Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-02-16

dusky streets. Men were slipping from
house to house. arming themselves and
joining their neighbors. Clark had
sent an order earlier in the evening
forbidding any street demonstration by
the inhabitants. but he might as well
have ordered the wind not to blow or
the river to stand STILL Oncle Jazon
knew every man whose outlines he
could see or whose voice he heard. Hs
called each one by name:
"Here, Roger, fall in! Come, Louis.
Alphonse, Victor. Octave-venez lei,
here's the American army, come with
me-. His rapid French phrases leaped
forth as if Slot from pistol. and his
smll voice. familiar to every ear III
VincenneS, drew the creole militiamen
to him. and soon Beverley's company
had doubled its numbers, while at the
same time its enthusiasm and ability
TO make noise had increased in far
greater proportion. In accordance with
an order from Clark they now took po'
sition near the northeast corner o. the
stuckade and began firing, although
In the darkness there was but little op-
pJrtunity for craftsmanship.
Oncle Jazon had found Citizens Le-
lace and Bosseron, and through them
Clark's men were supplied with am
munition, Of which they stood greatly
in need. their powder having got wet
during their long watery march. BY
o O'Clock the fort was completely
surrounded, and from every direction
the rifemen and musketeers were
pouring in volley after volley. Bev-
erley with his men took the cover of a
fence and some houses sixty yards
from the stockade. Here to their sur
prise they found themselves below the
line of Hamilton's cannon, which, be-
ing planted on the second floor OF the
fort, could not be sufficiently depressed
to bear upon them. A well directed
muskct fire, however, fell from the
loopholes of the blockhouses, the bull
lets rafting merrily against the cover
behind which the attacking forces lay.
Clark. in passing hurriedly from COM
pany to company around the line,
stopped for little while when ne
found Beverley.
"IIave you plenty Of ammunition
was his first inquiry.
"a mighty sight more n we kin see
to shoot WITH" spoke up Oncle Jazon,
Its right smart O. dad burn foolish
ness to be wastin 1t on nOthin'; seems
| like to me at we'd better set the dasted
| fort alre an smoke the skunks OUT!
Speak when you are spoken to. my
man." said the colonel trifie hotly,
and trying by a sharp scrutiny to make
him out in the gloom where he
crouchcd.
"Ventrebleu! I'm not askin' you,
| Colonel Clark. nor no other man. when
| shill speak. | talks whenever | gifts
ready. an shoots jes' the same way.
| So we'd better 20 on bout yer business
| like a white man, Close up yer own
whopper jawed mouth eff ye want any
thing shet up
soho, is that you, Jazon? You're SO
little | didn't know you! Certainly.
talk your whole under jaw off for all
| care" Clark replied, assuming jo'
cose tone. Then, turning again to Bev-
erley: Keep up the firing and the
noise. The fort will be ours in the
morning"
whats the use of waiting till morn
ing?' Beverley demanded with impa'
tience. "Wc can tear that stockadc to
pieces with our hands in half an hour"
81 don't think so, lieutenant. 1t Is
better to play for the sure thing. Keep
up the racket, and be ready for 'em If
they rush out We must not fail tc
! capture the hair buyer general"
Beverley submitted to Clark's plan
with what patience he could. and all
| night long fred shot for shot with the
best r,flemen in his squad. 1t was a
fatiguing performance, with apparent
ly little result beyond forcing the garri-
son now and again to close the EN-
brasures, thus periodically silencine
| the cannon. Toward the close OF the
| night q relaxation showed itself in the
shouting and firing all round the line.
Beverley's men, especially the creo!es,
held out bravely in the matter of noise,
but even thcy tagged ut length. theii
volatility simmering down to desultory
bubbling and half sleepy chatterine
and chatting.
Beverley leaned upon rude fence
and for time neglected to reload his
hot rifle. OF course he was thinking of
Alice-he really could not think in any
other direction: but it gave him shock
and Il start when he presently heard
! her name mentioned by little French,
man near him on the left.
"There II never be another such a
girl in Post Vincennes as Alice Roussil-
lon." the fellow said in the soft creole
patois. "And to think of her being shot
like Il dog"
"And by a man who calls himself a
governor, too" said another. "Ah, as
for myself, I'm in favor of burning him
alive when we capture him. That's
me-"
EFT moi aussi," chimed in third
voice. THAT poor girl must be aveng
ed. The man who shot her must die
Holy Virgin. but if Gaspard Roussillor
were only here"
"But he is here. | saw him just after
dark. He was in great fighting temper
that terrible man. OUT, but | should
not like to be Colonel Hamilton and
fal! in the way Of that Gaspard Rous
sillon!'
"Morbleu. | should say not. You
may leave me c,lt OF Il chance like that
[ shouldn't mini seeing Gaspard handle
the governor though. All, that would