Year: 1874

paSiT Cable tells in the current number of
Scrtbnc1 s Monthly short story with The view of
Illustrating the power vita which blood speaks


Vnder peculiar circumstances. The De Char
leu family was founded by Frenchman W no
came to Louisiana in the service of the King


He took Choctaw for his bride, and had sew
eial children by her. He returned TO France,
married French woman; and, tax ug up his
residence again on the banks of the Mississip-
p, discovered that his Indian wife was dead.


When the old man died himself he remember
ed in his will both sets of children, and he was
rich, the King having rewarded him with large
grants of land. Thus the family, with its two
branches, was founded. In time the sole rep
resentatives were COL De Charleu, the proud
Creole, and old Charlie, lazy, half-drunken


fellow, showing plainly his Indian blood. Col.


De Charleu had magnificent place on the
banks of the Mississippi, short distance from
New Orleans, which was known as Bellies De-
moiselles Plantation. He was blessed with
seven beautiful daughters, who were the pride
OF his heart and for whom he was willing to
make any sacrifice The daughters wanted to
60 into the city to live, and their ia her plan
ned to take them there. But they must have
a home worthy of their beauty and proud de-
scent. Indian Charlie, as the sole survivor of
the Choctaw side Of the house, owned block
of houses in New Orleans, which had come to
him by the law of Inheritance. AS the ground
on which these buildings stood had once belong
ed to the founder of the De Charleu family, the
Colonel coveted it and no other for his city
home. He would tear the old buildings down
end build upUn it Q. palace. But could he drive
Z a oargaIn with old Unarlie? That was the
question. He went to see his low-down kins


man, but found him proof against all tempta-
tlons. The Indian blood in old Charlie said
"Sell," but the De Charleu blood said "No;"
and the pride of the De Charleu strain carried
the day.. At last in order to put an end to i'm
Ifu ho b alo.~.
would give his city property for the plantation,
his argument running thus "If go out of
dis place and don't go to Bellies Dem iselles, de
peoples will say-dey will say, old Charlie he
been all doze time tell blame lie He amt
no kin to his old grace -gran-muzzer, not blame
bit! lie don't got nary drop of De Charleu
blood to save his blame low down old Iniin
soulP No, sare! What want wild money
denf No, Sare My place for yours p The
Colonel at first rejected the proposition with
scorn. 1t was presumption on the part of this
Choctaw to ask him to give mp the home of his
ancestors. And yet he had asked old Charlie,
who had De Charleu blood in his veins, to sell
his ancestral possessions. But then Charlie
was only low down Indian. Wait moment


Loving his children so fondly as to make any
sacrifice for them; and finding that sudden
rise in the river had driven the mad waters
through his levee, threatening his house with
destruction, the Colonel mounted his horse and
rode into town determined to push the trade
and take advantage of the ignorance of the
Choctaw. Charlie agreed to make the exchange


but as they neared the house they were appall-
ed to see the mansion with its seven precious
inmates disappear. The water hsd under
mined the ground or which it stood. ana then
the she'll gave way, and all went down in the
angry flood. The shock was SO great as to de-
prive Col. De Charleu of hisreason. For twelve
months the Indian watched over him with the
greatest care. When the mind became clear
again, the invalid was at deaths door, Old
Charlie assured him that they had not traded
on that fatal night and thus put his conscience
at rest The low down Indian was ready to
give any promise or assurance calculated to sat


isfy the pride and to render happy the last
ments of the dying man. Thus did the blood
of the old Frenchman speak after the laspee of
generations. Charlie had lived kind of
vagabond life, but the pride Of his cultivated
white progenitor clung to him. He might be
indolent and squander money in drink, but he
would rather cut off his head than sell to
stranger the home that his ancestors had be-
aueathed to him. The influence OF blood in
this particular was more potent tLaa that of
habit or association. Blood is stronger than
water. Men and women may do stra n;,e things
sometimes, but when the mother or ather can
set her or his face against her or his own child,
nursing stranger in its place, you may rest as


sured that reason has gone astray, AID that the
mind is incapable of following the dictates of
the heart If not this, then the brute nature
has outgrown that sweet sentiment which
makes man something more than a selfish hog.
Were it not for pride of race, did not the past
siiesk through generations. by the aid of the
mysterious blood current, to the present, man
would make little advancement, and we should
seldom be called upon to applaud he' ojc action