The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-01-23

ClOSDQ.
On the same spot-christened by some dead.
and-g gone wag The Corner of Absinthe and
Aniseite-stood, in the year of our Lord 1913,
the selfsame building 1t was even then
more than quarter OF a century old. and a
conspicuous landmark in It's isolated situa-
ton; few low habitations only clustering
between it and the outlying swamps. and but
a thin scattering of houses stretching down
20 the river. The steep roof of the single
squat story was tiled; long arm thrust out
from the caves held lantern over the muddy.
unpaved street. 1t was cabaret then as
now; and then, as now, famous for its green
hoursn
Its rough outer wall. one morning in the
Autumn of that year, was adorned with a
large printed poster which set forth. in the
three languages then current in the old town
on the Mississippi, the misdeeds of one Jean
Latitte, smnggler, marauder. desperate and
pirate, and offered in the name of His Ex-
cellency Governor Claiborne. a reward of
$500 for the capture Of the said Jean Iafitte
and his delivery into the hands of Justice
The laughing eyes of a knot of apparent "
ldlers on the wooden banquette were turned
alternately from this placard to the tall.
handsome man-no less person then Jean
Latte himself.-who leaned against the
wall, the long curling locks of his hair
blown against the signature of His nate
Provlsional) Excellency But there were
covert flashes Of malign intelligence in some
OF the laughing eyes, and an impereeptible
movement Of the crowd toward the batten
door at the outlaws right hand His own
glances, as he banded Jests with the leaders.
toying the while with the fringed end of his
green silk sash, went warily about. He
knew himself to be in danger of arrest: he
might, indeed, pay with his life for his seem
ing bravado. But he was not thinking of
himself His ear was strained to catch the
slightest sound within The cabaret. where
Henri Destrcban was blithely quafing his
glass Of absinthe. unaware that has enemies
sworn to butcher him like a rat in a tran
were closing upon him.
II was the knowledge Of his friends i'm
pending peril which had drawn the pirate
chief from his lagoon Businesses
How about that last bale of smuerled
silk brocade, Lafittc?" demanded a brawnv.
dark-bro~ed man, lightly, edging nearer TO
the wall rs he spoke.
sold at $40 the yard. for the waistcoats Of
His BNoelleney, the Governor - returned
L3,te, ~ the same tone
and the gold chain captured on the high
seas tom His Grace the Mexican Bisbop ?u
laughed another
sold of in inches for the repose of His
GTcc's soul"
lie had dropped the end Of his sash. His
hand, rs he spoke, was ON the door " A
isot, Desf5thea, moi" he cried. bursting
into the dimly-lighted cabaret And, catch
ing the bewildered young officer into the
sweep of his powerful arm, he lifted him
nom the floor, bore him through the very
midst Of his enemies. turned the corner with
the leaplng speed Of a stag, and disappeared
behind clump of cabins in the direction of
the swamp A howl of rage and a volley
Of shot from the baffled plOtters followed the
iugluNes but they were already safe from
pursuit.
4 few days later Destrehan was about start
ing on his roundabout journey to France. A
pirogne, dancing on the breast of the sinuous
bayou which led away from the outlaws
stronghold at BaTataria. awaited him with
its 1.-THE dark-skinned I,addler. ssIf ever a
Destrehan these were his parting words TO
Lati,te, with a warm handclasp-" if ever a
Destrehan fails Laftte in the hour of need
may his soul die and his bones rot unburied. >,
LeonIes Destran, apparently unconscious of
the rain which continued TO fall, was waiting
Stih. The Ialior Of her delicate face had in
She moved nearer TO the closed door
Of the cabaret
Within there was drowsy silence The
lal, bald-headed proprietor was nodding over
an outworn copy Of In MOuehe
Ii was midway between Ies hours rerfes-
early and late-of the sfaid and resrac.atlo
habiiues who came with the regularity Of un-
Impeachable clocks every day at noon, and
every day before setting toward their Late
dinners.
ne hoor had been resanded since noon and |
swept inio Fresh geometrical figures, and the |
1id-iasAioned wooden bar, with its simple |
was in READINGS for the @ o'clocl, /
Il cHfsle
~. -. l..