The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-07-12

Nr6 ONAnl VI ANoNo anu lll0 ElAttAN MNIt
embowered in verdure, but sounds Of
martial music floating down from Chest
nut street brought home to every heart
the chilling remembrance that war was
raging in the country and that the issue
was as yet in the balance. PARKWAY from
the din, out in the open fields west Of
the Pine Street Presbyterian church.
was a settlement in which but little
heed was being paid to the uproar. The
colony existing in the tiny cabins hud-
died together had nothing in common
with the Continental armies except a
deep, unrelenting hatred Of the English
This evening the strangers gathered in
little knots and conversed in quiet, un-
familiar accents. the men smoking their
long pipes and the women knitting
in a slow, measured fashion In a
French patois they told the children
stories of their ever to be remembered
land far in the north, the villages and
farms, and the cruelty of the British in
wrestling from them their beloved Acadia.
turning them adrift in a strange coun.
try separated from their kindred and
every home tie After all the years
which had elapsed since their coming to
the City of Penn, the Acadians were
simply sojourners, not citizens. Few of
them had any acquaintance with the
inhabitants of the city, and but a small
number could speak the English Ian
guage. The industrious Quakers did
not take kindly to the indolent habits of
the refugees, hence it is not to be won
dered at that the Acadians had no inter
course with their neighbors, and strenu-
ously sought to deter their children from
making connections outside of their own
people
The young are apt to be perverse, how
was too volatile to be easily controlled.
In one Of the cabins had maiden gone
to and fro through the long hours of the
day now drawing to close busted with
the house work, but with heart beating
high, for she had heard that the troops
were expected to arrive in the city dur
ing the day, and thoughts of her brave
Willie, with his blue and buff uniform
and three cornered hat, had driven all
other subjects from her mind. Little her
parents guessed of her secret and, al
though they noticed her preoccupied
manner, they did not attribute it to the
proper cause.
Now that dusk had come she impa-
tiently awaited the time when they
should take their usual stroll to neighbor
Minot's doorstep for the accustomed
chat. When at length the old folks were
safely away she tied light shawl over
her head and sped along the path to Pine
street, then down that thoroughfare to
Third street, carefully avoiding the open
door of st. Peters, through which
streamed flood Of light. In Third
street she reduced her pace, and slowly
walking under the trees she finally
reached st. Joseph's church, looming up
in the fast gathering darkness beside the
humble dwellings of the Quaker poor.
She knew she had started too early to
meet her lover, so she entered the sacred
edifice, and after spending a few minu' es
in prayer, or rather in silence for her
feelings were too tumultuous to be
Gained, again sought the open air.
Third street was deserted, but a square
below the pavements were crowded.
News had come of battle, and the
pulse of the people was at fever heat.
Louise cared not for the news of the
war so long as her lover was safe, and
now she waited anxiously at the trysting
place. One or two persons hurried past,
too eager to hear the latest tidings to
,,afsna hav. A a,IIs... l.
duties came down the street anxious to
get home again. She drew back in the
shadow. Soon she heard the step Of a
vigorous man, and peering through the
twilight saw the glitter of another uni
form. The man came closer, and she
perceived he was young and stalwart
with bold, masculine face. which,
though in measure attractive, had
stamped upon it traces of sensualism
and rough living, such as is noticeable
in the countenances of soldiers who have
been ON long campaign.
All this the girl noticed by the dim
light of the lamp fixed ON the watchboS
near by The stranger was evidently in
search of some one, as he constantly
peered around him as he moved forward
but ss he saw Louise all doubt vanished
Walking directly up to the maiden, he
bade her good evening, calling her by
her first name. The girls countenanct
expressed at once annoyance and sur
prise. The cause of the first is easily
imagined, but the manifestation of sur
prise was only explained when she eiacu
lated in French;
"You here, Jacques? We thought yoU
had decided to stay in Opelousas. And
why in this uniform
The soldier replied with light laugh
1T is hard TO get rid of bad penny, yor
know. found the surroundings of oui
friends in the south not suited to my
taste, and, having a chance to enter the
army, did so. But came on an errand
tonight, and that is 10 carry a message
from your lover.
Although smile accompanied hii
words, the expression Of Jacques eyei
was far from pleasant, but this Louis,
did not notice. She grasped his arm in
terror.
"a message from Williel What do yol
msan2 Is he woundedY"
"No, no, girl, the man replied almost
roughly, "but the fact is he was instruct
cd to remain with his company. He does
not wish 10 miss the chance of seeing your
pretty face, however, and so he asked me
to meet and accompany you 10 IA lace
near his post, where he can steal out for
a few minutes and greet you. His com
mand Is stationed at the old barracks on
Front street and if you are willing TO go
along, win take you up and back in a
boat lying below the dock, which l en-
gagged on my way
The maiden was greatly perturbed.
Without any sense of fear she would
have readily gone alone 70 the encauiu-