F 542 .R48 Copy 1 7 D PAGEANT OF THE ILLINOIS COUNTRY BY W^ALLACE RICE Consisting of Five Parts, a Sixth Part to be W^ritten from Local History. Intended for Use Throughout the State in County and Local Celebrations. ISSUED BY THE ILLINOIS CENTENNIAL COMMISSION [Printed bj' authority of the State of Illinois.] THE PAGEANT OF THE ILLINOIS COUlSTTRY BY W^ALLACE RICE Consisting of Five Parts, a Sixth Part to be W^ritten from Local History. Intended for Use Throughout the State in County and Local Celebrations. ISSUED BY THE ILLINOIS CENTENNIAL COMMISSION [Printed by authority of the State of Illinois.] phinted by The Illinois State Journal Co.. State Printers Springfield, Illinois (7031— IM) T». Of »• THE PAGEANT OF THE ILLINOIS COUNTRY SCENE I — THE COURAGE OF TONTY Persons of the scene: HENRY DE TONTY, a Captain of France. Father zenobe membee, a Eecollect friar. Father gabeiel eibouede, a Eecollect friar. The Sieur de boiseond]']t, lieutenant to Tonty. l'espeeance^ servant to Tonty. etienne eenault, a soldier, lately of Paris. CHAssAGOAc, chief of the Illinois. the ONONDAGA CHIEF. THE SENECA CHIEF. THE CAHOKIA. THE MICHIGAMI. THE SHAWANOE. THE MOHAWK. THE CAYUGA. Illinois Braves, Squaws, Maidens, Boys, and Girls. Iroquois Braves, two disguised as Frenchmen. TRUMPETERS come forth, upon the instrument of one the Illinois State Banner, upon that of the other the Illinois Centennial Banner, flourish to command attention, and step back to aivait the close of the Proces- sion. From the left of the stage enter the persons of the procession fo music, and pass off right, as follows: Persons of the procession: The Mound Builders, tall figures in long cloaks, with shrouded faces, bearing aloft a gilded sun in splendor. Indian Chiefs and Braves, arrayed for war. French Woodrunners, with light canoes and paddles, with bales of trade goods, and articles of trade, some of them fiddling and capering. Louis Joliet, with Father Jacques Marquette in his long robe, escorted b}'' a few French Soldiers. Robert Cavelier Sieur de la Salle and Father Louis Hennepin, followed by Captain Henri de Tonty with more French Soldiers bearing the azure flag of France with golden lilies. Fathers Zenobe Membre and Gabriel Eibourde in full canonicals, one bearing a cross of boughs, the other the sacred vessels, preceded by Indian Braves with bowed heads and arms crossed upon their breasts, followed by Indian Boys with smoking censers, and by Indian Squaws, Maidens, Boys, and Girls, all singing the "Vexilla Eegis.'^ The Trumpeters close ihe procession, escorting Prologue. They hloiv their trumpets as before, and retire. PROLOGUE Dark centuries with noiseless steps pace down Time's corridors. In silence there are lost All who with human eyes first marveled here ; And gone the very names of those great ones AVho here from Mother Earth once heaved huge mounds In everlasting worship to the skies. Then, mark ye, lovers of our Illinois, Now met in piety for her dear sake, Fair France comes smiling down our azure streams, AVhose golden lilies spell her ancient flag : Hardy woodrunners, merchants sane and wise. Soldiers, gentlemen, fearless warriors Who, Cross in hand, bring to uncharted lands The loving message of an unseen God. They find, as fierce as hungry panthers here, Eestless as bison, hordes of savages Painted like fiends, and yet with souls to save. These shall ye see and, with them, Tonty see. That iron-handed, silver-hearted man, The first of all our line to live his life Beside the rivers of the Illinois. As the rising lights discover tlie scene, they disclose the Indian village as it stood near the present town of Utica in La Salle county, with, late summer bright in the air of September in the year 1680. Wig- wams, arched and long like the cover of a pioneer waggon, lie to the upper left. Their ends are open, through which may b& seen savage men, tattooed and painted, here throwing cherry stones in some gam- bling game, there drowsing in the heat, here a lover and his maid in blissful silence, there braves attending to their bows and spears. Be- yond, squaws are tending the yelloiving cornfields, while boys clatter sticks together to keep atvdy the persistent croios. The