A TOUCH OF FRIENDSHIP.
How softly the bells rang out for the service of St. Michael and All
Angels! The river flowing so tranquilly seemed to carry on the melody
and then bring back a faint echo. It was a great holiday with the
French. The early mass was thronged, somehow the virtue seemed greater
if one went to that. Then there was a procession that marched to the
little chapels outside, which were hardly more than shrines.
Pani went out early and alone. And though the good priest had said to
her, "The child is old enough and should be confirmed," since M.
Bellestre had some objections and insisted that Jeanne should not be
hurried into any sacred promises, and the child herself seemed to have
no desire, they waited.
"But you peril the salvation of her soul. Since she has been baptized
she should be confirmed," said Father Rameau. "She is a child of the
Church. And if she should die!"
"She will not die," said Pani with a strange confidence, "and she is to
decide for herself."
"What can a child know!"
"Then if she cannot know she must be blameless. Monsieur Bellestre was a
very good man. And, M'sieu, some who come to mass, to their shame be it
said, cheat their neighbors and get drunk, and tempt others to drink."
"Most true, but that doesn't lessen our duty."
M. Bellestre had not come yet. This time a long illness had intervened.
Jeanne went out in the procession and sang in the hymns and the rosary.
And she heard about the betrothal. The house had been crowded with
guests and Marie had on a white frock and a beautiful sash, and her hair
was curled.
In spite of her protests Jeanne did feel deeply hurt that she should be
left out. Marie had made a timid plea for her friend.
"We cannot ask all the children in the town," said her mother
emphatically. "And no one knows whether she has any real position. She
is a foundling, and no company for you."
Pani went down the river with her in the afternoon. She was gayety
itself, singing little songs and laughing over everything so that she
quite misled her nurse into thinking that she really did not care. Then
she made Pani tell some old legends of the spirits who haunted the lakes
and rivers, and she added to them some she had heard Wenonah relate.
"I should like to live down in some depths, one of the beautiful caves
where there are gems and all lovely things," said the child.
"As if there were not lovely things in the forests. There are no birds
in the waters. And fishes are not as bright and merry as squirrels."
"That is true enough. I'll stay on the earth a little while longer,"
laughingly. "But look at the lovely colors. O Pani, how many beautiful
things there are! And yet Berthe Campeau is going to Quebec to become a
nun and be shut out of it. How can you praise God for things you do not
see and cannot enjoy? And is it such a good thing to suffer? Does God
rejoice in the pain that he doesn't send and that you take upon
yourself? Her poor mother will die and she will not be here to comfort
her."
Pani shook her head. The child had queer thoughts.
"Pani, we must go and see Madame Campeau afterward. She will be very
lonely. You would not be happy if I went away?"
"O child!" with a quick cry.
"So I am not going. If Monsieur Bellestre wants me he will take you,
too."
Pani nodded.
They noted as they went down that a tree growing imprudently near the
water's edge had fallen in. There was a little bend in the river, and it
really was dangerous. So coming back they gave it a sensibly wide berth.
A canoe with a young man in it came flying up. The sun had gone down and
there were purple shadows about like troops of spirits.
"Monsieur," the child cried, "do not hug the shore so much. There is
danger."
A gay laugh came back to them and he flashed on, his paddle poised at a
most graceful angle.
"O Monsieur!" with eager warning.
The paddle caught. The dainty canoe turned over and floated out of reach
with a slight gust of wind.
"Monsieur"--Jeanne came nearer--"it was a fallen tree. It was so dusk I
knew you could not see it."
He was swimming toward them. "I wonder if you can help me recover my
boat."
"Monsieur, swim in to the shore and I will bring the canoe there." She
was afraid to risk taking him in hers. "Just down below to escape the
tree."
"Oh, thank you. Yes, that will be best."
His strokes were fine and strong even if he was encumbered by his
clothing. Jeanne propelled her canoe along and drove the other in to
shore, then caught it with a rope. He emerged from his bath and shook
himself.
"You have been very kind. I should have heeded your warning or asked you
what it meant. And now--I have lost my paddle."
"I have an extra one, Monsieur."
"You are a godsend certainly. Lend it to me."
He waded out, rescued his canoe and leaped adroitly into it. She was
interested in the ease and grace.
"That tree is a dangerous thing," he exclaimed.
