The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1904-08-26
CHAPTER X%III.
THE nRINK OF CHANGE.

ardent sun, and now there appeared
only the dcnuded stalks of the null
leins and the haunting banners of the
Eoldenrud. The wild grouse shrank
from the edges OF the little fields and
joined their numbers into general
bands. which night and morn crossed
the country on sustained and strong
winged tight The plumagc Of the
young Wild turkeys, ing In druyca
among the open groves. began TO emu
lat" IN" irdrarcnt splendor' ri their
elders. The marshes above tn" village
became the home Of yet more numcr-
uus thousands uf clamuring wild fowl
and high MP against the blue there
passed. on the suuthbound journey.
the harrow Of the wild geese, vending
their way from north to south across
an unknown empire.
4 chill came into the waters OF
The river. 50 that the bass and pike
sought out the deeper pools The
squirrels busily boarded mp supplies OF
the nuts now ripcning. The antIers Of
the deer and the ell, which emerged
from The Conccalng thiCkcts now
bowed no longer ragged strips of vel.
vet. and their tips were polished In the
preliminary fitting for the fan season
ol love aud combat. There came nights
when m" white frost hung heavy upon
al the bending grasses and the broad
lcafcd plants, frost which scared the
maize leaves and set aiIamc the foliage
of the naples all along the streams.
and dryl,rd in n hundred namhoyant
tones tho leaves of the sumach and all
The climbirg vines
As All things now presag"d the com
ing winter, 80 there approached also
the time whon the little party. so long
companions upon the western trails.
must for the first time know division
nu Mcsnr. making ready for the re-
urn trim oyer the unknown waterways
bacl, to the lakes. as had been deter
mined 10 be- necessary. spoke of II rs
though the Journey we're but an affair
Of every day
Make no doubt. Monsieur Las
aid he that shall ascend this river
If the Illini and reach Michiganon well
before the SHOWS. Once at the mission
ol the Aiamis, or the village at the
river ChicaQua. | shall bc quite safe
for the winter, II decide not to 20
farther on. Then. In the spring. !!
make no doubt. | shall lac able to trade
our furs at the straits. If | like not IN"
tong run down to the Mountain Thus,
time within the following spring"
Il hope II may be so. my friend.
replied Law. for ! shall miss you sad
~ enough"
Ills nothing, monsieur, you viii
We we'll occupied. Suppose | take with
me Kutaikini and Kahayan. perhaps
also Tctc Girls That will give H. -four
paddlcrs for the big canoe, and you
will still have left Pierre Noir and
lean. tn say nothing of our friends tho
lllini hCrcahOut, who will be glad
enough To make cause with you in cas-
Of need. will leave Wabana for
madame, and trust she may prove OF
service See 10 II, pray yOu. that sh,
observes the offices of the church; fOr
mcthinks. unless watched Wabana is
disposed to become careless and un.
Christ tanned.
This will look to-" said Law,
smiling
Then all Is well" resumed Du
Mesnc. and my absence will be hut n
little thing, NJ We measure II on the
trails. You may find a winter alone IN
he wilderness a bit dull for you. may.
hap dullcr than were It in London, OF
even in Quebec. Yet twill pass and
in time we shall meet again. Perhaps
some good father will be wishing IT,
come back with me to set up a mis-
ion among the llIini These good
fathers. they so delight in losing fin.
gers. and ears, and noses for the good
of the church-though where tho
church be glorifcd therein some.
times cannot say. Perhaps some lccch
-mayhap some artisan
Nay, tbs too far So. Du Mcsnc,
to tempt others than ourselves"
Upon the contrary rather, Monsicu;
Las. II is matter for laughter to sec
the efforts OF Louis and his ministers
to keep New France chained 10 IN,
81. Lawrence, Yet my good lord gov
ornOr might as well pun out his cheeks
against the north wind as To try to
keep New France from pouring west
into the Mcssasebe; and as much might
be said for those good rulers of tht
English colonies. who are seeking ever
to keep their people east of the Allie
ghanies.
"'Tis the old world over again.
there in the St Lawrence" said Law
Right you are. Monsieur Las" cx-
claimed Du Mesne New France Is
but an extension of the family OF
Louis The Intendant reports every
thing to the king Monsieur So-and-
SO Is married, Very we'll, the king
must know It, Monsieur's eldest
daughter is making sleeps eyes At
such and such n soldier OF the rcEi-
ment of the king. Very well, this Is
wcighty matter, OF which the king
must be advised, Monsieurs wife he
comes eXpectant of son and heir
'Tis meet that Louis the Great should
be advised Of thisl Mother of God!
'Tis pretty mess enough back there
On the St Lawrence, where not hen
may cackle over its new-laid egg but
the king must know II, and where not
a family has meat enough for its chill
drcn to eat nor clothes enough to cover
them. My faith, in that poor medley
of little lords and lazy vassals. how
can you wonder that the best of us
have risen and taken to the woods,
Yet tbs we who catch their beaver for
them; and II God and the king be will.
ing; some time we shall get certain
price for our beaver-provided God and
the king furnish currency to pay us:
and that the governor, the priest and
the intendant ratify the acts of God
and the king!"
Law smiled at the sturdy yehemence
OF the others speech, yet there was
of soberness in his own re-