The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-03-03

! able creoles, and with considerable
| cunning he addressed a motley audi
/ ence at the church, telling them that
| an American force had taken Easkas-
! kia and would henceforth hold it; that
/ France had Joined hands with the
Americans against the British, and
that it was the duty of all French
| men to help uphold the cause of free
dom and independence.
II come" said he. directly from
! Colonel George Rogers Clark, a noble
and brave officer of the American
! Army, who told me the news that l
have brought to you. He sent me
here TO say to you that if you will
give allegiance to his government
you shall be protected against all
enemies and have the full freedom
OF citizens. I think you should do
this without moments hesitation, as
! and my people at Kaskaskia have
| already done. But perhaps you
would like TO have word from your
distinguished fellowcitizen, Monsieur
| Gaspard Roussillon. Speak to your
| friends. my son, they viii be glad to
| take counsel of your wisdom"
There was a stir and a craning Of
necks. NJ RoussillOn presently APP
| peared near the little chancel his
great form towering majestically. He
| bowed and waved his hand with the
| air Of one who accepts distinction
as a matter of course; then he took
his big silver watch and looked at
| it. He was the only man in Vim
| cennes who owned a watch, and so
| the incident was impressive. Father
| Gibault looked pleased, and already a
murmur Of applause went through
/ the audience. NJ. Roussillon stroked
/ the bullying crystal of the ume-piece
/ with a circular motion Of his thumb
and bowed again, clearing his throat
| resonautly, his face growing purplish
/ above his beard.
Good friends" ne said. what
/ France does all hirh-class French
men applaud" He paused for a shout
+ Of appreciation, and was not dis
/ appointed. THE other name for
! France IS glory" he added. land all
. true Frenchmen love both names. 1
am a true Frenchmanr' and he struck
! his breast a resOunding blow with the
+ hand that stin held the watch 4
/ huge horn button on his bucksldn
! jerkin came in contact with the
! crystal. and there was a smash. fol
/ lowed by a scattered tiukling of glass
/ fragments.
/ All Vincennes stood b~eathIess, con
! templatIng the irreparable accident.
/ II. ROussillon had lost the effect OF
"a great period in his speech. but he
was quick Lifting the watch to his
/ ear, he listened q moment with superb
I dignity. then slowly elevating his head
/ and spreading his free hand over his
/ heart he said.
The faithful ime-piece still tells
/ off the seconds, and the loyal heart
| Of its owner still throbs with patri-
/ otism."
Oncle Jazon. who stood in front OF
the speaker, swung his shapeIess cap
as high as he could and yelled ike a
savage. Then the crowd went wild for
z time.
'Tvive Ia France! A bas Angleter.
rer Every body shouted at the top OF
ais voice.
What France does We all do" con
/ einued N. Roussillon. when tbs noise
subsidized. France has clasped hands
with George Washington and his
/ brave oompatriots; SO do We"
''Yive Zhorzh VAslnton" shrieke1
I Oncle Jazon IN a piercing treble, tip
coeiRg and shaking his cap uecklessIy
under N. Roussillons nose.
The orator WINGED and JerlSsd his
head back, but nobody saw IL, save
perhaps Father Gibault, who laughed
heartily.
Great sayings come suddenly. un-
announced and unexpected. They
have the mysterious force OF prophe.
tic accident combined with happy
economy Of phrasing. The southern
hblood in NJ. Roussillon's veins was
effervescing upon his brain; his tongue
had ca ught the fine freedom and
abandon of inspired oratory. He tow
cred and glowed; words fell melodious
~ from his lips; his gestures were
compelling, his visage magnetic, In
/ conclusion. he said:
'Frenchmen, America is the garden.
spot Of the world and will one day rule
it, as did Rome Of old. Where freedom
Z / makes her home, there is the centre Of
powerg'
, II was in little log church on the
verge Of a hummock overlooking a
marshly wild meadow. Westward FOL
two thousand miles stretched the uu
broken pralries. woods, mountains
deserts reaching to the Pacific; south
ward for a thousand miles rolled tn,
green pillows OF the wilderness to tn,
warm Gulf shore; northward to tn,
pole and eastward to the thin fringe
Of settlements beyond the mountains
all was houseless solitude.
If the reader should go to VIncennef
today and walk southwark along Sec
ond st. to its intersection with Church
St. the spot then under foot would
probably be very near where NJ. Rous
siLlon stood while uttering his groal
? sentence Mind you. the present
writer does not pretend to know the
exact site OF old St. Xavier Church
II it could be fixed beyond doubt the
: spot should have an imperishable
monument Of Indiana stone.
When N RoussilIon ceased speak
; ing the audience again exhausted IS
vocal resources; and then Father Gil
baUlt called upon each man to come
forward and soIemnly pledge his 10y
, atty to the American cause. Not one
Of them hesitated.
Meantime woman was doing her
part in the transformation Of Post
Vincennes from French English