picture is popu- lous and peaceful. The wigivam of the French stands left of center, near it a portable forge with various tools about it. Bales of trade goods are piled around. The four French laymen are busy in and out of their lodge, arranging their belongings. Indian children, the girls with stalks of maize, the boys with sticks which they clatter to the rhythm of the chant, come down and dance the corn dance, singing the while. THE BOYS We scare off the cawing crows Where the ripening coriistalk grows — ]S"ot a grain for a greed)'^ maw, Eattling sticks, as the crows cry "Caw." THE GIRLS We bring home the tasseled ear ; Shock and shuck and make good cheer; Then we grind for the brave and sqnaw, Ponnd and grind, as the crows cry "Caw." THE BOYS AND GIELS Dance and sing for the yellow corn ; So are peace and plenty born ; Xever famine and hunger gnaw ; Dance and sing, as the crows cry "Caw." [.4. young CahoMa comes to the French lodge, tearing in his hands a lump of soft coal. THE CAHOKiA. Captain de Tonty, I bring to thee a stone, black like the crow, that burnetii like dry wood of the forest. [tonty taJces the lump of coal from the cahokia, and with the other FRENCHMEN rises and goes to the front of the lodge to ex- amine it. tonty. Why, it is coal; a soft kind of sea coal that dirties the fingers (to the Oahohia) — my fingers, not thine. (Handing it to Boisrondet). Here, dirty thine with it, lieutenant. BOISRONDET. It is of a certainty sea coal, captain. And will it burn? RENAULT. Why not try it in the forge, captain? TONTY. A good thought. Take it and try it, L'Esperance. [The FOUR go over to the forge, and l^esper^vnce hegins working the bellows. l''esperance. There is fire still here. See, it burns. RENAULT. Ah, but it hath an evil smell. There be places in Paris that smell thus. BOISRONDET. Many have left Paris for less. TONTY. Vesuvius smelleth so when he smelloth ill. (To the Cahol'ia). Where gottest thou this ? THE CAHOKIA. There be pits of it by the Arimoni, the river which flow- eth red, whence it cometh. l''esperance. It seemeth to make a hot fire. BOISRONDET. But an ill smelling fire. It smelleth like an Indian be- times. 6 TONTY. Nay, Boisrondet; not so ill as that. RENAULT. Ha ! I smell one now. He smelleth near, [CHASSAGOAO comes to them. The cahokia goes away. TONTY. Now the greetings of a fine September morn to thee, Chief Chassagoac. CHASSAGOAC. The sun smileth in the sky, the corn smileth'to the shock, and thou smilest like them, Captain de Tonty. TONTY'. Thy words befit the sun and sky, chief, for they, too, smile ; and so doth the coal here upon the forge. CHASSAGOAC. Ah, the black stone of fire ! It giveth heat a-plenty, but it smelleth ill in the lodge fire; the more if rain chance to be falling. Ha, what is this ! [There is an outcry, right, taken up hy several voices, and thdi village begins instantly to stir. The boys, girls, squaws, and several of the older waeriors rise and nin toward it. The group at the forge screen their eyes and gaze in the direction of the disturbance. f50iSR0NDET. One in hot haste paddleth across the river. CHASSAGOAC. He giveth the sign of war and a hastening enemy. Aho, my braves, aho-ho-ho! [TJie BRAVES, seizing their iveapons, come running to him, the CAHOKIA and michigami with them. THE CAHOKIA. He is not an Illinois, Chassagoac. THE MICHIGAMI. It is my friend the Shawanoe. He hath been to the lodges of his fathers near the rising sun afar. MANY VOICES. The Iroquois ! The Iroquois ! CHASSAGOAC. The Iroquois come, and alas ! a-many of my young war- riors are far away; they have taken the war-path toward the setting sun. MANY' VOICES (os the croivd gathers). The Iroquois are upon us. Our best warriors are gone. A VOICE (above the rest). The French have done this. We are betrayed. MANY VOICES. The French are traitors and spies. The French be- tray us. SQUAV7S (running in from the fields). The French betray us. Burn them ! Torture them ! THE SHAWANOE (running in from the right). Chassagoac, the Iro- quois come ! (His words are taken up and repeated). The Miamis come with them. There be a score of scores of Iroquois and fivescore more. There be fivescore Miamis. They have thunder-and-lightning