Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-01-18

SAoANA - 49, a1o 10
ter from his provincial, Father LIE
Fevre, containing permission to joir
the expedition. To prepare himself, ,
the worthy friar went into retreat at
the Recollet convent, remaining for
several days in prayer and meditation.
Finally, after dining at the Chateau
with Frontenac, La Sale and Tonti,
and after a farewell vigil, he received
the blessing of Laval and departed at
dGybreak. His friends watched his
figure with its sandaled feet, coarse
gray capote, and peaked hood, the
cord of st. Francis hanging at his side,
glide away in his birch canoe, padded
by two men, en- route for Fort Fronte-
nae, where they were to await the ar
rival of the others. Within a week
La Motto and most of the men fol-
lowed, with IL well-laden n
The bulk of the work of preparation
being thus over, Tonti had ample time
to renew his acquaintance with Ma
dame BLIZZARD. She had made one effort
toward influencing him against La
0allC, DuJ udu DCCu ~ SOiuiJ SPUAo~N
that she began to doubt her ability
to bias him directly against his friend
and leader. The difficulty OF the
task, however, only added zest to her
~endeavors, SO that she redoubled her
attempts. They met daily, seemingly
by chance, often taking long walks to.
gether up the hill beyond the wind
mill, or to the other extremity OF the
town under pretext of viewing the ca
thedral, the seminary, Hotel Dieu, or
the palace of the ~intendant. On these
strolls she piled her coquetish arts in
vain. Tonti parted each thrust with
as much skill as though it had been a
combat with swords instead of a duel
of intrigue.
Madame Bizard had long tired of the
humdrum life of the town and the
practical straightforwardness of her
matter-of-fact husband, who, taken up
with the monotonous duties of his call
ing, had but little time or taste for the
frivolities of the social world, such as
it was. He had every confidence, how
ever, in his mate. giving her full lib
erty, believing that in time she would
settle down to tine serious obligations
appertaiping to the wife of a soldier
at a frontier post.
The easy grace of the h~igh-spirited
gallant who had so suddenly appeared
in her life, fattering her vanity, with
it's mingled audacious banter and de-
ferring humility, casting over all the
glamour of the grand monde, finally
won her silly little heart. 1t was with
genuine alarm and dread, therefore,
that she viewed the growing prepare
lions that were to end in their separa-
ton, and she increased her efforts at
fascination now that she had what she
believed to be her own passion for the
man to urge her on as well as the
commands of the intendant. She met
with i'll success despite her %endeavors,
and daily and hourly chafed at the
thought of his obduracy or cried her
pretty eyes red O. nights with vexa-
ton at her failure and the thought Of
losing him.
Frontenac was in high feather as
the result of La Sales success in gain
ing over some of the fur-traders into
forming an association and advancing
money. He entertained them all right
royalty for several nights, and then re-
solved to give a ball in honor Of his
friends the evening before their de-
poyt,,ra po,t1y +n maintain hic 5ippitu
as governor and give his mimic court
a taste of the gayety of Versailles, and
partly to show his defiance to his enc
mics.
Enemies and friends alike were in
vited, for few of the former would
dare absent themselves, although the
magnificence of the occasion would af-
ford a means Of F~rontenac's triumph
ing over them, winning still further
the favor of the people who dearly
loved to behold any manifestations OF
royalty and grandeur.
The space in front of the chateau
was brilliantly lighted by a large bon
fire, kept burning by a group of serv,
ants, who heaped OF large quantities
of brushwood. At the entrance two
huge torches of pine knots famed
above the heads of a dozen soldiers
drawn up in a line before the door
Within, all was light and merriment
Frontenac walked among his guests
with a smiling countenance and fine
presence. His humor was jovial, ant
he showed no signs of irritation. HI
heard with inward satisfaction the ex'
CARNATIONS of pleasure from the wo'
glances of disgust and ill-conceale(
chagrin on the part of Duchesneau ant
his coterie.
La Sale for the last time was the
same court dandy as when Tonti saw
him first. Tonti himself bowed ant
smiled to everyone, and was a univer
sal favorite. He danced several times
with Madame BLIZZARD, and noticed thai
she seemed pr%eoccupied and sad. Aftel
losing sight of her for an hour h
found her again. This time she seemed
to be laboring under some secret ex
element. She complained of weari
ness, and suggested that instead d
dancing they walk up and down the
balcony that ran past one side of the
room. Tonti assented, and, after
throwing a wrap about his compan'
ions shoulders, passed with hel
through one Of the open windows. The
first turn was made in silence. Their
as they stopped O moment and looked
out over the Lower Town at their feet
the woman spoke low and indistinctly'
And so you are going to leave to
morrow. Are you glad"