of earth in front Of the domicile. nov
and then mastering up sufficient cnerg,
20 60 through a sort Of banjo-pickin:
vibratory movement with the left hin'
leg. as they sought 20 remove th'
predatory flea
Beyond, the swells OF the prairi
went rolling away in the distance lik'
great pillows Of green. with here an
there knots Of cattle like bits Of sea
weed afl0at on the surface. Still be-
You'd, sky and grass met where it ap
peared the world ended. Skirtings Q
cypress in some directions told Of me
andering bayous, and once In q Will
thin column Of smoke indicated IN
position Of the nearest houses, som
four or live miles awa Nv.
IL was a bright October Afternoon
and the air was fragrant with the odo
Q the r1pening grasses and flowers 9
the prairie. Great white clouds i
broken outline lay along the horizo
like mountain ranges. the sides .
which were rivcn by gorgcs and car
yons Of shadow. "A crew Of nomadi
white cranes were pluming themsclve
ata water Hole about a quarter Of
mile away, while above. seeking III
shelter Of the far-off sen marsh. wisp
81 bluc-wingcd teal were scudding b
lore the first north winds OF III
autumn. Tied to a china tree near III
fompon dwelling. with dropping hea
and eyes half-cIoscd. stood q sma
Creole pony. as uncanny a lookin
q~uadrupcd As a horseman could We
Imagine. a rough saddle with heav
wooden stirrups. q rawhide bride vii
strong curb bit and Z saddle blank,
made Of moss. were the only orn,
mcnts of the little beast Diminutiv
- was the animal. u was evident frol
the length Of the stirrup straps that h
rider was quite = tall individual
such surmisc would ha,
been at once corroborated BY : CLAN,