The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-01-29

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wildeBt schemes OF c%onques. ever
| drea med? Why, boy, the day Will come
when for a thousand leagues the silver
| lilies will signal each other from every
hill top; martS Of commerce Will thrive
and flourish; the land will smile with
farms and cities, with proud palaces
and with granite castles. The white
sails of our boats, will fleck every lake
and sea and river with their rich bur
dens of trade, pouring a fabulous and
a willing wealth into the Golfers Of the
king. Gold and silver mines will yield
their precious stores, while from these
niggard natives we will wrest with
mighty arm the ribute they so con-
temptuously deny the weakling ours
who snap and snarl at my heels. Grey
tower and fortress will guard every in
let, and watch this sheltered coast. In
every vale the loW chant of holy nuns
will breathe their benediction upon a
happy people. And hordes of nations
yet unknown and races yet unborn, in
future legends, in song, in story and in
rhyme, will laud the name of Bourbon
and the glory of the French. Oh lad!
lad! It's an ambition worthy a god"
The governor a risen, and waving
his long arms this way and that,
pointed out the confines of his mighty
dreamland empire with as much as
Sufdnce as IL CUES ana OWE WOulu
spring up at his bidding.
His whole frame spoke the most in
tense emotion. The face, glorified and
htransfigured by the allurement of his
brilliant mirage, seemed that of an
other man.
"Ah, Placide! Placide. it stings me
that this ~chivalrous king of ours, this
degenerate grandson of Henry the
Great, should think of selling for a few
/ D91trV 1iVraS SJ1rh an hpritSpa oS this
shame to you Louis, shame!"
His tone had grow SO loud, so per-
emptOry, / interrupted:
Caution, sire; who knows what tat
tiers ears are listening, or where your
t~houghtless words may be repeated"
He stood moodily with hands behind
him gazing into the fire. For years l
had known Bienville the soldier, the
stern and unyielding governor, with the
hand of iron and the tongue of SuaSiOn.
Now saw for the first time Bienville
the man, Bienville the visionary, Bien-
vile the enthusiast, the dreame of
dreams and the builder of castles. !
watched him in Amusement.
Then these miserable women whom
our good father, the Bishop of Quebec,
was so kind as to send us, bringing
from their house of correction all the
airs and graces of a court. Bringing
hither their silly romances of a lanG
of plenty; they vow they came not
here to work, and by the grace of God
work they will not. They declare they
are not horses to eat of the corr of the
fields. and cls nor for their lear Paris
ian dainties. Against such a petticoa'
instruction the governor is helpless
Bah! it sickens me. l wonder not tina
our men prefer the indian maidens
for they at least have ommon sense
But by my soul, captain, here l stan(
4 =, nj ~, ~ t1-n on, Ca1r~11N~rr :, n v
} his speech. Tush, it is forgotten.
Tell me. Captain deMouret, wha
| have you learned of the Chickasaws
: for our time grows short"
Glad to change the current of hi
: thoughts l went O in detail to give tn
: results of my reconnaissance. Every
l where we found preparations amoni
I the allied tribes, and felt sure we say
signs Of a secret understanding be
! tween them and the %Spaniard.
: The governor made many notes, an
carefully examined the charts | ha
= drawn of the C~hickasaw towns, sys
: tematically marking down the strengt
:. and Notifications of each. When l ha
finished my report we sat for quite
9 while, he silent and thoughtful, watch
ing the thin blue smoke eddy round an
: round, then dart up the capaciou
y chimney.
"And they charge me at the court {
France he s%oliloquized, giving half VI
conscious expression to the matter III
d permost in his mind, "they charge n
at the court of France, what no ma
i save my king dare say to me-that
IT divert the public funds to my own us
l, a lie Moyne, who spend my own pr
0. Vate fortune in protecting and feedir
n these ~ungrateful people. But we was
time in words, like two chattering o
women. We need ships and money al
d men-me who fight like gentlemen fl
,e glory, not deserterS and convictS wi
fight unwillingly under the lash f
gold.
''What can I do with troops wi
would as gladly spoil Biloxi as Havan;
Captain de Mouret, you will sail
lie lie Dauphin tomorrow at daylight. Pla
IN these dispatches in my broth
A. Serigny's hands Immediately upon 70
e, arrival. From that time forward a
I'd under his instructions. Remember, S
your mission is a secret one"
L l knew we'll the name he gave n
at for next to Iberville, Serigny was I
puted the most accomplished Of all t
le, LIE Moynes. To his fame as a soldit
ID his ~attainments as a scholar, he add
re the easy grace of the courtier. +
position at the court of Louis gave h:
Id great prestige throughout the colonie
or he being a sort of adviser to the XII
at on colonial affairs, or SO we all tn
It. thought him. Little did I then knt
lis how scant was the heed paid by pow
TX, and ambition to real merit and soldie
'e- ly virtues.
le- Continued Next Weekly
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