Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-04-12

tasks would smoke their pipes, while cleaning
their guns and pistols for the business of the day.
for theirs a strenuous life.
Their business was chiefly with the Indians
or trappers who in to sell their furs. Ii
with the former bargain was readily MADE
For few strings of beads and blankets and the
inevitable fire water bale of hne pets was
easily secured; but before the day was done more
than likely the firearms would be called in requ
sition to keep the peace, or little pistol play
would be found necessary in order to manage an
ugly customer and see him safely bestowed in his
canoe floating down padding up the muddy
stream Even then there was no certainty that
he might not steal back in the darkness Oh 'he
night to settle some real or fancied wrong
About the cathedral which still STANDS on wal
mt and Third streets many of the best houses
were clustered and within radius OF nVe OF SIX
squares as is counted now, might nave oeen
found the creme de la creme OF the old french
reoime This was long before it invaded by
shops and given to trades people whose
senses were not shocked or offended by the sounds
and smells of trade.
One by one the old denzens continued to move
awav heyond the possibilities as they thought
then of disturbances from the entertainments OF
business OF course this change was not sudden
or violent and for number OF years many mem
bers of the various families were left behlnd IN
the old Cathedral district, some OF them TOO poor
to give up their homes too far from the river
front and trade to be valuable Tor business pur
poses ,,., -
These few stood like flowers in kitchen gar
den powerless to resist the encroachments OF the
more hardy vegetables which were planted DE-
side them or the weeds which sprung up between
them.
In one of these old stone houses in the cathedrai
parish within gunshot of the spire dwelt Mons.
LIE Grande with his wife and two cnlldren no"
long he had been there no one could say exactly
but ever since it was deserted by some OF tne
fashionable folk when they moved out-on the
hill. -.
Just how he came no one seemed to know put
n was generally believed that his forbears had
foated down the river with some OF the early
French Canadian settlers; stopped at Cahoika
nerhaps where they drove thriving business In
the fur trade. The son was sent PACK 10 Oanaua
perhaps to be educated and returning, bringing
with him fair young wife, finding the environ
ments too narrow and the life OF the niue iron
tier trading post too rough for his famlly-loT
thew had by this time a little daughter-he mad
moved them to ST. Louis, and into the old stone
house where quito little family sprung up about
them. -. ,
This was all gossip, of course, with some
shadow for a foundation, for monsieur was
certainly an aristocrat-as any one might see
from his finger tips to the toes OF his boots whlch
were of newer make and fashion than generaliy
worn at that time even by the aristocrats living
ont on The HILL And his wife?-Madame was
an angel (une Ange)-as all agreed
About his business? Well, there was no one
knew ANYTHING about that He must be In the 1ur
trade they argued, for he made frequent trips
into the country beyond the great muddy stream
at their doors; or up, down the river-and was
sometimes absent from home for many months at
a time Yes,--it must be the fur trade-and yet
as every one knew the fur trade was very pront-
ahle the Chouteaus the Sarpys, the Cheniers,
and many others that they could count by the
score upon their fingers were making fortunes
out of it, while Msieur?-well, 1t could not De
denied that Msieur could not be making any
money or he would long ago have Joined the
arstocrats upon The Hill,-or about Bellefon-
tame. -, -.
Monsieur was not making money. He must
be losing money for they had only half of
the old stone house which always too large