Alice of Old Vincennes Read online

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  Alice of Old Vincennes

  by

  Maurice Thompson

  PREFACE

  To M. PLACIDE VALCOUR M. D., Ph D., LL. D.

  MY DEAR DR. VALCOUR: You gave me the Inspiration which made this storyhaunt me until I wrote it. Gaspard Roussillon's letter, a mildewedrelic of the year 1788, which you so kindly permitted me to copy, asfar as it remained legible, was the point from which my imagination,accompanied by my curiosity, set out upon a long and delightful quest.You laughed at me when I became enthusiastic regarding the possiblehistorical importance at that ancient find, alas! fragmentary epistle;but the old saying about the beatitude of him whose cachinations arelatest comes handy to me just now, and I must remind you that "I toldyou so." True enough, it was history pure and simple that I had in mindwhile enjoying the large hospitality of your gulf-side home. GaspardRoussillon's letter then appealed to my greed for materials which wouldhelp along the making of my little book "The Story of Louisiana."Later, however, as my frequent calls upon you for both documents andsuggestions have informed you, I fell to strumming a different guitar.And now to you I dedicate this historical romance of old Vincennes, asa very appropriate, however slight, recognition of your scholarlyattainments, your distinguished career in a noble profession, and yourdescent from one of the earliest French families (if not the veryearliest) long resident at that strange little post on the Wabash, nowone of the most beautiful cities between the greet river and the ocean.

  Following, with ever tantalized expectancy, the broken and breezy hintsin the Roussillon letter, I pursued a will-o'-the-wisp, here, there,yonder, until by slowly arriving increments I gathered up a largeamount of valuable facts, which when I came to compare them with thehistory of Clark's conquest of the Wabash Valley, fitted amazingly wellinto certain spaces heretofore left open in that important yet sadlyimperfect record.

  You will find that I was not so wrong in suspecting that Emile Jazon,mentioned in the Roussillon letter, was a brother of Jean Jazon and afamous scout in the time of Boone and Clark. He was, therefore, akinsman of yours on the maternal side, and I congratulate you. Anotherthing may please you, the success which attended my long and patientresearch with a view to clearing up the connection between AliceRoussillon's romantic life, as brokenly sketched in M. Roussillon'sletter, and the capture of Vincennes by Colonel George Rogers Clark.

  Accept, then, this book, which to those who care only for history willseem but an idle romance, while to the lovers of romance it may lookstrangely like the mustiest history. In my mind, and in yours I hope,it will always be connected with a breezy summer-house on a headland ofthe Louisiana gulf coast, the rustling of palmetto leaves, the fineflash of roses, a tumult of mocking-bird voices, the soft lilt ofCreole patois, and the endless dash and roar of a fragrant sea overwhich the gulls and pelicans never ceased their flight, and besidewhich you smoked while I dreamed.

  MAURICE THOMPSON. JULY, 1900.

  Contents

  I. Under the Cherry Tree II. A Letter from Afar III. The Rape of the Demijohn IV. The First Mayor of Vincennes V. Father Gibault VI. A Fencing Bout VII. The Mayor's Party VIII. The Dilemma of Captain Helm IX. The Honors of War X. M. Roussillon Entertains Colonel Hamilton XI. A Sword and a Horse Pistol XII. Manon Lescaut, and a Rapier-Thrust XIII. A Meeting in the Wilderness XIV. A Prisoner of Love XV. Virtue in a Locket XVI. Father Beret's Old Battle XVII. A March through Cold Water XVIII. A Duel by Moonlight XIX. The Attack XX. Alice's Flag XXI. Some Transactions in Scalps XXII. Clark Advises Alice XXIII. And So It Ended

  Alice of Old Vincennes