sticks. They have long kiiives of the steel that biteth like fire. THE MiCHiGAMi. It is the French who have given them these. SQUAWS. The French betray ns. Burn them ! Torture them ! THE SHAAVAXOE. Ave : there be French with them — two in French gar- ments. Aye ; and one is a Long Eobe and one is La Salle himself. BOiSEONDET. Thou liest, thou dog ! Thy tongue is forked like the snake's. TOXTY. Silence, young sir ! Our lives hang on a word. BOiSROXDET. Ah, but the lie — a priest — and La Salle ! [The crown of ixdiax^s surges toward the frexch, tcho take a step toward them ivith ready weapons. CHASSAGOAC. (stepping between). Touch them not! They are the friends and countrymen of my friend, the Sieur de la Salle. [Baffled in their attack, braves and squaws seize the forge, the tools, the bales of French goods and run off with them, right. BRAVES and squaws (as tliey run). To the river ! To the river! REXAULT. I have seen little worse in Paris. l'espeeaxce. There goeth the forge. Ah, they have burnt themselves with the coal. Good ! TOXTY. What the French thief did not steal, the Indian fool destroyeth. BRAVES and squaws (running bach). The French betray us. Burn them ! Torture them ! BOISROXDET. Canst thou not bespeak them with fair words, my captain ? TOXTY (making himself heard). N"o French are with the Iroquois. MAXY VOICES. There are ! There are ! The Shawanoe saw them. TOXTY. No Shawanoe saw them, for no French are with the Iroquois. The French are with the Illinois. The French are with the Illinois — here — now. Do French fight with French ? See, we will fight with you against the Iroquois. CHASSAGOAC. Hear the great words of the French captain. He will fight with the Illinois against the Iroquois. TOXTY (to the Shawanoe). Thou fool, if a dog of an Iroquois weareth a hat, and another dog of an Iroquois weareth a long robe, are these made French thereby? Thine eyes are the eyes of a mole. Go to the hawk and get thee seeing eyes. The proof? We, the French, go to fight against the Iroquois. [The SHAWAXOE is abashed, and hands are raised to strike him as he slinks out of the croivd. CHASSAGOAC (holding up Tonty's gloved hand). See, ye braves, here is the hand of magic that fights for the Illinois; who can withstand it? The eagles with the eagles will fight the ravening Avolves. Dance the dance of war therefore. (To the Cahokia). Do thou take men and bear 8 a watch against the coming of the wolves. And now, ye eagles, to the dance ! [The CAHOKiA iakes several braves and goes out, right. The FRENCH go to their lodge and prepare for battle, loading theirs muskets, seeing to the sharpness of their swords, and the like. The tom-toms begin to heat, and the Illinois braves, the squaws hoioling an accompaniment, begin to dance and sing. THE ILLINOIS This poor form jSTow seek I I cast away, The path of war. Thus become Skies are fair — Lacking fear. On I go. Aho-ho-ho ! Aho-ho-ho ! As the sun Manitou, Is clear at morn hear my prayer : May I shine Bring my arm Clear and bright. Victory. Aho-ho-ho ! Aho-ho-ho ! [There is an outcry, right, and the cahokia and his braves run in from the right, breathless. the cahokia. The Iroquois are upon us ! the braves. The Iroquois are upon us ! The Iroquois are here ! THE CAHOKIA. Two of the Iroquois wear French garments. But they are not French; they are Iroquois. CHASSAGOAC. French do not fight with French. But the magic hand will fight with the French against the Iroquois. [The ILLINOIS align themselves, left, in front of their lodges, the SQUAWS and boys and girls behind the braves, the French tuith CHASSAGOAC in their center. The squaws begin to wail. [Enter, right, the Iroquois, who take the lower right of the stage and begin to sing and dance. the iroquois Eagles dart Tempests roar Thro' the sky; On their breath; • Fierce their heart, Sweeping o'er. Loud their cry. Bringing death. Eed their claw, Eagle War, Red their beak, Eed mine ire. Wide their craw — Screaming for Hear them shriek ! Blood and fire ! CHASSAGOAC. Howl, ve wolves, while ye may. Soon shall be whine and whim}ier. For we are the eagles, not ye, ye wolves! the ONONDAGA CHIEF. Eagles? Ye! Ye are but the green bitterns that fly up the creek. Full soon