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


Jacques told plausible enough story she
decided. finally, to accompany him. The
two proceeded to the river, where in
answer to a low whistle given by Jacques
"A like signal was returned, and guided
by the sound they reached the side Of a
boat lying in the shadow of a pile of cord
wood. There were two mon in the boat.
which struck Louise as rather odd, it
being rarely the wherlies were manned
by more than one person. She took a
seat, and Jacques, loosening the painter,
sprang into the stern The rowers bent
to their task with will, and the craft
shot out into the bright moonlight.
Instead of turning north, however,
jacques kept the PROV headed directly
for Windmill Island Louise noticed
this and asked him why the boat was not
pointed up the river. He uttered an un-
intelligible reply about the current,
which did not reassure the maiden. and
she, though inwardly frightened. insisted
in firm tones that the wherry be directed
north. Her companion, thinking all oc-
easion for secrecy past, sneeringly replied
that he would run the boat to suit him
self Now thoroughly alarmed and see
ing the trap into which she had fallen,
Louise sprang to her feet and screamed
for aid. In those days the river was
much used as a highway, and usually the
evening air was enlivened by the dip Of
countless oars and the hum of animated
conversation. Tonight. however, the
water was deserted, every one being in
the center of the town seeking the latest
tidings. No answer came to her cry for
help. and before she could again find
voice Jacques pulled her down beside
him, and, covering her mouth with his
disengaged hand, bid the rowers make
all speed to the island, whose shadows
would effectually hide them
With frantic effort Louise wrested
herself loose and scream after scream
rang over the water, to be answered this
time by a welcome cry from up the river.
The conspirators turned their heads in
alarm A hundred yards distant was a
light boat with two occupants bearing
toward them, and propelled with such
force as to very materially lessen the dis
tance between them before the abductors
could realize the situation.
Crow, men, row. yelled Jacques. "It
will be ball and chain for life if we are
caught"
"Stop!" came from the pursuers. "Stop
or 1 fire..
Jacques mutteI ID an OATH and, seiz-
ing a mrsket lying at his feet, took aim
and fired at the speaker. No return fire
came from the party in the second boat,
and they had resolved apparently to de-
lay action until they overlook the wher-
ry. Making an almost superhuman eff
fort, they shot the light sldff alongside
the heavier boat, when the island was
not more than ten yards distant Snatch
ing a pistol from his belt Jacques levelea
it at the nearest occupant of the other
boat, but as his finger trembled on the
trigger an oar quickly sweeping through
the air fell upon his arm and the weapon
was tossed into the water, while his
right hand fell useless by his side.
The boats by this time had drifted al.
most to the shores of the island, and the
cowardly boatmen, seeing their leader
disabled, and with the horrors Of Walnut
Street prison in their minds, abandoned
their oars and sprang ashore, followed
by the pistol shots of the second occu.
pant of the sl1iff, as well as by the curses
Of the manned Jacques, who saw his
scheme fail when at the point of success.
Louise was lying in the bottom of the
wherry senseless, and, seeing further re-
sistance useless, Jacques threw himself
into the tide at the same instant the Off
Ger, for so his uniform showed him to be,
stepped into the boat The rover of the
sldff made strenuous efforts to reach the
drowning man, but failed, and the dark
waters of the Delaware closed over the
abductor, who was unable to swim to the
land with his uninjured arm. Mean
while the officer raised the maiden in his
arms, and at the first glance CALCULATED
Heavens, it is Louisew The rescueI
was no other than William Clark, her
lover, whose command had indeed been
located in the Liberties as stated by
Jacques, and he was on his way to meet
his sweetheart when the scream of Louise
rang over the water.
Jacques story of Clark having been
detailed for special duty was entirely
false. Through letter which had fallen
into his hands he had learned of the
meeting arranged between Clark and
Louise, and having known the Acadian
girl for years, he resolved upon the dar-
ing plan of abducting and carrying her
10 New York. of course deserting to the
British. Not until Louise revived and
told her part of the story could Win un.
derstand her presence in the boat, or un.
til then did he know who was the alb
ductOr.
Louise reached home before her pa.
rents had returned from the Minots', and
in the disturbed condition of the city the
fight ON the river and the sudden disap-
pearance of Jacques created no com
ment.
Years after, when Louise had become
the wife Of Clark, she told the tale for
the first time TO her daughter, and il was
one of her grandchildren who related the
incident to the writer Philadelphia
Times