Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1904-01-23

that this chivalror king OF ours, this
degenerate grandson OF Henry the
Great, should think OF selling for a few
paltry liyres such an heritage as this.
Shame to o Louis, shame!"
His tone had grown so loud, 80 per-
emptory, / interrupted:
Caution, sire; who knows what tat
tiers ears are listening, or where your
thoughtless words may be repeated"
lie stood modify with hands behind
him gazing into the fire. Fol years I
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 dreamer Of
dreams and the builder of castles. /
watched him In amaZement.
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
hlther their silly romances of a land
OF plenty; they vow they came rot
here to work, and by the grace of God,
work they will not. They declare they
are not horses to eat of the corn of the
fields, and clamor for their dear Paris
ian dainties. Against such a petticoat
instruction the governor is helpless.
Bah it sickens me. j wonder not that
our men prefer the Indian maidenS,
for they at least have common
But by my soul, captain, here / stand
and rant'like some schoolboy mounting
his speech. Tush, 1t is forgotten.
Tell me, Captain deMouret, what
have you learned of the C~hickasaws,
for our time grows short"
Glad to change the current of his
thoughts / went On In detail to give the
results of my reconnaissance. Every
where we found preparations among
the allied tribes, and felt sure we saw
signs of a secret understanding be.
tween them and the ~Spaniard.
The governor made many notes, and
carefully examined the charts L had
drawn Of the ~Chickasaw towns, sys,
tematically marking down the strength
IL fortificatiOns of each. When / haC
finished nay report we sat for quite q
while, he silent and thoughtful, watch,
ing the thin blue smoke eddy round ano
round, then dart up the capaciouS
chimney.
And they charge me at the court OF
France" he s~oliloquized, giving half un,
conscious expression to the matter up
permost in his mind, they charge IN,
at the court of France, what no mar
save my king dare say to me-that
NlNSi NihN BNb1AN luAlhS " ilg USE
|, a lie Moyne, who spend my own pri
waite fortune in protecting and feeding
these ungrateful people. But we vast,
time in words, like two chattering ole
m We need ships and money ant
men-men who fight like gentlemen 70
glory, not deserters and convicts VIII,
fight unwillingly under the lash 70
gold.
what can I do with troops VIII,
would as gladly spoil Biloxi as Havana
Captain de Mouret, you will sail OF
lie Dauphin tomorrow at daylight. Plac,
these dispatches in my brothe
Serigny's hands Immediately upon you
arrival. From that time forward ac
under his instructions. Remember, sir
your mission is a secret one
l knew we'll the name he gave me
for next to Ibervilie, .Serigny was re
puted the most accomplished Of all til
lie MoyEes. To his fame as a soldier
his attachments as q scholar, he adde
the easy grace Of the courtier. Hi
position at the court Of Louis gave hir
great prestige throughout the colonies
he being q sort Of adviser to the kin
on colonia affairs, or so we all the
thought him. Little did / then knoy
how scant was the heed paid by powe
and ambition to real merit and soldier
ly virtues.
CONTINUED Next Week.)