J* THE 
 
 QUETTE 
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA
 
 
 -' 
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 ABBE ADRIEN ROQUETTE 
 
 "CHAHTA-IMA" 
 
 Compiled and Edited by 
 
 MRS S. B. ELDER 
 
 from material furnished 
 
 by friends. 
 
 o ♦ c 
 
 Published under auspices of 
 
 Bienville Assembly, Knights of Columbus, 
 
 on the centenary of his birth. 
 
 NEW ORLEANS, 
 1913 
 
 The L. U-abun Co., Lcc'., 43" Cornnon St., N. O.. L&.
 
 RG»8£3 
 
 Copyright, 1913, 
 
 BY 
 
 MRS. SUSAN B. ELDER. 
 All rights reserved.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Probably one of the most striking and picturesque 
 figures in the later history of the lower Mississippi Val- 
 ley is that of the Abbe Rouquette, who lived his life in 
 and about New Orleans. Students of American His- 
 tory are well aware of La Salle, Bienville, Audubon and 
 of the many others who have had a part in our early 
 Louisiana development. The Abbe Rouquette seems al- 
 most to have been the last of that long series of pioneers 
 who instinctively and progressively worked from within 
 for the betterment and welfare of his people. 
 
 Himself a distinguished scholar, he yet was imbued 
 with a desire to help forward the lowly — his life's greatest 
 duty was, in his opinion, the mission work he felt drawn 
 towards among the Choctaw Indians, whose last villages, 
 east of the Mississippi, were near Bayou Lacombe, just 
 north of New Orleans. 
 
 The Choctaw Indians in Colonial days were an exten- 
 sive tribe, occupying the territory, now Alabama and Mis- 
 sissippi, as far as the Lake Pontchartrian north coast. 
 
 The tribe have interested the Ethnologist because of 
 superior qualities and traditions that seemd to indicate 
 that they had wandered northward from old Mexico and 
 were probably of Aztec origin. Their location between the 
 English plantations of the lower Atlantic coast and the 
 French settlements of Louisiana, made them of consider- 
 able political interest. 
 
 England laid claim to Carolina with an extent as far 
 West as the Mississippi River. This was set forth by Coxe 
 
 461516
 
 6 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 in 1740. Some years later traders from Charleston came 
 as far through the Choctaw country as the Mississippi. 
 Tomahawks and firearms were traded to these people, and 
 the English tried to get them, with the Chickasaws and 
 Natchez to surprise and exterminate the Louisiana pion- 
 eers. The Choctaws were friendly, however, and but little 
 progress was made in setting them against their French 
 neighbors. 
 
 Captain Bernard Romans is the first Englishman to 
 write intimately of these people, an exceedingly rare book 
 to-day, was published by him in 1775, after he had spent 
 many years in their country. This book is a famous source 
 book and seems a faithful account of this fine Indian peo- 
 ple, who were then quite numerous, according to Romans, 
 having some seventy villages. 
 
 I mention Romans, the first white man to reside with 
 these red men, to draw a contrast with Pere Rouquette, 
 who was the last Caucasian to take up a home with these 
 people prior to their transmigration to the Indian Ter- 
 ritory, where they are to-day. 
 
 Romans was among them of his own volition as a 
 student originally — but he later developed designs favor- 
 ing an alliance with the British in their effort to push 
 their possessions westward. He was called away by the 
 Revolution against England, the Choctaws remained neu- 
 tral in the war that followed, and continued, as before, 
 on good terms with the French trading posts — frequently 
 visiting New Orleans, capital of the Province of Louis- 
 iana. 
 
 One of their very interesting villages was near Bayou
 
 INTRODUCTION. 7 
 
 Lacornbe, not far from Lake Pontchartrain. It was to 
 this settlement that the polished scholar, Adrien Rou- 
 quette, retired when he had determined to apply himself to 
 a special work, impelled by a great devotion. 
 
 There can hardly be any doubt that when the world 
 has become acquainted with the Abbe Rouquette he will 
 rank among the distinguished figures of the nineteenth 
 century. His was a bright mind, of great imagination, 
 with ideals and concentration — like all men of genius he 
 was peculiar. The impressions of an infancy spent among 
 a Choctaw Indian environment eventually lured him back 
 to that people for whom he had acquired a great affection. 
 
 Had he remained in Paris where he was educated the 
 world would know him to-day, without doubt, as it does 
 Chateaubriand. 
 
 His return to Louisiana, the development of his love 
 of the Faith, his going into Orders, all in the direction of 
 the missionary life which seemed to him his spiritual des- 
 tiny — these were practical duties he had in mind. His 
 great literary accomplishments were held by him secon- 
 dary in importance, and were not developed as they would 
 have been in an environmnt of letters. 
 
 However it is as Nature lover and servant of man 
 for God's sake, that Pere Rouquette is remembered lo- 
 cally. The descendants of the Choctaws revere him as 
 a saint ; his deeds of charity have become the story of the 
 "Yieux Carre;" his soul stirring oratory in Louisiana's 
 historical Cathedral is a part in its two century traditions. 
 
 A fine description of Abbe Rouquette, written from 
 personal observation by Dr. Alexander De Menil, of St.
 
 3 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Louis, in his interesting work entitled "Louisiana Writ- 
 ers," is as follows: 
 
 "On a warm day in February, 1874, I was standing 
 on Rue Royale, industriously engaged in idling away time 
 and youth, when I was startled by a voice that came from 
 an open doorway just behind me, 'C'est V Abbe Rouquette 
 — un vrai saint. r and the commere crossed herself. 
 
 "I looked adown the narrow street — a man, old in 
 years, yet strong and active, of about medium size, a little 
 stooped, long black hair streaked with grey, aud clad in the 
 simple black clothes of a Catholic priest, was leisurely 
 passing along the sidewalk. 'Abbe Rouquette — a real 
 saint!' The words have often recurred to my memory 
 since then. A few years later I was delighted to learn 
 that Abbe Rouquette had written several books, and was 
 a poet!" 
 
 I am very glad to contribute to the Abbe Rouquette 
 matter, a Choctaw vocabulary not yet published, in his 
 autograph which has recently turned up in Paris. It was 
 sent to me and now forms a part of my Americana collec- 
 tion. 
 
 It is given, in part, as an addenda to this very ex- 
 cellent relation of the Abbe's life, which though much 
 belated is a fine tribute to his worth, his genius and his 
 patriotism. 
 
 T. P. THOMPSON. 
 Chairman History Committee, 
 
 Bienville Assembly, 
 Knights of Columbus. 
 New Orleans, July 4, 1913.
 
 PICTURE OF A. ROUQUETTE.
 
 CHAPTER FIRST. 
 
 BIRTHPLACE. 
 
 New Orleans — how varied are the thoughts evoked by 
 thy name. Oh! Queen City of the Southland! Situated 
 near the mouth of the great Mississippi — and possessing- a 
 capacious harbor — to-day — almost the eve of that gigantic 
 achievement, the completion of the Panama Canal — the 
 would-be seer has little difficulty in predicting a future 
 greatness such as the most sanguine of her sons has never 
 dreamed of, for New Orleans — when she will be the center 
 of commercial enterprise and in touch with all the nations 
 of the world. 
 
 But these promises we will leave for future verifica- 
 tion, — while we consider Xew Orleans of to-day. Visitors 
 come from all over the world, some on pleasure bent, some 
 to seek the balmy winter sunshine, and some in the inter- 
 ests of business. And as varied as the reasons for their 
 sojourn in the Crescent City, are the souvenirs taken away ; 
 memories of pleasant company distinguished for courtesy, 
 of varied amusements, gay crowds — brilliant pageants and 
 splendid buildings. There are the fine public institutions, 
 the colleges and convents, the hotels, banks and exchanges, 
 the churches and chapels, and many quaint old corners 
 with their reminiscences of other days, recalling most in- 
 teresting periods of the city's history. 
 
 One scene sure to be remembered is the kaleidoscopic
 
 10 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 view of Canal Street, with its vast emporiums of art and 
 luxury, and the ceaseless movement of busy toilers, butter- 
 flies of fashion, and various spectators, coming and going 
 all through the day, and well on into the wee small hours 
 of the night as the trains come in from the lakeside resorts 
 and add new-comers to replace those who have retired to 
 their homes. 
 
 Another picture will be the wide avenues, with their 
 beautiful shade trees, and the palatial residences of the 
 wealthy inhabitants, especially Esplanade, in the French 
 section of the city, running from the river back to Bayou 
 St. John ; and St. Charles Avenue, extending about eight 
 miles above Canal Street, parallel with the river. 
 
 Then, who that has been so fortunate as to witness the 
 Carnival parades, can ever forget the fairy-like, the weird 
 and fantastic, the brilliantly beautiful floats of the night 
 processions, making the rustic rub his eyes and wonder if 
 he be not under the power of some genii of the "Arabian 
 Nights." 
 
 But it was not the New Orleans of to-day that wel- 
 comed the advent into life of Adrien Kouquette, the sub- 
 ject of this sketch, born February 26, 1813, — and in order 
 to understand correctly many of the circumstances that 
 influenced his youth, we will glance for a few moments 
 over the historical background of his birthplace. 
 
 Although in 1813 the city could claim almost a cen- 
 tury of existence, its development had naturally been much 
 retarded by the conflicts with surrounding Indian tribes. 
 The Tunicas, Alabamas, Chickasaws, Natchez and other
 
 RESIDENCE. 
 
 I ,A K I : PONTCHART RAIN.
 
 POET-MISSIONAKY OF LOUISIANA. 11 
 
 children of the soil were loath to see the palefaces 
 from over the seas, dispossess them of their hunting 
 grounds. Besides these fierce foes who menaced the very 
 life of the young colony, there were so many political 
 changes, that stability of government, so necessary to pro- 
 gress, was a boon long desired before it was finally 
 granted. 
 
 We can say that New Orleans was founded about 
 1722, when the officers and archives of the province were 
 removed from Biloxi to the present site; the city, if we 
 may use so dignified a name, consisting at that time of, 
 perhaps, a hundred cabins, a warehouse, a little chapel 
 and about two hundred inhabitants. These were chiefly 
 Canadians who had settled upon the spot chosen by Bien- 
 ville some twenty years after his discovery of the mouth 
 of the Mississippi — and were to prove by experience 
 whether the place were a suitable location by the fertility 
 of its soil and its immunity from the devastating floods 
 of the river during the springtime. 
 
 With regard to commerce the colony was very favor- 
 ably located midway between Mobile and Natchez, being 
 about a hundred miles from the Gulf and within easy 
 access to Lake Pontchartrain, by the picturesque little 
 stream now known as Bayou St. John, which flowed back 
 of the spot selected by Bienville for the city he wished to 
 found in honor of the Duke d'Orleans. 
 
 It would be useless to dwell at length upon the vicissi- 
 tudes of the new-born town in the course of the 18th Cen- 
 tury, as the Colony passed from French control to Spanish
 
 12 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 domination and thence was won back to France by the 
 diplomacy of Napoleon Bonaparte. 
 
 Meanwhile before the dawn of 1800 there were inter- 
 nal disturbances which made the AJmerican Government 
 very desirous to obtain possession of the territory. First, 
 in order to facilitate commerce, and secondly, to obviate 
 the threatened war between the Western States and the 
 Spanish authorities in New Orleans — who refused not 
 only to sell or grant any lands to a citizen of the United 
 States, but even forbade any deposit of merchandise in 
 New Orleans — and thus destroyed all the commercial 
 hopes founded by the United States, which looked upon 
 the Mississippi as the natural channel for transportation, 
 and New Orleans as a center for export and the most con- 
 venient receiving port. 
 
 Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States at 
 the time when Napoleon regained Louisiana, knew how 
 loyal the States had been to the Union and how they had 
 rejected all the Spanish offers to forego allegiance to the 
 central government in order to join the colony of Louis- 
 iana, so he resolved to do all that was possible to remove 
 the causes of complaint and disturbance. James Monroe 
 was accordingly despatched to France to open negotiations 
 for the purchase of New Orleans — as soon as it was known 
 that the colony had been ceded back to Napoleon — and the 
 chief object Jefferson had in view was to obtain right of 
 way through the Mississippi delta to the Gulf. 
 
 Napoleon, realizing the strained relations between 
 England and France, was willing to sell, not only
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 13 
 
 New Orleans, but the whole of Louisiana, for $15,000,000, 
 and signed the treaty at Paris, April 30, 1803, a little more 
 than one month after the Spaniards had made the cession. 
 When the news that France again had possession reached 
 Louisiana, the French citizens naturally rejoiced at the 
 transfer, as they believed it to be, for at first they did not 
 suspect that Napoleon would sell the territory to the 
 Americans, and in their joy at being once more in alle- 
 giance to their well-loved mother country, "La Belle 
 France," they generously agreed to leave the Spanish set- 
 tlers in full and undisturbed possession of whatever prop- 
 erty they then held. 
 
 Some of the names of the best-known citizens of our 
 New Orleans of to-day, occupied with honor the first of- 
 fices in the young city in 1800, and played prominent parts 
 in maintaining peace amidst these political changes. 
 
 When, on November 30, 1803, the Spanish flag was low- 
 ered and the banner of France floated once more over the 
 old Cabildo, there was no enthusiastic demonstration of 
 joy from the crowds assembled to witness the exchange, 
 for news had just arrived that Napoleon had sold the Col- 
 ony to the United States, — and the people knew that in a 
 short while the Stars and Stripes would replace the Fleur 
 de Lis. 
 
 From this period dates the beginning of that influx 
 of English-speaking citizens, the pioneers of the manufac- 
 turers and trades people who came to establish the com- 
 mercial system so long desired by the Western States, — 
 and which question came near causing war. We can read-
 
 14 LIFE OF THE ABBE KOUQUETTE, 
 
 ily understand that the feelings between the old residents 
 and the new-comers were somewhat strained for a long 
 time — and thus divided the city into the French and En- 
 glish sections — of which Canal Street was the dividing 
 line. 
 
 Thus we see that New Orleans, though peopled by 
 various nationalities, was now secure under the home gov- 
 ernment with no more danger of being the shuttlecock be- 
 tween the battledores of European unrest; progress could 
 now keep pace with the ambition of the citizens, and a 
 period of calm seemed about to dawn during which the 
 fair Crescent City could expand and grow in beauty, 
 wealth and importance. 
 
 The Indian tribes which had given so much trouble 
 all during the 18th Century were now at peace, but a more 
 powerful foe was approaching — and while disturbing the 
 plans for commerce and improvement was to add a new 
 page of glory to the history of New Orleans. All are fa- 
 miliar with the thrilling account of General Jackson's 
 splendid victory at the Battle of New Orleans — which 
 closed our contest with England — so it were needless to 
 do more than lay a new tribute of praise and gratitude be- 
 side the countless others presented to our heroic com- 
 mander. New Orleans was saved, and without losses to 
 mourn was under these glorious auspices ready to begin a 
 new period of rapid development. 
 
 These few historical facts merely noting the import- 
 ant and interesting events which illustrated the period pre- 
 ceding and at the time of the birth of Adrien form a nee-
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 15 
 
 essary foundation to the sketch of his life — for how can 
 one form a correct conception of the child's and the man's 
 life if surroundings and circumstances, so potent factors 
 in character formation, be unknown? 
 
 It is not possible to mention all, or to go into detail, 
 but the reader will be able to form some idea of the boy- 
 hood home and environment of Adrien Rouquette. 
 