shall ye fly, afeared. THE SENECA CHIEF. Aye, we are the wolves, and we are come to gnaw your bones. [With wild whoops and much brandishing of iveapons, the Illi- nois and the iroquois Tush at one another, hut do not actually engage. They retreat a step. TONTY (to Boisrondet). It will fare ill with our friends. The Iroquois and Miamis have six hundred braves, and the young warriors of the Illinois are far away. I must bespeak them before it is too late. Chief Chassagoac, give me the sacred wampum. Come, Boisrondet, and thou too, young Cahokia. [tonty gives his sword to eenault, his musket to l'esperance, takes the wampum from chassagoac and, holding it aloft, ad- vances between the Illinois and iroquois. BOISRONDET. Oh, go not forth, my captain. It is death. TONTY. Death is for those that wait, as for those that do. BOISRONDET. Then will I die with thee. TONTY. Ho, ye Iroquois, make ye war with France? Ho, ye Iroquois, make ye war with the Sieur de la Salle ? Ho, ye Senecas, ye Onondagas, ye Oneidas, ye Cayugas, ye Mohawks, ye Miamis, make ye war with Onontio, the Mountain? [As TONTY, BOISRONDET, and the cahokia advance, several of the IROQUOIS drop to one knee and level their muskets at them. the MOHAWK. He is but an Illinois. Shoot him ! THE CAYUGA. Nay, his ears are not pierced. He is a Frenchman. TONTY. Go back, Boisrondet. Go back, young Cahokia. It is enough that I shall be slain. [The CAHOKIA runs back to the Illinois, capering. BOISRONDET. Oh, but, my captain, I may not leave thee, now. TONTY. Go ! I command. [boisrondet walks slowly back, facing the Iroquois, his musket reudy to l&vel. boisrondet. I had never thought to leave him. [The iroquois braves cluster about tonty, threateningly. the iroquois braves. Slay him ! Bum him ! Torture him ! the MOHAWK (stabbing tonty from the side). Die like a dog. TONTY (recovering and holding up the wampum). Know, ye Iroquois, that ye are at peace with France. Know, ye Iroquois, that France hath taken the Illinois to be her children. Know, ye Iroquois, that as ye are peace with France, so must ye be at peace with the Illinois. Know, ye Iroquois, that Tonty, the friend of the Sieur de la Salle, speaketh. THE SENECA CHIEF. How saycst thou SO ? Art thou not an Illinois ? THE ONONDAGA CHIEF. Are the ears of an Illinois unpierced, chief? See with thine own eyes. 10 THE SENECA CHIEF. It is true. His ears are unpierced. [The MOHAWK, pulled away by the cayuga, returns, grabs Tonty's hat from his head and raises it on his mushet aloft. The Illinois and IROQUOIS begin prancing and whooping again at the front. The CAYUGA pulls down the hat and musket, and strikes at the MOHAWK. As the hat comes down, the demonstration at the front ceases. THE ONONDAGA CHIEF. Moliawk, Set back the Frenchman's hat. It is thy life if thou touchest him again. I am his friend. TONTY. As there is no war between France and the Iroquois, so there must be no war between the Iroquois and the Illinois, ye Iroquois chieftains. THE SENECA CHIEF. How sayest thou so, Frenchman? Who shall say nay to the panther on the trail of blood and a-hungered? TONTY. If thou wilt have war, Seneca chief, know that threescore scores of Illinois braves await thee. If thou must have war, Seneca chief, know that threescore Frenchmen have been sent for and are coming over yonder ridge. Barest thou war with mighty France ? THE ONONDAGA CHIEF. This is the friend of the Sieur de la Salle, Seneca chief, and I am the friend of the Sieur de La Salle, as thou knowest. I am, then, the friend of this Frenchman here. [The MOHAWK, again creeping up on tonty, lifts his hair with one hand, his scalping knife ready in the other, the onondaga CHIEF strikes him down with his knife. THE CAYUGA (also knifing the Mohawk). Thy death be on thine own head. THE ONODAGA CHIEF. Die, thou fool ! Didst thou not hear me say I am his friend. Take forth the carrion and throw it in the river. [iROQUOis BRAVES take up the Mohawk's body and bear it off, right. THE SENECA CHIEF. Sayest thou, Frenchman, that the Illinois have threescore scores of braves hereabouts? TONTY. So say I, Seneca chief. Said not thy scouts the like? THE SENECA CHIEF. Saycst thou that there be threescore of thy