Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-12-20
ST. DENIS.

y
Jugereau st. Denis, q French explorer
and adventuIer, and his wife, Dona
Maria, the beautiful daughter Of .
Spanish officer.
No more gallant figure than st. De.
mis- steps out from the shadows OF the
past. He was born in Canada, spent his
childhood and early youth In France,
where ho was educated aud had for bis
com paniors young men Of the better
class. He returned to Canada, and for
some years took An active part In Affairs
there.
He IL described a. Of majestic fig
ure, trained in the French military
schools. Of manners the most courteous,
Of strong character. warm heart. OF q
power Of speech peculiarly winning and
Of undaunted bravery.
In TIA he led band Of hunters and
trappers from Canada down into Loui.
siana. We know he bull, fort at Mac
ogdoches aud left the greater part Of his
followers 20 garrison It. With ~ men
aud o number Of Indian guides he
crossed the Sabine river and penetrated
into what 10 now Texas As he jour.
neyed he met with various Indian
tribes, and seems to have had no trou-
BILE in making all Of them his friends.
At last be reached the Spanish posts
on the Rio Grande. At San Juan Bap.
tista he announced to Villesecas. the
commander there. that hs came to buy
beeves, horses and supplies. and ALEC TO
establish closer and more friendly rela-
tions between the French and Spanish
territories.
This was ell very well. but st. Do
mis- most probable object was to acquire
all the country over which he had
marched for his king. Louis XIV, who
had shadowy claim TO il By virtue OF
some early explorations OF La Sale.
How to deal with the newcomers
bothered villesecas great deal. After
many days Of waiting and Of those e1-
asperating delays We Of the present day
know 10 well in our intercourse with
Spaniards. st. Denis sent . message to
the governor Of Coahuiln. telling bis
mission and asking the privilege OF
trade.
Now, villesecas had q daughter, .
very beautiful daughter, named Maria.
Given q handsome, vivacious young
Frenchman and beautiful Spanish girl
daily meeting. and all who read know
whit came Of il. ST Denis fell in love
with her--an honest and SINGER passion
il was-and she in turn loved him. The
beginning Of love was the beginning OF
trouble.
For ut the same time st. Denis sent
his message 20 the governor Villesecss
seut q letter 10 the same parsonage.
This letter expressed suspicious as to
the object Of ~. Denis visit and also
told of tho love affair Of the Frenchman
and Dona Maria. The governor was
in love with her himself and suitor
for her hand Ii was for st. Denis
case Of putting his head In the lions
mouth and then twisting his tail.
Back came the messengers aud back
also came a troop of cavalry with orders
to seize 81. Denis and bring him to
the governors seat. Montclova, forth.
with. At Montclova st. Denis was
heavily ironed aud thrown into prison.
When he bad bad u few days experience
OF the horrors aud cruelties Of Span
ish prison. the governor. Gaspardo de
Anaya. camo 10 SEQ him. expecting no
doubt to find him worn out, broken
spirited and quite tractable. willing to
grant anything for freedom.
The Spaniard told his captive that II
he would give up Dona Maria he
would be free. Sc. Denis Indignantly
scorned the proposal His position was
as desperate rs u mans could well be,
alone where il wac impossible to appeal
to any one. q stranger in land always
heartless and cruel to strangers. sus.
pected Of designs against the state, and.
worse than that, in the power OF man
who loved the woman who loved him.
1t 10 said, Hell hatn no fury like
woman scorned." So can il be said,
Earth has no ally like woman who
loves you.
Dona Maria learned Of her lovers
plight by receiving letter from the
governor telling her Of it. The letter
also informed her that il she did net
agree to marry the writer. st. Denis
would be put to death.
The high spirited beauty rose equal
to the occasion. Her reply to his scoun-
derlcy was positive refusal. More than
that, she wrote that in case st. Denis
met his death she herself, or some one
for her. would put knife into the gov
esnor's cowardly heart. The governor
must have Teen impressed, for st. De-
mis- did not die Just theu.
Dona Maria spent no time in delays.
She at once wrote to the viceroy at the
City of Mexico, the viceroy having abb
solute power, standing in place OF his
king, over I'll South America and .
great part Of North America.
She told Of st. Denis and his visit,
told Of their mutual love. told OF the
baseness OF the governor Of Coahuila
aud Of his proposals and threats, told
also Of st. Denis prominence ~ sub
ject of the French king, how his fate
would surely be inquired into and
avenged. "This man has been unjustly
Imprisoned. eaid she. Before God
you will he accountable for his death,
now that you are notified. !"
In the service of the viceroy was an
other Frenchman, the Marquis de La
parge, who, as was often the case with
young French noblemen, bad taken serv-
ice in the Spanish army. He was high
in favor mt Mexico, and to him the vice.
roy showed Dona Maris's letter. La.
narge read and was thundentruck. Il
seems too miraculous to be true. II the
things were told in Q novel there would
be criticism because II would be too i'm
probable. The marquis had been the
schoolmate Of st. Denis in France, bad
been his associate and intimate friend.
He lost no time in departing for Mon
clova.
st. Dennis had laid in jail nix months.
The seventies Of his jailer constantly
increased. His nearest friend would not
have known him. His hair and beard
had grown long and matted. He was
racked with fever and emsciated from
hunger; but . few days and al would
have been over with him.
One day bis prison door was hung
open and = young officer came In, stood
moment trying to penetrate the dark
nass and then said % the prisoner: