Show 4 1 Jr Jf Jt f ALICE AF or Ur AI ULD Q LD r i I I 4 BY MAURICE THOMPSON t I 4 CHAPTER H IL HA ILA f A Letter From Afar ti J ft Beret was w for foz many c ars P r t 1 a i on the Wabash l 1 the time at Vincennes the then theft ft n j mention of or him can be bc j 1 records is not stranger other things connected t n a a alY L i y 1 1 t th old i towns town I history He fie was r r all the men of ot his calling la a i 1 a and modest modesta a Bluntly f quite unaware u aware that 1 1 I attention HeH He nd Father d dr s j b t name is Ia so gO beautifully with the stirring u of or Colonel George Rog 0 8 t k lf IP elope close friends and often otten r Probably Father c cf 2 Those Iose I MC tame fame will never fade fadel l J I havi ha at be been n today as obscure as I 1 i I but for or the opportunity i J lini lui b by Clark lark to fiX his name t If f li role patriots who assisted the great northwest from fromEn En L h 3 even In the earliest days das dayss dayse s 1 l somehow kept up corn com comai coI coIt e lai ai 0 ir and ind considering the cir cirr Clr t fr r s close dose relations with New Newt NewIt t eon It was much nearer Detroit v tv th Louisiana L colony stood next to ton n r D UK imagination and longing r rt voyageurs de bois bols boisi i kl iT S s adventurers who had hada hadS a S M i ud id in their veins Father ft t hrs tir t rs t came caine to Vincennes from v i l the voyage up the Mis Misi f ill i t hlo bin and Wabash in a pl j JI II ting through a whole sum jn far Into the autumn Since ai a rival LI th post had experienced dY m V vi i and at the time in inh Inh h h our u try story the British gov n m r if right of or dominion the ihl gnat territory drained by bya Wabach W a 1 ich i Ii and Indeed over a large 1 i outlined part of the North n n r continent lying above Mex Mexa a a in Just then being vigorously L 1 d 1 flintlock In hand by the 5 5 rIcan colonies nr Sr f Juri sU ui P I I the handful of ot French peo peoa at a so BO far away from r rr y renter r of Information and S with their trading trap trapI r I J 2 missionary work were ere late roling ing out JUt Ut that war existed between i gUnd and ansI her colonies Nor did It Ity y matter much with them one oner r i r lr another They felt secure In inI lirly I r lv situation and so went on onI c I ing i g thir th ir trinkets weapons domes 11 S blankets and Intoxicates es D Ji v rs to the Indians whom they K L he 1 I bound to them with a power powers s L rr r possessed by any other white whited du dl d hers In the wilderness Father 1 rt lt t was probably subordinate to At all events the lat la laIe latapi t Ie api to have had nominal rg if II f Vincennes and It can cani i F an 4 Iy be In doubted that he left Father I rPt on l n the fliP Wabash while he went to toS 1 i S and labor for a time at Kaskaskia is the plains of Illinois U It K Is i a curious urious fact tact that religion r and andt andl t l i r of rum and brandy worked E g h r for a long time Ume h giving the French posts al at alii att ii u t absolute 81 influence over oer the Uie i 11 1 I and jn l savage men by whom n l w 1 rp 1 I always surrounded The god gel CId rr priests deprecated the traffic i 1 ia u rs ni and tried hard to control out Jut Ut hers of fortune fortuno and reckless t I s vre In the majority their in int t t t taking precedence ot of all spir ia h and carrying everything L g What hat could the brave a ti mi i 10 o but make the very best of ot a aIn aIn M 7 In those th da a s drunk by ti al nl body Its use at table and ands andas as a s In n a arti If le of Incidental refreshment il p M dal ial al pleasure being practically U V enal wherefore the steps of oC re rc reTTI ren n in the thi mutter of oC intemperance prO p but rudimentary and inlall places plates b t t by fly insurmountable dif diC diff f I i In fact tact the exigencies of oC 9 life demanded perhaps the rj ff stimulus which when over oer in in caused so much evil Mi Laria Una loaded th the air and the most ff ii a d tU I l drugs now at ut command were trin ered or could not be had hadn n l ants were the only popular Men lien drank to prevent con cob td t ng ague drank again between rigors to In ure cure it 11 and yet again to toLI trace trat LI themselves during i Ht in Bel ul tf il i the tc effect of ot rum as a bever d ig g h hl hf id strong allurement for the thein thel in hit l man h th it made an absolute slave slaveS S f th thO Indian who never hesitated for fora or ora a to t undertake any task i t tr r how bird h rd bear boar any auy privation 1 n th tb most mORt terrible or brave any r although it might demand ku kl k s desperation If in the end a 1 1 i hottle tUe or jug appeared as asre as asI a aI aUr I re fP I ird rd r un ui Ur e the th traders did not over oer II h k su suh ha It a source of ot power Alcoholic i luor r their implement of al at aln 1 n t m ma ical Li work in controlling tho the thoI I rs and resources of or the In Ini 1111 i Till The r priests with villi their captiva rs r r of f the cross had a large In inI 41 5 i j ii w I softening savage natures 1 f L many mans v an awful danger it r wh ahu n everything else failed rum ru r v YI am m f to the rescue of or a n threat I 1 1 F i h i post w TI T j i not wonder then when we weI 1 11 I that Father Beret made no non noi i n ti or disapproval upon r K i