The Springfield herald., 1900-02-16

rs G.: !: / ]: -
N<NXTtZ captain n d g r
MH ASh,N General Jackson
M|jNSA- MI in Dec m b er,
kWNl1SS&. M 1914. That was
.FWkE1f1N&I the time W h n
97NN|lST General Jackson
7lW came to New Or
leans to save a 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 officered 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
u.s." said mademoiselle, who was the
prettiest girl I, or any other man,
ever saw. Mademoiselle Marie de
Maur, the daughter of titled emigre,
Comte dc Maur, had but sighting
opinion of me-a simple New England
gentleman, captain of the poor
American artillery, as have said.
"And you'll fight now, Captain
John," she went on.
"What will you care?" said /, no
doubt showing her too much of my
feeling.
you'll fight because you are a
man-not because little girl down
here cares or not" She spoke very
good English, you know. And she
stamped her foot, and her eyes
flashed, and 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
I was there for no other reason in
the world than that the Comte de
Maur's plantation was near by. 1
had not been singed enough by the
FIRE. And we were talking, after
breakfast-the two Vallcres and I,
John Fairbank, of how weak our de-
fences were, with nothing at the
Balise, and only the poor little fort
, of Petites Coquilles.
We were rather gloomy. I can as
sure you, when the little, thin mulatto
butler entered, trembling like an
aspen. 1.-THE Englishr' he said,
1.-The English!"
We had hardly risen before we
heard them; they had stolen march
on us. Some negro fishermen had
shown them the unused bayou, and
e., h. -,
city. Thinking of that, 1 remember
we were desperate, and know Major
VALERIE looked about like hunted
fox. Imagine the scene, if you >can,
of that December day, 1914!
The English officer who entered
was very courteous, and fine young
fellow. at that. He was sorry, but he
must shut us up, for we wouldn't give
our paroles. We were thinking of
how General Jackson had said that he
would give these Britishers a good
battle; and now this surprise might
take away his chance.
''Yet we're obliged" said the elder
VALERIE, bowling, as only gentleman
of that family could, "for your offer of
paroles
as courteously. Upstairs they took
MS, in their hurry; and the major and
i were put in one room together, for the
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 the city," said
he.
"We'd better act while there's con
FUSION" saidI.
Suddenly, he leaned forward, and
picked his sword from table where
it had been left in the hurry of our
capture. I'm going to jump from
the window before they think of it,"
said he.
cts too high by half" said I.
"What's my neck?"
'Eh, or mine?" said I, catching
his fine French enthusiasm in my
cooler head.
He was peering out of the window.
"There's my SETTER" said he.
1t was an odd remark in the light of
what follows, which 1 will tell you
about The dog was 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
so eagerly have said L have no
French blood. / was peering ont,
too, at the soldiers-at II bare-legged
Highlander.
can revoirr' said my French
gentleman; and the window was wide,