The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-03-29

100 years. ago. And this. quaint old town
OF st. Martin. mellowed by time and touched
with the charm of romance. seems the very
heart of this new Acadia. 1t was here that the
exiled French settled when the English drove
them from their refuge in Canada; 1t was
along this very bayou, which winds its drowsy
length through these same prairies, that Ga
briel came and Evangeline followed. Not
LonRfellow's Gabriel. nor yet Longfellow's
Evangeline. for there was more poetry than
truth In his version of the tale. but there was
q Gabriel and there was an. Evangeline. and
the true story of their love has as much OF
poetry perhaps and somewhat more of pathos
than the one with which every one is familiar.
There were not only n Gabriel and an Evan
geline. but there was SOM one besides the
poet to tell the story Of their love. Nine. Bor-
dat, herself an Acadian exile, often told the
tale to her grandchildren, and no one certainly
could speak with greater authority than could
she. Here Is Nine. Bordat's version taken
from the "Reminiscences Of an Old AGA
diam" which, in their turn. were written by a
grandchild OF the old lady herself. 1t is given
in Nine. Bordat's own language, translated,
of course:
"Emmeline Labiche. petiots. was an or
phan girl whose parents had died when she was
quite a child. / had taken her to my house
and raised her as my own daughter. How
SWEEP tempered. how loving she was! She had
grown to womanhood with all the attractions
of her sex. and, although not a beauty In the
sense usually given to this word, she was looked
upon as the handsomest girl Of st. Gabriel. Her
fine, transparent, hazel eyes mirrored faith
fully her pure thoughts. Her bewitching smile,
her dark brown hair waving In graceful undu-
lations over her Intelligent forehead and fall
ing in %ringlets on her shoulders. her, sym
metrical shape-an contriyed to make her an
at&-arttxa - of nntlAn 1ntnlinnCl
"Emmeline had just completed her sixteenth
year, and was on the eve of marrying II deserv-
ma, nnsn saa L Ssis,'Ar pcen Sonxe Their mutual u love.
dated back to their earliest, years. and was
Providence wiiled their union. she the fair.
est young maiden, he the most deserving
published in the village church, the nuptial day
,,as fixed. and their long love dream was about
to be realized when the barbarous scattering Of
driven us toward the seashore, where their
ships rode at anchor. and Louis; resisting with
incline witnessed the whole scene, Her lover
was carried on, board OF one Of the ships, the an
Choir was weighed. and a stiff breeze soon drove
the vessel out OF sight.
"Emmeline. fearless and speechless. stood
when the white sails vanished in the distance
she uttered q piercing shriek and rel, fainting
she cli.sped me in her arms and. In an agony of
grief. sobbed piteously:,
killed hint What viii become Of me-
II soothed her grief with caresses and en-
Clearing names ssn;3a1idds66y degrees deg tSs the lnan ylole oS bs OF
countenance betokened the sorrow that preyel
on her heart. Henceforward she lived g quiet
young companions. The remembrance of her
lost love remained enshrined Il In her heart, never
Thus she lived among us. always sweet tenn.
pered. bat with such sadness in her face and
upon her as not OF This earth, but rather as our
guardian, angel, and II was for this that we no
Gods little angel. The sequel OF her story Is
not gay, little ones, and my poor old heart al
~."SEmmeiine, petiots. had been exiled to Mary
land with US; She was: as ! have told YOU my
love. She came with me In my long. Overland
route from Maryland TO Louislann. When we
reached the Teche country, at Post des Attaka'
nniation on the bank to welcome US. As we
landed EmmelIne walked by my side, but, did
Alas il was of no moment to her whether she
ramhled along the banks OF the Teehe or
land. She lived in the past; The radiance Of
her dreams was dimmed and she bLeathea an
atmosphere of darkness and desolation.. sud
denly she grasped my hand and, as II fascinated
by a vision, stood rooted TO the spot, Her very
hearts blood surused her cheek, ah n tnfh W fpw
Mother, mother! 1t is he" and she pointed
TO the tall figure OF IA man standing under a
"'aThat man was Louis As%csnauY,, With the
hIlul WI AklNthiik nttS ~ ~ -" "
in an ecstacy OF Joy and love cried
Louis, Louis! am your Emmeline!
Your ~long-lost Emmeline! Have you forgot
To forsake the romantic phrases OF the old
French grandmother and adopt some good:
cold English more suited TO the rehearsal OF
the story at this point, Louis said nothing, and
for very good reasons. II isn't hard 10 guess
Them. Regrets inconsolable do not flourish In
this lotus land. The ardent Louis who had
fought The British soldiers with rage and de
spair" bad spccumbed to separation and a ell
mate which breeds forgetfulnesS; When En-
incline begged him 10 explain his silence he
finally owned up to his faithlessness, and then,
after the fashion OF his kind, pr0mptl ran
rarily. OF course in the swamp, Minis, bor.
dat's narrative does not give any further par
ticulars about him., One can easily picture
him, however. married TO his new love, AMI
the father of tho usual extensive taJan
"a for Emmeline, or Evnngcline, this last
lhock was too much for the gentle girl. ana her
mind was hOpelessly unsettled, The. old wo-
OF the 1eche, plucking. the wild flowers, like
Some Ophslia OF another land, and singing In an
undertohe tho old Acadlan songs,
''She never recognized anybody but me-
''and Nesting In my arms like = spoiled child
would call me by the most endearing names
and caress me tenderly,
"She spoke Of Louis and OF Acadia in such
loving tones that ono could not listen Ia her
without shedding tears. She fllncied herself To
hs still the girl Of sixteen on the eve Of marry
Ing her chosen one, and she listened with emo
tinn 20 the ringing NJ tho marriage bells from
the village church tower. In "A sudden transi
lion from 1oy to DESPAIR her VOuntsnnnCo
would change, and, trembling and gasping for
utterance, she would pnlnl her nhsrl NJ some
imaginary object and scream ia agony; ,
|" Mother, he Is gone! They have Killed him!
What will become OF me-
'sinktng at last under the rayageS o. her