The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-14
A Romance of the @ A 0G1lOys Province of Louisiana.

the entrance to the square an acclama- ton of joy was heard, and turning all beheld four men bearing great dead buck, wreathed with towering vines and stuffed with fresh fruits which protrudc from an incision in his flank. In the tracks of the four stag bearers come four other men, upon whose snouloers' seated on a palaquln. was young Sehoy, come to celebrate with her people the green corn dance.
 The Great Bear sat surrounded by his | braves, dejectlon on his brow, vengeance within his heart. The bearers of the princess at her word dropped upon their knees and she stepped to earth. ] Great Bear, forgive!" she plead. "I forgiver he roared. Then she gave the signal to the stag | bearer and they raised the creature high | aloft.
 ''BehoId my offering to the feast; re- ceive my gift, oh my people" and be- fore the spectators could utter. "HaI Marchand, with one broad sword-cut, freed himself from his iodgment within the deer.
 q, too, Great Bear, claim pardonP That outwitted chief sulklly handed his former enemy a handful of ashes, and, following his example, Marchand rubbed them over his face and hands and heart. "As these are purified by fire, so lei our friendship be by the test 1t has had, spake Marchand.
 "Humph!" grunted Great Bear in as. sent
 Half of the night was spent in revelry and feasting, then Great Bear, seeing l Marchand near the door of the council lodge, approached him and delivered from his bear skim quiver the delayed letter from Mobile.
 He seized the packet and hurried to the | light of burning rushes. He broke the seal, Mon Dieu! Julie Beaujeu in the colony?' "A letter from her hand Is en- | closed" he read from Bienvilles letter Half blinded with anguish and trembling l as with an ague, he read those rare sweet ! words beginning:
 | And I loved you not I should not havt | crossed the desert of the sea and ven tured the hardships of this waste place of a world to see you again"
 Still doubung his senses, when he hat read all. he read again and still again He Buried his face in his hands anC groaned. Witching memories gripped hi very soul. He could but contrast then with his surroundings He lifted his heat and looked about him. Lighted by th' | nickering and lurid flames the grotesqu' revelers seemed creatures of the nethel world.
 In one corner stood the snake begirteC prophet and medicine man. at whose sid' swung a bag containing frogs, lizards herbs and amulets.
 Serpentining In a zigzag row were { group of women. Among them the in frequent rogue with discovered righ hand, the adulteress denuded of nose anC ears One mumbling fellow. proven 2 liar, was bereft of tongue, and his com panion possessed, by a single fiery eye, th' gloomy cavern of its fellow testifying tC inflicted punishment due the spy. Anoth
 CT group, more grateful to the lofty soul
 was composed of young warriors, jus
 come in single file from the council lodge On the back of each was the new brand
 made-scar. attestation of the taken scalI l dangling from each belt Those who pro
 cured them by wondrous dangers or feat' of valor were promoted to a higher rank of fighting men and invested with a tiger skin which was thrown over their shoul ders by an aged chief,
 Another group still was composed oi the very aged women in whose handl V ere ropes of pearl beads. From thes' records they were instructipg young boy