 All these vicissitudes — all these changes — played no 
 little part in moulding the characters of the new race born 
 of the descendants of French, Spanish and English col- 
 onists, and the sons of New Orleans were prudent in coun- 
 cil, brave and gallant in warfare, generous in hospitality, 
 and deeply attached to the pure pleasures of a home life, 
 where urbanity, grace and good taste made their homes a 
 rendezvous for the cultured and refined, — and so brilliant 
 were the assemblies which grouped together the elite of 
 the city, that a European might easily fancy the beautiful 
 women in their silks and laces and jewels, and the gallant 
 men so distinguished and noble, to be in the salon of a 
 Madame Recamier, or de Swetchine. 
 
 The Faubourg St. Jean might have been termed the 
 garden district of the growing city, which was then com- 
 prised between Bienville, North Rampart, Hospital and 
 the river-front. A short drive back brought into view the 
 beautiful little Bayou which gave its name to the section 
 "St. Jean." On its sloping banks were the country homes 
 of the well-to-do citizens who owned plantations between 
 the city and the Bayou — and across the laughing ripples 
 of the winding stream the sunlight frolicked as it danced
 
 16 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 through the branches of the giant oaks and pecan trees, 
 which were yet undisturbed and sheltered remnants of the 
 Choctaw Indian tribe. 
 
 BAYOU ST. JOHN. 
 
 In the forests of God how peaceful is prayer! 
 With Natures' own Music no Art can compare. 
 The waves of the Bayou bring balm to my heart, 
 How happy to feel of this scene I am part. — 
 Hearing the wind speaking low to the trees, 
 While the tremor of leaves in response to the breeze, 
 Lifts up the soul to the heavens serene, 
 Where earth fades away and God only is seen, 
 Only His voice in the silence resounds, 
 And heavenly joy through my being abounds. 
 
 Abbe Rouquette. 
 
 Many of the wealthy Creole families had made their 
 homes in this pleasant locality, and among the number was 
 Mr. Rouquette, a well-known, highly-respected and distin- 
 guished gentleman of French descent. He was well en- 
 dowed with the goods of this world and Madame Rou- 
 quette was in every way fitted to adorn and direct her 
 luxurious home and growing family. We can easily pic- 
 ture to ourselves this old colonial residence, with its wide 
 verandas curtained from the tropical sun by a verdant 
 screen of honeysuckle and climbing roses; with its broad 
 halls and spacious apartments in which most of the arti- 
 cles, whether for comfort or ornament, had come across 
 the seas with the French ancestors.
 
 BAYOU ST. JOHN. 
 
 COLONIAL RESIDENCE.
 
 POET-MISSIONAKY OF LOUISIANA. 17 
 
 Wide gardens surrounded the house, not those stately 
 formal creations which make one recall Washington Ir- 
 ving's description of a Dutch parlor in New Amsterdam, 
 where everything is in prim, stiff, unattractive symmetry 
 — neither was it the opposite style — of landscape garden 
 wherein art rather hides nature, but it was the sweet old- 
 fashioned garden when walks curved their shell borders 
 amid beds of luxurious and brilliant if simple flowers so 
 loved by our grandmothers long ago. 
 
 There were the periwinkle, verbena, marigold, and 
 coxcomb nodding as gayly in the balmy breeze as the 
 rarest exotic of to-day could do. Nowhere were the roses 
 more beautiful, the violets more fragrant and the lilies 
 more dazzling and stately than in Madame Rouquette's 
 garden, carefully tended by her own hands — and all the 
 year round the air was laden with the sweet perfume of 
 Chinese olive, magnolia fuscata or shrub mignonette. 
 Such was the birthplace and home of Adrien Rouquette. 
 
 But here and there at no great distance were Indian 
 villages — the name of one still remaining to designate the 
 site of the Tchoupitoulas. The proximity of the home of 
 Adrien to the woods where the Choctaws roamed and the 
 villages where their wigw r ams were, tended much to influ- 
 ence young Adrien. So thus we see him at the beginning 
 of life, the child of wealthy parents, who owned many 
 negro slaves — and coming in contact from his earliest 
 years with the race for whose salvation his future life was 
 to be so entirely devoted, as the Apostle of the Choctaws.
 
 CHAPTER SECOND. 
 
 CHILDHOOD 
 
 New Orleans at the time of Adrien's birth had but one 
 church, under the patronage of St. Louis. The original 
 frame chapel was destroyed by fire in March, 1788, and the 
 new edifice, which owed its existence to the generosity of 
 Don Andres Almonaster, of Roxas, a Spanish Knight and 
 Registor of the Supreme Court in New Orleans, was 
 opened for public worship on Christmas day, 1794. 
 
 The celebrated and revered Antonio de Sidella, 
 familiarly called "le bon Pere Antoine," was no doubt 
 the officiant at the ceremony of little Adrien Rouquette's 
 baptism, a privilege every son of the Crescent City 
 would feel honored to claim. Thus did the sacred laver 
 of regeneration, from the dawn of his existence, make 
 the little child a citizen of heaven and the brother of 
 the angels. But it did not transform his natural tempera- 
 ment, and from his earliest infancy Adrien manifested 
 a wilful, petulant disposition, which soon made him the 
 supreme master of the nursery and his devoted black 
 "Mammy." Little "Massa Adrien" ruled her completely, 
 and when pralines and "des petits gateaux" could not be 
 obtained by cajoleries they were generally yielded up to 
 pacify her young master's violent outbursts of temper. 
 Yet his was not a morose nature and the clouds soon 
 drifted away to give place to sunshine. From the time
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 19 
 
 he learned to talk, Adrien readily picked up the quaint 
 negro French which so frequently recurs in his writings. 
 This dialect he learned from the slaves, but it was in no 
 way an obstacle to the acquisition of the purest French 
 then generally spoken in business and in society. Even at 
 this early age his linguistic facilities were remarkable. 
 
 When between three and four years of age he was 
 much interested in some Indian children, who came across 
 the Bayou to sell to Madame Rouquette fresh fish, crabs, 
 or game, according to the season. As weeks and months 
 went by, Adrien's interest ripened into an acquaintance, 
 and soon quite a friendship sprang up. We can see in this 
 the wonderful guiding Providence of the Heavenly Father 
 who fosters in the infancy of his future Apostle a warm 
 feeling in the race for whose salvation he was to labor so 
 generously. Adrien showed the little Indian lads his little 
 treasures — his dogs, his pony and his toys, and listened 
 enraptured to their brief descriptions of the wonders of 
 the woods and the pleasures of their free, wild life. 
 
 One Spring morning, when Adrien was a little more 
 than five years old, his mother having taken the fish 
 brought by the Indians, and Mammy being safely occu- 
 pied in the nursery, the idea came to the child that it 
 would be very easy and most delightful to follow the 
 young traders back to the forest, where birds and rabbits 
 and flowers had their homes, and where his Indian friends 
 could show him many wonderful things hidden away over 
 there in the woods. 
 
 It did not take long for the thought to extend to execu-
 
 20 LIFE OF THE ABBE BOU.QUETTE, 
 
 tion and unconsciously rejoicing in the absence of any 
 obstacle, off he ran as fast as a hare to overtake the Choc- 
 taw youths ere they reached the Bayou. They were by 
 no means loath to accept the little boy's comradeship, so 
 Adrien was placed in the pirogue and in a few moments 
 they were on the opposite bank of the stream under the 
 shade of the great trees, enjoying the fresh breeze and the 
 perfume of the young vegetation still sparkling with dew. 
 The vast solitude pleased and awed the child, the flowers 
 attracted him, the songs of the birds thrilled him with a 
 joy he could not understand, and when he saw the rabbits 
 jump about and heard the squirrels chatter in the branches 
 above his head, he exulted in the possession of a happi- 
 ness to which his whole nature seemed to go out, and he 
 thought nothing could be more desirable than to live for- 
 ever there in the forest. 
 
 Meanwhile at home no such sentiments were enter- 
 tained. A few moments after Adrien's departure, Mammy 
 came to get him for a trip to the garden — a morning walk, 
 but no where was the child to be found. She searched the 
 house and grounds in vain, and then crying bitterly over 
 the loss of her favorite, whom she vaguely feared to have 
 fallen into the Bayou — as she noticed the open gate — she 
 went in to tell her mistress of Adrien's disappearance and 
 to get help to find him. 
 
 Madame Rouquette at once summoned several young 
 slaves, who were devoted to their young 'Mars Adrien," 
 and sent them in different directions to look for him. One 
 of these had also remarked the open gate, so he went at
 
 BOGUE FALAYA RIVER. 
 
 IHAPEL AT CHIXCHUBA.
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 21 
 
 once to the Bayou, and saw the pirogue fastened on the 
 opposite side. The idea occurred to him that Adrien might 
 have gone over with the Indians, so seizing the Rouquette's 
 own boat, he crossed and landed at the same spot. Then 
 stooping he examined the footprints in the moist earth 
 and saw what made him sure that his quest would prove 
 successful. Sure enough he had not gone far when shouts 
 of laughter from the little runaway guided him to the 
 group of children where Adrien was enjoying his freedom 
 to the utmost. 
 
 It did not take long to swing the truant to his shoulder 
 and hasten homeward to allay the anxieties of Madame 
 Rouquette and Mammy. When the little fellow burst 
 into the room, breathless, and eagerly poured forth the 
 joy and happiness he had experienced and showed the 
 treasures he had received from his young Indian friends, 
 Mammy could only smile, while Madame tried to look 
 grave. She drew her little son close beside her and tried 
 to make him understand that his running away had given 
 her much pain and worry. At the conclusion the impul- 
 sive child flung his arms around his mother's neck and 
 promised never again to go with his dear Choctaw com- 
 rades without letting her know. And so tfhe episode 
 passed away. By the time Adrien had reached the age 
 of six all were accustomed to see him go off with his dusky 
 playmates, and he was even allowed to seek them from 
 time to time in their wigwams — and he loved nothing half 
 so well as to dress like one of them and revel in the wild 
 woods, where, young as he was, God's presence in the
 
 22 LIFE OF THE ABBE KOUQUETTE, 
 
 primeval forest impressed his innocent mind with a de- 
 vout sense of reverence. Adrien was naturally a pious 
 child, and from the time when at his mother's knee he was 
 taught to lisp the sweet names of Jesus and Mary, he had 
 loved to offer his heart to our Lord. And especially when 
 far from the haunts of civilization did he realize the om- 
 nipresence and omniscience of the Creator — though he 
 could hardly have told you why. But his was not the 
 calm, quiet elevation of the soul to God, it was more like 
 the impetuous rushing of the torrent to the sea. 
 
 So when he stole away to join his red-skinned com- 
 rades, he would first drink in, as it were, the sweet sense 
 of God's nearness, which he always felt when in the for- 
 est. Then away he would speed as swift as any Indian 
 lad, and with his friends would race through the tangled 
 undergrowth of our Southern woodlands, or vie with any 
 in agility in climbing a tree, and prove himself as skilful 
 as any in fishing or in trapping. He listened to the Indian 
 chants, and looked at their dances, and ere long could 
 join with them as one of the tribe, so perfectly had he ac- 
 quired the language, tone and gesture. 
 
 What more fitting preparation could Divine Provi- 
 dence have planned for one whose future sphere of action 
 was to be among these same Choctaw Indians — Deus Mens 
 quam admirabile vias tuas sunt!
 
 CHAPTER THIRD. 
 
 YOUTH AND SCHOOLDAYS. 
 
 Such a wild existence, untrainineled by the conven- 
 tionalities of civilized life suited young Rouquette ex- 
 actly, and he was absent so often and remained away so 
 long, and was so habituated to the Indian customs that 
 before his eighth year dawned he could easily have been 
 mistaken for a little Indian had a stranger met the child 
 roving through the woods or playing in the Indian vil- 
 lages with the Choctaw children. 
 
 Madame Rouquette at first thought little of her son's 
 fancy for this sort of life, saying : "He is young and will 
 not be harmed at all by contact with the poor, simple In- 
 dians, and the open air exercise will strengthen and in- 
 vigorate him physically. Besides there is plenty of time 
 to think of taming him when he grows older." 
 
 But when he reached his eighth year and repulsed 
 all attempts to confine him and teach him aught save 
 Indian craft, Madame Rouquette grew anxious and wished 
 she had not allowed Adrien such freedom of intercourse 
 with the savages. It was a little late, but she could only 
 see the matter from a human standpoint and did not 
 know that she had been unconsciously aiding the designs 
 of God's Providence. 
 
 She now determined to sever these old connections, 
 and by placing Adrien at school, where he could meet
 
 24 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 children of his own rank and station, turn his thoughts in 
 another direction. 
 
 At that time the "College d'Orleans" was the best 
 equipped and most frequented by the aristocracy of the 
 city. So our young hero was formally entered, and his 
 mother drew a sigh of relief as she thought that the task 
 was removed from her to the professors. But the life 
 Adrien had led up to that period had not prepared him to 
 sit quietly on the benches of the classroom; nor did he 
 find his new friends half as entertaining as the Indian 
 lads. How could the prosy rules of grammar fix the child's 
 attention when the trill of a mocking bird, or perfume- 
 laden breeze from the woodland reminded him of the de- 
 lights his forest friends were enjoying while he was impris- 
 oned and had to undergo the penance of study — dry, dull 
 and uninteresting ! It was impossible ! He could not, thus, at 
 once change his mode of existence, and so at school was 
 woefully idle, ever on the watch for a fair opportunity to 
 escape and run away to the woods. Not infrequently 
 would Adrien plan a whole day of freedom, and on such 
 occasions never go near the college ; instead, seek the 
 shortest road to the haunts of his wild comrades, whom 
 he had planned to meet for an excursion of hunting or 
 fishing. 
 
 Under such circumstances the beginning of Adrien's 
 education was neither agreeable to the professors, nor 
 very beneficial to the child. Yet, by dint of persevering 
 efforts, the foundations were laid for the brilliant after- 
 career, when, as a writer, young Rouquette won his lau-
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 25 
 
 rels both at home and abroad. The child's mind was like 
 a fertile soil that yields a hundredfold for each grain 
 sown. He was remarkably intelligent, readily grasping 
 theories and facts far above his years — and his memory 
 was so retentive that he never forgot a thing once heard, 
 while his imagination was so lively and vivid that it was 
 rivalled only by the impulsive, generous, excitable, enthu- 
 siastic, spirited and zealous nature of his will. These 
 qualities made Adrien an imperious ruler among his com- 
 rades, whenever he condescended to desert his old-time 
 favorites, the Indians. In all their games, Adrien was the 
 arbiter, such influence had he gained for truth, justice and 
 sincerity. His words might become heated by flashes of 
 passion, but purity and modesty were striking character- 
 istics everywhere and always. 
 
 Two years of this miserable life dragged on; for 
 Adrien most tiresome because of the constraint and pun- 
 ishment they brought, for he had still to learn how sweet 
 it is to "drink deep of the Pierian Spring" ; to the profes- 
 sors they were years of trial and disappointment, and to 
 his mother they were full of weary anxiety on account of 
 her son's antipathy to civilized life, and full of misgiv- 
 ings for the future. Madame Rouquette said many a "mea 
 culpa" for ever having allowed this intimacy between her 
 child and the savages, (a term which Adrien deeply re- 
 sented when applied to his dearly loved friends). 
 
 However much Madame Rouquette regretted this 
 predilection of her son, she often consoled herself with the 
 thought that perhaps a like intimacy with the children
 
 26 LIFE OF THE ABBE KOUQUETTE, 
 
 of the city had not left her child's soul as innocent and 
 pure — and while his mind had little knowledge from 
 books, it was stored with many a lesson of nature learned 
 from the children of the forest. 
 
