The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-14

From the southeast bastion Of Fort Louis floats the white flag of France.
 In it's fellow on the southwest lodges the bell which calls the garrison ana colonists to prayers or to arms.
 The pointed palisades of cedar stakes extend five hundred feet from bastion to bastien. The Hanks. gerges and curtains are in true proportion.
 Within are the government house. prison, and a magazine containing the effects of the king.
 faw soldiers on guard duty are the sole occupants of the fort, the remainder of the garrison living in separate houses without It's walls.
 On the east a mighty river moves swift ly to the nearby bay of Mobile.
 The esplanade, shaded by double row of oaks, is surrounded by fourscore one story houses on cedar or sandstone stllts. The exterior of each is plastered with cement made of oyster shells. gathered from the neighboring islands.
 Nearest the fort are the homes Of the officers and inhabitants of most import anoa :all great names in the part France ulaYed in the colonization of the South- west some the brothers, more the frlenos and A few the enemies of Sieur Le Moyne Jean Baptiste de Bienville. Governor of his majesty's province of Louisiana.
 Within the shadow of the fort is the Parish church, near which is the resi- dsnce of the seminary priests, and TUT ther hack. near the forest of pines are the hospital and burying ground. Near the house of the Governor is the home of the Jesuits. Interspersed throughout every section are houses of people In the kings nav. either as soldier. coureurs de boie. or laborer; and also places for the lodKment of voyagers. Adjacent to sol dier, colonist and priest alike are seven "emplacsment ocoupees par plusieurs femmes."
 This village is the capital of half continent!
 At the very beginning of the eighteenth century Mobile was established for the purposs of guarding from the encroach- ments of the English the entrance to the Mississippi river and it's tributary streams all of which had been claimed by Cana dians in the name of France.
 II.
 At a table, writing in a clear. bold hand, sat the Governor. who, despite his youth was a veteran of many conflicts by sea and by land, in the service of his king. Louis the Fourteenth. No hard ship, no hazard ventures too much If it promotes the glory of France believed all his line of sturdy kinsmen.
 He was preparing the official report of his conduct of the affairs of the colony which was to be transmitted through the Minister of Marine. Count Pontchartrain. Tomorrow will return "The Pelican lately come from France, bringing fresh 4uppies and some girls whom the king aas sent to his colonists for wives.
 .he last rays of the evening sun illum- mated the room and revealed in bold re- lief the martial figure of Bienville, from tjersman. statesman, soldier, diplomat!
 He bent over his task with eager in tsrsst. Occasionally he paused to reread what he had just written, replaced with new page that portion of his chronicle likely to be hurtful to his fellow colo nists with the home ofice.
 little Indian lad, one of his slaves was lying on the floor at his feet The sor9 of a laborer fioated from the garden throu1h the open easement and distract sA ths scribe's flow of thought.
 .c1o bid that fool be silent!' he com roanded the boy, who instantly sprans from his recumbent posture and quick as an arrow darted out of the room. His eager obedience was born of mingled love and fear. - ,-..
 The Governor swept his hand over his hrow scanned with a swift glance his hare room. arose and with rapid agita- Con crossed the floor thrice. He resumed