Catoctin clarion., 1901-01-31


animation in local history. When was
st. Louis founded"
| 'Ab.' said Madeleine, THAT is an easy
one. And that is right. too. to begin
with the beginning. st. Louis W g
founded, on February 18th, 1854, by
Pierre Laclede Liguest, who left New
Orleans on his flatboats for that pur-
pose on August 81, 1863
When was Pontiac killedY
'That is not about St. Louis said
Madeleine. Pontiac was not killed in
St. Louis. This is not an examination
in general history
Let US see,' said Marie, whether |
was not right in asking that question.
This village was founded in the Indian
country. for the purpose of trading with
the Indians. Indian tribes were all a
round it. Over hundred Indians came
here when the founders of the village
were building their first houses and gave
our people great deal Of trouble in beg
ging and stealing. Lac)ede thought he
could drive them away by making them
work. He ordered them to dig his Gel
lar. What do you think they did?-gave
the job to their squaws. They never
forgot their squaws when manual labor
was to be done. Laclrde then told them
that he would send for soldiers to drive
them away. Then they left. You
know that there are always some In
dams in our village. Now, Pontiac was
the greatest Indian warrior of all time.
He was an Ottawa chief, born near De
trolt.
'He loved the French and hated the
English. In 1862 he formed the great
est Indian conspiracy that was ever
formed, to kill or drive out the English
from all the country west of the Alle-
ghenies, and from the Ohio to the lakes.
He persuaded all the Indian tribes with
in that region to join the conspiracy.
There were fourteen English forts, trad
ing posts and settlements, scattered over
hundreds of miles of territory and these
were all, except one, to be taken on the
same day, by different tribes Of Indians.
All were taken but three, and more
than 1000 English were murdered in
taking them. Pontiac himself led the
attack on Detroit. His scheme for get.
ting into the fort, Il most ingenious one,
was BETRAYED to the commandant thereof
by an Indian maiden named Catherine
the day before it was to he put into ex.
ecution. He beseiged the fort for sev-
eral months IN vain had to relinquish
it at last. But, to plan the conspiracy
and execute it so successfully required
the greatest skill and military genius
From that time there was not another
Indian on earth so great and so re-
nowned as Pontiac. He failed in drlv
ing out the English, however, and final.
ly submitted to them in l766 He was
greatly cast down, and sought surcease
of sorrow where it Is never found--in
tAe flowing bowl. He knew and loved
St. Ange de Bellerive, our last French
Governor continued Marie, and came
to st. Louis to visit him..
u remember the time we'll, said Made
leine. ut was in 1863, when was only
10 years of age
st. Ange,' said Marie, received Pom
tiac with all the honors due to his for
mer rank and achievements, and gave
him grand reception at Madame
Chouteau S, the finest house in our vii
lage, where st. Ange then lived
u went there to see him.. said Made
leine.
U was there too said Marie. ut was
sad to see the wreck of the once mag
niticent hero. and yet there was some
thing kingly still about him. After
being most Hospitality entertained for
some days by st. Ange aud the princl-
pal men of the village, he expressed a
strong desire to 80 to Cahokia, across
the river, three miles distant, where he
was invited by many French friends
st. Ange and HE friends tried to dis
suade him. They told him that Caho-
kia was under the control of his enc
mics, the English; that wealthy Eng
lish trader there had sworn vengence
against him. Nothing they said had
any influence upon him. He said he
would go, aud 60 he did, He wore all
old but magnificent uniform, given to
him by the great Montcalm. HlsFrench
friends received and entertained him
royalty. He drank freely, and, wan
dering in the woods surrounding Caho-
kia, he was tomahawked-killed by a
Kaskaskian Indian, who was said to
have been hired to do it by the English
trader Williamson.
'St. Ange had his body brought to St