Mexico weekly ledger., 1922-10-26
CHAPTER III

Next day the Leona reached New
Orleans. To Drace his first look into
the countenance Of the famous old city
was a disappointment; it had not the
quick throb; its pulse was slow and
rhythmic. The levee was too broad
and ditfuse to appear active. The
buildings looked NEAR and low. Ro-
nance and history had painted for him
a picture too lively to color. But soon
the charm Of this halliday delta life
began to reveal Itself to him. The
town was ruled like d true French city,
1t sang. Paris minuetted In the terror
of the Revolution, and her youngest
daughter In America, singed with
powder, and with bloodstains on her
dainty feet, danced to the music Of
her own i~mprovised gayety. Drace saw
the carpetbag governor driving through
the street, surrounded by an escort Of
black and mulatto cavalry. From a
balcony came a. gunshot, and an enor-
nous negro In white gloves, sitting
beside his Political master, tumbled'
out upon the ground but the carriage
did not halt in its speed. and the hoofs
Of the cavalry beat upon the murdered
wretch. In a doorway an old man sat
fiddling for his grandchildren to dance
IN the aagstones.
"Oh, you'll find drama enough here
that hasn't been r~ehearsed," said
Shottle as they turned toward the old
st, Charles. &
"They appear to have set the stage
for us.:" Drace answered him, wonder
ing If ever again he should find the
girl with the torch of roses.
In connecting rooms and amidst the
luxury of old French furnishings they
were quartered.
Leaving BRACE writing a letter, Shot
tie went out, but he soon returned with
more of light than usually beamed
from the sad stretch Of his counte-
nance. =.
swell, sir" hecctted with astonish-
ing enthusiasm, II want to hell you
that life is not composed entirely Of
ingratitude. Last year when I was
down here I saw an old fellow about
to get into trouble with a Mexican
%roustabout on the levee. I wasn't in
any particular hurry, SO I stopped,
took up q piece of scantling and
1xnoolxod +ho NEavtnon dnxyp II uyoc NO
particular trouble on my part, but the
old man took 1t as O favor and urged
me to eat dinner with him, which /
did. being broke at the time. Now
what does he dor / met him out there,
and he gives me two tickets for the
French ball at the st. Louis tonight"
"All right; wen take 1t in"
81 should say we will Why, there's
likely to be a half dozen duels ar
ranged for. We can see them burst
ing into bloom. But you'll have to
liven up, you know. You are just a
trife stern, 1t strikes me. There is
too much of-of your mission showing
In your face. / don't know Of any
thing better calculated to correct II
than an hour at the roulette wheel.
Suppose we go over and give It q
whirl."
"Hope springs internal in the human
breast" Drace paraphrased the poet,
"Just as well curb yourself, old fel.
low. I'm not going to feed your pas
sion"
A tap at, the door and Colonel Josh
announced himself from the outside,
Invited to enter, he came in with a
sweeping bow, his beard and mustache
waxed, his hair darkened with dye,
giving to 1t a tinge Of blue. He bore,
and with ceremonious h~esitancy, an
invitation from Miss Lucy. She was
at the delightful old home Of a rela'
tive where choice guests would as
semble that evening to hear Prof. L.
Bannock Pettlgrew read a paper on
the origin and character Of the an
cient Scythians.
sim very sorry, Colonel. Drace
eheerfully lied, ''but we have another
engagement"
The Colonel gleefuily replied that
he was put into a position Of deep re
gret. He knew that Captain Drace
would 10 much enjoy the professor
his paper would not take up more than
(0on3fnue8 Nexz Well