Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1904-02-13
ODE Black xAg
VOLTS Breed
e~,r,.A, 1889 @ 3, H.rr. DICKSON

view with the king. What IL was for, or
how 1t might result, / could form no idea,
so / did not trouble myself with vain
thinking.
Promptly at 10 I presented myself at
that famous door which led to the room
where Louis held this morning levee. AL
ready the approaches were crowded, and
the officer on watch was busy examining
passes and requests for admission. Some
there were who passed ~haughtily In with
out even so much as a glance at the guard
or the crowd which parted obseQuiously
TO let them through. Most probably IA
vorites of the king, or ~perchance his min
listers. When he reached me the officer
Of the guard. noting my uniform, inquired:
Captain de Mouret of louisiana"
Yes"
You are to be admitted, SIR" and I
found myself ushered Immediately through
the opening ranks of Swiss mercenaries
into the audience chamber of the king.
Louis no longer held his levees In the
great vaulted chamber into which 1 was
first shown, but In a smaller and more
sombre room. that Of de Maintenon. The
character and dress of those present re-
flected with a chameleon's fidelity the
change In his majesty's habits. Madame
sat near the king, working upon a piece
Of tapestry which, when she was inter
ested in what went on. lay idle In her lap.
Behind her chair stood the sour-visaged
Jesuit confessor, Letellier.
Death, which spared not even the Bour-
bon. had taken away the Dauphin and his
son; leaving as the kings successor an In
FAM yet in his cradle This embittercd
every thought Of kings declining years,
made him gloomy, petulant and ~querulous.
And yet there were many men still about
him capable of upholding the dignity OF
the throne. l heard announced, one after
the other, Grand Marshal Villars, lately
placed in Of all the armies OF
France; the Duke OF Savoy, a amous
soldier, but a deserter from the English;
the brothers de Noailles, one bearing a
marshars baton, the other, cold, cynical,
a%ustere, robed in churchly garments, arch
bishop of Paris. There were Villeroi, de
Tourville, the admiral: and Marshal Tai
lard-he who lost the bloody field Of Blen-
helm 10 the Englishman Churchill.
L confess / was abashed at the sound OF
so many great names, and advanced In
hesitating fashion across the floor, to
kneel before the king.
Tut, tut, Captain de Mouret," he said,
kindly. Rise, we would hear somewhat
from you touching matters In our prov
ince OF Louisiana, and particularly of
their safety in case Of war-say, with
Spain"
He then asked a few questions about
things familiar to me, which put me quite
60 NhoN nc u oohN - SoAA oN"ASO 90
this time recollect, but 1 know i spoke
with all a soldiers enthusiasm Of my be-
loved commander, of his diplomacy In
peace, Of his war-won successes.
1t did not pass unnoticed hat many a
venomous glance was shot towards me
from that little group behind the king,
but in the kings presence 1 feared moth
ing, and spoke on, unrestrained.
Once a tall man whom / took to be
Chamlllard interrupted: the king motioned
me to proceed, and / told him all the
strength and resources OF the colonies,
their weakness and their needs. When l
thought 1 had finished, the kings face
hardened, and looking me straight in the
eye, he inquired:
What Is this I hear OF Bienville's pre-
Stunning TO c~riticise meme, Louis. his king
for contemplating such a disposition of
the colonies as suits my royal pleasure?
Can you tell me that as glibly, slr?"
For the moment l was ~astounded and
had no word to say. l could see a faint
smile run round the circle as they ex-
changed glances Of intelligence. Serigny
was right. The spy had already arrived.
His eavesdropping news had reached the
king. In my indignation l forgot the man
/ addressed was the imperial Louis. De-
Tending my master l spoke vigorously
the truth. and that right earnestly.
Your majesty is a soldier, and will for
give a soldiers blunt speech. l beg you,
sire, to consider the services and the
sorrows Of Blenville's people, the loyal lie
Moynes. Where rests his father? Where
his valiant brother, Ste. Helene and Meri-
court? Dead, and for the silver lilies.
Where's Iberville, the courteous. the
brave: he who ravaged the frozen ocean
and the tropic seas in his royal masters
name? Dead, sire, of the pestilence in
San Domingo. Does the king not remem-
Der his good ship Pelican? Has the king
forgotten Iberville? Hast forgotten thine
own white flag cruising on thine enemy's
coast, borne down by four vessels of SUI
perior weight? Did the Eagle stretch her
wings to escape the Lion?
Did the Silver Lilies fec before St
Cross? No, by the deathless
glory of the Bourbon, no! And who was
he that dared-following the example of
his king, the conqueror Of the Rhine-who
was he that dared meet such enemies and
engage such odds? Whose was that boy
ish face of thirty, waving his curls upon
the quarter deck, with the noble front Of
n very God of war? Iberville! Who is
that brushes away a tear to gaze upon
his STRIPPING brother beside the guns, soon
to be exposed by his to such a
fearful danger? Iberville, again! Who Is
fiery soldier, rocking nothing save
his duty, who seeth without a tremor that
beloved brother lying mangled at his post,
where the storms of hell do rage, and
flames consume the dead? Who, when the
enemy lay dismantled, theic hulks afire,
their colors struck, their best ships SUNK, /
when the glorious standard or france lrl-
dallied with the breeze-wlo Is
tina dauntless gentleman who Lneels
upon his battle-riven but victoriou9 deck
and sobs aloud in agony above his Writn~
brother? Who is this stricken gentlec
r,b,N bopfno NrOp that mnGt heroic I
fight for his king, now prints a kiss, as a
lender maiden might, upon the pale lips
Of a dying lad? All, Sire, 1t was Iberville,
II was IberVille, my king, lDerville the
gentle, Iberville the true! Hast thou for
tina wounded lad who lived to
serve his king so well on other fields?
Dost remember his name? Let me re-
mind you, Sire, that lad was B:enville de
la Chaise, your loyal governor of Louis
lana. Did the king but know the trials
and sufferings of my master m UNFOLDING
the royal authority. he would forgive him
much. Nor do / fear to say 1t even here,
that those men who seek his downfall
would as lief line their wallets with Span
ish doubloons as with honest Louis dor.
la vente, the renegade priest, the GEN.
ter of strife and discomfort in the colo
MES. traffic with the Indians and brings
opprobrium upon your majesty's name.
II is he or la Sale who sends this idle
tale-la Sale, who, from your matesty's
,ommissary, supplies this de la Vente
with his merchandise. Who their friends
ire here to tell your majesty these tales,
care not. Saving the royal presence, l
would be pleased to discuss the matter
with them elsewhere"
Thou art a bold lad" observed the
King.
I had noted his eyes flash, and the thin
~lostrils dilate at mention of the passage
If the Rhine; so, emboldened by the
surety of success, 1 kept my own cour-
lge UP.
AYE, Sire, truth need rave no fear from
he greatest Of all the Bourbons. Bien-
lille is a soldier, not a ~courtier,
,tung beyond endurance by the threat of
lis enemies that they would yet tSguile