The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-08

gings like any savage. az silent. as stoical.
as hardy on the trail as on the narrow
thwart Of the canoe.
Savage feastings, riotings and drunken
ness, and long debaucheries came with the
Great Peace, when once the word had
gone out that the fur trade was to be
resumed. Henceforth there was to be
peace. The French were no longer to raid
the little cabins along the Kennebec and
the Penobscot. The river Richelieu was
to be no longer a red war trail. The Eng
fish were no longer to offer arms and
blankets Of the beaver, belonging to right
Of prior discovery to those who offered
French brandy and French beads. The
1roquois were no longer to pursue a tim1d
foe across the great prairie Of the valley
o fthe Messasebe. The Otibways were not
to ambush the scattered parties Of the Iro-
quois The unambitious colonists of New
England and New York were to be left
to till their stony farms in quiet. Mean
time, the fur trade, wasteful. Ncentious,
Improbable, was to extend onward and
outward in all the marches of the west.
From one end of the Great River of the
West to the other the insignia of France
| and of Frances king were to be erected
and Frances posts were to hold all the
ancient trails. Even at the mouth Of the
Great River, forestalling these sullen Eng
fish and these sluggish English colonists,
| far to the south in the sonber forests and
miasmat1c marshes, there was to be estab-
l1shed one more ruling point for the arms
| of Louis the grand. It was a great game,
| this, for which the continent Of America
was in preparation. It was a mighty
thing, this gathering Of the Great Peace,
this time when colonists and their king
were seeing the first breaking Of the wave
| on the shore Of an empire alluring, Won
| derful unparalleled
Into this wild rabble Of savages and
citizen. of priest and soldier and courteur.
Laws friends, Pierre Noir and Jean Bre-
boeuf. swiftly disappeared, naturally, fit
ly and unavoidably. The West is calling
morning. as he stood looking out across
| the river. Il hear once more the spirits
OF the Messasebe. p Monsieur, will you
| Gomez"
Law shook his head. Yet two days
Later Later as he est stood at that very point, there
coureurs instead of one. Once more
ne heard in his ear the question: Mon.
sieur Las, will you come?''
AT this voice he started. In an instant
his arms We're about the neck of Du
Mesne, and tears were falling from the
eyes of both in the welcome of thai
brotherhood which is admitted onlv bx
those who have known together arms and
danger and hardship, the touch of the
hard ground and the sight OF the wide
blue sky.
''Du Mesne, my friend"
Monsieur L'asr'
1T is as though you came from the
depths Of the sea, Du Mesne" said Law
'And as though you yourself arose from
the grave. monsieur''
How did you kriow--?"
! why, easily. You do not yet under
stand the ways Of the Wilderness where
news travels as fast as in the Cities You
were hardly below the foot of Michiganor
before runners from the Illini had spread
the news along the Chicaqua, where I was
then IN camp. For the rest the runners
brought also news Of the Big Peace
reasoned that the Iroquois would not dare
to destroy their captives, that in time the
agents OF the government would receive
the capt1ves Of the Iroquois-that these
capt1ves would naturally come to the set.
Elements on the st. Lawrence; since Il
was the French against whom the Iro
lquots had been at war; that having come
to Montreal you would naturally remain
here for a time. The rest was easy
Jared on to the straits this spring, and
then on down the lakes. have sold ou
furs, and am now ready to account to 70,
with sum quite as much as we SHOULD
have expected.
Nov, monsieur" and Du Mesh,
stretched out his arm again, pointing t,
~AAS
renee, Monsieur, will you come? I Sc,
not the St. Lawrence, but the Messasebe
I can hear The voices calling!"
Law dashed his hand across his eve!
and turned his head away. mot yet, D,
Mesne," said he. II do not know No
yet. I must first go across the waters
Perhaps some time-I cannot tell. Blu
this, my comrades. my brothers, I d,
know; that never until the last sod le
xzyi,I r
or forget you. Go back, If you will, m,
} brothers; but at night, when you sit b!
your flreside, think Of me, as I shall thinl
| Of you, there in the great valley. M,
| friends. 1t is the heart Of the world!"
But, monsieur"
} There, Du Mesne-I would not talk to
day. At another time. Brothers. adieu!'
"Adieu, my brother" said the coureur
his own emotion showing in his eyes; an,
their hands met again.
Monsieur Is cest down." said Du Mesh
to Pierre Noir later, as they reached tn
beach. Nov, what think your
> Usually. as you know, Pierre, it is
question OF some woman. It reminds me
Wabana was remiss enough when I LET
her among the Him with you. Now, Co
bless my heart, I find her-how think you
With her crucifix lost, cooking for dirt
> Ojibway!'
! Mary Mother!" said Pierre 1Ioir, If !
. be a matter of a woman-well, Gcd help u
all! At least tits something that will tax
, , Monsieur Las over seas again."
"'Tis mostly a woman" unused D
! Mesne but this passeth my wit"
|, "True, they pass the wit Of all. Now
did ever tell thee about the mission gil
: at Notwithstanding stay! That 70
! another time. They tell me that our com
> rade, Graysolon du L'hut. is expected
tomorrow with a party from the far en-
OF Superior. Come, let us have the news.