The Prescott daily news., 1907-12-28

| tabac Canayen in a rocking armchair on the veranda beneath the climbing | flowers In the winter he sits in the kitchen corner, shaking his old gray head and from time to time muttering to himself. At times he will tell sto- ries of the olden time. Some of them are queer tales, for Gran'pere Latoche has seen things in his time and if they were not so rambling and if one could write them down In the old mans own words they would make good reading.
 Strangest of all is the story of how Gran'pere Latoche saw La Chase Gal'rie Had I but the gift I could make you feel the grip of that weird tale as Gran'pere Latoche told 1t to me one wild New Years night when was showed up in the Latoche home stead on my way back to Montreal. Nobody will believe the story, but that Is neither here nor there. AS Gran pere Latoche is so very old, perhaps his imagination plays antics with his memory. Moreover, they say in Que bee province that man may live a hundred years and never see La Chase Gal'rie.
 It was about sixty years ago. At the edge of the forest, where it dips its feet in the Saguenay, Louis Latoche and 'Poleou Desbarres stood and clasp. ed hands.
 You swear" said 'Poleon; handing the other a small crucifix, "that you will not see her nor speak to her noy write to her till the year is out?"
 "Yes, l swear-que Dieu me soft en aide! And you?"
 'Poleon laughed little wildly.
 Sure, l swear too. For the rest, my friend, l am not likely to meet Mile. Henriette Manon on the shores of Hudson bay"
 "Nor in the lake ports. It is bar gain?'
 "A bargain" repeated 'Poleon, step- ping with noiseless moccasined feet down the river bank, where Monta- gnard Indian awaited him in a birch bark canoe.
 Good luck to you," said Louis La toche.
 'Poleon turned round as he grasped the peak of the canoe and laughed again, this time deiantly.
 You mean to say, I hope you will get drowned in the first rapids. But au revoir. Louis"
 He got into the canoe, and Louis watched him, and the Indian padded upstream into the wide, wild north.
 That was the last that Louis Latoche ever saw of 'Poleon Desbarres in the flesh. But often when his turn came at the wheel on starry night or when In a calm the sunset glow bathed the St. Clair flats in the hues of dreamland the picture would come before his mind of his rival 'Poleon as he saw him that last time-tall and strong as a young bull, with unkempt sandy hair loose about his face and his hazel eyes alight with scornful defiance.
 All the spring and summer and late into the fall Louis sailed up and down the great lakes on the little trading
  The first snow flurries had fallen when he made his way to the great stern riv- CT of the north. The young mans i'm agination dYelt lingeringly upon the vision of Henriette; but, mindful of his pledge to his rival he did not at once go home to his own village of St. Pierre de Beaupre. On New Years 1 a -I,s l. I his rival would be back to prove their fate But till then their oath held them. Therefore Louis went to visit with an uncle ten miles lower down the river.
 The old year died on day of lower ing clouds. At noon the wintry sun showed a cold, dead disk through the leaden atmosphere, then faded and was seen no more. The wind, dubious and uncertain, sprang up time and again with a sudden howl, as of a spirit in distress, shaking the snow from the gaunt black forest trees. Then it sub sided into an oppressive silence.
 "If I were you 1 would not go," said Louis uncle, peering from the window upon the desolate sky. "It will be wild night"
 Have no fear" said Louis Latoche In the pride of his youth and strength T know the way"
 ''I do not like the sound of the wind" the elder man insisted. Louis, be ad vised and stay until the morning."
 "I must go," persisted his nephew.
 q know you," his uncle smiled. Tt Is of that girl of Manon's, with her brown eyes and rosy lips. that you are fhfnEfnO Do ooonroS Oand xxyfno uf1I