The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1903-03-13
On the Batture.
By S. Rhett Roman.

n the iNef GAME creeping
Wy up and driftwood and grea,
tree trunks from the carinc banks
OF the hin region along the uppe,
river. torn up and horne away b,
the rushing waters of the Atchafal
avs and the Red. went by, Delphins
always grew anxious.
She would stop singing those sweet
plaintive fishermen songs, brought
over long ago from the NORMANDY
coast of France by her grandfather
who told strange and fascinating
tales of the "peches Il grands cours'
he went on when young.
He lored to describe the tislin.
fleet OF the small village. perched
high among the cliffs, as it fitted
u of the narrow mouth of the har.
20 steering for the mackerel banks
OF the North sea to com back six,
perhaps eight, months later.
Delphine and the old man were the
only occupants of the little dwelling
built outside the levee on high stills,
Ike many others lining the river
front along the outskirts of the CITY,
That OF the old Norman fisherman
was the largest and most preten-
uous of these occupied by the queer
cosmopolitan population scattered
along the batture, and old Jean
Pierre Durant, stern-looking. DOW
erful and taciturn. much-liked and
somewhat feared. was considered the
most prosperous OF all the dwellers
OF the river settlement.
Deiphine had no recollection of
any parent but old Pierre.
1t was he who had watched over
her and taken care of her, and had
brought her. when she was old
enough. to the Convent of the Sacred
Heart to be there educated.
Delphine had wept disconsolate
tears when he left her in charge of
the pale. sweet-faced mother supe-
rior- But how happy those years
had been. How she had romped and
played in the big shady garden OF
the old convent. and how pleasant it
was in the ~high-ceiled, quiet class
roomS.
How she had loved to sing in the
choir of the chapel while the set
ting sum-. through the stained glass
windows cast violet and golden and
crimson patches on the spotless white
floor.
Delphine had to admit to herself.
although never to Jean-Pierre. that
she greatly missed her lisht-hearted
companions of the convent and the
care of the gentle nuns.
Her studies. at first irksome. how
a~hsorhingiy delighted they became.
1t had been no effort, Delphsne re-
membered, TO win prizes and keep at
the head of her classes.
She had ore than once wondered
why intellectual and wise Mother As-
mes would watch her with a troubled
gaze and sigh. anNiously. when civ
ing her first honors.
Then She came back to live in .be
little house on the hatture, anon
the shrimpers and fishermen. the ST.
catians and Italians and the shif,inp
changing population. leading their
strange lives along the bend of the
where a small ferry boat went
back and forth and tied up at nirts
at Its wharf. when its restless DAYS
work was over.
Two rooms had been added BY Jean
Pierre and bright colored AWNINGS
shaded the small porch. The boat,
lnoorsu TO a stake when the river
low and 10 the front stem when
the I'D was sargling around the nil
ing and among the thick swayinr
willows around behind, had been re-
painted when Delphine came back,
There were days when pelphine. in
spite OF her bright spirit and de-
termination to be CHEEKY for jean
ierres sake. felt a strange fear come
'ver her. and an unconqaerable dread
+ tho great rolling yellow tide
weeping down to the gulf and rush
ng in f0aning, murmuring counter
lrrents arnnnd the little home, now !
. rressys with its boxes of flowers,