"They will remove it, Monsieur. It must have recently fallen in. The
tide has washed the ground away."
"It was quite a mishap, but owing to your quick thought I am not much
the worse;" and he laughed. "I do not mind a wetting. As for the lost
paddle that will break no one's heart. But I shall remember you with
gratitude. May I ask your name?"
"It is Jeanne Angelot," she said simply.
"Oh, then I ought to know you--do know you a little. My father is the
Sieur St. Armand."
"Oh!" Jeanne gave a little cry of delight.
"And I have a message for you. I was coming to find you to-morrow."
"Monsieur may take cold in his wet clothes, Jeanne. We ought to go a
little faster," said Pani. "The air is getting chilly here on the
river."
"If you do not mind I will hasten on. And to-morrow I shall be glad to
come and thank you again and deliver my message."
"Adieu," responded Jeanne, with a delicious gayety.
He was off like a bird and soon out of sight. Jeanne drew her canoe up
to a quiet part of the town, below the gate. The day was ending, as
holidays often did, in a sort of carouse. Men were playing on fiddles,
crowds of men and boys were dancing. By some flaring light others were
playing cards or dominoes. The two threaded their way quickly along,
Jeanne with her head and face nearly hidden by the big kerchief that was
like a shawl.
"How queer it was, Pani!" and she laughed. Her eyes were like stars in
their pleasure. "And to think Monsieur St. Armand has sent me a message!
Do you suppose he is in France? I asked the master to show me France--he
has a map of these strange countries."
"A map!" gasped Pani, as if it were an evil spirit.
"Why, it is like a picture with lines all about it. This is France. This
is Spain. And England, where the English come from. I should think they
would--it is such a little place. Ever so many other countries as well.
But after all I don't understand about their going round--"
"Come and have some supper."
"We should have seen him anyhow if he had not fallen into the river. And
it was funny! If he had heeded what I said--it was lucky we saw the tree
as we went down."
"He will give due notice of it, no doubt. The water is so clear that it
can easily be seen in the daytime. Otherwise I should feel troubled."
Jeanne nodded with gay affirmation. She was in exuberant spirits, and
could hardly eat.
Then they sat out in the doorway, shaded somewhat by the clinging vines.
From below there was a sound of music. Up at the Fort the band was
playing. There was no moon, but the stars were bright and glittering in
strange tints. Now and then a party rather merry with wine and whisky
trolled out a noisy stave that had been imported from the mother country
years ago about Jacques and his loves and his good wine.
Presently the great bell clanged out. That was a signal for booths to
shut, for deerhide curtains to be drawn. Some obstreperous soldiers were
marched to the guardhouse. Some drunken revelers crept into a nook
beside a storage box or hid in a tangle of vines to sleep until
morning.
But in many of the better class houses merriment and gayety went on
while the outside decorousness was observed. There was a certain respect
paid to law and the new rulers were not so arbitrary as the English had
been. Also French prejudices were wearing slowly away while the real
characteristics of the race remained.
"I shall not go to school to-day," said Jeanne the next morning. "I will
tell the master how it was, and he will pardon me. And I will get two
lessons to-morrow, so the children will see that he does not favor me. I
think they are sometimes jealous."
She laughed brightly and went dancing about singing whatever sounds
entered her mind. Now it was a call of birds, then a sharp high cry,
anon a merry whistle that one might fancy came from the woods. She ran
out and in, she looked up and down the narrow street with its crooks
that had never been smoothed out, and with some houses standing in the
very road as it were. Everything was crowded in the business part.
Rose De Ber spied her out and came running up to greet her; tossing her
head consequentially.
"We had a gay time last night. I wish you could have peeped in the
windows. But you know it was not for children, only grown people. Martin
Lavosse danced ever so many times with me, but he moaned about Marie,
and I said, 'By the time thou art old enough to marry she will have a
houseful of babies, perhaps she will give you her first daughter,' and
he replied, 'I shall not wait that length of time. There are still good
fish in the lakes and rivers, but I am sorry to see her wed before she
has had a taste of true life and pleasure.' And, Jeanne, I have resolved
that mother shall not marry me off to the first comer."
Jeanne nodded approval.