 Nothing tells more upon the health than worry, and by 
 the Summer of 1822 Madame Rouquette was almost an 
 invalid. Physicians recommended a change of air, but 
 it was difficult to leave home, and she thought that if 
 relieved from the responsibility of watching over Adrien, 
 for at least the two months of vacation, she could more 
 easily recuperate and at the same time give the boy a 
 pleasure often longed for and much anticipated. The ful- 
 filment would approach as near as possible the acme of 
 his ambition. So it was arranged that Adrien would pay 
 a long visit to his uncle, whose home was situated on 
 Bayou Lacombe, about half way between Mandeville and 
 Pearl River. There he dwelt with his family quiet and se- 
 cluded in the heart of the pine lands on the banks of the 
 Bayou, with no neighbors but the Choctaws, who lived here 
 and there, cultivating their little plots of ground and bring- 
 ing to New Orleans the surplus of their crops and the va- 
 rious herbs so much prized by the old Creole cooks. 
 
 A drive to the lake and a short trip across it found 
 Adrien at Mandeville, where his uncle was awaiting 
 him. Very soon they reached home, a very simple but 
 comfortable dwelling, and Adrien was welcomed by 
 his shy cousins, who gazed at him quite timidly at first. 
 He soon made friends, and determined to lose not one iota 
 of the rustic pleasures the surroundings seemed to promise.
 
 LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. 
 
 BAYOU PICTURE.
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 27 
 
 Ere long Adrien was the life of all their sports and fore- 
 most in every expedition on pleasure bent. What games 
 they had on the pine needles of the woods ! What picnics 
 when they spent the whole day abroad ! And how the days 
 flew away! August was about to close, and in a few 
 days Adrien was to return to New Orleans. The young 
 people planned one more day of fine sport ; they would go 
 off to one of the deep pools in which the fish seemed to con- 
 gregate during dry weather, when the water was low in 
 the Bayou. There they would spend the day. Early one 
 morning they started out, and after a delightful ramble 
 reached a spot famous for its fine fishing. There was a 
 rather wide expanse of water and for some distance down 
 the stream was quite deep and covered with those lovely 
 lavender blossoms of the water-hyacinths so common in 
 our Louisiana bayous. 
 
 The children at once set to work preparing the fish- 
 ing tackle, digging for the bait, and gathering fagots for 
 the fire; for they intended to cook their dinner and enjoy 
 their fish on the spot. 
 
 Very soon all was quiet, not a word was spoken for 
 fear of frightening away the finny treasures, and ere long 
 one could hear a smothered exclamation here and there as 
 first one and then another landed a fine fish. It did not 
 take very long to catch sufficient for their own repast, and 
 still have a good string to carry home. Then the fire was 
 set a crackling and busy fingers prepared the fish, and soon 
 young appetites, whetted by the pine-scented air, were 
 enjoying the toothsome morsels.
 
 28 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 The sylvan banquet ended, the basket packed and 
 everything ready to carry home, the children wandered up 
 and down gathering flowers and mosses and delicate 
 ferns. 
 
 Little Marie, who had sworn allegiance to Adrien, and 
 seemed to think her city cousin could accomplish any- 
 thing, asked him to help her obtain some water lilies. 
 Some grew so near the shore she could almost reach them. 
 Adrien assented, and looked about for some means to get 
 to them, for while near the shore, they were beyond reach. 
 After looking about for some time, he spied an old delap- 
 idated pirogue abandoned as worthless by some Indian. 
 Adrien pulled it out, seized a long stick, and was about to 
 push out toward the flowers, when Marie asked to go with 
 him, and without considering the pros and cons both chil- 
 dren were soon seated in the little boat, and Adrien, warn- 
 ing Marie to sit erect in the center and keep the balance, 
 pushed out from the shore. In a few seconds they were 
 in the midst of the bed of flowers, had gathered large 
 bunches and were fast returning, when a water snake 
 glided out beside the canoe so near that Marie started, 
 leaned to one side and before either realized what had hap- 
 pened both children were in the water. Adrien had been 
 too often with the Indians along Bayou St. John not to 
 have learned to swim, and he knew the water was shal- 
 low, so did not lose his presence of mind. 
 
 The pirogue, bottom up, was beside him, so he held to 
 it and looked for Marie. Though the water was not deep, 
 it was far beyond her depth, and she had gone down out
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 29 
 
 of sight, but only to rise in a minute. When she came to 
 the surface Adrien caught her by the hair, drew her to the 
 boat, and she too held ou. Then Adrien looked for his 
 stick, but it was out of reach. Meanwhile the boys on 
 shore were frightened, but not helpless. They took in the 
 situation at a glance and in less time than it takes to tell, 
 had cut a long sapling and held it out to Adrien, and in a 
 few moments both children were standing on terra firma 
 laughing at each others half-drowned appearance. 
 
 Luckily the fire was not yet dead, so it was soon blaz- 
 ing and the hero and heroine of the adventure were drying 
 their garments and able to lament the loss of the hya- 
 cinths. 
 
 The shadows of evening were already making a 
 twilight under the pine trees when they reached 
 home, eager to recount the events of their day. Nat- 
 urally Adrien was the hero of the occasion, and he seemed 
 to experience a sort of proprietorship over Marie, feeling 
 that he had saved her life. She in turn looked upon him 
 as her preserver and the ideal of all that was noble and 
 heroic, so a bond of mutual sympathy was formed between 
 the little cousins, and in later years Adrien used to say 
 that it was then he met his first Atala. 
 
 A few days later Madame Eouquette sent a servant to 
 bring her son home, and in a few more days he was again 
 at the College d' Orleans dreaming of the happy days spent 
 on Bayou Lacombe. I wonder if some sweet voice did not 
 whisper that it would one day be his home? Strange, in- 
 deed, it is, but the most striking events of Adrien Rou-
 
 30 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 quette's life were to be connected with this humble seques- 
 tered region. Throughout his career the memories of 
 Bayou Lacombe ever lay closest to his heart. 
 
 As time sped on, years later, in this same sylvan soli- 
 tude, Adrien met his second Atala, and it was here that 
 Adrien, the poet, wrote his idyll, "La Nouvelle Atala," 
 and finally, when Providence had guided the poet into the 
 priesthood, it was still upon the banks of Bayou Lacombe 
 that he made his home and the scene of his life-work. 
 
 But now — to return to our young student; a title to 
 which he by no means aspired. 
 
 Madame Rouquette pleaded with him, and the pro- 
 fessors encouraged him, so Adrien promised to apply him- 
 self to his books, but his good resolutions melted like wax 
 near the flame, and soon he was longing to escape the 
 thralldom of the school, the haunts of civilization, and re- 
 turn to his habits of old, truancy and idleness. His parents 
 were very wealthy, every desire had been gratified, but 
 when Madame Rouquette saw that her son did not respond 
 to her wishes, she determined that another year should 
 find him so situated that it would be impossible for him to 
 live as at present, with, and like his Indian friends. There 
 were several English-speaking families in New Orleans 
 who sent their sons off to the schools of the North, so 
 Madame Rouquette obtained all the information requisite 
 and wrote to the Preparatory School of Transylvania 
 University, in Kentucky, for arrangements, in order to en- 
 ter Adrien as soon as possible. 
 
 Everything was prepared and the passage engaged
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 31 
 
 on one of the large boats then so numerous on the Mis- 
 sissippi, and one day it was announced to Adrien that he 
 was to leave at once. The anxious mother often asked her- 
 self whether such a step were really wise, for would it 
 not place her child in a distinctly Protestant element, and 
 what would become of his religious training? She con- 
 sulted the saintly Pere Antoine, and relying upon his 
 assurance that Adrien could never be influenced, but 
 rather, that any attempt to alter his religious belief would 
 tend to make him adhere even more firmly to his faith, she 
 decided to send him away. He had made his First Com- 
 munion, was confirmed, and was a devout and truly pious 
 child. His innate repulsion and horror for anything that 
 tended to immorality seemed to safeguard him on that 
 score. So, after multiplied prayers for guidance, had 
 Madame Rouquette finally decided Adrien's entrance into 
 the Kentucky school. This was in 1824. When informed 
 of the change, Adrien was silent, he had dwelt too long 
 among the Indians not to have acquired a certain amount 
 of stoicism. Naturally the wrench was great which re- 
 moved him from surroundings and persons to whom he 
 was deeply attached, but with the buoyancy of childhood 
 he readily turned his mind to interesting conjectures as 
 to his future home and companions. 
 
 At last the day of departure arrived. Adrien saw his 
 trunk carried down to the wharf, and soon the farewells 
 were said and he was on board one of the largest and 
 best equipped passenger boats of the river. As he entered 
 the cabin and saw his reflection in the large mirror at the
 
 32 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 opposite end, lie exclaimed : "Look, Mamma, there is a boy 
 just my size coming to meet'me!" This illusion was more 
 than verified, for before the last bell rang quite a number 
 of boys and young men came on board, several of whom 
 were destined for the same school as Adrien. So from the 
 beginning of the trip it promised to be lively. At the last 
 moment Mrs. Kouquette reiterated her instructions, and 
 then fondly embraced her little son, bidding him write 
 regularly and tell her everything. Adrien promised and 
 waved his handkerchief as long as his tear-dimmed eyes al- 
 lowed him to see the dear figure standing on the wharf, 
 until the boat was out of sight. A new life was to begin 
 for Adrien, and this was a pleasant part of it. There was 
 no section of the boat unexplored, and whenever a way 
 landing occupied any length of time the boys were allowed 
 to go on shore. The steady companionship with boys a 
 good deal older than himself had an excellent effect. It 
 showed Adrien what he had failed to acquire, brought 
 home to him his ignorance and backwardness. These in- 
 fluences prepared Adrien to make a good beginning in his 
 college career, for he inwardly resolved to make up for 
 lost time, give pleasure thereby to his mother and please 
 his Heavenly Father. 
 
 Unfortunately there are no details to be had of this 
 period of Adrien's life, save a few salient facts. Notwith- 
 standing his resolves, there were occasional lapses into 
 idle habits, and these were followed by salutary punish- 
 ment, but these occurrences grew rarer and the boy de- 
 veloped into a thoroughly satisfactory student.
 
 POET-MISSIONAEY OF LOUISIANA. 33 
 
 He left the preparatory school with honor and en- 
 tered the college or university, where he achieved great 
 success. 
 
 After three or four years' steady application Adrien 
 obtained permission to go to a private institution at Man- 
 tua, near Philadelphia, which enjoyed a fine reputation, 
 and Madame Rouquette was only too well pleased with 
 her son's progress to deny a request which might aid much 
 in spurring his ambition to attain the highest excellence. 
 For this promised to the mother's pride, the fulfilment of 
 her cherished desire to have Adrien enter the professional 
 rank and acquire celebrity. This trip was not as easy to 
 make as was that from New Orleans, but it was perhaps 
 more interesting, and certainly more varied. 
 
 It would be useless to describe the progress of the 
 boats, and the uncomfortable stage coaches, as all these 
 details are given in the lives of most of our early mission- 
 aries. Adrien was young and enjoyed what would be pain- 
 ful to an older person. 
 
 He reached Mantua and spent at least a year there, 
 and was so well advanced in his studies that the masters 
 deemed it advisable, should he desire to continue his ed- 
 ucation further, that he should enter one of the greater 
 universities, so at the close of his term, in his seventeenth 
 year, Adrien returned to New Orleans. We can readily 
 imagine the sentiments of Madame Rouquette when the 
 day arrived on which her Adrien was to return. Love and 
 pride each strove for the mastery, though I fancy the 
 former predominated. And Adrien? What were his feel-
 
 34 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 ings? Mingled hopes and fears; joy at the thought of 
 again meeting his loved ones, and vague fears lest some 
 barrier be raised to prevent his ever renewing the old 
 friendship with the Choctaw youths. He little dreamed 
 of the near future awaiting him — nor did Madame Rou- 
 quette as yet think of what she was so soon to do. Mean- 
 while Adrien reached home. 
 
 He left it a child and now he was closing that volume 
 of his life — his childhood.
 
 CHAPTER FOURTH. 
 
 STUDIES ABROAD. 
 
 The late arrival of the boat left little time that night 
 for Madame Rouquette to study with a fond maternal eye 
 the changes time, development and athletic exercises had 
 wrought in Adrien. 
 
 Early next morning, knowing that of old her son had 
 wont to love an early ramble, and feeling sure this first 
 day at home would find him anxious to visit every nook 
 and corner of his old time haunts, she descended to the 
 breakfast room to await his entrance and feast her eyes 
 upon his manly figure. She did not have to wait long be- 
 fore his firm, bouyant step announced his coming, and in 
 a few moments the mother and son, in a loving embrace, 
 told each other the joy of reunion. Then bidding 
 Adrien walk back some distance from her, Madame Rou- 
 quette examined him with pardonable pride. 
 
 Above middle size, tall for his age, strongly built, 
 with a well-knit sinewy frame, yet agile, supple and in 
 every motion graceful, his broad shoulders giving the im- 
 pression of physical strength, while his air of ease, almost 
 amounting to dignity, his reserved and thoughtful coun- 
 tenance denoted self-control and moral power. Jet black 
 hair framed a broad brow bespeaking intellectual develop- 
 ment, and beneath heavy black eyebrows his large black 
 eyes sparkled and shone with lustre upon the least ex-
 
 36 LIFE OF THE ABBE KOUQUETTE, 
 
 citement, and looked straight forward with a glance so 
 limpid, pure, frank and honest that one felt instinctively 
 that Adrien Rouquette commanded implicit trust, and con- 
 fidence, and was utterly incapable of any deed he would 
 fear to lay before the world. 
 
 At the same time a merry twinkle revealed the boyish 
 glee and very delight of existence in God's beautiful world 
 with its pleasant inhabitants. Such was the picture that 
 Madame Rouquette gazed upon with sentiments of love 
 and gratification. 
 
 Unfortunately, as the old adage tells us, "there is no 
 rose without a thorn," and a few moments, conversation 
 revealed the sad fact to his mother that Adrien had nearly 
 forgotten his mother-tongue. The discovery was appalling! 
 Why had she not foreseen such an event! Why had she 
 not arranged some means to have her son continue the 
 study of French, or, in fine, why had she not sent him to a 
 place where he stood in no danger of losing the use of 
 his own beautiful language! Such were the interior self- 
 expostulations of Madame Rouquette after Adrien had left 
 the house and she had the leisure to think. 
 
