The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1921-12-23

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earliest inhabitants Of Detroit flush with pride.
Even when his warning days were over and he had
settled down on the river bank, his prestige was
such that people would step aside to let him pass
as he came stridlng down the roadway.
Claire had a temperament not unlike her faith
ers. Their wrangles and their reconciliatiOns were
known all up and down the river. Yet they were
passionately attached to each other and d~evOtedly
lowed by the whole community. In particular was
the fair Claire loved by one Beauclerc, a 1.-the.
dark young Frenchman who hunted more for the
sport of the chase than for the profit Of his pocket
book at the fur trading post. When Sieur Beau
vais would see Philippe Beauclercs tall, straight
figure at Claire's elbow walking down Ste. Anne
street, now known as Jefferson avenue, his brow
would darken threateningly. But he would find
himself commenting secretly, despite his anger,
'Dieu, what a pair y and he would add MATS,
1t isn't permitted for a good French father to let
his daughter make a fool of herself for q penniless
hunter just because he has the looks Of a young
god"
Then Claire would he hurried home. There was
no maman to quell the storm before it broke, for
C1aire's mother had withstOod the rigOrs Of the
Michigan winter for only three years. So the old
warrior and his gay young daughter would rage
at each other for fifteen minutes and then fall In
to each others arms. Peace would be made. Claire
would go battle her eyes, brush back the rebellious
gold of her hair and cOme back charmingly dutiful
to preside over the teacups and to welcome the
other young men who came during the course OF
the evening to pay their respects to her In the
presence OF her sharp-eyed father-Oficers Of the
fort In their swagger uniforms, skilled %trappers,
a tradesman or two and men who owned many
acres on which they raised Indian corn and wheat.
Among the latter group there called now and
then rickoty old va-de-bon-Coeur He was a
siIrewd old Frenchman whose broad lands down
on the Rouge river bank outspanned every other
suitor's. In spite of his physical unattractiveness,
he was possessed of q good, kind heart and capaci-
ty for endless devotion. Sieur Beauvais always
shrugged a little when he looked In old Va-de-bon-
Occurs direction, as If to shake off an unpleasant
Impression, but as the old fellow talked Beauvais
generally would thaw out and say to himself. He's
really not half bad; he's really surprisingly good
for an old man. And rich, items! how he could
lavish wealth on my little Claire! Fancy, two
estates for the girl, her own and his. one at each
end OF the village. She might be as rich as she
is beautiful. And he's really remarkably kind and
wise"
After their guests were gone the storm would
break again. One night after this had been going
on for more than a year the Scigneur of Beauvais
determined that matters would have to come to a
reckoning,
This nonsense must stop!' His big brown fist
came down on the heavy oak table. The red fire.
light played over his tall, warriOr-like figure. CLINT.
Ing op the buckles of his uniform and gliding the
hiIt of his hunting knife and under his bushy brows
little red flames danced, reflected In the pupils OF
his great black eyes. Claire rose from the small
chair where she sat by the hearth. defiance In ev-
cry line of her lovely little figure.
you've got to settle down, you've too many
moonstruck fellows dangling after you. A dozen
have asked me for your hand. And when l tell
Won Won ONLY nut me off. You've snapped your
fingers ut a dozen chances. Why? All for that