"I do not see what has come over Pierre," she went on. "He was grumpy as
a wounded bear last night and only a day or two ago he made such a
mistake in reckoning that father beat him. And Monsieur Beeson and
mother nearly quarreled over the kind of learning girls should have. He
said every one should know how to read and write and figure a little so
that she could overlook her husband's affairs if he should be ill. Marie
is going to learn to read afterward, and she is greatly pleased."
It was true that ignorance prevailed largely among the common people.
The children were taught prayers and parts of the service and catechism
orally, since that was all that concerned their souls' salvation, and it
kept a wider distinction between the classes. But the jolly, merry
Frenchman, used to the tradition of royalty, cared little. His place was
at the end of the line and he enjoyed the freedom. He would not have
exchanged his rough, comfortable dress for all the satin waistcoats,
velvet small clothes and lace ruffles in the world. Like the Indian he
had come to love his liberty and the absence of troublesome
restrictions.
But the English had brought in new methods, although education with them
was only for the few. The colonist from New England made this a
specialty. As soon as possible in a new settlement schools were
established, but there were other restrictions before them and learning
of most kinds had to fight its way.
Jeanne saw her visitor coming up the street just as her patience was
almost exhausted. She was struck with a sudden awe at the sight of the
well dressed young man.
"Did you think I would not keep my word?" he asked gayly.
"But your father did," she answered gravely.
"Ah, I am afraid I shall never make so fine a man. I have seen no one
like him, Mam'selle, though there are many courageous and honorable men
in the world. But you know I have not met everybody," laughing and
showing white, even teeth between the red lips. "Good day!" to Pani, who
invited him in into the room where she had set a chair for him.
"I want to ask your pardon for my rudeness yesterday," bowing to the
child and the woman. "Perhaps my handling of the canoe did not impress
you with the idea of superior knowledge, but I have been used to it from
boyhood, and have shot rapids, been caught in gales, oh, almost
everything!"
"It was not that, Monsieur. We had seen the tree with its branches like
so many clinging arms, and it was getting purple and dun as you came up,
so we thought it best to warn."
"And I obstinately ran right into danger, which shows how much good
advice is thrown away. You see the paddle caught and over I went. But
the first thing this morning some boatmen went down and removed it.
However, I did not mind the wetting. It was not the first time."
"And Monsieur did not take cold? The nights are chilly now along the
river's edge. The sun slips down suddenly," was Pani's anxious comment.
"Oh, no. I am inured to such things. I have been a traveler, too. It was
a gay day yesterday, Mam'selle."
"Yes," answered Jeanne. Yet she had felt strangely solitary. "Your
father, Monsieur, is in France. I have been learning about that
country."
"Oh, no, not yet. There was some business in Washington. To-morrow I
leave Detroit to rejoin him in New York, from which place we set sail,
though the journey is a somewhat dangerous one now, what with pirate
ships and England claiming a right of search. But we shall trust a good
Providence."
"You go also," she said with a touch of disappointment. It gave a
bewitching gravity to her countenance.
"Oh, yes. My father and I are never long apart. We are very fond of each
other."
"And your mother--" she asked hesitatingly.
"I do not remember her, for I was an infant when she died. But my father
keeps her in mind always. And I must give you his message."
He took out a beautifully embossed leathern case with silver mountings
and ran over the letters.
"Ah--here. 'I want you to see my little friend, Jeanne Angelot, and
report her progress to me. I hope the school has not frightened her.
Tell her there are little girls in other cities and towns who are
learning many wonderful things and will some day grow up into charming
women such as men like for companions. It will be hard and tiresome, but
she must persevere and learn to write so that she can send me a letter,
which I shall prize very highly. Give her my blessing and say she must
become a true American and honor the country of which we are all going
to feel very proud in years to come. But with all this she must never
outgrow her love for her foster mother, to whom I send respect, nor her
faith in the good God who watches over and will keep her from all harm
if she puts her trust in him.'"
Jeanne gave a long sigh. "O Monsieur, it is wonderful that people can
talk this way on paper. I have tried, but the master could not help
laughing and I laughed, too. It was like a snail crawling about and the
pen would go twenty ways as if there was an evil sprite in my fingers.
But I shall keep on although it is very tiresome and I have such a
longing to be out in the fields and woods, chasing squirrels and singing
to the birds, which sometimes light on my shoulder. And I know a good
many English words, but the reading looks so funny, as if there were no
sense to it!"
