The suburban citizen., 1900-01-06

I. {. !. +. !. !. !. !. !. u. i. !. !.
/5y NAlIMA was an artillery
~4e9T@ xxx captain II n d Q +
mn MSSVN%X General Jackson
Wji&sSAc> ~MVl in Decem ber,
WJWIjSysssysz M 1914. That was
'W5szI1NS ~ the time W h II
IyNN0IJI17 General Jackson
9IW came to New Or
leans to save city which was scarcely
less frightened than Washington had
been before the British burned it; for
fifty Of the best ships of war of his
Britannia majesty were standing to-
ward the city. They were bringing
English soldiers, who were mostly
veterans Of the wars fought in Europe
against Napoleon; men who had de-
fed defeat; who were oficered by
men Of strategy and experience.
These soldiers had seen us run at
Bladensburg, and had burned the
city of Washington, as you know, and
they despised US
''M'sieur, General jackson will save
us, said mademoiselle, who was the
prettiest girl I, or any other man,
ever saw. Mademoiselle Marie de
Maur. the daughter of titled emigre,
Comte de Maur, had but sighting
opinion Of me "a simple New England
gentleman, a captain of the poor
American artillery, as / have said.
"And you'll fight now, Captain
john" she went on.
"What will you cNre?" said I, no
doubt showing her too much of my
feeling.
you'll fight because you are a
man-not because q littlo girl down
here cares OF not. " She spoke very
good English, You know. And she
stamped her foot, and her eyes
flashed, and I was jealous of hun
dred fine young Louisianians.
Now one day shortly after this [
was on leave, visiting my friend,
Major VALERIE, at his plantation; and
] was there for no other reason in
the world than that the Comte de
Maur's plantation was near by. /
had not been singed enough by the
fire. And we were talking, after
breakfast-the two Valeres and /,
John Fairbank, of how weak our de.
fences were, with nothing at the
Balse, and only the poor little fort
OF Petites Coquilles.
We were rather gloomy, 7 can as
sure you, when the little, thin mulatto
butler entered, trembl"5 like an
aspen. "The EngIiaA" he said,
''The English !"
We had hardly risen before we
heard them; they had stolen a march
on us. Some negro fishermen had
shown them the unused bayou, and
here they were, few miles below the
city. Thinking of that, 1 remember
we were desperate and I know Major
Valere looked a. out like q hunted
fox. Imagine the scene, if you can,
o. that December day, 1914
The English officer who entered
was very courteous, and fine young
follow, at that. He was sorry, but he
must shut us up, for we wouldn't give
our paroles We were thinking oI
how General Jackson had said that he
would give these Britshers q good
battle; and now this surprise might
take away his chance.
"Yot we're obliged" said the elder
VALERIE, bowing, as only a gentleman
of that family coald, "ior your offer oI
paroles
The English lieutenant bowed back
as courtcously, Upstairs they took
as, in their hurry; and the major and
were put in one room together. for thc
moment, 1 fancy. We should be
separated when they had time, which
would be presently. The door closed
we could hear the sentinel outside
that was all.
"Well?" said VALERIE
"Well?' said I.
81 was thinking Of tho city, said
lie.
"We'l better acs while there's con
fusion, saidI.
Suddenly, he leaned forward, and
picked his sword from a table where
it had been left in the hurry of our
capture. "Im going TO jump from
the window before they think Of it, B"
said he.
"Its too high by half, said 7.
whats my nock?"
"Eh, or mine?' said 7, catching
his fine French enthusiasm in my
cooler head
He was peering out of the window.
F'There's my setter, said he.
It was an oddremark in the light of
what follows, which will tell you
about. The dog was q fine animal Of
his kind, and love dogs as well as
another man.
In the confusion? Will you dare?"
said he, turning to me. 'But we must
get word to our general.
Let me go first, " said I, but not
30 eagerly have said 1 have no
French blood. was peering out,
too, as the soldiers---at a bare-legged
Highlander.
Eau revoirl' said my French
gentleman; and the window was wide,
and he was through it, brandishing
the sword, and was down. ON them
like a thunderbolt of Jove. thought
he might break a leg, or his neck.
r. 4 1. a. o.