 To understand fully the annoyance caused by this dis- 
 covery, we must recall the state of affairs existing in New 
 Orleans at the time when the Western States were 
 threatening to battle for the right to use the river, harbor 
 and city for purposes of commerce. It is true the Louis- 
 iana purchase settled that score amicably, and Northern 
 and Western merchants and manufacturers poured into 
 the long-coveted foothold, stirring up a lively traffic with
 
 POET-MISSIOXARY OF LOUISIANA. 37 
 
 their energy and determination. Little by little the num- 
 bers so increased that the new-comers formed a strong 
 party in the business quarter of New Orleans, and while it 
 became evident that the new element was opening a period 
 of great development for the city, there was a sentiment 
 among the original inhabitants that somewhat resembled 
 dislike, and aggression. The Americans, as they were 
 called, built their homes chiefly above Canal Street, which 
 served as a sort of dividing line between the French and 
 American quarters. There it was neutral ground, but so- 
 cial functions generally assembled in their own respective 
 sections, the elite of French or American families. In 
 those olden days many a distinguished lady boasted that 
 she had never crossed Canal Street to enter the opposite 
 half of the city. So in general among the old families of 
 the French and Spanish dominions there was somewhat of 
 an antipathy toward the English language — suggestive, as 
 it were, of the encroachment of the Americans. Hence we 
 can understand Madame Rouquette's horror when she 
 learned that Adrien knew more English than French. This 
 was a cloud obscuring some of the sunshine of the home- 
 coming. Adrien had left his mother to begin his tour of re- 
 connaissance among the slaves and even among the domes- 
 tic animals — playfellows of childhood days. While he 
 was enjoying the praise and admiration of old Mammy 
 and other dusky friends, his mother was busy planning 
 another change for him. Her son was a descendant of an 
 old French family, and her will that he should embrace a 
 profession and become illustrious was not to be thwarted, 
 her ambition must be satisfied! 
 
 461516
 
 38 LIFE OF THE ABBE KOUQUETTE, 
 
 Before the family met at dinner everything had been 
 arranged for the near future, and we can imagine the 
 young man's surprise when his mother told him to prepare 
 at once to depart on a voyage. 
 
 He was somewhat disappointed. What, not even 
 given time to cross the Bayou and seek out his Indian 
 comrades of some years ago? Well, it cannot be helped, so 
 we must try to find some pleasing side to the situation. 
 At seventeen one has curiosity, love of excitement, and 
 change, and finds so much delight in travel that the mere 
 suggestion is pleasurable. 
 
 Besides these sentiments, Adrien had been so long 
 absent that no ties beyond family affection bound him to 
 his home. 
 
 "But where," he asked, "am I to go, and for what 
 purpose?" 
 
 "You will take the steamer that sails in a few days 
 for France," replied Madame Rouquette, 'and go directly 
 to Paris to continue your studies." 
 
 This was news indeed, and opened a horizon all aglow 
 with the brilliant scenes that his imagination began to pic- 
 ture. To France, "la belle France," the land of chivalrous 
 deeds of heroes and of saints, the home of art and science, 
 the shrine of beauty, the land whose history had made him 
 dream of its glories. Adrien was ready — was happy to 
 go, and in a few days more was out of sight of his native 
 land, beginning the long, dull voyage, uneventful, unless 
 a storm arose, and then dangerous. He had ample time 
 for reflection and the immensity of the deep, the solemnity
 
 POET-MISSIONAEY OF LOUISIANA. 39. 
 
 of the scene, brought him nearer to his God than since the 
 days when he fancied the faint rustling of the forest leaves 
 to be the whispering of God to His creatures. Now the 
 beautiful sunrise, the glowing sunset, the gleam of the 
 waves in the moonlight, each told him of some attribute of 
 the Divinity, of some secret of the soul's communication 
 with its Maker. Adrien was always to study, see and love 
 the Creator in the beauties of His creation. 
 
 Charles X was reigning at this time, 1829, but the gov- 
 ernment was by no means stable, and the next year was to 
 see Paris in the throes of another revolution. 
 
 France experienced one disturbance after another, 
 and while suffering politically, had seen during the great 
 revolution, both art and literature descend in the same 
 scale, and what the tyranny and bloodshed of the Reign 
 of Terror had effected materially was reflected in the in- 
 tellectual and moral world by the writings of Rousseau, 
 Diderot, Voltaire and others. The dawn of the nineteenth 
 century had brought an awakening of the Christian spirit 
 and true genius with the renown of young Chateaubriand, 
 Joseph de Maistre, Lamartine and a number of other dis- 
 tinguished writers. 
 
 Strange to say, the great Revolution had spared the 
 "College Royal," as it was again called under the Res- 
 toration. This institute was founded in 1530 by Francis 
 I, to teach Hebrew and Greek, neither being included in 
 the curriculum of the University of Paris. Four years 
 later the founder granted a new chair of Latin oratory 
 to the "College de France," as it was then called. This
 
 40 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 event changed the name to "College of Three Languages." 
 Under Louis XIII it was first called College Royal, but 
 when the Eevolution came the term "National" was sub- 
 stituted for Royal and later Napoleon converted this into 
 "Imperial." Students were admitted free, and ihey 
 flocked in great numbers from all over Europe to profit by 
 the splendid advantages offered. 
 
 Francis had also added chairs of mathematics, medi- 
 cine and philosophy; Charles IX that of surgery; Henry 
 III that of the Arabic languages; Henry IV two for bot- 
 any and astronomy; Louis XIII canon law and the Syriac 
 language; Louis XV French literature and Louis XVIII 
 chairs of Sanskrit and Chinese. These statistics, with 
 the list of eminent men who formed the brilliant faculty, 
 will give us an idea of the great advantages such a mind 
 as that of Adrien Rouquette could derive from a course of 
 study under such favorable circumstances. 
 
 After a long, but not unpleasant voyage, he reached 
 the great metropolis, and though at first somewhat bewil- 
 dered, expressed his desire of entering the college ranks 
 at once. He had letters of introduction to several influ- 
 ential gentlemen, and in a short while was comfortably 
 established in good lodgings within the vicinity of the 
 college and beginning in earnest the purpose of his com- 
 ing. It was about the Fall of 1829 and until the outbreak 
 of the great political upheaval of July 25, 1830, he worked 
 with zeal and ardor, making great strides in knowledge 
 and science. 
 
 The political horizon did not seem very clear, and
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 41 
 
 his friends advised Adrien to withdraw from Paris and go 
 to Nantes to pursue his studies. This was well suited to 
 his taste, as he realized that the whirlpool of fashionable 
 frivolities was drawing him into its dangerous vortex, and 
 with his impassioned nature, he feared to be engulfed. 
 
 Recommendations from the college and from his 
 friends placed him advantageously at Nantes. 
 
 This ancient capital of Brittany, situated on the right 
 bank of the Loire at the junction of the Erdre, offered 
 multiple attractions to the young student. The ancient 
 part of the city had been walled about until the seven- 
 teenth century, and with its quaint, old buildings and 
 narrow streets, seemed to take one back to the stirring 
 scenes of the Middle Ages. 
 
 Adrien had resolved not to allow any of the Parisian 
 dissipations to hamper his progress, hence he spent many 
 hours searching among the college folios for minute de- 
 scriptions of those olden days. 
 
 The Cathedral of St. Pierre contained the mausoleum 
 of the last duke of Brittany, and the semi-Gothic castle 
 whose chapel, used as a powder magazine, and in 1800 
 blown up, thus mutilating the famous pile to a great ex- 
 tent, proved most interesting to the young student of his- 
 torical antiquities. 
 
 Here Henry IV in 1598 had signed the Edict of Nan- 
 tes, giving freedom of worship to Protestants. In 1654 
 the castle had become the prison of the Cardinal de Retz, 
 but besides these recollections every part of the building 
 was connected with the sojourn of one or another monarch,
 
 42 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 for most of the French Kings from Charles VIII, had made 
 this a royal residence, and all these historic souvenirs 
 were more attractive to Adrien than even the museum with 
 its thousand paintings and its three hundred sculptures. 
 
 Young Rouquette had rooms in the new part of the 
 city, which was built of white stone and beautified by some 
 fine boulevards ; but now these offered few enticements to 
 him. His natural bent of mind inclined him to avoid gay 
 throngs, such as were to be met had he frequented the 
 fashionable resorts, so when freedom from college duties 
 gave him the leisure, he turned his steps toward the castle, 
 the cathedral or some other antique, sequestered nook, 
 where undisturbed he could pursue some favorite train of 
 thought. But Nantes did not keep our young student any 
 longer than Paris had, and the next year found him in an- 
 other famous old city of Brittany, the old-time fortified 
 town at the junction of the rivers Hie and Vilaine, whose 
 ancient name of Condate was changed into its modern 
 appellation of Rennes, from the Armorican Tribe called 
 by the Romans, Redones. This people had been independ- 
 ent, until the marriage of Anne of Brittany to Charles 
 VIII of France made them vassals to the French crown. 
 
 Adrien's principal object in coming to Rennes was to 
 benefit by the fine faculties of science and literature offered 
 by the college there; and at the same time profit by the 
 magnificent library, one of the city's chief attractions. 
 
 There is also a fine art gallery, but he was too much 
 in books and preparations for his examinations, in the 
 hope of winning his degree, to allow any other attraction
 
 TOET-MISSIONAEY OF LOUISIANA. 43 
 
 to rob him of the precious time of study. Among the 
 Bretons Adrien was in his element. They are a hardy, 
 noble race, strong in faith, bold in courage, with a virility 
 that knows neither softness or frivolity, and as step by 
 step we follow our hero through the various stages of his 
 life we cannot help but see how the wisdom of God was 
 leading him on, unconsciously to himself, unknown even 
 to his intimates and familiars, but in a clear and merci- 
 ful way, as we who view his life in the perspective of al- 
 most a century, can so plainly see. Providence had 
 brought him to Rennes and so arranged circumstances that 
 ibesides the worldly wisdom he came to seek, many another 
 lesson of spiritual intelligence was to be instilled into his 
 soul, so generous and ardent in the pursuit of what he 
 deemed worthy of his upright and loyal adherence. Never 
 before had Adrien been placed in contact with staunch 
 and earnest Catholics whose faith had never been shaken 
 and could never waver, and to whom faith and practice 
 were equivalent terms. Such Catholics had he found 
 among the Bretons. 
 
 In New Orleans faith and piety had suffered much 
 from the unsettled state of affairs at the beginning of the 
 nineteenth century. In 1820 there were hardly twenty 
 Paschal communions in the whole city. This condition 
 the holy Bishop Dubourg set himself to remedy as soon as 
 possible, and the noble zeal of his successors was so suc- 
 cessful that by 1835 there were ten thousand communions 
 at Easter, and the able auxiliaries, the Jesuits and the 
 Religious of the Sacred Heart were established and began
 
 44 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 the formation of that galaxy of pious Catholic youths 
 and maidens, the ornament and pride of the Church in 
 Louisiana. 
 
 True Adrien had not seen much of the religious con- 
 dition in his native place, having spent much time at 
 school, but the influence had been felt, and his sojourn 
 in the North had not tended to foster or strengthen his 
 religious inclinations. 
 
 And now to be transferred to the heart of Brittany, 
 the home of piety and the devout practice of religion, was 
 to effect in his soul that which takes place when a plant 
 in bud is transferred from a dark, cold place into the 
 warmth and light of a hothouse. The bud develops, un- 
 folds, expands and blooms into fragrance and beauty. But 
 Adrien was so far almost unaware of this awakening of 
 his soul. 
 
 Time was speeding away as on wings and at last suc- 
 cess was to crown the young student. March 26, 1833, he 
 passed brilliant examinations and received with the ap- 
 plause of his many friends his degree of Baccalaureate. 
 
 France had crowned him with honors, friends smiled 
 upon him, and invitations poured in to visit fellow-students 
 in various parts of the country before he left Europe for 
 America. 
 
 He accepted many and spent some very pleasant 
 weeks flitting about from place to place in the beautiful 
 valley of the Loire, studying the old legends and mediae- 
 val romances connected with the history of so many an 
 ancient castle and famous abbey.
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 45 
 
 He thoroughly enjoyed the beauty and luxury of the 
 places where he was entertained, but some how there was 
 a. void in his heart that nothing filled. It seemed to 
 him that the dwellings built by human art could never 
 supply what he experienced in the groves, the prime- 
 val forests of his native land, as he used to say. Even the 
 grandest, richest palace or castle seemed "small and cold" 
 when he thought of life in the heart of Nature. Thus the 
 sweet Spring-tide and beautiful Summer vanished and 
 Adrien bade adieu to France and the many friends he had 
 made, and was once more on the ocean counting the days 
 that must drag by so slowly before he could say once more : 
 "Home again." 
 
 The voyage was long and so momentous in the after- 
 life of Adrien that it merits more than a passing mention. 
 Here again we see the admirable designs of God's Provi- 
 dence in placing Adrien in the role of protector to two 
 holy Sisters of Mount Carmel, coming over to make a 
 foundation of their Order in Louisiana. They sailed from 
 Havre, September 8, 1833, and fifty-two days were to elapse 
 before they entered the harbor of New Orleans. In the 
 daily life on shipboard the passengers are thrown to- 
 gether and become very well known to one another, and 
 this daily intercourse of the young Louisianian with the 
 daughters of Our Lady of Mount Carmel became a source 
 of great edification to Adrien. He never tired of convers- 
 ing with them and never left their presence without a 
 deeper sentiment of piety in his own soul and a higher 
 ideal of the life which is a complete oblation and pure
 
 46 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 sacrifice to the great God on high. The perfume of their 
 virtues lingered in the sanctuary of his own soul, and little 
 by little, gave birth to a dissatisfied sense of the vague and 
 emptiness of his own life — and often as he paced the deck 
 alone, gazing aloft at the heavens, he would dream of the 
 future and plan out in heroic measure the life he felt he 
 was but now beginning. 
 
 Adrien was much interested in the history of the Or- 
 der of Mount Carmel and the venerable Mother Therese, 
 one of the early members and a foundress, gave him a 
 full account of the origin, progress and subsequent perse- 
 cution which led to this voyage to the hospitable shores 
 of the New World. 
 
 SISTERS OF CARMEL. 
 
 O virgins of Carmel, whose life is a prayer, 
 Whose hearts are untouched by sin, sorrow or care, 
 Whose home is a cloister of peace and delight. 
 Where pure lips forever, by day and by night, 
 Are pouring forth praise to our Father on high, 
 List to my pleading, hear my heart's cry : — 
 Pray for me, Sisters, when morning dawns clear ; 
 Pray for me, Sisters, when shadows draw near ! 
 What to me is vain glory, or a poet's brief fame, 
 If in your pleadings you breathe but my name: 
 If my poor songs and your oraisons sweet 
 In the heart of our Savior lovingly meet, 
 Then at hour of death I can offer this plea : — 
 My muse, dearest Lord, sang only for Thee! 
 
 Abbe Rouquette.
 
 POET-MISSIOXARY OF LOUISIANA. 47 
 
 In 1824 at Tours existed a flourishing congregation of 
 the Third Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. A holy 
 priest of Tours, Rev. Father Charles Boutelou, witnessing 
 the zeal and piety of the members, conceived the idea of 
 forming them into a religious community. He obtained 
 the approbation of both the Archbishop and Vicar-General, 
 and after overcoming innumerable obstacles from other 
 quarters, in 1825 united the most fervent and faithful into 
 a religious body. Very soon their numbers increased, their 
 work prospered, and they spread their houses in many 
 other towns and villages. Mother Therese had succeeded 
 the second Superior and had just established her commu- 
 nity in an old abbey when the revolution of July 1830, 
 broke out. 
 
 Rev. Father Boutelou was accused of being a royalist, 
 and the same odium fell upon the Religious. The venera- 
 ble priest, realizing their perilous situation, dispersed the 
 Sisters first and then escaped to Paris in disguise. One 
 of the first persons he met was the former Bishop of New 
 Orleans, Mgr. Dubourg, who had come to France in the 
 hope of recovering his health. The poor priest felt drawn 
 to pour out the tale of his woes and sorrows to the sym- 
 pathetic heart of the Bishop, and received at once the in- 
 spired advice to sail at once for America with the Sisters 
 of Mount Carmel. The prelate even gave Father Boute- 
 lou a letter of recommendation for Bishop de Neekere, his 
 successor to the See of New Orleans. 
 
