Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-25
The Little Captain Of Vercheres'
The TIME Story of a French-Canadian
Girl
BY FRANCES R. sTERRETT.

BY FRANCES R. STERRETT
Nv father was commandant OF the lori
ard seignfor of Vercheres and the manor
ran nv the river for miles. But the cot-
taees and farm buildings were deserted
men women and children crowded 10 the
fort and city for protection against the ITO
ouois the blood-thirsty Indians, VINO caiiie
every spring as soon as the frost was OUT
Of the ground and swarined over Cahaoa'
fire and death in their hands
II makes my blood boil when THINK ol
the troop after troop Of Christian soio'ers
which had been sent against them only u
he beaten back by the unbaptiZed heathen!
How we all dreaded the coming or sum-
ner-that is. father and maman and the
old folks. | loved it, for l was too young
to have much fear of the Indians. ana
liked to be out in the fields better than Sill
ting by the chimney corner with my needle
work. s., ,o
was inst fourteen when my father, VINO
was an officer in the Carignan regimen,
went to Quebec on duty. leaving maman IN
charge of the fort and the people. lie had
been away but twelve days when message
came from grandmere in Montreal ne was
i'll and wanted maman. Poor mamah!
helued her pack her clothes and told her
not to mind and that l would take hei
place. ar eo.
She smiled and said with sigh: Il fear
me you will have to. Madelon Ana she
gave me hundred directions as to what
should do if this and so happened. could
not begin to remember them all, so l forgot
them.
Maman went about noon. She took the
baby and little Barbe. leaving Alexander
and Louis with me. We all cried when the
boat was pulled out into the river ana then
waved our handkerchiefs until they drleq
and the canoe was out of sight L danced
with joy; l was my own mistress anu the
mistress OF the boys. -. -
Come 1 said, suddenly, I'VE Will put on
our Sunday clothes
II will not" cried Alexander. who was
making a cartwheel in the dust Ihey
are too tight and l had rather catch rats
with Antoine. There are a million rats in
the provision room
At any other time I would have gone
with him. but l had taken fancy 10 wear
NV best dress Who ever heard of the lady
of a manor in a gray homespun with
darn in every seam? l went back TO the
fort alone and crept up the stairs very
softly so as not to disturb Bonnie Jeanne.
who has ears like cat, and fastened the
door while l took out my fete dress of blue
velvet trimmed with silk that had been
part of maman'S trousseau. We OF Yer
cheres are not rich, and my father gives so
much to the poor that we have less than
we might.
| brushed my hair until it fell around me
like a cloud and turned down the neck OF
my bodice with a bit of lace as l wore 1t to
Claire Launay's fete. and then went down
stairs to borrow the blue fan which maman
always carries when she goes to the Chat
eau. Bonne Jeanne was asleep by the win
dow and l stepped softly by her, but when
1 opened the drawer 1t fell out. and though
I caught II on my foot. 1t made great
noise I held my breath. Bonnie Jeanne
opened her eyes sleepiy and said: Scat!
She thought I was the cat!
Then L went out on the terrace ana
walked up and down flirting my fan as
had seen the grande DANES do at the Chat
eau before Governor Frontenac. l had not
been there five minutes when Lavonette
came around the corner with net on his
shoulder. He gave shrill whistle when he
saw me.
Why. mann selle'' he said, 81 was about
to ask you to come and catch cells. but
such a grande dame will not care for so
humble a sport"
And the stupid would have gone on. but
ran after him. ''Wait, Lavolette," 1 cried.
Not in that dress" He stopped and
spoke sternly. Madame, your mother
would be angry If anything should spoil its
prettiness.
1T is pretty" I said. conceitedly: land
I have worn II but twice. See how white
It makes my skin? 1 put 1t on today be-
cause 1 am mistress and can do as please.
Come. Lavolette, please, before Bonnie
Jeanne sees u.s.
He had caught but one eel when heard
gunshots in the direction of the south field.
where the habitants were seeding wheat.
what is that?" 1 asked.
Lavolette caught me roughly by the arm.
run, nam selle!" he cried. Run as you
never ran before. The Iroquois are here!"
1 thought he was making sport OF me. and
pushed him aside to look Never will /
forget the painted naked savages who were
creeping out of the woods, pistol shot
away There was one in front who wore
a scarlet coat with gold lace over his deer
skin leggings and a long feathered bonnet
on his head 1t was such a contrast l had
to laugh. Lavolette caught me by the
shoulder. and in his haste knocked the fan
from my hand. and 1 was such d coward 1
did not stop for II.
Just then the Indians saw us and broke
into run, yelling and screaming, but L
could race like a deer. They soon saw
they could not capture us alive, and began
10 shoot. The bullets whizzed about our
ears, and one carried away my blue cap.
When we reached the gate l had just
strength to help Lavolette fasten 1t and
then tumble down on pile of boards when
! happened to think madam never let's me
sit down in my best dress-it maps the
velvet
Then I thought and thought what could
do to save the fort and the people. The
more than nine feet high, but II had a
buildings were all of stone. with wooden
gables and heavy doors, behind which we
could find refuge If the palsade was taken.
On the other hand. here were fifty Indians.
trained warriors. against half a dozen old