Rocky Ford enterprise., 1905-06-16

lgtchbct AH'y uis uhu
their leaders are gentlemen. Yet l
can assure you that they are brave
fellows and tremendous fighters. and
Just the men needed now to help save
| New Orleans"
Then. while folding his nakpin. tho
general said anImatediy. How could
have forgotten to tell you a most
surprising piece OF news about Capt.
Jean? That young man Is puzzle to
me-"
"what now" asked LazalIe with
marked interest. as La Roche pushed
lack his chair and looked at his
watch.
Just this" answered la Roche.
smiling at her. and then giancing at
the others In way to show that he
was about TO s:artie them: 1T appears
that Capt. Jean mas the honor OF a per
sonai acquaintance with Napoleon"
what" choruscfr the thee amazed
hearers; and Madame Riefet murmur-
ed. In an awe.stricken tone. Capt.
Jean knows tho French emperor!"
la Roche nodded.
But he Is emperor no longer. my
dear. nor was he such when Lafitte
knew him"
But how can such n thing be posi-.
tc?" LazalIc began when Madame
RcIfct. havIn. recovered herself. In.
tsrruptcd with: Tell us all about II.
Philip. How could he know Napoleon.
and where did you hear such an I'm.
probable story"
From himself" was tho iacon!c re-
ply. accompanied by n look OF grea,
satisfaction.
The general was filled with cSulta.
ton at his ability to give his sister
who had frequently expressed her dis
IKE OF his Intimacy with i.afittc-a
ticcc OF Information which he was
quite aware would. with hcr-a wor.
shipper OF the illuEtrious Corsican-
place tho Baraiarian leader In po-
sition second only To him whose nc.
duaintnncc he could claim.
Il cannot credit such n thing" she
declared.
you could. and you would. had you
been whcrc was. TO hear what he
Eaid to Gen. Jackson. II came about
ia this way: A week or ten days ago.
I.aiittc rendered m important service.
Of n private nature. to Claiborne. and
the governor urged him TO name some
thing as reward for his services.
What Lailt;c asked was n picture oi
Napoleon. which II seems was his own
property. although he was not aware
oI IL at the time. II had been looted
by one OF our men during that Sep
tcmbcr attack on Baraiaria. and Clai
borne had rescued II. being about as
rad over Napoleon rs you. yourself.
sister mine: and Lafittc had seen II
hanging on the wall OF the governors
study.
The other day. at headquarters. ]
was present when Jackson and LATTE
p-ETc having n conference. during
which tho general spoke of the mat.
ter. and rallied Laiittc upon the scnu.
mental price he had named for so val.
u bic n service: he added that prob
ably. like all Frcnchmon. he made a
sort of male Madonna out OF Ma
rolcon.
II wish you could have seen Lafittc's
.Icc when he answered. I revere him
"a the man ! have known and loved
since was n young boy. and who has
been as truly my guardian angel as
ever a good Catholic could pray the
Holy Mother to be- And I wish you
could have seen Jackson's face as he
leard it,
Madame Rcifet Easpcd. and the two
girls exclaimed in amazcment.
1T was In France. then. that Capt.
Jean knew him?" Madame said won.
GcrinEly.
Naturally. Louise. as Napoleon has
rovcr been in this country" The gen.
.ral now consulted his watch. and
added. Il must be on: and. by the
way. let none of you mention the sur.
prlsing fact that I have Just related.
as II might not be pleasing to Capt.
Jean. He said no more than have re-
peatcd. and was unmistakably averse
to cnlarging upon the subject"
"He always seems averse to talking
Of himself. or OF his past life" Lazalie
said, as IL thinking aloud. while they
rose from the table: and Madame
Riefct remarked rather severely that
II was perhaps because there was
some disgrace connected with his past,
and that this 1t might be which had
made him leave France.
The look of resentful Indignation
which this uncharitablc comment
brought to Mademoiselle de Gaze
reau's face was softened somewhat
when the general. laying n hand on
either of his sisters plump shoul
Fcrs, said. as he kissed her check,
For one so naturally kind of heart as
YOU are. Louise. 1t is curious what
wrong gful things you occasionally think
In regard to other people"
After he was in the saddle. and the
Indies were standing on the veranda
70 see him depart, he warned L.azalie
that for the present at least. she
stnnlh cnnfire her nniintic aNcmrsinns