 So in October, 1830, Father Boutelou sailed for Amer- 
 ica to prepare the way for the Sisters.
 
 48 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 Bishop Neckere received him cordially and kept hiui 
 some days at the episcopal residence, where they could 
 talk over and arrange all for the speedy coming of the 
 Order of Mount Carmel. Just at that time the Religious 
 of the Sacred Heart were obliged to resign their establish- 
 ment in Assumption Parish and the Bishop offered their 
 convent to the Sisters, while the great extent of surround- 
 ing territory was to be the fields of labor of the holy mis- 
 sionary. After visiting the locality, Father Boutelou ar- 
 ranged with the Bishop that the Vicar-General, Father 
 Jean-Jean, about to visit France, should meet Mother 
 Therese in Paris and decide the departure of the Religious 
 for America. 
 
 Many of the Sisters, after the dispersion, had taken 
 refuge in other Orders, so only two responded to the invi- 
 tation — Mother Therese and Sister Augustin, the two trav- 
 eling companions of Adrien Rouquette. 
 
 Bishop de Neckere died just before they reached New 
 Orleans. Adrien saw that they were safe under the pro- 
 tection of the Vicar-General, Father Blanc, later Bishop 
 of New Orleans. He was a very holy man, and though 
 Bishop de Neckere had obtained from Rome the bulls for 
 his consecration, it was only in 1835 that he could be pre- 
 vailed upon to consent to receive the dignity and respon- 
 sibility. He was full of zeal and gladly welcomed the new 
 laborers to the vineyard, and saw them established in the 
 spot chosen by the late Bishop. It was with genuine sat- 
 isfaction that Bishop Blanc witnessed their success and 
 numerous foundations. Four years later he called the 
 Order to New Orleans.
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 49 
 
 Bishop Blanc loved the religious Orders, and one of 
 his first acts as Bishop was to call the Lazarists, Redemp- 
 torists and other congregations of men and women to 
 open schools and take charge of charitable institutions. 
 
 Adrien Rouquette, ever after this memorable voyage, 
 recalled the pleasure of the intercourse, which, he was 
 happy to say, had laid the foundation of that work of grace 
 in his soul which made him a priest forever according to 
 the order of Melchisedeck. And furthermore, led him later 
 to that Indian apostolate which he followed with saintly 
 zeal for twenty-nine years of his holy life.
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 ROMANCE. 
 
 The opening lines of "La Nouvelle Atala" reveal the 
 sntinients with which Adrien must have again pressed 
 the soil of his birthplace when he landed once more in 
 New Orleans: "Dieu a mis dans le coeur de Vhomme 
 V amour de la patrie. II nest pas d'homme civilise qui ne 
 prefere sou pays a tons les autres pays." 
 
 NEW ORLEANS IN THE FORTIES. 
 
 O city of beauty, my birthplace and home, 
 My heart's deep devotion from thee cannot roam ; 
 Thy murmuring waters sang soft as I slept, 
 Round my cradle thy trees their guardianship kept. 
 In my infancy thou wert a village so calm, 
 Now with New York thou disputest the palm ! 
 O city once French ! hold that glory to thee. 
 Once vassal of Spain ! make their chivalry be 
 The crown of thy sons, the shield of thy maids, 
 Thy own special flower that nevermore fades ! 
 Ever dear to my heart, ever fair to my eyes 
 Wert thou — when, poor exile, I grieved for thy skies, 
 And mid pleasures abroad I longed for the day, 
 When clasped in thy arms I should never more stray. 
 
 Abbe Rouquette. 
 
 This home-coming was joyous in every way. Now there 
 was no cloud to intercept the sunshine of exultant pride
 
 POET-MISSIOXAEY OF LOUISIANA. 51 
 
 with which the young Baccalaureate was welcomed by 
 his family and friends, and at once multiple plans were 
 formed for a brilliant season in society. Here, in this 
 other French capital, New Orleans, Adrien, with his Par- 
 isian courtesies and French urbanity, would be sure to 
 charm the young Creole belles, and, who knows, a most 
 desirable match might be the result? This would fulfill 
 at least one part of Madame Rouquette's dream for her 
 favorite child. 
 
 But Adrien was almost a stranger in the midst of his 
 own home-circle, so he gladly postponed visits and enter- 
 tainments until he had renewed old ties of family life. 
 What joy to Mammy to be able to gaze upon the nursling 
 of former days and expatiate upon "Mars Adrien's" im- 
 provement. 
 
 All the servants would gather round, delighted to hear 
 their young master converse with them in their own soft 
 and liquid patois. It ever had a peculiar charm for Adrien, 
 and years later when he had long worn the poet's laurels, 
 he still loved to lapse into the language of the French 
 negro. Some time passed in this way, and when urged by 
 his mother to join some pleasure party, the young man 
 always had some excuse. 
 
 He felt no inclination to enter society; the frivolities 
 of the gay world had no attractions for him. Another 
 quotation from his "Atala" can jDerhaps best express his 
 opinion of those butterflies of fashion who "forgot God 
 and forgot themselves, inebriated by the pleasures which 
 whirl them on, in the midst of a cloud of artificial per-
 
 52 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOU.QUETTE, 
 
 fume, who give themselves over to the delirium of the 
 dance and of all those passions which sear the soul and 
 destroy its beauty; who deceive and are deceived; who 
 corrupt and are corrupted; who give and receive death. 
 
 "Oh world !" he exclaims, "you make slaves of your sub- 
 jects, you break asunder the most sacred unions; you an- 
 nihilate the most holy resolutions, and yet the multitudes 
 hasten to your festivities. Open your theatres, open your 
 ball-rooms, open your reception halls, and the crowds will 
 throng them precipitately, hearts palpitating with excite- 
 ment, subjugated by your pompous playthings, by your 
 glittering vanities. Alas! Of what use are all these en- 
 ticements! Vanity of vanities! since they must termi- 
 nate in a coffin, in a grave ; in oblivion !" 
 
 Still invitations poured in, there were solicitations at 
 home and from without — all seemed determined to launch 
 Adrien into the midst of the circle of amusements. He was 
 almost forced to appear several times — and his reserve, 
 dignity and refined manners — made quite an impression. 
 
 He had travelled and made good use of his powers of 
 observation; he had met noted men and women, so he 
 always had some real subject of conversation, and did not 
 know how to while away the moments in that vain and idle 
 chit-chat which passes sometimes under the name of con- 
 versation. His memory was excellent and furnished many a 
 bright and witty anecdote which pleased both young and 
 old. So Adrien promised to become the lion of the day. 
 
 But, such was not his ambition, and regardless of what 
 people might think or say, a short while after his arrival, he
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 53 
 
 took a "conge," with no companion but his books, and fled 
 to the solitude of the forest, seeking the banks of that 
 niueh-loved Bayou Lacombe, which appeared more desir- 
 able than the court of any king. Here he found the hap- 
 piness he could never taste in social city life. He himself 
 said : "I became a half savage as I wandered through the 
 woods — and I dressed as did the young Choctaws and lived 
 as they did." 
 
 It was not long before he had found out many of his 
 old companions, and they very gladly gave him shelter in 
 their huts and shared with him the produce of their sport. 
 
 Adrien did not seek company, he preferred to be 
 alone, and how he did revel in the silence and solitude of 
 the lonely forest! He has told us somewhat of his deep 
 love for sylvan beauty when he describes Atala in her 
 woodland home. 
 
 "Solitary she interrogated primitive nature and prim- 
 itive nature has answered her. She loved the flowers, the 
 stars, all that is graceful, all that is beautiful, all that is 
 sublime, all that reflects the ideal and unveils a glimpse 
 of the Infinite. Her senses were ravished in the presence 
 of the flowers, those tinted stars of our earth, and by the 
 stars, those luminous flowers of the heavens. She was 
 lost in admiration as she contemplated the meeting of 
 the horizon of verdure with the azure horizon of the 
 heavens and gazing at the distant scene which attracted 
 and reposed her soul, she would listen while God spoke 
 to her by His creation. " 
 
 Similar were the thoughts and feelings of Adrien as
 
 54 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 he left far behind the habitations of men to indulge in 
 the absence of social thralldom and enjoy to his heart's 
 content a period of perfect freedom. 
 
 One can picture the erstwhile student, with no an- 
 noying obligations, wandering alone, undisturbed, breath- 
 ing in with every breath a deeper love for the life of a 
 solitary. Or one can see him lying on some mossy bank 
 absorbed in the perusal of the books he had brought with 
 him. One of these was a copy of Chateaubriand's "Atala," 
 aud it was with intense interest that he poured over its 
 pages. 
 
 Strange indeed the influence a book can exert! The 
 whole tenor of Adrien Rouquette's mind was changed. He 
 who had escaped from home to avoid the mere possibility 
 that social intercourse might settle his destiny in life and 
 convert him into an ordinary benedict, was now so com- 
 pletely metamorphosed by Chateaubriand's glowing word 
 pictures, that it is hard to believe the result a possibility. 
 
 Adrien's young soul was richly endowed. His was a 
 poetic temperament, easily yielding to the inspiration of 
 such scenes as the gifted author has depicted so vividly. 
 
 At this time his soul might be compared to a very 
 fertile soil awaiting the seed of the sower, but meanwhile 
 growing wild flowers of the field ; or to a rich mine await- 
 ing the exploror, while in the meantime the little nuggets 
 of yellow gold go dancing down the mountain torrent. 
 
 Under the influence of Chateaubriand's magic pen 
 Adrien was wrought up to an unexpected pitch of enthu- 
 siasm. As he read the tragic tale of the poor Natchez In-
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 55 
 
 dians, driven away from their peaceful homes, he was 
 fired with a new love for this mistreated race. He read 
 on and on, and bj degrees a romantic sentiment pervaded 
 his whole soul. He longed to go forth and do battle for 
 the injured tribes, to spend himself for them, to give him- 
 self to them and become as one of them. Was that thought 
 born of a ray of heaven-born light? Did the still, small 
 voice whisper in his ear that it was in very truth to be so 
 one day? The time would come; but it was not in the 
 designs of Providence that his self-oblation for the un- 
 happy Indians was to be effected in the romantic way his 
 heated imagination had now pictured it. 
 
 The sentimental mood which had now become his 
 "vade niecum," suggested a far different mode of execu- 
 tion to that which God was to effect. Adrien read and re- 
 read passages which had most affected him. No distract- 
 ing companion was at his side to change the channel of 
 thought, so as he wandered hither and thither, he pon- 
 dered and planned till the resolution was formed to go 
 around among the various tribes and seek his Atala, some 
 Indian maiden whom he would wed, and thereby prove his 
 loyalty to the people he so loved. 
 
 With this definite object in view, Adrien's wanderings 
 were no longer desultory. He began a tour of the differ- 
 ent Indian settlements, ever on the alert to receive some 
 sign that he had found his "Atala." He went from one 
 camp to another, but revealed to none the reason of his 
 visit, expecting always to meet her whom he might deem 
 worthy to play the role of Chateaubriand's heroine. So
 
 56 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 he always listened attentively to what might be said of 
 different Indian maidens — and though he often heard 
 words of praise for one or another, nothing seemed to tell 
 him that he was at last upon the trail. 
 
 One night, after he had spent some weeks in this sort 
 of life, he sat with the braves around the eampfire, and 
 some one spoke of Oushola, the daughter of a great chief, 
 head of a numerous tribe. This maiden's wondrous bird- 
 like voice had given her the name of "Bird-Singer." Adrien 
 started. Was not this the sign he had awaited? 
 
 He had a particular affection for the song-birds of the 
 woodland, and would stand motionless, revelling, de- 
 lighted, as he listened to an outburst of melody from a 
 mockingbird. Not a word of the brief mention of Oushola 
 was lost, and he silently resolved to set out in quest of the 
 chief's dwelling place as soon as the dawn gave the signal 
 to break up camp. 
 
 Early next morning Adrien bade farewell to his com- 
 rades and began his journey. It was a good day's walk, 
 and just as the sun was disappearing below the horizon, 
 leaving the heavens all aglow with the sunset splendors, 
 and casting a rosy hue upon all surrounding objects, 
 Adrien reached the home of an Indian chief whose first 
 appearance proclaimed him one of Nature's noblemen. 
 
 He had just returned from the chase and stood before 
 the door of his humble cot a picture to tempt an artist. 
 
 Tall, erect, strong, dignified, an elderly man, his gun 
 upon his shoulder and a fine lot of game in his hand, he 
 stood in the light that lent beauty to all that it touched.
 
 POET- MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 37 
 
 Hearing the step of a stranger, he turned, and the back- 
 ground of green vines which luxuriously mantled the front 
 of the hut, added a new feature to the scene. Now the 
 reflection from the crimson clouds gave his countenance a 
 brighter hue and his piercing eye sparkled in the light as 
 he gazed at the new-comer — but no word was spoken till 
 Adrien had reached his presence and addressed him. 
 
 The chief inspired respect and it was almost with ven- 
 eration that Adrien craved hospitality, lodging for the night 
 and food, as he had journeyed all day and had tasted noth- 
 ing since the evening previous. The chief knew at once who 
 his guest was, as the news that the pale-face was in their 
 midst had spread far and wide among the Indians. When 
 he had heard the traveller's request, he assented, bade him 
 welcome, and advancing to the door of the hut called 
 twice: "Oushola! Oushola!" In a few seconds a young 
 maiden stood in the doorway. She was apparently about 
 sixteen years of age, with so striking a resemblance to the 
 chief that one easily recognized his daughter. 
 
 Adrien's heart beat rapidly, he felt that this maiden 
 was the object of his search and he listened for the sign. If, 
 when she spoke, the bird-like tones of her voice thrilled his 
 ear, he would be sure that his Atala was found. He leaned 
 forward, intent to catch the first sound of her reply, and 
 when in a clear, musical voice she answered her father's 
 request to take the game and prepare food and lodging 
 for a guest, Adrien trembled with excitement and was 
 obliged to turn away and walk rapidly up and down before 
 the little cot until the nervous tremor was under control.
 
 58 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 HaA T ing- disposed of bis game and put away his gun, 
 the chief came out and found his guest in the pleasant 
 evening of an Indian Summer day. Very soon he had 
 learned the reason of the visit and that having seen Ous- 
 hola, the paleface was resolved to wed the Indian maiden, 
 if her father assented and if she were free — not already 
 promised to another. The chief answered that she was 
 free and that she had ever been a gentle, docile child, and 
 she would place no obstacle in the way. For himself, he 
 had heard of the white brother of the Choctaw braves for 
 many years, and thought his daughter could do no better 
 by wedding one of her own race. So he consented to the 
 union. 
 
 Adrien requested the father to speak first to his daugh- 
 ter, and the chief promised to do so on the morrow. 
 
 In the morning Adrien went off early, leaving the 
 father and child together, and toward evening when he 
 returned, he looked at the chief inquiringly. He nodded 
 an assent, and by a gesture in the direction of the interior 
 of the hut, indicated that Oushola had been told. 
 
 At the evening meal all were more silent, Oushola 
 was more timid and reserved, scarce raising her eyes while 
 she quietly attended to the needs of her father and their 
 guest, and as soon as possible she retired to her own 
 humble little apartment. 
 
 There was no sentimentality, no tender exchange of 
 love tokens — in this strange wooing, all was arranged 
 with frank, simple, matter-of-fact business-like, straight- 
 forwardness — rather between the bride's father and
 
 POET-MISSIONAEY OF LOUISIANA. 59 
 
 groom-elect than between the betrothed. So Oushola's 
 haste to disappear rose not from any uneasy apprehension, 
 but rather because of her native humility and modesty. 
 