f i ned of or the arrival of or a boat boaty Vi y ith rum brandy or gin In It ItI av 3 1 r I l 1 who brought the 11 same fa mt Rene already men menn menI I n i j I s ha having hIng ing given the priest a plate of ot squirrels He H was sitting on the doorsill of Father Berets Bereta hut when the old man reached It after his visit fit at the home and held in his hand a letter which he appeared proud to deliver A batteau and seven men with a cargo of oC liquor came during the rain he lie said rising rl and taking oft off his curt curl curious ous cap which made masle of or an animals skin had a taU tall Jauntily dangling from rom Its and here is a letter let te r for tor you OU father The batteau is from New I Orleans Eight men started with it but one went wept ashore to hunt and was killed by b an aa Indian Father Beret took the letter without apparent Interest and said Thank you my son sit down again the Is not wetter than the stools Inside I wilt will sit by you The wind lad had driven a Hood flood of ot rain into the cabin through the open door and water twinkled In Jn puddles here and there on the floors puncheons They sat down dOn side by side Fathe Beret BerH fingering the letter In an ab absentminded absentmInded absentminded way Therell be a Jolly time of ot It to tonight tonight tonight night Rene RenO de remarked a roaring time Why do you say aay that my son the priest demanded The wine and the liquor was the reply much drinking will be done The men have bave all been dry here for toJ some time you TOU know and are as thirsty as sand They are making ready eady to enjoy themselves down at the river house Ah the poor souls sighed Father Beret Deret speaking as one whose thoughts were ivero wandering far tar away Why hy dont you read your letter father Rene added The priest DrIest started turned the soiled square of ot paper over in his hand then thrust it inside his robe It can wait walt he be said then chang ing lug his voice The squirrels you gave me were excellent my son It was good for you OU to think of me he added laying his hand on Renes arm Oh Im glad If Ir I have pleased you Father Beret for you ou are so kind to tome tome me always and to everybody When I killed the I said to myself i These are young juicy and tender Father Beret must have these so N I brought them thc along The young man rose to go for he was somehow Impressed Im that Father Beret must wish opportunity to read his letter and would prefer to be left lett alone with It But the priest pulled him down again Stay a while he be said I 1 have not had a talk with you for some time Rene looked a trifle trIne uneasy You will wUl not drink any tonight my myson myson myson son Father Beret added You must not do you hear The young mans eyes and mouth at once began to have hae a sullen expression expression expression sion evidently he h was not pleased and felt rebellious but it was hard for tor him to resist Father Beret whom he loved loed as did every soul in the post The priests voice was sweet and gentle yet et positive to a degree Rene did not say sll sa a word w rd Promise me rue that you will not taste liquor this night Father Beret went wenton on grasping the young mans arm more firmly promise me my myson son promise me Still SUH Rene was silent The men did not look at each other but gazed away across the country beyond b ond the Wabash to where a glory from the western sun Bun flamed on the upper rim of a great cloud fragment creeping along the hori horl horizon horizon zon Warm as the day da had been a ad ato d ohi g n eif to temper f tei bai the air for the wind had shifted to the northwest A meadow lark sang dreamingly In the th wild grass of ot the thelow thelow lowlands low lands ands hard by b over which two or three prairie hawks hovered with wings that beat rapidly Eh bien blen I must go said Rene presently getting to his feet a nimbly and evading Father Berets hand which would have held him Not to the river house my ray son said the priest appealingly No not there I have another let letter letter letter ter one for Roussillon It came cameby cime by b the boat too I 1 go to give it to Madame Rene de was wa a dark young fellow neither tall nor short wearing buckskin moc moe moccasins moccasins trousers and tunic His eyes were dark brown keep keen set well under heavy brows A razor had probably never touched tou hed his face fice and his thin curly beard crinkled over his strongly turned cheeks and chin while his moustaches sprang out quite fiercely above his almost sensual mouth He looked wiry and active c a man not to be lightly reck reek reckoned reckoned with In a trial of bodily strength and will power Father Berets face race and voice changed on the Instant He lIe laughed dryly drob and said with ar at sly sty gleam In his eyes You could 42 id the evening pleas pleasantly pleasantly pleasantly antly with Madame Roussillon 2nd lind nd Jean Jean you ou know is a very amus amusing amusIn lug ing In fellow Rene brought forth foe ie letter of oC which he had spoken and held U tt up before Father Berets Beets face Maybe you think I any let lettel lettel lettel tel for tor Roussillon he blurted and maybe you are quite certain that thai I am pot nut going to the house to take tak the letter Monsieur Roussillon Is absent you I know Father Beret suggested