The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-05-27

plight. Tuskahon,a paused to sever the
belt with his knife. and by this acct
den I was first within the Spanish
! works. sword and pistc. in hand. Soon
IL huudred were by my side.
The Spanish troops. Injured to civil
lied warfare. could not stand before
these yelling demons, s%pringing here
F, and there elusive as phantoms. WELD
ing torch and tomahawk With deadly
effect.
In the very forefront, shoulder to
shoulder. with q laugh II Il parry, Il
lunge and a jest, fought the Chevalier
de la Mora. Merry as a lad at play,
~resolute and quick. l could but stop
betimes to wonder at the fellow. CAL
liant. gay and %debonnair, he sang a rip
ping little air from soft Provence. and
whirled his blade with such dainty
skill tina even the stoical Indians gazed
in awe upon the laughing cavalier.
Fighting through a bystreet. he met.
steel to steel, u Spanish gentleman,
within the sweep of whose sword lay
half a dozen of our good fellows.
De la Mora glanced at this silent
tribute to the Spaniard's prowess; his
face lighted up with a soldiers joy. He
planted one foot staunchly across n
PROSTATE corps and right jauntily
rang out the kissing music OF their
steel. ~Instinctively l paused to watch,
n as ~instinctively understood that
though pressed to his best. de Ia Mora
desired to be left alone. Verify 1t was
a gentleman's fight, and no odds. for
love and glory's sake, though the Span
lard might have had a whit the better.
AS 1 fought on. 1 heard the swift hurtle
of a flying knife, n saw the Spaniard
drop his sword. De la Mora glanced
round with indignant eyes to the
Choctaw who had made the cast. now
looking for approval from this gentle
man who sang like a woman and
fought like n fiend. The chevalier was
like to have wreaked VEN
geance for striking so foul a blow.
Through the press 1 could see him go
up to his late adversary, b~areheaded
and courteous, to eXtricate him from
the motley, bleeding group wherein he
had fallen. Throwing his powerful
shoulder against a door, he broke 1t
down, and tenderly carried the wound
ed gentleman within. l could then see
him quietly standing guard at the door,
waiting for the turmoil to cease, for 1t
was then quite evident h the day
was ours.
Already the Choctaws were busy
tearing the reeking scalps from the liv-
Ing and the dead. De la Morals face
grew deathly pale at the sight: his
cheeks did play the woman. and one
might deem him my lady's dapper
page. catching his maiden Whit of
blood. This generous act kept him from
being in at the close of the fray, and
robbed him of the greater need of glory
which he might have thereby won.
Twice that day, as he struck down a
pike aimed at my breast, did he make
me to feel in my heart like 81 lying
thief, who was weak enough to i'm
agine his dishonor.
Just at the last there was a trihing
incident occurred which my lads In
sisted was greatly to my credit. News
of this was carried straight to the gov
ernor, n much was made thereof.
Bienville, with his Frenchmen, bat
tered down the gates, and before many
minutes the proud Castilian pennon
lowered to the m~ilk-white flag of
France. On sea and land We're we alike
successful.
An hour after Pensacola fell, the
Spanish ships struck their colors to
Champmeslin. Our greatest loss was
the total destruction of the Seamew,
blown up by a red-hot shot. which fell
in her powder magazine.
AT the surrender I caught my old
commanders eye. He motioned me to
draw nearer. I obeyed most r%eluctant-
ly, for l expected a stern rebuke from
the rugged soldier who never forgave
the slightest deviation from his orders.
Instead, Bienville overwhelmed me
with praise. He grasped my hand, and
spoke loud enough for all the troops
to hear:
Before our assembled armies / am
proud to acknowledge your share in
Frances triumph this day; proud and
grateful for you fidelity at Versailles
n Paris. Your example of loyalty
and courage is one worthy to be emu
lated by all the sons of France. The
king shall have your name for further
recognition"
This was a great deal for Bienville to
say, especially at such a time. My own
lips were dumb.
Take your proper place, sir"
And mechanically 1 walked to the
head of my cheering guards. I was
amazed. And Serigny? Had he made
up his min to overlook my detection?
Had the governor forgiven my failure
to return in lie Dauphin? Surely not.
The noble voice of Bienville broke into
my puzzled thought:
Captain de Mouret, YOU will receive
the surrender of Don A%lphonso, our
knightly and courteous foe"
1t thrilled me with pride that I
should receive so famous a sword. for
knightlier foeman than Alphonso never
trod a deck nor tossed his gauntlet in
the lists. I stepped forward to the
Spanish lines where their vanuuished
admiral rendered me the insignia of
his command, when on a sudden
thought l put back the proffered sword.
assuring him so noble a soldier ought
never to stand disarmed. My delight
ed lads cheered again like mad. and
Bienville himself seemed much pleased
at my courtesy.
Continued Next Weekly
What a Knockout Blow Does.
Medical News: Inasmuch as all boxing
contests which terminate speedily are. as