New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1903-10-17
TRUE STORY OF EVANUEI.INE

As Published by Felix VOORHEES, Nov
%. 1899, in Chapter VIII Of Hi
Acadian "reminiscences, "
Emeline Lahiche. petiots. was al
orphan girl whose parents had dice
when she was quite child. | hat
taken her to my home and raised he
us my own daughter. How sweet
tempered, how loving she was. Sh,
had grown TO wnmanhood with all TN,
attractions of her sex. and, although
not beauty in the sense usually Civ
en- IN that word, she was looked upon
as the handsome girl i'll ST. Gabriel
Her fine. Transparent, hazel ewes mir
rored faithfully her pure thoughts
her hewitchiug smile; her dark brown
hair waving in graceful undulatlon'
ON her Intelligent forehead and fall
ing in ringlets on her shoulders: hel
slender. symmetrical shape all con.
trihutcd To her most attractive pie.
ture of maiden loveliness.
Emiline, who had just completed
her sixteenth year. was ON the eve OF
marrying most deserving laborious
and we'll -tu-do young man of st. Gah-
riel. named Louis Arceueaux Their
mutual love dated from their earliest
wears, and all agreed that Providence
willed their union as man and wife.
she the fairest young maiden, he the
most deserving youth of St Gabriel.
Their bans lad been published i'll
the village church, the nupital day
was fixed. and their long love dream
was about 10 realized whom the bar
harous scattering. of our colony took
place.
"Our opprcssors had driven us to-
wards the seashore, where their ships
rode at anchor. and Louis. resisting,
WAS brutally wounded. Emcline
had witnessed the whole scene. Her
lover was carried ON board of one of
the ships. the anchor was weighed
and n stiff breeze soon drove the ves-
sci out of sight. Emelinc, fearless
and speeehless. stood fixed to the spot,
motionlcss as n statue and when the
white sail vanished in the distance
she uttered wild piercing shrek,
and fell faintiug to the ground.
When she came to. she clasped me
III her arms and in an agony Of grief
she sobhed piteously. Mother! Moth
err said she, in broken words; he is
gone; they killed him. What will
become of me-
Il soothed her grief with endear-
ing words until she wopt freely. BY
degrees its violence subsidized but, the
sadness of her countenance betokenod
the sorrow that proved ON her heart
never To be contaminated by her love
for another one.
Thus she lived in our midst always
sweet tempered, with such sadness
depicted III her countenance, ana
With smiles SO sorrowful that we had
grown to look upon rs not Of this
,arth. but rather a. our guardian an
gel, and this was why we called her no
onger Emeline but, Evangeline. or
3od' s little angel.
"The sequel of her story is not
say, Petiots, and my poor old heart
freaks whenever ] recall the misery
# her fate. and while our grand
mother spoke thus her whole figure
vas tremulous with emotion.
Grandmother, we said I'VE feel
o deeply interested in, Evangeline
Tod 5, little angel: lido tell us what
efell her afterwards. "
Petiots, how can | resist your.
etition? ! will now tell you what |
ecame of poor Emeline'' and after
aving remained while in thought
al reverie she resumed her narrative.
Emeline Petiots, had been exiled
D Maryland with me. She was, as
have told you, my adopted child,
nd loved her with IA mothers love.
he dwelt with me, and she followed
lie in my long, weary pilgrimage
rom Maryland to Louisiana. / shall
OF speak to you of the many dangers
nat beset us on our way and of the
bstacles we had to overcome to reach
ouisiana. This would be anticipat-
lg what remains for me to relate to
on. When we reached the Teche
,untry, at the Poste DIES Attakapas.
e found there the whole population
aggregated to welcome us. As we
alked from the boat Emeline walked ],
! my side but seemed not to admire
lie beautiful Landscape extending on
/ sides. Alas, it was of no moment
her whether she strolled on the
,etical banks of the Teche or ram
ed in the picturesque sites of hospit-
lie Maryland; she lived in the past,
I'd her soul was absorbed in her
ournful regret of that past. For .
II the universe had lost the prestige 6
its beauties of its splendor, of its /
The radiance of her dreams /
-. 1..x.,xa.l n,l ,I,. l.noctI.xl :