Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-03-08
CHAPTER XIV.
THE BLIGHT OF WAR.


sissippi from New Orleans
to Vicksburg and the Con-
federate army OF the transmississippi
department towering about the western
and northern borders Of Louisiana, the
people of Avoyelles were In a state OF
insulation which made life harder day
by day and at times appeared to men,
ace even the very possibilities Of exist
ence- Commercial navigation OF the
rivers, on which they depended for
much of their supplies, was stopped
A number OF the largest planters had
taken refuge with their slaves and ami
mails In Texas and the Indian Terri
tory. The scarcity OF all staples Of
food and clothing increasing from
month to month, labor was but poorly
sustained and diminished crops were
cultivated under formidable and multi
plying difficulties. Medicines were a
desideratum sorely needed. Privations
and suffering were present actuallties.
Selfshness grew apace. community
interests waned. social phases dIsap-
peared, and indifference TO neighbor-
hood concerns prevailed. And thus IL
was that. though a numerous cortege
attended the obsequles of Mother De-
shautelles, the doctress. who was
found dead In her thronelike chair,
with Egyptian cotton In her hands and
an unfinished fllet In her lap. yet when
Laure accepted the protection of guile
bert aud became his housekeeper, an
event which In normal times would
have set the entire parish by the ears,
the spirit OF gossip aud censure mate
rallied now IN mere shruggings Of
shoulders and shakings OF heads. On
returning to the cottage after the fu-
neral Quillebert had said to her:
you cannot live here alone. Your
father and were friends. l am older
han he would be IL alive. Do not mind
what these dolts about here may say.
Look to your own interests. Come to
my house. When this war Is ended and
! have finished the harvest It yields to
me, l may go back to France to end
my days. Perhaps we may then mar
ry."
And Laure had replied:
mo; we will not marry then or ever.
but l will go and keep your house. l
have no kin here. 1t Is nothing to me
what the neighbors say. can truly
speak worse OF them than they OF me,
and they know 1t. | am not beholden
to any one and will make my way &C
sording to my own notions, not those OF
others"
.il the autumn OF 1862 news percoIat-
"ed into Marksyille and thence spread
rapidly that terrible battle had been
fought near Perryville. In Kentucky,
between divisions OF the armies COM
manded by General Buell. on the Union
side and General Bragg on the Con-
federate and that Judge Tailleur and
Horace Oakrell had been slain and left
on the bloody field by their retreating
comrades. For many months the re-
port could not be verified or tested,
communication with the army OF the
southwest being cut OF by the Federal
lines east OF the Mississippi. but gen.
eral credence was given to Ii. An add
ed gloom settled upon the people
Father Grhe strove In vain TO prevent
these tidings from reaching Estelle.
She staggered as II under a bludgeon's
blow. but tears came not to her relief.
Odette knelt beside her and repeated
like devotee telling beads: There Is
no proof MIR. Horace Is dead. Then,
mistress, do not believe It." And by
dlnt OF her strange persistency she
lodged doubt In Estelle's mind, which
brought her the consolation OF a fraiI
hope.
Quillebert gave the intelligence to
Laure with a cbuckle and obserVed:
The obliging Yankee took the Job
M my hands so far as Oakfen was
concerned"
II suppose" Laurie commented, EVA.
riste will now think he can persuade
Estelle Latiolals to marry him and will
speed his steps accordingly"
Il hope So" said Quillebert. still
pleased. ''It would be a fit punish
ment for her, and my vengeance would
be satisfied"
HE shall not marry her." Laure ex.
claimed holly.
And you shall not marry him." re-
torted Quillebert In sudden rage.
Let him say that, not you. My
grandmother never used shall or shall
not to me- Then do not waste your
energy in laying commands upon me.
You cannot steal my liberty as you did
the negro Jockeys"
Laure's defiance was pronounced with
such fire, contempt and insinuated
threat that Quillebert quailed beneath
her flashing eyes, and, swallowing the
coarse retort that rose to his lips, he
whistled prolonged note of mock sur
prise and walked to the room where
his treasure Of brandy was stored But
he stiffly resolved that Evariste should
wed Estelle and in that connection took
from his strong box a bundle of papers
bearing the signature OF Leonidas La
tiolais. Selecting two, he read them
carefully and tied them in a separate
parcel, which he laid away by itself.
To the curious Evariste's grief was
evidenced by his self seclusion. For
the space of a week he was not seen
at the I.atiolais home, Quilleberts place
or Dedr'S cabaret. He immured him.
self behind locked doors at "L'Espe-
rance" and Mrs. Wyley saw him only