 The beautiful Fall weather seemed now about to give 
 place to one of those long, cold, rainy spells most trying 
 even amidst the comforts of civilization. Adrien told his 
 host that he intended to return home in order to arrange 
 all his affairs and then he would come to claim Oushola, 
 and in his new life never more to leave the race of his 
 adoption. 
 
 The chief agreed, and Adrien, having bade farewell to 
 Oushola, departed. 
 
 She stood at the door and watched his figure until 
 distance hid him from her view, then turning with a sigh, 
 feeling as though all were over, and she were simply 
 awaiting a new destiny, re-entered her lowly home. As 
 time so soon would tell, her presentiments were before 
 long to be fully realized. 
 
 It was not without some trepidation that Adrien 
 started toward New Orleans. By the time he reached 
 Bayou Lacombe he had reflected seriously on the obstacles 
 sure to oppose his plan once his aristocratic mother and 
 family became aware of what he proposed to do. He could 
 so well imagine the tears, expostulations, entreaties, in- 
 dignant refusal to hear of such a misalliance, that day 
 after day passed and he did nothing but ponder over the 
 situation, never reaching a satisfactory conclusion. 
 
 Then took place the torrential rain, the cold weather, 
 and made almost impassable the gullies which lay between
 
 60 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 his present abode and the lake. He was not sorry to be 
 allowed more time, for he really had not the courage to 
 meet Madame Rouquette and shatter her hopes of so many 
 years. It is easy to see that Adrien was not under the in- 
 fluence of that all-absorbing passion — love. 
 
 Finally the bright sunshine came to draw him forth 
 and he had journeyed all day, when about the middle of the 
 afternoon he reached that beautiful plain lying between 
 Bayou Lacombe and Mandeville. 
 
 Just then he perceived in the distance a group of In- 
 dians, and hastened forward to meet them. As he drew 
 near he noticed that they bore signs of mourning. He 
 soon caught up with them and found that they were re- 
 turning from a funeral. He questioned them, and was 
 surprised that they hesitated to answer, looking respect- 
 fully toward a tall figure in the background whom only 
 then did Adrien recognize to be Oushola's father. 
 
 The old chief looked mournfully at Adrien, and re- 
 plied : "We are here to bury Oushola," and he then added 
 a few brief details of her illness and death. That dread 
 malady of the Indians, consumption, had long held a 
 grasp on the young Indian maiden, and during the cold, 
 wet weather, she had been exposed to its inclemency, had 
 taken cold, pneumonia developed and she had succumbed. 
 Her last words were a message to her betrothed that "their 
 Union was not the will of the great Father, who was tak- 
 ing her to His own home, there to celebrate celestial nup- 
 tials. He had other designs, a nobler plan to fulfil. " 
 
 When the chief had finished speaking, Adrien re-
 
 BEACH AT MANDEVILLE. 
 
 BAYOU.
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 61 
 
 mained silent as one dazed. He felt that lie was helpless 
 in the hands of God, and, pressing the hand of Oushola's 
 father, he went on toward Mandeville and New Orleans. 
 When he reached home he did not wish to meet any mem- 
 ber of the family until he could by great efforts bring 
 himself back to a normal state of existence. Alone he 
 could think, he could pray, and he knew that God never 
 refuses His grace to those who humbly implore its succor. 
 Adrien now closed another volume of his life, and 
 with firm confidence in his Maker, resolved to await an 
 indication of His will before he would attempt to trace 
 out the opening lines of a new career.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 DRIFTING. 
 
 Past experience had produced a noticeable difference 
 in the Eouquette household when Adrien once more be- 
 came an inmate. There was now no attempt to force him 
 into society, a marked reticence was perceptible in any 
 conversation with him, or even in his presence, born, no 
 doubt, of the fear that some unguarded suggestion might 
 cause him to flee again from home to the woodlands. Still, 
 minds were busy and pre-occupied, and to all, except 
 Adrien, the question seemed to present itself: "What of 
 the future?" Adrien was drifting. He still felt saddened 
 by the untimely end of Oushola, that sweet flower of the 
 forest. He had then made out the plans of his life, but 
 the All-wise Guardian of men's destinies had not approved 
 and had cancelled them all. And now, as a child sits 
 ruefully gazing upon the castle of cards, demolished by 
 the Summer breeze, so Adrien remained gloomily con- 
 templating what "might have been." He heeded not that 
 a future was awaiting him. His mother knew but too 
 well what result she desired. Up to the present her son's 
 life had been a vertitable "cup of Tantatlus" for her — and 
 yet, even now, she dared to dream once more, that her 
 longed-for hopes be realized. Her ardent spirit chafed at 
 the restraint she imposed upon herself, and as the days 
 went on, and Summer gave place to the beautiful Autumn-
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 63 
 
 tide, she saw that Adrien was slowly losing his gloom and 
 regaining his old natural self. She determined that the 
 silence must be broken and one more effort made to induce 
 him to lay aside those useless reveries and day-dreams, to 
 think of the activities of a useful, honorable life. Instead 
 of losing his time she would urge him to exercise that en- 
 ergy of soul which she had bequeathed to him more fully 
 than to any of her other children. It was latent now and 
 would soon prove his worth should she be able to persuade 
 him to embrace some profession, some life-work which one 
 day would register his name among the celebrities of his 
 country. 
 
 Madame Rouquette resolved to speak to her son as 
 soon as she felt that a suitable occasion presented itself. 
 Before the decisive period arrived she made a fervent 
 novena, imploring the light and grace of the Holy Spirit 
 to direct her words and to prepare Adrien not only to 
 receive them well, but to follow their counsel. At the close 
 of the novena, after earnest supplication, Madame Rou- 
 quette awaited what seemed a favorable opportunity. 
 
 She had eagerly watched the buoyancy of youth assert 
 itself, more and more, and was on the "qui vive" for the 
 long-sought propitious hour. It came at last. Towards 
 sunset, after one of our most perfect October days rival- 
 ing Lowell's "rare" day of June, xldrien, after a day spent 
 in reading, came down to dinner in high spirits, more 
 ready than usual to talk and make himself agreeable. 
 After the family left the table, he remarked: "What a 
 fine evening for a walk!" Here was the opening, and with
 
 64 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 ready tact his mother replied, suggesting that they enjoy 
 a stroll along the banks of the Bayou. She rose as she 
 spoke, and, throwing a light shawl over her head, took her 
 son's arm and they went out. 
 
 The intimate communing, the interchange of thought 
 between mother and son can only be surmised, their guar- 
 dian angel alone having recorded the earnest pleading of 
 the maternal heart, and the yielding of filial affection and 
 obedience. They remained out a long time, walking slowly 
 up and down, far too intent upon the subject under dis- 
 cussion to pay much heed to the beauties of Nature. Ever 
 and anon they would pause, standing face to face, Madame 
 Eouquette, speaking earnestly, would gaze beseechingly 
 into the countenance of Adrien, would take his hand, or 
 place hers upon his arm, and then the walk would be re- 
 sumed. 
 
 Just as the stars began to twinkle in the firmament 
 and the lights to glow from the windows, the mother and 
 son entered the home, each retiring at once to the privacy 
 required, by one for thanksgiving; by the other for quiet 
 reflection in order to gain equilibrium of mind which had 
 long been unstable. Yet Adrien had not pledged himself 
 to anything definite, beyond giving up his present aimless 
 existence and embarking for Europe to let Parisian life 
 and friends once more influence him, and no doubt help 
 him to decide his ultimate vocation. 
 
 Several weeks must pass before the period set for his 
 departure, and Madame Rouquette, with a woman's keen 
 perception and intuition, felt that she could still do more
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 65 
 
 to fix her son's will in the selection of a particular pro- 
 fession. A few days after her first memorable victory 
 over inanition, she adroitly brought Adrien to introduce 
 the projected trip to France. Naturally relatives and 
 friends were loquacious on the subject, and numberless 
 questions were flung hither and thither as to the object of 
 the voyage. 
 
 Adrien hardly knew what to answer, and finally, un- 
 der the persuasive influence of his mother, who wisely 
 used the most trivial circumstance to make him settle 
 upon a real tangible object, he was induced to form the 
 definite plan of going to Paris in order to study law. 
 
 There had, perhaps, been no happier day in Madame 
 Rouquette's life than when she concluded this conquest. 
 Though filled with jubilation, she was careful not to let 
 her son suspect that the design was other than his own. 
 
 Looking back over a lapse of more than fifty years, 
 one is almost surprised that a mother should not have 
 known better the character and inclinations of her child. 
 But she was dazzled by the brilliance of her own dream of 
 glory, and being of a strong mould, felt that she could 
 bend all to conform to her will. Then, too, she knew less 
 of her son's character than she fancied. The greater part 
 of his life having been spent far from home, accounted 
 for this ignorance. Otherwise she would have felt in- 
 stinctively that such a lover of Nature could never become 
 a successful man of law, "wherein," as Adrien used to say : 
 "All is but a weary pell-mell of contradictions and chican- 
 eries." But this is an anticipation.
 
 66 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 The farewells were said again, and Adrien, with feel- 
 ings unlike any before experienced, found himself once 
 more on deck, watching the last glimpse of the old familiar 
 scenes disappear from view. He was no longer a boy, and 
 was soon conjecturing on the new life awaiting him in 
 Paris, wondering — not at all certain — whether his 
 mother's desires could ever be realized. He sounded his 
 own inclinations and found little encouragement in the 
 pursuance of the profession he was going to embrace. 
 Still he had promised to apply himself to the distasteful 
 task, and now there must be no shrinking. The long voy- 
 age helped to fix his resolve. When Paris was reached 
 Adrien at once set about beginning his new course of stud- 
 ies. He found the dry technicalities of the pondrous law 
 books very untempting to a literary appetite heretofore 
 nourished by the choicest selections of prose and verse, 
 brilliant and beautiful. He did not take to his new task 
 very graciously. 
 
 Fortunately for Adrien the tribune and the bar of- 
 fered exceptional attractions, possessing several eminent 
 and distinguished orators. The duty of attending the 
 Chamber of Deputies and the Palace of Justice was made 
 very often an excuse for negligence in study. France has 
 given to many of her children this great gift of eloquence, 
 but seldom has she assembled so many as during this 
 period of Adrien's stay in Paris, and they fascinated him 
 and fairly held him spell-bound. Foremost in the ranks 
 of these distinguished orators was Pierre Antoine Berrger. 
 At the time of the Restoration he gained great celebrity by
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 67 
 
 his defence of Marshal Ney, in union with his father and 
 the elder Dupin. In 1830 his parliamentary speech in de- 
 fence of the crown and the Polignac Ministry won the ap- 
 plause of all, and the remark of Roger Collard, "Behold, 
 in Berrger there is a great power." His popularity was so 
 great, even before this, that his friends purchased and 
 presented him with the estate of Angerville, so that he 
 might be elected to a constituency, and later, when forced 
 to sell his property, as his political career demanded 
 means he could not otherwise procure, both Legitimists 
 and Republicans united to buy back and re-endow him 
 with his sacrificed estate. 
 
 Berrger was a staunch Catholic and not the man to 
 place his salvation in jeopardy for political interests. 
 Having the courage of his convictions he was always the 
 upholder of religious liberty. For a time he did not prac- 
 tice his religion, but God rewarded this champion of the 
 Church and put him in touch with Father de Ravignan, 
 S. J., and the saintly Jesuit had the supreme consolation 
 of bringing back the celebrated orator to the pious exer- 
 cises of his faith. Berrger had no human respect, and 
 boasted that he made his Easter duties twice, once in 
 Paris to show his colleagues of the Chamber that he glor- 
 ied in his faith ; and a second time at home, to set a good 
 example to the simple dependents of Angerville. Besides 
 his speeches from the Tribune, Berrger delivered a series 
 of lectures during the Restoration to the elite of the literary 
 world at the reunion of the "Societe des Bonnes Etudes," 
 where such men as Montalambert and Lacordaire were un- 
 remitting in their attendance.
 
 68 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 There was something astounding in the power and 
 eloquence, even after apparent inattention, with which 
 Berrger could crush an opponent's argument. So attrac- 
 tive and so universally admired were his talents that the 
 actress, Rachel, used to sigh : "If I could only act as Mr. 
 Berrger can speak!" This eulogy was as cordially admit- 
 ted also by his opponents — one of whom, Mr. Jules Favre, 
 referred to him as "My sublime adversary." 
 
 There is no doubt that Berrger will ever be looked 
 upon as the Prince of the French Tribune. None greater 
 than he could have been found as a model of oratory; but 
 Adrien was also privileged to meet the famous Charles 
 Jacques Dupont de 1' Eure, whose popularity elected him 
 term after term, from 1814 to 1848. 
 
 The most interesting event connected with his at- 
 tendance at the Palais de Justice was the trial in which 
 Chaix d'Este- Anger, so famous in criminal cases, and the 
 most distinguished pleader at the French Bar, was en- 
 gaged by the government to sustain the suppression of 
 Victor Hugo's famous drama, "Le Koi s'amuse," in which 
 Francis I. is vilified and his fool Triboulet supports the 
 role of a hero. The opponents were the author himself 
 and the all-too-famous Odilon Barrot. 
 
 To mention this name recalls another type and a va- 
 ried and stormy career. Son of a Bevolutionist, Camille, 
 Hyacinth Odilon Barrot in turn helped to bring on the 
 Eevolution of 1830, and then as strenuously opposed the 
 formation of a republic as he fought against the restora- 
 tion or the Bourbons. He also opposed hereditary peer-
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 69 
 
 age, and even went so far as to assume the responsibility 
 of the seige of Rome in 1849. Adrien could never admire 
 M. Barrot ; in fact he was so little drawn to the man that 
 he could hardly do justice to his capabilities. 
 
 These are a few of the famous orators whom Adrien 
 studied in action. To most of whom he listened enthu- 
 siastically and from whom he learned so much of that 
 fire which later in his life drew such immense crowds to 
 the old St Louis Cathedral to hear him preach. 
 
 So time passed agreeably when spent in listening to 
 others, but it was not so pleasant to return to musty old 
 volumes of the law desk — and Adrien gradually became 
 more and more lax in his studies, and when affairs were 
 dull in the tribune he found here and there friends and 
 acquaintances, those seekers after the "dolce far niente," 
 always to be found by one who needs but the invitation 
 to join their ranks — and after a time Adrien left duty be- 
 hind and relinquished the last vestige of right to wear one 
 day the insignia of a Solon. 
 
 Paris is not exactly the home for a young man who 
 thus sets aside the serious preparation for his life-work 
 to seek idle amusement, if the liberty of the children of 
 God is to be retained. 
 
 Seductions of all kinds beset his path, and only too 
 much like the poor moth, he circles ever nearer and nearer 
 that brilliant flame and was drawn further and deeper 
 into that vortex of pleasure and gayety, at first seemingly 
 innocent, but ever leading the victim on to the gratification 
 of the ceaseless demands of the senses, until he is a prey 
 to the devouring vulture of pleasure.
 
