CHAPTER XIX
During the months of August and September, Clark was kept busy receivingthe Indian deputations which came weekly to Kaskaskia to sue for peaceand alliance, with the famed Big-Knives and his warriors. Each visit wasan affair of state, and must be received with due ceremony. Did thedeputation consist only of the chief of some petty sub-tribe, and two orthree warriors, they must have audience at the fort with Colonel Clarkhimself, surrounded by an armed body-guard; speeches, presents, andwampum belts must be ceremoniously exchanged, and the peace pipe smokedsolemnly, after which Clark must tender them a feast.
Born to administer large affairs, Colonel Clark showed in hispacification of the Northwest Indians, a remarkable shrewdness, andknowledge of human nature. He used much the same tactics as those foundso successful in dealing with the French:--he over-awed them bydauntlessness of spirit, and a show of far greater strength than hereally possessed. When the desired impression had been made upon them,and they had offered alliance, he would adroitly win them to hispurposes by friendliness and flattery. He could meet them with a counterstoicism and subtlety that confounded them, and sent them back to theirtribes to tell marvelous stories of the great white warrior chief, theredoubtable Big-Knife, whose course of conquest had started at therising sun, and would be stopped only by the big river towards the sun'slodge. One edict of Colonel Clark well serves to illustrate hisfar-seeing wisdom, and the extent of his power. He forbade any soldier,any citizen of Kaskaskia, or trader on the river, to sell or to give asingle gill of liquor to an Indian within so many miles of the town andfort, under heavy penalties; and the few infringements of this rule wereseverely punished. Ceremony, presents and feasting were dealt outgenerously to the savages, but their expectations of fire-water wereinvariably disappointed. Some of them went away sullen, but there was norioting in Kaskaskia, and no more bloody fights such as had beencustomary between panins and Indians.
Between these and other duties, Colonel Clark found some leisure fordiversion, and sought it usually in the long room of the Commandant'shouse, where Ellen held her court with a constantly increasing number ofsubjects. Madame Rocheblave had left Kaskaskia soon after Ellen'srecovery, to visit friends in Detroit, while awaiting the release of M.Rocheblave, who had been sent to Virginia with several other prisoners.But Angelique had consented to accept services as Ellen's maid, and wasin constant attendance upon her.
Among Ellen's admirers the most indefatigable and determined wereMonsieur Legere, Colonel Clark, Thomas and I; and for each of us she hada special course of treatment that kept us hovering between hope anddespair. Monsieur Legere's manner of attack was nightly to serenadeEllen with voice and guitar, and daily to present her with passionatelove poems, hidden in bunches of gorgeous wild flowers, which he hadgathered at risk of limb and life from the most inaccessible spurs ofthe bluff across the river. These offerings she would receive with justenough appearance of pleasure, and expression of appreciation to preventthat emotional youth from committing suicide. Thomas, she treated as shewould a brother, took him to mass with her, and alternately commanded,scolded, and coaxed him. He alone failed to see that there was naughtbut cousinly regard, and a degree of gratitude and pity in her heart forhim.
Colonel Clark sued, as he did everything else, masterfully. It wasplain, too, that this had a certain effect upon Ellen, who moreover,could not fail to be attracted by his handsome person and winningmanners. That personal charm felt so strongly by men, even by savagesand foreigners must produce a more sure effect upon the feelings of thewoman whom he condescended to woo. Yet Ellen did not acknowledge hispower, but rather took pleasure in making him yield to her. There wasalmost daily warfare of words between them. She would be starting tovespers with Thomas perhaps, just as Clark would be mounting the porchsteps.
"You are not going this afternoon, Miss Ellen," in his firm tone ofcommand; "I want you to stay and talk to me."
"But I always go to vespers, Colonel Clark."
"Except when I come to see you."
"No matter who comes to see me."
"You need make exception in my case only; I have many duties, and cannot choose my hours of recreation; you can say your prayers all day, ifyou wish."
"Vesper hour is sacred; I cannot profane it by staying away from serviceto amuse even _you_, Colonel Clark. Moreover I am neither Frenchman,Indian, nor soldier; I do not take orders from the Long-Knives," and shewould flash upon him a look of smiling defiance, and pass on.
