Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-12-28

sHipS COuIse tnlOuSn the long fOne
watches.
The gray twilight ard the first half
of the night were often spent in con-
v~ersation by the three explorers on
the poop just outside of hearing of
the helmsman. Then 1t was that La
Sale told of his early life: of the days
spent among his Jesuit teachers; of
the first voyage to the new land; of
his early efforts to penetrate the
wilderness; of the life and history of
the colony; of the rivalry between
himself and the Jesuit missionaries
and their followers for the fur-trade
with the Indians and the efforts they
made use of to thwart his plans. At
times the genial side of his nature
showed itself in the recital of anus
ing incidents of the court, at Quebec,
in the camp.
Thus passed the days until full two
months had gone and the summer
winds had changed to September gales.
Already the floating sea-weed and
screaming birds told them that land
was near. One night the three sat lis
tening to the sound of wind and wave.
Tonti was silent, while his companions
talked. The master of the ship had
been commissioned to bring over a
lutte for the Comte de Frontenac. 1t
was this lutte that Tonti had bor-
rowed, and, needless now and then of
the tagging conversation, he idly
picked out some old forgotten strains
upon the strings, his thoughts far dis
tant.
At length Pompon left them. La
Sale, after a few moments silence,
said:
"Mon Dieu! you are a man of ac-
complishments; mon ami; a soldier and
a musician. 1t needs only that you be-
come a poet and the three great arts
will be found combined in one man."
Tonti smiled. 1--WE once toasted
your Lily of Poitou,' he said. Listen
now, while l tell you of my Rose of
Normandy. Perhaps if you will but
forget the singer, you may be pleased
like / am with the subject of my
song" So saying, he played a few
chords and began to sing to an old
Italian air:
Whilst poets celebrate in rhyme
Some comedy maid of high degree,
TIL praises rare I'd gladly sing
Of Rose, my Rose, of Normandy.
The sunbeams nestle in her hair,
Her lips are wondrous red to see,
A roguish glance beams from her eye,
The eye of Rose of Normandy.
Sweet thoughts and pure possess her
mind,
From earthly dross and blemish free;
An earnest purpose fills the soul
OF Rose, my Rose, of Normandy.
Within the empire of her heart
| fain would reign its king to be;
Blu other hands I fear will pluck
This Rose, my Rose, of Normandy.
Bravo! Monsieur Poet" a~pplauded
La Sale. Would that l had your
gift of rhyming. fear my sober mon
astic training destroyed any latent
talent l might have had. If l could I
would sing to you in return the charms
of my fair one"
A silence ensued, broken only by
the creaking of the ships timbers, the
shrilling of the wind through the rig
cling, and the sound of rushing waters
as the vessel careened on her course.
A falling star shot its tiny spark across
the heavens; the muffied sound of hui
man voices came UP from the interior
Of the Saint Honore;" the ships bell
announced the arrival of midnight.
At length Tonti aroused himself
from his revery and spoke to his
friend, who in turn was unconscious
Of his surroundings, so great was the
power of thought over his physical
environment.
"Do you recollect our first meeting,
mon capitaine, how you promised to
tell me the name of your lady when
we had once left the land behind us?
Perhaps although your rhymes be
faulty, one could learn something Of
her from your prose-"
True, mon ami, but words, even
though they be not those of poesy,
would utterly fail to describe the per-
son of her who has entered my life
but recently, but whose angelic pres
ence I trust shall remain with me for
ever. But | shall spare you all rhapso-
dies. She whom | call my Lily of Poi
tou Is a daughter Of a noble of that
province; her name, Renee d'Outre-
laise. She lives with mademoiselle as
a companion and friend. So far she
has not been seen at court, but keeps
close to her protectress, and is visible
only to those honored few to whom
mademoiselle chooses to show her; fol-,
all of which am thankful. The
princess as a patroness of the arts and
literature has been pleased to interest
herself in my explorations and has in
Vited me on a number Of occasions to
rehearse to her my adventures in New
France and relate all that would in
terest her about the land and it's in
habitants. Mile. d'Outrelaise has been
present at most of our interviews, and
it was while thus engaged that l real
lied that a new strange feeling had
arisen within my heart, a feeling that
men lightly call love, but which 1
recognize as an inspiring, ennobling
influence that means much more to
me-"
La Sale, not noticing his compan-
ions silence, continued:
"Mademoiselle has known by reputa-
ton some of my relatives and connec-
tions and thinks highly Of me as well
as my projects, and l know approves
my suit. Renee has never shown aught
in her demeanor that b~etokened a re-
turn of my affection, 0 have l ever
spoken words of love to her. partly