French- men over yonder ridge ? TONTY. Not many paces beyond yonder ridge they were encamped, Seneca chief, and one of my young men ran out to fetch them as thou camest. THE ONONDAGA CHIEF. What mattereth it, Seneca chief, if we be not at war with France and with my friends, the sons of France, the Sieur de la Salle and this brave man here ? See, he is wounded sore. [tonty, fainting from loss of blood, sinks down, the onondaga CHIEF and the cayuga minister to him. 11 THE SENECA CHIEF, It was in my heart to gnaw upon the bones of these Illinois here; but how shall the panther bite upon the rock of Onontio, the Mountain? THE ONONDAGA CHIEF. Why bring the blood of thine own people upon their shaven heads by fighting here with France? THE SENECA CHIEF. I am not minded to fight threescore Frenchmen here. But thinkest thou there be so many beyond yonder ridge? THE ONONDAGA CHIEF. TMs Frenchman saith as much; and he is the friend of my friend, the Sieur de la Salle. THE SENECA CHIEF. Thinkest thou there be so many Illinois braves as he hath said? THE ONONDAGA CHIEF. I know not, uor do I care. It is already too much that he, with the sacred wampum in his keeping, hath been wounded by thy hand. THE SENECA CHIEF. It was a Mohawk struck the blow, and none of mine. Moreover, he is dead by thine own hand. It is enough. [tonty raises himself with his Indian friends' aid, and stands erect, weak of tody hut strong of will. THE ONONDAGA CHIEF. Thou art a brave man and a fearless, French- man, and it is fitting that thou art a friend to the Sieur de la Salle and to me. (To the Seneca Chief). Is he not free to go? THE SENECA CHIEF. Thou art free to go, Frenchman ; and these Illi- nois that are thy children and the children of the Sieur de la Salle and of Onontio and of France shall not have their bones gnawed by me and my braves — not now. TONTY. The skies smiled earlier upon me, Seneca chief, and now meseemeth the sun smileth again in thy words. THE SENECA CHIEF. Alio-ho-ho, ye warriors ! The path of war is not for us this day ; these Illinois are the children of this brave man and of France. So on to the path of peace once more. [There are much expostulation, explanation, and murmuring as the IROQUOIS begin to file out, right, slowly, brandishing their weapons at the Illinois. THE SENECA CHIEF. Yet will I give thee my hand, Frenchman. Thy wound is none of my making, but it hath proved thee brave. THE ONONDAGA CHIEF. I will give thee aid to thy fellows, French- man. Come, give help. [The CAYUGA comes at the word,, and the two hold tonty up as he walJcs feebly toward the Illinois. [Fathers membre and ribourde, who have come down, left, come with BOISRONDET to meet him. They take him from the tivo IROQUOIS and lead him to his lodge. 13 THE CAYUGA. Thou ait a brave man, and my brother. THE ONONDAGA CHIEF. Thou art a brave man, and the brother of all brave men. TONTY, I give you my hearty thanks, for your words and for your kind- ness, Onondaga chief and Cayuga warrior. Ye have staunched my wound thereby. FATHEE MEMBEE. Oh, my SOU, my gallant son, art thou sorely wounded — ^near to death ? God be praised that there is still a little life in thee ! TONTY. I am a very live dead man, my father. It is but a scratch, though the loss of blood leaveth me weak. BOiSEONDET. Oh, my captain, I had not thought to see thee alive this day ! God be praised for thy safety ! FATHEE EiBOUEDE. Thou art the bravest of men, my son ; and I have a sovereign remedy that will staunch thy blood, once we have thee in thy lodge. God be praised it is no worse ! CHASSAGOAC. Captain de Tonty, I and all my tribes owe thee their lives this day. Thou art as the sun and moon to the harvest. TONTY. Say not so. Chief Chassagoac. I did no more than thy friend, the Sieur de la Salle, would have had me do. [The ILLINOIS pa7't respectfully as tonty is helped to his lodge and laid therein, Father eibouede remaining to tend his hurt. CHASSAGOAC. He is a brave man, this son of thine. FATHEE MEMBEE. It is his Faith doth make him brave, Chief. CHASSAGOAC. So it may be. So it may be. Yet were we brave before thou camest. BOISEONDET. And he would not suffer me to risk my life for him, with all my willingness. CHASSAGOAC. Bravery