"But there is a great deal. You will be very glad some day. Then I may
take a good account to him and tell him you are trying to obey his
wishes?"
"Yes, Monsieur, I shall be very glad to. And he will write me the letter
that he promised?"
"Indeed he will. He always keeps his promises. And I shall tell him you
are happy and glad as a bird soaring through the air?"
"Not always glad. Sometimes a big shadow falls over me and my breath
throbs in my throat. I cannot tell what makes the strange feeling. It
does not come often, and perhaps when I have learned more it will
vanish, for then I can read books and have something for my thoughts.
But I am glad a good deal of the time."
"I don't wonder my father was interested in her," Laurent St. Armand
thought. He studied the beautiful eyes with their frank innocence, the
dainty mouth and chin, the proud, uplifted expression that indicated
nobleness and no self-consciousness.
"And now I must bid thee good-by with my own and my father's blessing.
We shall return to America and find you again. You will hardly go away
from Detroit?"
She was quite ready at that moment to give up M. Bellestre's plans for
her future.
He took her hand. Then he pressed his lips upon it with the grave
courtesy of a gentleman.
"Adieu," he said softly. "Pani, watch well over her."
The woman bowed her head with a deeper feeling than mere assent.
Jeanne sat down on the doorstep, leaning her elbow on her knee and her
chin in her hand. Grave thoughts were stirring within her, the
awakening of a new life on the side she had seen, but never known. The
beautiful young women quite different from the gay, chattering
demoiselles, their proudly held heads, their dignity, their soft voices,
their air of elegance and refinement, all this Jeanne Angelot felt but
could not have put into words, not even into thought. And this young man
was over on that side. Oh, all Detroit must lie between, from the river
out to the farms! Could she ever cross the great gulf? What was it made
the difference--education? Then she would study more assiduously than
ever. Was this why Monsieur St. Armand was so earnest about her trying?
She glanced down at her little brown hand. Oh, how soft and warm his
lips had been, what a gentle touch! She pressed her own lips to it, and
a delicious sensation sped through her small body.
"What art thou dreaming about, Jeanne? Come to thy dinner."
She glanced up with a smile. In a vague way she had known before there
were many things Pani could not understand; now she felt the keen,
far-reaching difference between them, between her and the De Bers, and
Louis Marsac, and all the people she had ever known. But her mother, who
could tell most about her, was dead.
It was not possible for a glad young thing to keep in a strained mood
that would have no answering comprehension, and Jeanne's love of nature
was so overwhelming. Then the autumn at the West was so glowing, so
full of richness that it stirred her immeasurably. She could hardly
endure the confinement on some days.
"What makes you so restless?" asked the master one noon when he was
dismissing some scholars kept in until their slow wits had mastered
their tasks. She, too, had been inattentive and willful.
"I am part of the woods to-day, a chipmunk running about, a cricket
which dares not chirp," and she glanced up into the stern eyes with a
merry light, "a grasshopper who takes long strides, a bee who goes
buzzing, a glad, gay bird who says to his mate, 'Come, let us go to the
unknown land and spend a winter in idleness, with no nest to build, no
hungry, crying babies to feed, nothing but just to swing in the trees
and laugh with the sunshine.'"
"Thou art a queer child. Come, say thy lesson well and we will spend the
whole afternoon in the woods. Thou shalt consort with thy brethren the
birds, for thou art brimming over."
The others were dismissed with some added punishment. The master took
out his luncheon. He was not overpaid, he had no family and lived by
himself, sleeping in the loft over the school.
"Oh, come home with me!" the child cried. "Pani's cakes of maize are so
good, and no one cooks fish with such a taste and smell. It would make
one rise in the middle of the night."
"Will the tall Indian woman give me a welcome?"
"Oh, Pani likes whomever I like;" with gay assurance.
"And dost thou like me, child?"
"Yes, yes." She caught his hand in both of hers. "Sometimes you are
cross and make ugly frowns, and often I pity the poor children you beat,
but I know, too, they deserve it. And you speak so sharp! I used to jump
when I heard it, but now I only give a little start, and sometimes just
smile within, lest the children should see it and be worse. It is a
queer little laugh that runs down inside of one. Come, Pani will be
waiting."
She took his hand as they picked their way through the narrow streets,
having to turn out now and then for a loaded wheelbarrow, or two men
carrying a big plank on their shoulders, or a heavy burthen, one at each
end. For there were some streets not even a wagon and two horses could
get through.
