The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1901-11-16

recommended as the proper one. AS
an illustration we introduce the fol.
lowing episode.
In the fall OF 1862 the writer es-
tablished little store at the Catholic
Mission when FIR. Terhorst, who had
induced him to enter this promising
career, gave him the following prac-
tical advice: "If you mean to make
your business success you must
not under any circumstances, sell
goods to the Indians on credit;
If you do it will be your ruin" To
follow this precept seemed to be
easy enough. One:day-it was in the
the first week Of my commercial en-
terprise-there appeared on the
threshold OF my humble establish
ment tottering old man dressed in
blanket coat and accompanied by
young lad, his interpreter. The old
man was not stranger to me; | had
met him before on several occasions
and once seen be could easily be rec
ognized. He always had bit of
rag to cover an ugly scar stuck into
his upper lip, and close up to his
nose, partially impeding his breath
and affecting his voice. Ash could
not speak Indian and the young in
terpeter was very sparing OF his
English, l accompanied old "War
Club"-such was his name-to the
priests house, which was near by.
After a short Interrogation the lat
ter explained that the old man was
ready to start on his hunting grouud
and would like to get some provis-
ions on trust. "He is good, hon
est old man" said the priest, "and
in spite of his age skillful hunter
| think you can trust him--he will
pay you all right. " So War Club
received what he wanted. This was
in the morning. In the afternoon
of the same day two more ancient
warriors came into the store, and
anticipating their errand, but not
being able to explain matters, | re-
fered their case to the black robe as
before. 1t was the same story:
They were ready to start for the
woods and needed some supplies;
they had no money, but promised
to pay me in furs-would l trust
them? " 1t is hard to refuse these
men" said the black robe. "rhey
are very poor though | believe they
are honest. And now when they have
a fair prospect to earn something =
/ had heard enough and gave them
what they needed. Bat it appears
the news that the store was selling
on credit had spread quickly through
the village, for on the same evening
dusky figures came climbing up the
hill in moccasined feet, singly and
in groups, and did rushing busi-
ness. The sorry part of the trans
action was that the accounts all
happened to occur on the wrong
side of the ledger. My Indian Gus
tomers,in their PASTORS estimation,
turned out to be all honest people,
all more or less deserving. They
may have been, and some of them
surely were; for they paid their bill
after their return from the hunt, not,
however, without opening at once a
new and bigger account on the debit
side Of the book. The result was
that, ere the winters snow had dis
appeared, my stock of goods was cx-
hausted and / had to close my shop.
Thus, because of so many honest "
customers and the fathers friendly
assistance, the winters mercantile
enterprise came to an untimely end,
being nipped, so to speak, in the
bud.
Our picture Of the good mission
airy would be incomplete and not
true to nature should we pass over
in silence some of his shortcomings.
Father Terhorst, although of a jov-
ial nature, had temper which burst
out on many occasions and repelled
those that did not know what a
precious and kind heart was impris-
oned under the rough exterior. His
personality had nothing OF the polish
typical with the man of the world,
although he could be very courteous.
If approached while busy or
in q hurry about something, be
would turn at the visitor with o
stern and forbidding look, and peo
pie who thus formed his acquaint
ance received O false impression ol