maketh others brave, even as cowardice breedeth cowards. Thou hast thy captain's heart. FATHEE EIBOUEDE (coming from the lodge). The blood is fully staunched, and our captain resteth easily and with but little pain. FATHEE MEMBEE. Now let US give hearty thanks to the good God who hath saved the life of our friend and the lives of all of us this day. THE FEENCHMEN We praise Thee, God; we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord. All the earth doth worship Thee, the Father everlasting. To Thee all angels cry aloud ; the heavens, and all the powers therein. To Thee, cherubim and seraphim continually do cry. Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of Thy Glory. 13 CHASSAGOAC. Ho, je warrioTs ! Ho, ye warriors ! Dance we the dance of victory, [The tom-toms sound. The beaves dance in the center, the SQUAWS to the left, and the boys and giels to the right, all sing- ing, CHASSAGOAC leading and the rest in chorus. CHASSAGOAC Fled are the foe. Fearful they go. Arrow and spear Fill them with fear. Sharp is the knife, Quick at their life. Dreading our ire. Flee they like fire. Quickly they die. Fear in their eye. CHORUS Fled are the foe, Fearful they go. ■ i Fled are the foe. Fearful they go. ' Fled are the foe. Fearful they go. Fled are the foe. Fearful they go. Fled are the foe. Fearful they go. CURTAIN) 1 J 14 PART II — THE FREEING OF ILLINOIS Persons of the scene: Father pierjje gibault, parish priest, PHILIPPE DE ROCHEBLAVE, Commandant at Fort Gage, MADAME DE EOCHEBLAVE, wife to the Commandant, LOUIS BRAZOT, of the militia, MADAME BRAZOTj wife to Louis, JEROME CRELi, of the militia, THE FRENCH ELDERS, HABITANTS, men, women, and children. NEGRO SLAVES, men, women, and children, all of Kaskaskia. GEORGE ROGERS CLARK, lieutenant-colonel commanding, JOSEPH BOWMAN, Captain, "WILLIAM HARROD, Captain, LEONARD HELM, captain, JOHN MONTGOMERY, captain, SHADRACH BOND, sr., private, DANIEL HENRY, private, BORDERMEN, all of the Virginia Expeditionary' Force. TRUMPETERS come fovth and -flourish, as before. Enter, as before, the persons of the procession, as follows: Persons of the procession : Major Pierre d'Artaguette, Father Senat. and soldiers of the Royal Marine Eegiment, with the French standard. A wedding party of the French aristocracy at Fort de Chartres. Philippe Francois de Renault, with Dominican Xegroes. Pontiac, with Braves of the Ottawas, Illinois, Pottawatomis, Wyandots, Chippewas, Miamis and Senecas. Captain Thomas Stirling, and Soldiers of the Black Watch, and Major Robert Farmer and Soldiers of the Border Regiment, with the British standard. French habitants in a christening party. PROLOGUE enters, as before. prologue The heavy cloud of unremembered years Rises, and we of many modern troubles Look back as on a golden age forgone. Here, once, upon a flower}- turf were known 15 Music and inuoceut mirth in dance and song, With fond content, smiling at cark and care. Hither, adown our lakes and rivers glide From distant Montreal the carolling Voyagers, while from newer Orleans come The bravery and beauty of Versailles. Leaving a troublous heritage of slaves, France, feudal France, here sparkled for a time. As fireflies twinkle thro' a starlit eve. The Indians found peace — a miracle ! — Ere Pontiac made himself an uncrowned king, And Britain's sullen monarch trod his path Of petty tyrannies toward maddening fate. Inflaming our frontiers again with fire And blood, until Virginia comes in pride, As ye shall see, good people all, what time Our Illinois is made American. It is the fine moonlit night of the Fourth of July, 1778, in old Kashaskia. The common before the parish church of St. Mary is shown, paths going out on either side of it, and on the left the rose-clad cottages of the habitants, while Fort Gage protrudes a salient, ivithin which the British ensign of the period is ha/nging, just within a practicable gate. LOUIS BRAZOT is doing sentry duty before the gate, while the command- ant and PAEiSH PEiEST converse at a little distance. EOCHEBLAVE. I trust you have kept hatred of the Americans alive in the hearts of your flock. Father Gibault. GiBAULT. Indeed yes, monsieur the commandant. I have told them of