"You are as cruel as fair, Miss Ellen," in hurt, gentle tones; "youcannot guess how weary, and heart-hungry I am, or you would be moremerciful. Are you not the one bit of home, and comfort, and cheer wesoldiers have in this wilderness? Now, after a day of toil, with theprospect of an hour of delight with you as my only recompense, you leaveme thus without a word of regret."
"I must to vespers, Colonel Clark, but I shall hasten back; you can waithere for me."
And Clark would wait impatiently, Ellen returning promptly, as she hadpromised, to put forth for him, during the rest of the evening, theutmost of her powers of fascination.
Her treatment of me was less flattering, I thought, than that sheaccorded any of the others. I was no more her best friend, her openlyfavored comrade. On the contrary, she treated me with alternateindifference, haughtiness and patronage; she would seem to seekoccasions of difference, and then, when I was lashed into answering her,would flaunt me angrily, or mock me with sarcasms. Afterwards she wouldrepent her rudeness, and beg my pardon with the sweetest humility andgentleness. But this playing hot and cold on her part kept me in a sortof inward fever, and made me what I had never been in my life before,irritable and quarrelsome. To the men under me, I was peremptory; I wastesty with Thomas, and often almost rude with Clark. In truth I was halffrenzied with jealousy. A score of times in the day, I would comparemyself with Clark--set my appearance and qualities over against his, andcast up the balance between us; but, with all my leaning to my own side,I could not blind myself that neither in manner, person, nor gifts couldI rival him. There could be little doubt as to which one of us Ellenwould choose when a final choice was forced upon her.
The wild grape vintage was a customary festival with the Kaskaskians.The woods along the river were wreathed with the vines, which loopedfrom branch to branch, or from tree to tree, and even the berry thicketshad become trellises to support their luxuriant meanderings. These wildgrapes made a rich, delicious wine, much prized by the people as abeverage, and by the priests as an antidote to the far less innocentfire water, peddled by the traders, in boat loads, up and down theriver. Colonel Clark not only consented to the celebration of this oneof their frequent holidays, but agreed that the soldiers might take parton condition that no liquors be dispensed.
All assisted in the morning's work of gathering the grapes, and pilingthem in the caleches, or two-wheeled carts, to be hauled to the winevats, then the afternoon was given up to pleasure and feasting. Gameswere interspersed with trials of strength and skill, upon the publicsquare of the village; shooting at a mark, hurling the tomahawk,wrestling and racing were the chief contests, which were participated inby Frenchmen and soldiers on equal terms. Colonel Clark, CaptainMontgomery, and myself were the chosen judges, and we were careful todistribute the prizes equally, with no very strict regard to merit.
The free half-breeds and the panins, with a few straggling Indians, hadalso their games apart, presided over by three of our men from the fort,who acted as judges. The supper was provided by Colonel Clark, andbesides the usual pancakes and maple syrup, served at nearly all theirfeasts, there were maize cakes, barbecued venison, corn parched, groundand sweetened, wild duck and plover eggs boiled and roasted, melons,pawpaws, mulberries and sangaree. This supper was served by the cheerymatrons of Kaskaskia, from caleches backed in a circle around a part ofthe green. Later, smiling maidens bedecked with flowers, came out of thelow eaved houses, and with the youths and gayer soldiers fell a dancingon the green to the sound of banjo and guitar, in the light of a br
ightfull moon, beneath a star-studded dome of clearest azure. It was apicture of simple Arcadian happiness, which needed only theembellishments of nature to beautify it, only the impulses of nature tostimulate it.
Ellen had been named "Queen of the Festa" by Clark, and the day seemeddiverted into an occasion to honor her. It was she who pressed withdainty fingers the juice from the first bunch of grapes, ere they wereput into vats for trampling; she who presented the prizes to thevictors, or crowned them gracefully with the laurel wreaths. And whenthe music sounded, Clark led her forth to tread a stately measure alonewith him upon the green, ere the general dancing began. I did not knowbefore that either of them could dance--for never had I seen such sportuntil Nelly Buford had shown me the latest steps at Colonel Morgan's.But Ellen was a daily astonishment, and Clark had learned much in hisadventurous life.
