The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1890-06-25
OFF WINDMILL ISLAND.

martial music floating down from Chest
mt 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 tho open fields west Of
the Pine Street Presbyterian church,
was settlement in which but little
heed was being paid to the uproar. Tho
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 oe their ever to DO remembered
land far in tho 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 small
number could speak tho 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 ut 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.
ever, and the French blood in their veins
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 II 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 few minutes
in prayer, or rather in silence, for her
feelings were too tumultuous to be
claimed, again sought the open air.
Third street was deserted, but square
below the pavements were crowded.
News had como of battle, and the
pulse of the people was ut 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
notice her. A soldier released from his
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 a long campaign.
All this the girl noticed by the dim
light of the lamp fixed on the Matchbox
near by. The stranger was evidently in
search of some one, as he constantly
peered around him as he moved forward,
but as he saw Louise all doubt vanished. !
Walking directly up to the maiden, he
babe her good evening, calling her by
her first name. The girls countenance
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 ejacu-
lated in French:
"You here, Jacques2 We thought you
had decided to stay in Opelousas. And
why in this uniformsr
The soldier replied with light laugh:
st is hard to get rid of bad penny, you
know. | found the surroundings of our
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 to carry a message
from your lover"
Although smile accompanied his
words, the expression OF Jacques eyes
was far from pleasant, but this Louise
did not notice. She grasped his arm in ]
terror.
"A message from WillieI What do you
mean? Is lie wounded"
mo, no, girl" the man replied almost
roughly, stbut the fact Is he was instruct-
cd to remain with his company. Hedoes
not wish to miss the chance Of seeing your
pretty face, however, and 50 he asked me
to meet and accompany you to place
near his post, where he can steal out Tor
a few minutes and greet you. His COM
mand is stationed at the old barracks on
Front street, and, If you are willing TO 90
along, i viii take you up and back in Q
boat living baIoxv the dorIx which i en-