 70 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 Months passed in this kind of life, but Adrien was 
 not happy. He had never experienced a phase similar. 
 On the contrary, all his life, anything vicious had been 
 repulsive and filled him with loathing. So conscience 
 could not long remain dormant under the effects of those 
 sweet draughts with which dissipation sought to reduce 
 her to silence. The Heavenly Father was still watching 
 from above over this soul whom He had looked upon and 
 loved, and while allowing him to become acquainted with 
 evils of society, was to bring him forth a humble man, 
 more distrustful of self, and with a knowledge of the 
 frailty of poor human nature essential to the physician 
 of souls, if he would support the bruised reed and not 
 break it, if he would fan the dying flame and not extin- 
 guish the smoking flax. 
 
 Besides the voice of conscience, God was preparing 
 another and most efficacious means to rouse Adrien and 
 enable him to shake off the trammels of the present un- 
 happy life. 
 
 The gayeties of the carnival season were still in pro- 
 gress when Mgr. de Quelin issued the announcement that 
 the pulpit of Notre Dame, left vacant by the departure of 
 Father Lacordaire, would be filled by Father de Ravig- 
 nan, S. J. The eloquent Dominican had effected a great 
 revolution in Sacred oratory. Hitherto the style of Bos- 
 suet, of Bourdalone and of Masillon had served every one 
 and everywhere. Lacordaire realized that the age, the 
 tendencies and the audience, now cosmopolitan, required 
 something different. Hence he laid aside the old usage 
 and introduced a reform of style and method.
 
 POET-MISSIONAET OF LOUISIANA. 71 
 
 To say that he achieved success does not express the 
 result of his splendid series of conferences. Paris was 
 fairly electrified by this new "Chrysostom," and each suc- 
 ceeding year added to his prestige. In 1836, the now fa- 
 mous orator went to Rome, and the vacant throne of elo- 
 quence was given to the already eminent Jesuit. 
 
 To note that the Conferences of Notre Dame main- 
 tained their former popularity and won the same appre- 
 ciation is to learn that between the two distinguished 
 preachers there was no question of superiority. Mon- 
 talembert, himself an eloquent speaker, writes thus : "Fa- 
 ther Lacordaire holds his audience spellbound, yet thrill- 
 ing with enthusiastic appreciation as the lightning-like 
 flashes of faith, humility and love send their bolts into the 
 very depths of the most hardened and rebellious hearts. 
 
 Father de Ravignan moves and persuades as much by 
 the charm as by the authority and masterly power of his 
 eloquence. He restores light to the darkened intelligence 
 and purifies the soul from all stain, while his majestic 
 style exercises an empire bound to draw all who can ap- 
 proach him, to listen enraptured to his incomparable ex- 
 position of God's truth so logically and powerfully man- 
 ifested, that it is impossible to resist his influence." 
 
 Father de Ravignan was not unknown in Paris; a 
 series of Lenten sermons given at Aimens in 1831 had 
 established his fame, and a fine discourse given in Paris 
 in 1836 had attracted the attention of all, so when the 
 Conferences of 1837 began, there was not even standing 
 room for the immense crowds who thronged the entrance 
 to Notre Dame.
 
 72 LIFE OF THE ABBE KOUQUETTE, 
 
 Adrien was naturally much interested in oratory and 
 was foremost among the fortunate ones who secured fa- 
 vorable places for the first sermon. 
 
 That first discourse was but the prelude, and none 
 was more assiduous in his attendance than the young 
 American, and may our partiality be pardoned if we say, 
 few minds were more capable of appreciating the lofty, 
 the sublime, the convincing truths so ably presented. A 
 new life had dawned for Adrien, he turned his back upon 
 the pleasures which had recently absorbed his better self, 
 and finding him no longer so inclined, his comrades left 
 him in peace. His love of history, of science, and of art, 
 was suddenly but metamorphosed, and he now looked at 
 all things from a new standpoint. 
 
 Father de Kavignan's first Conference, "L' Etat des 
 E sprits" had opened new vistas — and he now saw the 
 world through the eyes of real Catholicity. Adrien's mind 
 loved to be absorbed in some pursuit it deemed important, 
 so now all his thoughts were coursing in a new channel, 
 and the vapid and noisome amusements of his idle hours 
 were transformed into a thirst for an intimate knowledge 
 of the Church, of her history, her teachings, her influence, 
 her inner life. 
 
 This thirst he sought to quench by employing the time 
 between the Conferences in the libraries, studying the va- 
 rious subjects treated by the learned orator. Paganism, 
 the Mosaic system, the schools of philosophy, and so on 
 through the whole series of 1837. 
 
 The Lenten season sped away, and yet his task was but
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 73 
 
 begun, so month succeeded month, and Adrien was still 
 deeply interested, and unremittingly occupied. He was 
 laying up a store of rich treasures for his after-life, and 
 becoming daily better fitted for the next step in his career, 
 that of an author. 
 
 Meanwhile he had written to his mother of the aban- 
 donment of a legal profession and yet had said nothing of 
 his new work. It is easy to imagine how anxious his fam- 
 ily were, when they thought of his being adrift in Paris. 
 Letter succeeded letter urging him to come home, so finally 
 he decided that he would, thinking that he could do as well 
 there as abroad, pursue the course of study he had under- 
 taken. The only delay he proposed was sufficient time to 
 collect all the books necessary to aid him in his work. 
 This did not consume much time, so he was soon en route 
 for New Orleans.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 LITERARY BLOSSOMS. 
 
 During a brief period, after reaching home, Adrien 
 Rouquette applied so seriously to the studies he had be- 
 gun, that one could have fancied him to be some antique 
 recluse of the Middle Ages, turning night into day in un- 
 tiring search for the philosopher's stone, or that magic 
 secret of alchemy, by which the purest gold might be pro- 
 duced. 
 
 But the incentive to perseverance was lacking, and 
 after a while, when the old longing would come over him, 
 when a whiff of pine-scented air from Bayou Lacombe 
 invited him to taste once more that "Pleasure of the 
 pathless woods, that society where none intrudes," he 
 could not resist. Packing a few books into a portmanteau, 
 he would simply disappear without any warning to his 
 family or friends. His habits became so quixotic that all 
 endeavors to make him "like unto other folks" were re- 
 linquished as useless. 
 
 And so time went on till 1842, when he surprised every 
 one by announcing his intention of going to Europe again. 
 Friends shrugged their shoulders; few questions were 
 asked, and to those few no satisfactory answer given. The 
 genius that had lain dormant so long was awakened and 
 demanded a sphere of exercise. Adrien had seen enough 
 of the world to mature his mind, he had made good classi-
 
 POET-MISSIONAEY OF LOUISIANA. 75 
 
 cal studies, had devoted much time to Belles-lettres, and 
 in fine was really fitted for the project in contemplation. 
 He had conceived the desire to test his powers by an at- 
 tempt at literary work, thinking his destiny might be in 
 an author's career. With the aspiration came the sug- 
 gestion to go back to the genial sunshine of the French 
 capital, that atmosphere so fostering to budding genius. 
 His thought was speedily executed, and soon he was set- 
 tled in Paris, hard at work. 
 
 The first production of his new endeavor had its birth- 
 place in the forest home he had always loved. Chapter 
 by chapter it had evolved from his mind as he roved 
 through the woods and over the plains. He had thought 
 it all over, again and again, and now this early love 
 ripened into the first fruit of his pen, "Les Savannes." 
 
 Who better than Adrien Rouquette could describe 
 our Louisiana forests, with their ancient bearded oaks, 
 with their majestic pines and feathery cypress, with their 
 multi-colored and many voiced singers, with their stately 
 deer and other denizens of the woods? Every aspect of it 
 all he knew so well. "Les Savannes" was but the over- 
 flow and outpouriug of his heart's affection. 
 
 As soon as the work was finished he sent the manu- 
 script to a publisher with urgent orders to hasten the com- 
 pletion. The very first copies gotten out were sent imme- 
 diately to the best authorities for criticism, having re- 
 solved either to pursue or abandon his proposrd profes- 
 sion according to the reception met by his maiden effort. 
 
 He had not long to wait, for ouly a few days had
 
 76 LIFE OF THE ABBE KOUQUETTE, 
 
 elapsed, when a veritable shower of congratulations 
 poured in upon him. 
 
 And when we learn that such names as Saint Beuve, 
 Laniartine, Chateaubriand, Emil Deschanips and Bar- 
 thelemy were among the first to applaud the young author, 
 it must needs be granted that he merited the praise. 
 
 They not only lauded his work, but encouraged him 
 to give the world more of the same kind. 
 
 "Daus votre style," wrote one. "II y a bean coup de 
 ressemblance avec nos p?«s grands ecrivains." "Vows 
 avez le genre de nos grande maitres de la litter *ature," 
 wrote another. Brizean, that sweet-voiced singer of Brit- 
 tany, whose poems will ever be loved by every true child 
 of France, and by all who are worshippers at the shrine 
 of Nature, wrote most enthusiastically to Adrien, calling 
 him the "second Ossian," "Ossian le Jeune" 
 
 There was one among all these letters of felicitation 
 which exercised quite an influence over the young author. 
 
 Thomas Moore read "Les Savannes," and was at once 
 curious to know something of this young American 
 writer. Inquiries from friends in Paris aroused even 
 greater interest. 
 
 Moore entertained no love for America or Americans, 
 but was honest in expressing his appreciation of Adrien's 
 ability. Perhaps it was the similarity, or rather a coinci- 
 dence in their opening manhood that evoked a certain 
 fellow-feeling, for Moore also had studied for the bar and 
 then abandoned that career for literature. Just about 
 this time the old poet had completed a new collection of
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 77 
 
 his own works, adding prefaces to many, and thus the 
 reminiscences of his early life and entrance into the world 
 of letters, excited sympathy for this budding genius of 
 our Southwest, a sentiment which perhaps would not have 
 been called forth under other than his present circum- 
 stances. His own fireside had been saddened by the suc- 
 cessive deaths of most of the members of his family, and 
 he realized that his own lonely life was nearing its close. 
 He felt attracted to a young writer who seemed ready to 
 step into the place he would probably soon leave vacant. 
 
 Moore followed the dictates of his generous heart, 
 and sent a warm letter of encouragement and appreciation 
 of Mr. Rouquette's first work, which he declared, 
 "breathed forth the perfume of the forest flowers." So 
 one more precious commendation was added to the now 
 weighty number. Moore did not hesitate to give Adrien 
 the title of "Laniartine of America," and he urged the 
 promising young author not to leave his pen idle. 
 
 Mr. Rouquette was touched by the old poet's interest, 
 and was inspired to render a tribute of gratitude by writ- 
 ing in English those beautiful lyrics, "Wild Flowers," 
 which were received enthusiastically everywhere, at home 
 and abroad. 
 
 Such success spurred on the author to give as soon as 
 possible to the press another work: "La Thebaide en 
 Amerique." This is a wonderful composition, overflowing 
 with the most sublime thoughts which tell us that the 
 writer had the soul of a mystic. The language is at once 
 eloquent and picturesque. The sequel, 'L'Antoniade,"
 
 78 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 sustained the lofty style of the "Thebaide," and was ac- 
 knowledged by the critics as a poem which could chal- 
 lenge the pen of Laprade. 
 
 By these works Adrien had conquered a permanent 
 glory, and though above petty vanity, felt a reasonable 
 glow of pride that he had not only found a profession in 
 harmony with his tastes, but that he had achieved success. 
 Once launched into the literary career, he never really 
 gave it up, and later on his life-work was too engrossing 
 to allow him to devote all his energies to literature, still 
 he never ceased to publish sketches, prose and verse, on a 
 variety of subjects. 
 
 It would certainly be desirable to mention Mr. Kou- 
 quette's works in chronological order, with the setting or 
 background of the circumstances connected with their 
 production, but in this brief sketch of the author's life 
 they must be grouped together, regardless of their period 
 of presentation to the public and with the sacrifice of 
 extended description and analysis. 
 
 With Adrien's literary position so firmly established 
 in Europe, it is needless to say that laurels awaited him at 
 home. The clouds had drifted away and his family longed 
 to have him return that they might enjoy the sunshine of 
 his popularity and renown. Again and again he was pe- 
 titioned to return to America, and finally in 1843 he re- 
 turned to Louisiana. 
 
 We will leave him to the enjoyment of a cordial wel- 
 come, while we glance toward a sphere of labor which be 
 was to render beneficent for many years.
 
 POET-MISSIOXAEY OF LOUISIANA. 79 
 
 Abbe Perche, chaplain of the Ursuline Convent, and 
 later Archbishop of New Orleans, had always held the 
 Press to be so important a factor in procuring for his 
 fellow-citizens instruction, and explaining away the er- 
 rors of the people, that he used his greatest endeavors to 
 aid good Catholic journalism. For years he worked to 
 raise to its highest excellence the paper known as the 
 "Propagateur Catholique." He was indefatigable in his 
 efforts to secure good writers and to contribute articles 
 himself, for he was an able and learned author ; in fine, to 
 leave no stone unturned to develop and improve the pa- 
 per. For a long time it was the sole Catholic organ in 
 the diocese, and the good Abbe wishes to make it so good 
 that all would wish to subscribe. It was published weekly 
 in French and in English. We can understand how Abbe 
 Perche must have dreamed of the good fortune coming to 
 him when he heard that Mr. Eouquette, whose brilliant, 
 scholarly writings in both languages, made him so fit for 
 colaboration in the Propagateur, was coming home to New 
 Orleans. 
 
 Not much solicitation was required to gain his serv- 
 ices, and the Abbe's dreams were realized. The paper 
 rose at once into greater esteem and was deemed a great 
 acquisition in every Catholic home. So now we will glean 
 from among the old files of the "Propagateur'' two speci- 
 mens at least, which illustrate Mr. Rouquette's ability and 
 versatility. 
 
 In 1880, Mr. Parnell made a tour of the United States, 
 soliciting contributions in favor of Ireland's poor. He
 
 80 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 made many addresses, aroused great interest in the "Home 
 Rule" question, and excited the sympathies of all Irish- 
 Americans. All over the country Irish leagues were 
 formed, Hibernia societies organized, and that year St. 
 Patrick's day was celebrated with greater pomp than ever. 
 Processions wearing "the green" marched throughout the 
 cities of the land. Loyal Catholics could not forget that 
 Parnell had called them "cowardly Papist rats," yet they 
 gladly gave him aid for their suffering brothers. Mr. 
 Rouquette readily responded to the exciting theme, espoused 
 the cause of the Isle of Saints, and wrote the poem : 
 
 TO IRELAND. 
 
 "Sweet virgin land ! Untouched by foreign taints, 
 Bright Emerald resting on the azure brine, 
 Be fadeless glory thine! 
 Oh Erin green! Hibernia, dearest home 
 And fairest, save the heavenly one above. 
 How shines thy faith! How burns thy love divine! 
 And what unbounded praise should not be thine 
 Oh! famed Hibernia! Erin, Shamrock Isle! 
 That naught could ere from thee, thy faith beguile. 
 Through countless trials even unto death, 
 Thy persecuted sons, pilgrims of faith, 
 Knight errants of Apostleship are seen 
 Untired to hold aloft thy banner green 
 Waving anear the cross, in every clime, 
 I hail thee, chosen race, sadly sublime!"
 
 POET-MISSIONAKY OF LOUISIANA. 81 
 
 Our next selection is in prose, and a very good illus- 
 tration of Mr. Rouquette's vivid word-pictures. It was 
 published in June, 1883. 
 
 This is a contrast between two bridal ceremonies, one 
 in the city, attended with pomp and fashion ; the other in 
 a humble Indian village. Both are from real life. This 
 article was written in French : 
 
 "Last Thursday a grand wedding took place in the old 
 St. Louis Cathedral. The Mayor, the City Council, the 
 eminent gentlemen of the bar, the most distinguished of 
 our citizens, the very flower of our population, both Creole 
 and American, were there united in a greater multitude 
 than ever before gathered in the vast edifice, to witness 
 the ceremony. 
 