When they had thus inaugurated the evening's gayety as also they hadpresided over the day's festivities, Ellen and Clark wandered throughthe village together, in the moonlight, she leaning on his arm, and hebending over her like an accepted lover. Half an hour later I saw themseated side by side on the steps, under the nave of the church, absorbedin each other, and entirely unconscious of me, as I passed them on theopposite side of the street. Ellen was all in white, save for a blacklace scarf she wore Spanish fashion, about her head, and shoulders, andin the moonlight she was a radiant vision of girlish loveliness--asClark by her side was a picture of handsome young manhood. "They wouldbe well mated," I thought with a sigh as I passed on, homesick andheartsick. In the darkness of the deserted barracks, I sought mysoldier's couch, and lay a long time awake, thinking longingly of homeand loved ones and wrestling with the demon of jealousy which threatenedto master me.
A deep sigh aroused me after awhile, from the half dream into which Ihad slipped, and I heard Thomas' voice, praying in low tones. PoorThomas. He was even more unhappy than I, for he had deserted home,parents, and religion for his idol, who but treated him with cousinlykindness. Yet I rejoiced, though I pitied him; there was hope forThomas, since his sorrow and disappointment but drove him back to God,and his prayers.
* * * * *
Colonel Clark sent for me next morning, and began, in his mostperemptory manner to announce that he desired me to make ready to startto Virginia immediately, to deliver certain dispatches to the Governorand the Assembly. He wished his appointments confirmed, and theconquered territory of the Northwest formally annexed to Virginia. Also,he must have money, supplies, and reenforcements for a prompt advance onDetroit, and later on, Quebec. All Canada might be taken, with the aidof our French and Indian allies, had we but a nucleus of Americansoldiers, and sufficient means to forward the enterprise. I must notonly deliver his request to that effect, but urge the members of theAssembly, publicly and privately, as I had opportunity, to support theproject, and to vote money and men for it.
When he had said all this, without asking my opinion, I stopped him bysuggesting that perhaps I could not be earnest and eloquent enough in acause my reason and judgment did not sanction; that I had once helped tostorm Quebec, and knew the almost insurmountable difficulties of theattempt without a large army and plenty of cannon; that I did notbelieve our allies would be of any value in such an enterprise, and thatin my opinion we would only be risking what we had secured, orabandoning it more probably, for a success dependent upon a hundredunlikely chances.
Colonel Clark had gazed at me haughtily as I spoke--a manner the morenettling because of his previous friendliness and comradeship withme--and now he reprimanded me sharply for having forgotten my positionas a subordinate, whose business it was to obey, not to advise, and thenadded:
"Can you start, sir, to Virginia to-morrow, with my dispatches andcommands?"
"No, Colonel Clark," I answered with a haughtiness that matched his own:"I remain in Kaskaskia till it is my pleasure to leave; my term ofenlistment expires next week, after which I am no longer under orders.Confine me if you please, in the guardhouse, while I am still in yourservice, but I shall not go to Virginia on this errand."
"And I know your reason for this act of disrespect and disobedience,sir. You are jealous of my suit to Ellen O'Neil."
"As my cousin's lawful protector, I stay by her side until she is safelyplaced with the guardian she shall choose upon reaching her legalmajority."
"Your jealousy has been made evident before, Captain McElroy, but knowthis, I recognize not your right to interfere with me in any way, nor todictate to Miss O'Neil upon any subject. I shall warn her, sir, andwatch you," and Clark had grown so angry that he talked now half randomfoolishness, and glared at me savagely.
No less angry, I replied, "And I shall watch you, Colonel Clark. A manwho can take advantage of his position of authority to send his rivalacross the continent with dispatches that a common courier might as wellcarry is capable of taking other and less honorable advantages,perhaps."
