Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-12-15


agreed upon between themselves and the
landlord. He shouted for the lazy bar
keeper, who answered nothing out OF
nothingness.
NightfaI was very clear and fair In
this northwestern territory. A man felt
nearer to the sunset The region TOOK
| hold upon me; particularly when one VINO
/ was neither a warehouseman nor a Cana
dian for hunter, hurried in and took me
by the hand.
st am Pierre Grignon," he said.
Indeed II he had held his fiddle, and
| turned 1t upon an arm not so stout,
should have known without being told
that he was the man who had played in
the Standardized cabin while Annapel de
| Chaumont climbed the chimney
We sat and talked until the light faded.
The landlord brought a candle, and yell
| ed up the loft where Skenedonk had al
| ready stretched himself in his blanket
| as he loved to do:
"Chambermaid, light upv'
'You drive your slaves too hard Land
lord" said Pierre Grignon.
You'd think I hadn't any, Mr.. Grignon;
for they're never in the way when they're
| wanted"
zone industrious man you certainly
have"
YES, Sam is a good fellow, but I'll
! have TO go out and wake him up ana
make him rub the horses down"
Never mind" said Pierre Grignon. I'm
] going to take these travellers home with
me-" ~
Now know how a tavern ought to be
kept" said the landlord. But what's
the use of my keeping one If Pierre Orig
non carries off all the guests?
Hes my old friend" told the land
| lord.
He's an old friend to everybody that
| comes to Green Bay. I'll never get so
| much as a sign painted to hang in front
OF the Palace tavern"
I gave him twice his charges and he
| said: gvs
what a loss it was to enterprise in
| the bay when Pierre Grignon came here
| and built for the whole United StatesI'
The Grignon house, whether built for
| the whole United States or not, was the
/ largest in Green Bay. Its lawn sloped
/ down 70 Fox river 1t was huge square
| Of oak timbers, with a detached kitchen,
sheltered by giant elms. To this day 1t
windows in the gables keeping guard
/ frame like some massive rock, the ran
| stands defyfng time with it's darkening
north and south.
| hall divided the house through the
| center, and here Madame Grignon well
coined me as II / were long-expected
! guest for this was her custom; and as
soon as she clearly remembered me. led
me into a drawing room where a stately
old lady sat making lace.
This was the grandmother OF the house.
| Such a house would have been incom-
plete without grandmother at the
/ hearth.
The furniture Of this hail or family
room had been brought from Montreal;
spindle chairs and pier table OF ma
hogany; a Turkey carpet, laid smoothly
on the polished floor to be spurned aside
4 Io fr7nOG-
sible sea pictures with patron saints in
the clouds over mariners an immense
/ stuffed sofa with an arm dividing II
! across the center-the very place for
those head-to-head conversations with
young men which the girls OF the house
| called "twosing.'' II was. in fact the
favorite ''twosing" spot Of Green Bay.
stools there were for children, and
armchairs for old people were not lack
ing. The small yellow spinning wheel Of
| Madame Ursule, az found afterwards
Madame Grignon was commonly called,
stood ready to reYolve It's golden disk
wherever she sat. SIS
The servants were Pawnee Indians,
moving about their duties almost with
| stealth. y
The little Grignon daughter who had
| stood lost in wonder at the dancing of
| Annabel de Chaumont. was now turner
/ of heads herself, all taken white. and con-
| trasting with the darkness OF Katrina
| Tank. Katrina was taken home to the
Grignon's after her mothers death. Both
| girls had been educated In Montreal
The seigniorial state IN which Pierre
| Grignon lived became at once evident.
I found It was the custom during Advent
F, for all the villagers to meet in HIS house
/ and sing hymns. On Christmas day his
| tables were loaded for everybody who
/ came. II any one died, he was brought
TO Pierre Grignons. for prayer. and after
| his burial, the mourners went back TO
| Pierre Grignon's for supper. Pierre Orig
non and his wife were godfather and god
mother to most OF the children born at
| La Baye If child was left without
1 father and mother, Pierre Grignon's house
] became its asylum until a home could
! be found for it. The few American OFF,
| GERS stationed at the old stockade, nearly
/ every evening met the beauties Of Green
| Bay at Pierre GrIgons, and II he did
not fiddle for them he led madame in the
| dancing. The grandmother herself some
/ times took her stick and stepped through
/ a measure TO please the young people.
Laughter and the Joy of life ruled the
/ house every waking hour OF the twenty
| four Funerals were never horrible there.
| Instead. they seemed the mystic begin
ming Of better things.
/ poor Madame Tank She would have
been so much more comfortable in her
| death II she had relieved her mind"
4 Madame Ursule said. the first evening as
| we sat in a pause OF the dancing. she
used to speak OF you often, for seeing you
made a great impression upon her, and
she never let us forget you. am sure she
knew more about you than she ever told
me. I have am important disclosure to
/ make she SAYS. Come around me,
want all Of you to hear it! Then she
/ fell back and died without telling 1t.
A touch OF mystery was not lacking to
| the house. Several times saw the tail
Of a gray gown disappear through an open
door. Some woman half entered and drew
| back.
ITS Madeline Jordan" an inmate told
me each time ''She avoids strangers"
/ asked If Madeleine Jordan was a rel
/ alive.
'Oh, no." Madame Ursule replied; but
the family who brought her here. went
back to Canada, and Of course they left
| her with us"
OF course Madeleine Jordan. or any
body else who lacked roof, would be left
with the Glgnons; but in that house
hermit seemed out Of place, and said so
to Madzme Ursule.
| "Pzor childr she responded. Il think
| sl,<likes the hustle and noise. She is not
Ia hermit. What difference can 1t make
I to her whether people are around her or
not?"
| THE s,,biact of Madeleine Jordan was