The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-07
ANDRE TIE MINSTREL.


when plantation life in the low country
was in its age of gold. Morning was bloom
ing out full and rosy, and the dew hung
heavy on the hedges of yapon and Cherokee
rose as the minstrel Andre Dpval awoke
and assumed q sitting posture
He rubbed his eyes vigorously for mo-
ment, with The unconscious grace or e
Young animal, looked about to collect his
faculties; then, letting fab bis small, sun
burnt hands on his knees, smiled ferlOrnly.
Overhead the leaves of the magnolia
were thick: the hedge behind him stood up
tangled, thorny, full of flowers; the air,
stirring gently, bore the smell OF marsh
plants and the fragrance of orange blooms
not unpleasing mixture. Everywhere
the hooking birds were singing, the gross
beaks whistling, the starlings futing.
Andre Duval looked himself over half
contemptuousiy, half quizzically, his gray
eyes lingering with every patch on his coat
and trousers, and concentrating themselves
at last on somewhat rusty great toe pro-
truding from sadly worn shoe. Beside
him, in frayed green case, lay his guitar.
All night he had slept there very sweetiy,
and now be felt rested, if not refreshed;
hungry, too. as oaly young, strong fel-
low can be after prolonged fast.
Lately he had been in New Orleans, liv-
ing he scarcely knew how, getting on fairly
well in low way while his clothes had re-
manned decent; but the time came for him
to try the country, and if that failed him
well, what? He was not of temperament
that reckons accurately. The future fur
nished him no particular field for specula-
ton; the past had no data that he could
use He had come from the southern hill
country of France to Louisiana with some
sort of dream in mis- brain, had landed
without money, and, of course, had found
nothing that he had expected to find. The
real was the reverse of his ides1.
Those were the days when New Orleans
and the plantations of lower Louisiana
were at the zenith of prosperity. Men
scarcely knew how rich they were, nor did
they seem to care how they spent their
money; still good for naught, shabhily
dressed, with nothing but a guitar and
few songs to recommend him, might, if
trifie reserved and in a way proud, starve
even there.
For sennight Andre had tramped
through the country, taking no note OF
directions, turning this way to evade
swamp, that way to find place where a
stream could be waded, and now and again
lingering for day or two at a plantation.
Sometimes he got food at the negro cabins.
sometimes at the mansions; but usually
his bed was mother earth, with only tree
for shelter. Luckily, the weather was fine.
After fashion, Andre had enjoyed his
leisurely pilgrimage, especially when he
was not hungry. Never had he dreamed
of such luxuriance of trees, shrubs, grasses,
weeds, flowers; nor had his Imagination
ever suggested such fruitfulness as the
plantations, the orange groves and the gar
dens presented to his eyes. And then the
mansionsl Those great, rambling, vine
covered, tree shaded, gallery circled struct-
ures impressed him as the abodes of princes
in exile He poetized concerning them,
and constructed romanceS, in which the
medieval spirit was revived with all its
ancient splendor.
On this particular morning. SO rosy, so
dewy, so fragrant, Andre awoke with sur
prise that he had slept so late much more
was he surprised to find that he was on the
confines of a plantation, and near the
grandest mansion that he had yet seen.
Through a rift in the hedge he could de-
scry, just beyond the little field, a great
roof, heavy stack of chimneys. broad
verandas and small paned windows, all
half hidden in foliage and long moss, with
great, gray tree boles showing through and
gnarled branches reaching across. Still
beyond all this bayou cleaned like silver
studded with diamonds as the breeze played
over it. He rubbed his eyes again and got
upon his knees, the better to gaze at the
boo, f,,l, ~, l,n1
his sleep during the night just gone, and
its spell had not yet departed from his i'm
agination. Surely yonder house was the
house of which he had dreamed! Why,
yes; there was the great gate with the
monstrous posts to uphold it, and there
was the boat house by the bayou. Again
he rubbed his eyes.
Being thus occupied, Andre Duval was
i'll prepared for the shock that just then
came upon him III the form of a huge an
imal, that rushed against him from behind,
with loud ''bow-bow wow-wowr" Over he
tumbled, and was held down by the weight
of this great, black, shaggy assailant.
Wow bowl"
Andres nose and mouth were buried in
the soft ground so that he could scarcely
breathe, much less cry out, and muzzle
with atrocious teeth was mumbling at the
back OF his neck while heavy paws pressed
hard upon his outstretched arms.
.'AhaI What have you there, Achille, old
fellow Hold, you wolf! Come off, sayI
Be doLel Be done!'
Andre heard these EXPLANATIONS given
in soft French voice-a very soft French
voice-but firm and manly one as we'll
The big teeth that had been ready TO sink
into his neck were removed in an instant,
though the animal kept its place on his
back
of with you'll Here, you rascall''
\ resounding kick followed by a whine
brought Andre relief. He squirmed over
and sat upright rubbing the earth from
his face and feeling of his neck to find out
if it were whole
handsome young man with gun on
his shoulder stood before him, and an
enormous dog was sinking along beside
the hedge.
Who upon earth are yous What are
you up to hereY" inquired the young man,
as he set his feet far apart, as if to secure a
wide base for his establishment and gazed
hard at Andre. BIS eyes softened as he
spoke.
awoke moment ago." said Andre,
"and was preparing to make my toilet
when your dog interfered. Seems TO me
that this is pretty rude way of entering
ones chamber"
a thousand pardons," responded the
other, Monsieur must see thatit was the
merest accident"
He glanced over Andres dilapidated
habiliments and at the guitar case hard by. |
The minstrel laughed. donned his frag-
ment of a hat and arose Once erect ne
looked quite manly and handsome, despite
his rags His brown hair was curly and
bright, with reddish lights shot through
IL, and on his face a young neglected beard
grew in soft rimpled confusion He nicketi