"No man dare insult me, McElroy, without knowing that he must apologizeor fight. Take your choice; I am no longer your superior officer," andhe threw aside his epauleted coat, and plumed hat, and drawing hissword, stood before me, pallid and rigid with anger.
"Sir," I answered, fully as furious as he, "you have so lorded it overFrenchmen, panins and Indians, that you seem to have forgotten therespect due a comrade--your equal in all save military rank. Yourchallenge, Colonel Clark, I accept with pleasure!" I bowed to him, drewmy sword and stood at guard.
Neither of us were practiced swordsmen, but both were lithe, active, andpossessed of trained eyes, and arms. We fought with small science, yetwith some skill, and in deadly earnest. Without doubt one or the otherof us would have been killed or badly wounded, had not a startlinginterruption paralyzed the arm of each, just when both were wrought upto the killing frenzy. I was fighting desperately and so was Clark,when, suddenly, Ellen's voice rang above the clash of our swords, andthe panting emission of our breath:
"Cousin Donald! Colonel Clark!" she called sharply, and each lowered hisweapon and turned to face her. She stood in the doorway, her eyesglowing, her face quite pale, and Father Gibault stood behind her,looking more perturbed than I had ever seen him.
"COUSIN DONALD! COLONEL CLARK!" SHE CALLED SHARPLY.]
"I know not whose the fault," she added scornfully, "but each is lessthe knight and patriot, in my esteem, for this rash deed. You would killeach other and bring destruction upon your patriotic enterprise, anddeath to these men, whose lives are in your keeping? Bah! Men arechildren; their passions rule them! Father Gibault, will you stay withColonel Clark and soothe his anger? You have hurt me grievously, ColonelClark, and I thought you my friend--" and now was heard the break inEllen's voice which tugged always at one's heartstrings.
"Forgive me, Miss Ellen!" stammered Clark; "I have no quarrel with yourcousin; it was, as you say, foolish anger and rashness. But in justice Imust confess that I forced this fight upon McElroy," and my generouscomrade looked frankly at me.
"Nor have I just grounds of quarrel with you, Colonel Clark," Iresponded. "I was disrespectful in my words and manner. Will you acceptmy apology?" and I held out my hand.
Clark took and shook it warmly, while Ellen smiled upon us, and FatherGibault blessed us with low spoken benediction.
"Come with me, Cousin Donald!" commanded Ellen; "I have something Iwould say to you."
We walked together toward the town, for some time in silence, then Ellensaid, blushing as she spoke:
"Father Gibault tells me that you and Colonel Clark quarreled about me,Cousin Donald. It was not kind, nor respectful, and it was very foolish,if jealousy prompted you, for I shall never marry."
"Never marry, Ellen, and why?" I asked in great astonishment.
"Did not I tell you, Cousin, that I had set before myself a high andholy purpose? I have sworn a vow of consecration. As soon as I havereached my majority, I shall take the veil, and pass the remainder of mylife in prayer, and God's holy service. Will you tell Colonel Clark thisfor me? And nei
ther of you, I beg, will ever again couple me, even inyour thoughts with love and marriage. I shall be the bride of theChurch, I trust, but never the bride of mortal. God saved me from anawful fate in answer to my vow of consecration. To choose a life ofworldly pleasure would be in me dishonesty in its worst form. Help me tokeep my vow, Cousin Donald; make me strong to do the right."
The touching appeal of her voice and manner as she spoke thus, it is notpossible to describe. She seemed to throw herself upon my strength, toimplore me to help her to sacrifice herself. I saw how strongly she feltall she said, how impossible it would be to make her see now the follyof her purpose, and the illogic of her thoughts. She wanted my sympathyand encouragement--yet how could I give it to her, at risk of forfeitingmy happiness, and possibly hers! Yet I could not fail her.
"Dear Ellen," I said, with all the deep tenderness of my heart for hertrembling in my words, "whatever you finally conclude is your duty, thatI shall help you to do, with all the sympathy and courage I can giveyou. But take no step rashly, nor without consulting Father Gibault. Ourheavenly Father has, I truly believe, guided you thus far; let us lookto Him for further guidance."
Donald McElroy, Scotch Irishman Page 19