The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1891-09-19

Bctups 70 30 cO1npiet0Iy Ut us tDsiIon-
nientt that n can not imagine that he
could have been born or could have
ever lived elsewhere.
briefly introduced myself and my
errand, and with two or three ques-
tons get him started to talking about
himself, as the sarest way of leading
him to speak Of other things
Perceiving with that quick intuition
that. seems inherent in those who dear
ly love the sound of their own voice,
that in me lie had u GOOD listener, he
prattled severely on-of his age 81.
born III this house. % were his father,
his dinly-remembered grandfather
aud his legendary great grand father.
He tells of the storms he has weathered
here, and he shows rue, family outlined
upon the doors, never since then re-
painted, the high-water mark of the
fatal hurricane Of 1856. But the sea
did not wash over Grand Isle. Oh no.
Here the land is low, very much lower
as you can see, than the ridge there
beneath the oaks, and the sand-hills
beyond on the sea-front.
He tells me that long ago, when he
was a boy there were fields of sugar
cano here, al item of information hat
would bring o smile of derision to the
lips of a Lafourche cane planter, who,
digging his hoel into this lean and all
too friable soil, remembers that to
produce good crops he is forced to sti-
mulate even his fat acres OF tenacious
Mississippi mud with expressive man
ners.
"Laftte! O yes l have often heard
talk of Latitte when 1 was young.
Yes the "old ones" said that Laftte
vas q pirate upon occasion and a
smuggler always; but they said also,
the ''old ones" you knew, that he did
not take the ships Of the Americans,
and that once when one Of his captains
disobeyed this rule. LATTE sent the
ship with the guilty captain on board,
to the government"
II heard when | was young another
historic of Laitte. He had, it was said,
gathered n great deal of money which
he wished 10 place in the city, where
he had many friends and correspon-
dents. This money, all in gold, was
packed in many strong boxes, SO many
that four large yawls were required TO
transport them. So, the four yawls
were loaded and the crews with Capt.
tame Latitte at their head pulled away
across Lake Washington.
But before they reached the other
side OF the lake the smugglers discov-
cred that they were pursued, for it
seems that the government" had been
informed of what was going on and
had sent Capt. Cunningham with 500
men to capture LATTE and his money.
But LATTE was n not easily caught
He vas a smart one ). and was always
prepared for whatever might happen.
"knowing we'll that with his heavy
laden boats he lad no chance of es-
cape, he attached to each box a tight
~ sealed empty bottle, and while yet
the boats of the government were SO
far away that the crews could not see
what he was about LATTE caused the
boxes to be lowered into the water,
and then commanding that each of his
boats should take a different bayou
they rowed away so swiftly that they
all got clear or"
So passed some three hours of time.
The August sun was blazing high
above the horizon, and becoming con
scious Of a u sensation in the re-
gion of my waist-band, l babe adieu to
my garrulous but kindly host and his
slender friend, and took my way to-
ward the hotel and breakfast.
But | did not 60 out by the way |
had gone in. The squareset dame
was still on guard in her outwork, but
the bony COW had relieved her watch
at the gate, and by that road | made
my escape. s. e.