the long knives which all Americans carry. ROCHEBLAVE. With which they cut off the heads of innocent women and children ? GIBAULT. Yes, monsieur the commandant ; that they murder and massa- cre all. ROCHEBLAVE. And that they take scalps, even from living heads, Father Pierre ? GIBAULT. Yes, monsieur ; that their belts are dangling with such scalps ; and that those they leave unslain they carry off into cruel slavery. ROCHEBLAVE. And that they steal and plunder, taking all that they find, even things worthless to themselves, or else destroying them, burn- ing the houses? GIBAULT. Yes, monsieur; and that they are very violent toward our holy religion. ROCHEBLAVE. Eobbing all churches of Bieir sacred vessels and vest- ments, and fouling them with ridicule of our holiest ceremonies, father? 16 GiBAULT. Yes, monsieur; and that they force our men and women to deny their religion on pain of death. KOCHEBLAVE. And that they torture, even burn at the stake, those who remain faithful? GIBAULT. Oh, yes, monsieur. And my flock, though perhaps I should not say it. has no great love for martyrdom, whether speedy or slow. BRAZOT. Ten o'clock and all is well of a fine July night. EOGHEBLAVE. All that is good, very good. I judge that our good people of Kaskasia will not welcome these Americans with their long knives. GIBAULT. Indeed not, monsieur. I think that they fear death less than these Americans. EOGHEBLAVE. Madame my wife awaits me. You have done well. Father Gibault, you have done well. I give you a good night. GIBAULT. Thank you, monsieur. May your slumbers, and those of madame your wife, be quite untroubled, monsieur. EOGHEBLAVE. I thank you, father. Good night. GIBAULT. Good night, monsieur the commandant. BEAZOT (saluting the commandant at the gate). Monsieur the com- mandant, may I inform you that it is ten o'clock? EOGHEBLAVE. I heard you say as much, Louis. I will admit that it is ten o'clock. BRAZOT. Well, monsieur the commandant? EOGHEBLAVE. Well, Louis ? BRAZOT. I have a wife awaiting me at home, monsieur the commandant. EOGHEBLAVE. Plague take your wife, Brazot! Think you she will not live if you lay not your carcase beside hers of a night? BRAZOT. She is very fearful of the coming of the Long Knives, monsieur the commandant. EOGHEBLAVE. Oh, Very well, Brazot; but tell her you have more cause to fear the fires of eternity than them. Take your musket home with you, so they will not capture it. And I see you have forgotten to lower the flag again, Brazot, confound you ! BRAZOT. Thank you, monsieur the commandant. Good night, monsieur the commandant. (Under his breath). Confound you, monsieur the commandant ! [Shakes his fist at the retreating figure of his superior officer. GIBAULT. Has he gone? BRAZOT. Yes, father. 17 GiBAULT. What think you of your British commandant, Louis? BRAZOT. I may say to you, father, that I think he is a very poor English- man, and an even poorer Frenchman. GIBAULT. And what of his wishing the plague upon your good wife, Louis ? BRAZOT. Oh, it is in his way — he is very violent at times. Now if he had wished her dumb ; that would have been a wish ! GIBAULT. The good God gave her speech, Louis, and it was for the benefit of your soul. BRAZOT. Doubtless, father, it is for the benefit of my soul ; I'm sure it can be for nothing else. And yet she is better than the wife of the com- mandant, the Lord save her soul ! GIBAULT. Good night, Louis. May she not waken when you go to her ! BRAZOT. Thank you, father; that is a kind wish — but she will. Good night. [Father gibault goes down past the church, left, brazot enters the first hoiise, left. There is immediately heard loud and pro- tracted talk from madame brazot within. \_Enter, from the right of the church, clark, bow^man, helm, bond, HjENRY, and other bordermen, preceded and accompanied hy much barking of dogs. CLARK. Condemn those beasts ! They'd wake the dead, Captain Bow- man. bowman. I hear a woman's voice. Colonel Clark. CLARK. Perhaps it is just as well. A thunder storm could not be heard with that woman and the dogs going it together. BOWMAN. Captains Montgomery and Harrod must have reached their stations above the village by this time, colonel. CLARK. I judge so, captain. You had best take station behind the church. Captain Helm. helm. Shall I stay with Captain Bowman? CLARK. That will be well, captain. I will enter the fort, and when we have the garrison to rights, we will give a loud huzza. helm. Which we shall take as your order to charge, colonel. BOWMAN. Giving loud huzzas in return. [bowman and helm exeiLnt hy the right of the church. HENRY (after reconnoitervng ) . The gate of the fort is open and un- guarded, colonel. 