Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-09-22

IVA riva! NJ RousSillon returned
! - to yincennes, and il he was
sorely touched in his amour
propre by seeing his suddenly acquired
military rank and title drop away he
did not let it be known 10 his fellow
citizens. He promptly called upon the
new commander and made acguaint-
ance with Lieutenant Fitzhugh Bever-
ley, who just then was experimenting
the work of cleaning up an old cannon
in the fort and mending some breaks
+ in the stockade.
/ Helm formed Il great liking for the
big Frenchman. whose breezy freedom
of manner and expansive good humor
struck him favorably from the begin
ming. NJ. Roussillon's ability to speak
English with considerable ease helped
the friendship along. no doubt; at all
events their first interview ended with
a hearty show Of good fellowship, and
as time passed they became almost In
separablc companions during III. Rous-
sillon's periods of rest from his trading
excursions among the Indians. They
played cards and brewed hot drinks
over which they told marvellous stories.
the latest one invariably surprising all
its predecessors.
Helm had an eye to business, and
turned NJ. Roussillon's knowledge of
the Indians to valuable account, SO
that he soon had very pleasant rela-
tons with most of the tribes within
reach Of his agents. This gave feel
ing OF great security to the people OF
yincennes. They pursued their mar
row agricultural activities with excel
lent results and redoubled those social
gayeties which, even In hut and cabin
under all the adverse conditions of ex-
IRENE frontier life, were dear to the
volatile and genial French tempera-
ment.
Lieutenant Beverley found much to
interest him in the quaint town, but
the piece de resistance was Oncle
Jazon, who proved to be both fascinat-
ing and unmanageable-a hard nut to
crack, yet possessing kernel abso-
lutely original in flavor. Beverley Wis
tied him one evening in his hut-it
might better be called den-a curl
ously built thing, with walls of vertical
poles set in quadrangular trench Dug
in the ground, and rooted with grass
Inside and out 1t was plastered with
clay, and the floor of dried mud was as
smooth and hard as concrete paving.
In one end there was wide fireplace
grimy with SCOT, In the other mere
peephole for window; wooden
bench a bed of skins and two or three
stools were barely visible in the gloom.
In the doorway Oncle Jazon sat whit
ting slender billet Of hickory into
ramrod for his long fiintlock American
rifle.
maybe We know Simon Kenton,'
said the old man, after he and Beverley
had conyersed for awhile, seeing that
you are from Kentucky-ehy
eyes, do know him well; he's
warm personal friend of mine" said
Beverley with quick interest, for 1t
surprised him that Oncle Jazon should
know anything about Kenton. do you
know him, M. JazQn?
Oncle Jazon winked conceitedly and
sighted along his rudimentary ramrod
to see If it was straight, then, FUCKER
ing his lips as If on the point of whis-
fling. made an affirmative noise quite
impossible to spell.
"Wel, I'm glad you are acquainted
with Kenton," said Beverley. Where
did YOU and he come together?'
Oncle Jazon chuckled reminiscently
and scratched the skinless, cicatrlzed
spot where his scalp had once -four
ished
"Oh, several places" he answered
I'VE see tibet hair a-hangin' there on
the WALTZ" He pointed at dry wisp
dangling under peg in log barely
visible by the bad light well, thers
my scalp. He, he, he" He snickered
as If the fact were most enjoyable
Joke. Simon Kenton can tell ye about
tLet little affair. The Indians thought
was dead, and they took my hair; but
/ wasn't dead. was just a-givin' 'em
possum act. When they was gone |
got up from where was a-layin' and
trotted off. My head was sore. and,
ventrebleu, but was mad! He, he.
he!,
All this time he spoke IN French,
and the English but poorly paraphras-
es his odd turns of expression. Els
grimaces and grunts cannot even be
limited.
1t was long story, as Beverley re-
ceived it. told scrappily, but with GER