Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-11-06

ards. Dropping his paddle in the water
he urged the canoe forward, and Jabe,
conscious of the act by feeling rather
than by sight, added his powerful
stroke. Then came slight shock and
= smothered grunt, splash in the water,
and canoe, bottom up, fioated past and
disappeared. For the next hour the
voyagers piled their paddles silently,
and when the fog lifted they we're far
beyond the reach of their enemies.
CHAPTER ".
MONTREAL
In the year 1856 this fair city of tho
present day was military post around
which had grown up struggling town,
composed of the families of men in the
civil and military service of the French
Government, fur traders and mechanics.
The little city nesting at the foot of
the hill from which it took it's name.
Mount Real, or Kings Mountain, its base
partly encircled by the ST. Lawrence
river, was very gay place.
The esplanade on the river bank was
usually crowded in daytime by gayly-
dressed officers on horseback and on
foot, soldiers of all grades from the
ferce-looking grenadier of the Guard,
with his bear-skin shake and big
mustache, to the poor tiller Of the soil,
compelled to abandon his little farm,
his wife and children, for "glory" and
the honor of serving King Louis; then
there were sailors from the men-of-war,
voyageurs in the employ of the fur
traders, and civilians of all grades in
the social ladder, and all wearing the
mask OF thoughtless merriment or cyn-
ical levity with which the French con-
ceal or disguise volcanic passions, in
tense resolve and sublime devotion.
Mingled with this throngs and yet in
strongest contrast, were the dark
skinned allies of France-the disinher-
tied children of the soil, with their
marked by stoical Indifference. Here
and there a chief crested with
eagle plumes, stalked through the
crowd with naughty step, like bar
barrie prince at Roman festival, vail
ing his hatred or jealousy of the superb
or race beneath a mask of naughty in
difference.
Squaws were there with bead-worked
moccasins, baskets or wampum for sale;
some with babes strapped on boards
upon their backs. Unlike their lords
they were merry and observant, and
although unattractive in form and feat
ure, yet sweet-voiced and woman-like.
A young and handsome Lieutenant of
grenadiers, with his arm in sling and
a face into which the roses of health
were slowly returning, paused to OBJ
serve a band of Indians performing a
war-dance, when finger was laid on
his shoulder and a sweet, low-toned
voice said:
Captain Barzac, ] am SO glad to see
you almost restored to health"
The young man bowed .ow; he even
kissed the hand offered him-a small,
plump hand, although the owner was
past the meridian of life.
"Ah, madam, how good you are" he
said TO your kindness am indebted
for restoration to life. You and your
charming sisterhood of our Lady of
Mercy, what do we not owe you've
poor soldiers of E:ancer'
"And what would France do without
her soldiers?" asked the lady, smiling.
"Ah, my friend, if we women did not
make ourselves useful to our protectors,
we would lose the object of our dearest
smbitionp
ambition! you are not ambitious"
''Oh, yes, and you will learn some day
that woman's ambition, like your own,
is to.conquer, to subdue, but not with the
same weapons. All, pardon me; l am
talking like woman who has a hobby,
as the English say-how coarse they are!
To make amends, let me introduce you
TO my niece, Ninon Destain."
The young soldier bowed; the lady
courtesied in the formal manner of the
time, although her eyes betrayed q
certain interest in the wounded hero,
while he, after a timid glance at her
face, decided that she was the most
beautiful woman he had ever seen.
In truth his observati ons of female
beauty had been confined to the mar
row circle of the Carr ison; wives and
VI OllGGISy bisbCES VI ID ICAAH
ious order who served in the hospitals,
and the Indian women who had few
pretensions to beauty Of any kind The
cadet of noble, though impoverished
family, he had spent ten years in the
colonies, marching and fighting, when
not on garrison duty, undisturbed by
any other sensations than those con-
nected with military life until now, at
the age of twenty seven, he beheld a
face and form which recalled the civ
ilization he had almost forgotten. But
Mile Destain was not beauty, She
was type Of the ancient noblesse, tall
of form with dark expressive eyes, firm
mouth and abundant brown hair. She
had the air Of a princess whom untoward
fate had driven from a throne to wan
der amid barbarous scenes and uncon-
genial associates, yet whose innate gen
crosby compelled to hide her disdain
under mask of gracious condescension.
De Barzac was waiting to hear the