18 CLABK. That is lucky. Forward, men. Careful now. Fall in behind. I go first. March. [O71& by one the boedeemen pass through the gate. There is a moment of silence as the last man passes. Then the voices of ROCHEBLAVE and MADAME DE ROCHEBLAVE are heard in violent expostulation within. HENRY (dragging out Greli). Here, garrison, hand me your weapons. CRELi (in abject fear). Oh, monsieur, I have none. Spare me! HENRY (searching him and finding a pistol). Isn't that a weapon? or isn't it? CRELI (kneeling). Oh, monsieur, do not shoot me! Even if the pistol is not loaded, do not shoot me ! HENRY. How can I shoot you with an unloaded pistol? It hasn't so much as a flint in it. [The loud talking of the rocheblaves grows louder as clarK;, his sword in hand, brings rocheblave out through the gate, his wife shrieking behind, and the bordermen following. The roche- blaves are slightly clad. ROCHEBLAVE. May the plague seize upon you, villain ! May the small- pox scourge you, infamous ! May dogs feed on the bones of your fathers, you cockroach! MADAME ROCHEBLAVE. What do you mean, you night-skulker, by enter- ing the room of a lady at this time of night ? How dare you, you peas- ant, with your canaille? CLARK. Madame, return to your room speedily ; you are unclad. MADAME ROCHEBLAVE (taking a hasty glance at her disarray and rush- ing back through the gate discomfited). Another insult from this vil- lain ! When was woman ever so insulted before ? CLARK (wiping his forehead). Well, she's gone; thank Heaven! ROCHEBLAVE. You Seek to frighten me with your long knife, you scum of civilization ! You cockroach and the son of cockroaches — CLARK. Enough. Gag him, men. [The BORDERMEN scizc ROCHEBLAVE and cover his mouth, as he struggles violently. HENRY. He's a good fighter. CLARK. Take him to the dungeon and put him in chains. [The BORDiERMEN Carry rocheblave out through the gate, still struggling and howling imprecations whenever their hands are taken from his mouth. HENRY. We haven't given those huzzas yet, colonel. CLARK. I should have forgotten my name between the pair of them. Attention, men. Now, three loud huzzas. 19 BORDERMEN. Huzza ! Huzza ! Huzza ! [The cheer is echoed loudly from those within the Fort, and is taken up behind the church and off stage, left. [Enter, preceded hy frightened villagers, men, women, and chil- dren, French and Negro, hastily attired, bowman and border-i men from the left, helm and his men from the] right of the church, MONTGOMERY and his men from the left lower entrance, and IIARROD a7id his men from between the cottages, left. [Doors of the cottages open and close again. The scene is one of extreme confusion, the villagers showing every sign of fright, and appealing to the officers and men for mercy. Father gibault comes after. [The BORDERMEN line the square, the villagers in the center. CLARK. Silence! Men, draw your knives. [As the Icnives come out, there is instant silence, broken by occa- sional sobs from the women and children. GIBAULT (coming forward). Oh, monsieur — [Re merges himself ivith the villagers. CLARK (waving him aside). One moment. Captain Bowman, Captain Helm, see that the French give up their weapons. Captain Harrod, Captain Montgomery, take details and search the houses for arms. [The VILLAGERS giv& up a knife or pistol here and there. Those in the houses are brought out, some with muskets. HARROD (knocking loudly at Brazofs door). Bring out your arms! Within there, bring out your arms ! BRAZOT (comijig out ivith his musket). Oh, do not kill me, monsieur! MADAME BRAZOT (emerging and pushing Harrod to one side). Don't you dare kill him ! He's my man. He isn't any good, but he's my man and I say you shan't — CLARK. Silence! Where is the priest?