But I cherry pies are just as good while hes I gone as s when hes at a t home and I h pen to know that there Sf cr some par particularly particularly particularly delicious ones in the panr of or Madame Roussillon Mademoiselle Alice gave ma a juicy jui sample 1 but then I dare say ou do you not care t t have your our pie served sned by bv her band hand It interfere with your r appetite eh my pon son Rene Ree turned short rt about wagging his head and an laughing laughin and so with his back to the priest he h strode away along the wet path leading to the place Father Beret gazed after him his face relaxing to a serious expression n In which a trace of ot sadness and gloom sp spid f d like an elusive twilight He took out his letter but b t did not glance at it sir si holding It tightly gripped in his sinewy wy right hand Then his old eyes stared vacantly as eyes do when their sight is s cast t back many many years into I f tie ne past The missive tas as from beyond the sea he knew the handwriting a waft of oC the flowers of Avignon seemed to rise out of ot it as it if by the pressure of pf his hi grasp A burly man went by leading a pair of ot goats a kid dd fol lowing He was vas making haste excitedly ely edly keening the coats at a lively trot BIO B Jour Pere Beret he flung Out dut breezily and walked rapidly on ou Ah ah ab his mind is busy with the newly arrived cargo thought the old I I priest returning tile the salutation his throat aches for the liquor the poor poorman poorman poorman man manThen manThen manThen Then he read again the letters su superscription superscription and made a faltering move as if Ir to break the seaL His hands trembled violently his face looked gray and drawn Come on you brutes cried the 1 it ceding man Jerking the thongs of or skin by b which he led the goats Father Beret rose and an l turned Into his damp little hut where the light was dim on the hanging opposite opposite opposite site the door against the wail wa It was a pare bare are unsightly clam clammy clammy clammy my room a rude bed on one side a shelf for table and two tw or three wood wooden en stools constituting the furniture re while the uneven puncheons of the floor and clattered under the priests feet An unopened letter is always a mysterious thing We who receive three or four mails every day da scan each eath little paper square with a spec speculative speculative speculative eye ee Most lost of ot us know what sweet uncertainty hangs on the open openIng opening opening Ing of envelopes whose contents may be almost anything except something im o nt and what a vague yet de delicious licious thrill comes with the snip of the paper knife but if we be in a foreign land and long years eals absent from home then is a letter subtly powerful to move us even more before it is opened than after it Is read It had been many man years yearn since a let letter letter letter ter from home had come to Father Beret The last before the one now in hand had made him ill of nostalgia fairly shaking his bis Iron determination I I never to quit q for a a moment his life ure lifework lifework work as a missionary Ever since that day he had found it harder to meet the many and stern demands of or a most difficult and exacting duty Now the nei touch of the paper in his hand rave crave him a sense J nse of returning turning r weakness w akness dissatisfaction and long Ing The home of ot his boyhood the rushing of the Rhon a II seat scat In a shady nook of ot the garden Madeline adeline his bis sister prattling be him and his mother singing somewhere about the house It all came back and went over him and through him making his he rt s shang JY ano 1 voice oIce v the sweetest ever eer heard beard but she was Ineffable and her memory a for forbidden forbidden forbidden bidden fragrance Beret tottered across the for forlorn forlorn forlorn lorn little room and knelt before the Uie crucifix holding his clasped hands high the letter pressed between them His lips Ups moved in prayer but made madeno no sound his whole frame shook vie vio violently 10 It would be unpardonable desecration des desecration cra cration tion to enter the chamber of Father Berets soul and look upon his sacred and secret trouble nor must we even speculate peculate as to Its particulars The good old man writhed d and wrestled be before before before fore the cross ross for a long time until at t last he seemed to receive the calmness and strength he prayed for so ad B fervent fervently ly then he hose tore the tle letter into pieces so small smaIl that not a word re remained remaIned roamed whole and squeezed them so firmly together that they were com corn compressed compressed pressed into a tiny solid ball which he let fall fail through a crack between the floor puncheons After waiting I twenty years for br that letter hungry as his heart was he h did not even open it I when It at last arrived He would never know what message it bore The link between him and the old sweet days was wa broken forever Now with Gods help he could do his work ork to the end He went and stood in his hip doorway leaning against the side Ide Was It mere merc coincidence that the meadow lark flew fiew up Just then from its grass tuft and came to the roofs comb overhead where it lit with ith a light yet audible stroke |