To the master's surprise Pani did not even seem put out as Jeanne
explained the waiting. Had fish toasted before the coals ever tasted so
good? The sagamite he had learned to tolerate, but the maize cakes were
so excellent it seemed as if he could never get enough of them.
The golden October sun lay warm everywhere and was tinting the hills and
forests with richness that glowed and glinted as if full of life. Afar,
one could see the shine of the river, the distant lake, the undulations
where the tall trees did not cut it off. Crows were chattering and
scolding. A great flock of wild geese passed over with their hoarse,
mysterious cry, and shaped like two immense wings each side of their
leader.
"Now you shall tell me about the other countries where you have been,"
and Jeanne dropped on the soft turf, motioning him to be seated.
In all his journeying through the eastern part of the now United
Colonies, he thought he had never seen a fairer sight than this. It
warmed and cheered his old heart. And sure he had never had a more
enraptured listener.
But in a brief while the glory of wood and field was gone. The shriveled
leaves were blown from the trees by the fierce gusts. The beeches stood
like bare, trembling ghosts, the pines and firs with their rough dark
tops were like great Indian wigwams and were enough to terrify the
beholder. Sharp, shrill cries at night of fox and wolf, the rustle of
the deer and the slow, clumsy tread of the bear, the parties of Indians
drawing nearer civilization, braves who had roamed all summer in
idleness returning to patient squaws, told of the approach of winter.
New pickets were set about barns and houses, and coverings of skin made
added warmth. The small flocks were carefully sheltered from marauding
Indians. Doors and windows were hung with curtains of deer skins, floors
were covered with buffalo or bear hide, and winter garments were brought
out. Even inside the palisade one could see a great change in apparel
and adornment. The booths were no longer invitingly open, but here and
there were inns and places of evening resort where the air was not only
enough to stifle one, but so blue with smoke you could hardly see your
neighbor's face. No merry parties sang songs upon the river nor went up
to the lake in picnic fashion.
Still there was no lack of hearty good cheer. On the farms one and
another gave a dance to celebrate some special occasion. There was
husking corn and shelling it, there were meats and fish to be salted,
some of it dried, for now the inhabitants within and without knew that
winter was long and cold.
They had sincerely mourned General Wayne. A new commandant had been
sent, but the general government was poor and deeply in debt and there
were many vexed questions to settle. So old Detroit changed very little
under the new regime. There was some delightful social life around the
older or, rather, more aristocratic part of the town, where several
titled English people still remained. Fortnightly balls were given,
dinners, small social dances, for in that time dancing was the amusement
of the young as card playing was of the older ones.
Then came days of whirling, blinding snow when one could hardly stir
out, succeeded by sunshine of such brilliance that Detroit seemed a
dazzle of gems. Parties had merry games of snowballing, there were
sledging, swift traveling on skates and snowshoes, and if the days were
short the long evenings were full of good cheer, though many a gruesome
story was told of Pontiac's time, and the many evil times before that,
and of the heroic explorers and the brave fathers who had gone to plant
the cross and the lilies of France in the wilderness.
Jeanne wondered that she should care so little for the defection of the
De Bers. Pierre passed her with a sullen nod when he met her face to
face and sometimes did not notice her at all. Marie was very important
when she recovered from the surprise that a man should want to marry
her, and that she should be the first of Delisse Graumont's maids to
marry, she who was the youngest of them all.
"I had a beau in my cup at the tea drinking, and he was holding out his
hand, which was a sign that he would come soon. And, Rose, I mean to
have a tea drinking. I hope you will get the beau."
"I am in no hurry," and Rose tossed her pretty head.
Marie and her mother went down to the Beeson house to see what
plenishings were needed. It was below the inclosure, quite a farm, in
the new part running down to the river, where there was a dock and a
rough sort of basin, quite a boat yard, for Antoine Beeson had not yet
aspired to anything very grand in ship building. They pulled out the
great fur rugs and hangings and put the one up and the other down, and
Antoine coming in was so delighted with the homelikeness that he caught
his betrothed about the waist and whirled her round and round.
"Really, I think some day I shall learn to dance," and he gave his
broad, hearty laugh that Marie had grown quite accustomed to.
Madame De Ber looked amazed and severe.