 "Pompous decorations, with unprecedented splendor, 
 transformed the majestic Cathedral into a fairy palace, 
 and when the grand organ pealed forth its floods of magic 
 harmony the very walls seemed to pulsate with emotion, 
 while the immense assembly, in intense sympathy, seemed 
 to have but one soul, which throbbed in unison with the 
 melody. There, illumined by the glow of a thousand waxen 
 tapers, breathing music in the incense-laden air, Spain and 
 France, Philadelphia and New Orleans, rejoiced together 
 at a spectacle as touching as it was imposing. The toga 
 and the sword, the ermine and the helmet, mingled with a 
 legitimate pride their nobility and their glory. An officer 
 of France, nephew of Mgr. Dupanloup, M. Henri Farjas, 
 and M'lle. Alzire Bermudez, the accomplished daughter 
 of the Judge of the Supreme Court of Louisiana, received
 
 82 LIFE OF THE ABBE KOUQUETTE, 
 
 the Nuptial Benediction from our venerated Archbishop, 
 who called down upon the young couple all the blessings 
 of Heaven. 
 
 "May this fair flower of Louisiana bloom into fuller 
 beauty beneath the sunny sky of France, whither the 
 valiant chevalier is to shelter her with loving care. 
 
 "May she be happy herself, and make others happy 
 in the land of exile which will often remind her of her 
 native land, in which the language of Corneille, of Lamar- 
 tine and of Chateaubriand is still spoken by the descend- 
 ants of the French emigrees. 
 
 "In the midst of this beautiful assembly a poet mur- 
 mured to himself : 
 
 "Si j'avais de Chateaubriand 
 La plume ardent et poetique 
 Avec im accent sympathique 
 Et dans un rhythme eblouissant. 
 Emu, ravi, comme poete, 
 Semant a pleines mains des fleurs, 
 Ah! je dirais tous les bonheurs 
 Et tout Teclat de cette fete ; 
 Mais fascine par taut d'attraits, 
 Je sens — j'admire, et je me tais." 
 
 "The splendid ceremony described above recalls a scene 
 I witnessed a few days previous near the few scattered 
 cottages which have the name of Bayou Lacombe village. 
 A marriage was to take place among the Indians. The
 
 POET-MISSIONAEY OF LOUISIANA. 83 
 
 natives of the two villages of Madisonville and Buchawa 
 were camped in a forest of oaks and pines on either side 
 of the Ravine Doree, so called because the limpid waters 
 of the bayou flowed over a bed of yellow sands as golden- 
 hued as those of the ancient Pactolus. 
 
 "The young maiden who was affianced belonged to 
 Madisonville, her betrothed to Buchawa. All the inhabi- 
 tants were witnesses and were to take an active part in 
 the ceremony. 
 
 "Those of the maiden's village were to defend and 
 protect her when the opposite party came to carry her off. 
 The maidens of the other village were to accompany the 
 young brave and aid him to obtain possession of his bride. 
 
 "At a given signal the maiden left her cabin, her eyes 
 modestly cast down, trembling and pale. At the same 
 instant the betrothed left his cabin and advanced slowly 
 toward the maiden. When within a few steps from her he 
 made a movement as though to seize her, but more quickly 
 than the deer she fled toward the forest, accompanied by 
 all of her friends and pursued by her betrothed and his 
 comrades. When at last overtaken and seized by her 
 future husband both the men and the women of the village 
 used every means to release her, and as soon as she was 
 freed the same chase recommenced without delay for rest. 
 The two crowds wound in and out among the trees, and 
 at times in the struggle the maiden was almost suffocated. 
 Then some strong arm separated the living wall and she 
 darted forth again. This continued until she fell ex- 
 hausted with fatigue and emotion — her hair dishevelled,
 
 84 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 her garments soiled and torn, herself the picture of a 
 victim going to immolation — fear and terror depicted in 
 her countenance. 
 
 "But whence this fear, this pallor. Is it only a part 
 she has to play? No. Every ceremony of these primitive 
 people hides a profound and instructive significance. This 
 child of the forest really fears to change her condition 
 from maiden liberty to wedded thralldom. Perhaps she 
 had seen the regret and sadness of her own mother. 
 Perhaps, during the long dark hours of the night, she had 
 heard this mother weeping. 
 
 "She knew what her past had been, but was ignorant 
 of what the future held in store. Hence her soul was 
 troubled, her heart agitated, her senses disturbed. No, 
 the fear was not feigned; and often, on such occasions, 
 have we seen the tears flow from the anxious dark eyes of 
 the trembling maiden. 
 
 "After a while the elders told her to calm herself, and^ 
 when she had regained self-possession she rose and, going 
 to a blanket spread near by, there seated herself, while the 
 two oldest Indians, one of each side, came forward and 
 held over her head a stick upon which each Indian in turn 
 placed a gift. These wedding presents consist chiefly of 
 calico, ribbons, bead necklaces and other ornaments. 
 
 "This ceremony concluded, the maiden and brave 
 were each conducted to their cabins, to be decked with all 
 the richest garments they possessed. When attired they 
 received the felicitations of their friends and their good 
 wishes. The women say to the bride : 'May corn and meat 
 
 \
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 85 
 
 always be abundant in your cabin.' 'May you neyer want 
 for sugar or coffee.' 'May the owl neyer sing upon the 
 roof that shelters you,' and so on. Then follow compli- 
 ments. 'You are beautiful,' says one ; 'You are good/ says 
 another, or 'You are wise,' and the bride listens with a 
 graceful, though sad, smile which some poet has likened 
 to 'the twilight of autumn.' 
 
 "Meanwhile the young brave has also received the 
 felicitations of the men, old and young. 'May you be happy 
 with your wife,' says the first ; 'May you be good to her,' 
 adds a second, and a third says, 'May the chase keep your 
 cabin supplied with the flesh of the bear and the deer.' A 
 fourth hopes that 'the voices of many children may render 
 his life full of consolation.' 
 
 ' ' He, too, must be told that he is brave, agile, generous 
 and strong. He listens with a cold gravity illumined by 
 a smile that reminds one of the reflection from a glacier. 
 
 "When these ceremonies ended the banqueting began, 
 to continue for three days and nights, making the forest 
 resound with their revelry. 
 
 "Three weeks ago the young brave, Louis Shimpa, son 
 of Ansht-abe and Pishtia, accompanied by his bride, 
 Madeline Abet-Ima, daughter of Malint-Abe and Ayima, 
 came to ask for Baptism and the blessing of their con- 
 tracted marriage according to the customs of their tribe. 
 About thirty Choctaws came with them, and the day was 
 a grand feast for all. Even nature seemed to rejoice. The 
 birds sang, the opening flowers wafted their perfume on 
 the breeze, and one heard throughout the forest a sweet
 
 86 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 concert of harmonies repeated by the distant echoes of the 
 
 mysterious depths of that grand sanctuary of solitude." 
 ****** 
 
 Let us now turn to a work which must have been a 
 source of keenest delight to Mr. Eouquette — the English 
 poem which appeared in the same journal as the above 
 selections, but which, on account of its superior dramatic 
 and lyric qualities, deserves to be printed separately and 
 sent abroad over the world wherever the English language 
 is understood. 
 
 Catherine Tegahwitha, the saintly Indian maiden of 
 Caughnawaga, ever commanded the sincerest devotion and 
 veneration of Adrien Eouquette. Her life was a subject 
 which lay very close to his heart, and even in the last hours 
 of his life the mere mention of this "Lily of the Mohawks" 
 would bring a smile and unwonted animation into his wan 
 features. 
 
 The following quotation from the poem, "Catherine 
 Tegahgouita," is a lyric in praise of our Southern songbird, 
 the rival of the nightingale. Whenever Adrien Eouquette 
 heard a mocking-bird he seemed spellbound, silent, motion- 
 less, drinking in every note of the melody. The poem tells 
 us this: 
 
 Wondrous songster, many-voiced, 
 
 Whose music has so oft rejoiced 
 
 And charmed the gardens decked with blooms, 
 
 That shed profuse such sweet perfumes. 
 Gardens less brilliant than thy notes 
 
 That seem to gush from thousand throats,
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 87 
 
 To bloom and shine in colored tones 
 
 Like flowers, like pearls, like precious stones, 
 
 To flash in quick, vibrating rays, 
 
 To sparkle, dazzle, glow and blaze 
 
 With all the richest, warmest hues 
 
 That love inspires and light imbrues. 
 
 Light is color and light is sound, 
 
 And sound and colors correspond. 
 
 And figures, forms, express in lines 
 
 Of notes and hues the vague confines. 
 
 Sounds, colors, figures, forms, diverse, 
 
 Yet one as in the universe, 
 
 Keflected and reflecting all, 
 
 Till all are lost in One Original. 
 
 For all are but created signs 
 
 Of God's ideal, first designs, 
 
 And all ascending must return 
 
 To the great Type whence all are born. 
 
 The varied to Simplicity, 
 
 All numbers to the Unity! 
 
 Thy varied strains, O minstrel bird ! 
 
 Oft, gazing, wond'ring crowds have heard, 
 
 Heard in their wild variety 
 
 And yet their sternest unity. 
 
 Thou canst all others imitate, 
 
 All others matching emulate, 
 
 And yet thou art thyself unmatched. 
 
 Thy magic none has ever snatched, 
 
 And none the bays shall win from thee,
 
 88 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 Thou art a living- melody 
 
 The soul of music breathing forth 
 
 Is echoed through thy voice on earth. 
 
 — There is a world still undefined, 
 
 Such heights, and depths, of soul and mind 
 
 Thoughts innermost, so delicate, 
 
 So simple, yet so intricate, 
 
 That they can find expression meet, 
 
 But, in faint colors or notes fleet 
 
 This world — thou couldst, O Artist, weird, 
 
 O ghostly singer, spirit bird ! 
 
 Thou couldst embody and impress 
 
 With twilight tinge of dreaminess, 
 
 With softest tints and highest shades, 
 
 That fancy blends and love pervades, 
 
 And yet thy notes are warm and bright, 
 
 Thy notes are dipped in vivid light. 
 
 Thou art impulsive, — almost rash, 
 
 And fierce in thy unbounded dash, 
 
 Sweeping betwixt the two extremes 
 
 From the bald eagle's savage screams, 
 
 To the sweet throstle's warblings faint, 
 
 Or the dove's tender, cooing plaint. 
 
 — O Virtuoso ! whose wild sway, 
 
 Whose compass vast and boundless range, 
 
 Whose stretch of voice surpassing strange 
 
 Some seem to doubt. Thou hast no peer 
 
 No match in either hemisphere. 
 
 Unrivalled in thy lyric strain,
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 89 
 
 All own thy undisputed reign, 
 All greet with an applauding roar 
 In which is drowned thy tuneful lore. 
 O, poet of the South ! All hail ! 
 As victor of the nightingale." 
 
 Mr. Rouquette called this wondrous singer of the 
 Southern forest "The Shakespeare of Music, the Beethoven 
 of the Forest, the Mezzofanti of Melody." The Indians 
 called the mocker "The singer of three hundred languages, 
 'Kone Konetlatollis." 
 
 Something would be wanting to the picture of the 
 poet's love of the mocking-bird were the quaint little poem 
 in the old negro French of his childhood to be omitted. 
 
 His application to the purest French never obliterated 
 from his memory either the negro dialect or the inany- 
 voweled language of the Chahta Indians. 
 
 "mdkeur shanteur." 
 
 Kashe dan la barb Espagnol 
 
 Ki sa ki ape shante la? 
 Mo konnen se pa rossignol 
 
 Koute so la voi! Ki si la? 
 
 Ah ! Sila ki ape shante 
 
 Si la ki gagnin in la voi 
 Ki tou mouni s're kapab coute 
 
 Jourka ye mouri fin dan boi.
 
 90 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 Sila, se zozo, ki sorcie 
 Koute, koute so la nmsik 
 
 Koute* li — koute li — La pe 
 
 Dinous: "Kiliklik! Kiliklik!" 
 
 Koute! Koute! dou sorcie la 
 Koute begin sa la pe di nou. 
 
 La pe di nou : "Wawa! Wawa! 
 La pe di nou: "Hibou! Hibou!" 
 
 Koute pandan la nuit trankil 
 Koute sou sa la pe — di nou 
 
 Koute, la pe di: "Wbip-pour-wil!" 
 La pe pele: "Kolin-forou!" 
 
 Koute li ! Sliange so la voi 
 L'a pe shante Kom tou zozo, 
 
 Kom tou sa ki cbante dans boi, 
 Koui narb, Kom devan, Kom dolo. 
 
 Li si gran mete, li si sorcie 
 Tou sila ye ki tande li 
 
 Ye reste la, ye tou 'blie 
 Ye s're koute jouka mouri. 
 
 Ga, li dans siel a pe valse 
 ." . So la voi ape rane li sou, 
 
 Li pli konen sa la pe fe! 
 Li pli konen aryin — li fou!
 
 POET-MISSIONAKY OF LOUISIANA. 91 
 
 Ah ! Mokeur ! Ah ! Mokeur shanteur ! 
 Ah ! Ah ! To gagnin giab dan kor. 
 To gagnin tro l'esprit, mokeur, 
 Mai chante! Ma koute enkor. 
 
 The above might be rendered somewhat as follows : 
 
 THE MOCKING SINGER. 
 
 Hidden away in the Spanish beard 
 
 (That hangs from the limbs of the forest-trees), 
 Who is the singer there? 
 
 I know it is not the nightingale. 
 Listen to his song! Who is there? 
 
 Ah! He who is singing thus, 
 
 To one possessing such a wondrous voice 
 That all the world would gladly listen 
 
 Until death from hunger would overtake them in the 
 woods. 
 
 That is a bird which may be called a sorcerer 
 
 Listen ! Listen to his music ! 
 Listen to him! Listen to him! 
 
 He says to us: "Kiliklik! Kiliklik!" 
 
 Listen ! listen to that sweet sorcerer ! 
 
 Listen well to what he is telling us. 
 He says to us: "Wawa! Wawa!" 
 
 He says to us: "Hibou! Hibou!"
 
 92 LIFE OF THE ABBE KOUQUETTE, 
 
 Listen during the tranquil night, 
 
 Listen to all that he is telling- us; 
 Listen as he says : "Whippoorwill !" 
 
 He is calling: "Kolin-f orou !'' (i e., all the birds of the 
 forest ) . 
 
 Listen ! how he changes his voice ! 
 
 He has sung as all the other birds, 
 As all which have ever sung in the woods, 
 
 As the trees, as the winds, as the waters. 
 
 He is such a grand master, such a sorcerer, 
 
 That all who hear his voice 
 Are spell-bound and forgetful. 
 
 They would listen, listen until death. 
 
 Now see him waltzing in the sky! 
 He is dazed with his own song! 
 
 He knows not what he is doing- 
 He is wild — reeling with joy! 
 
 A mocking-bird — a mocking-bird! 
 
 Ah! an evil spirit now is thine! 
 Thou are drawing out my soul ; — 
 
 But sing to me. I listen now again. 
 
 One more work of Mr. Rouquette must be mentioned 
 before leaving the subject of his literary productions; 
 but it deserves a chapter apart, being, in its rich beauty, 
 like the glowing sunset that follows a clear summer day.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 A LOOK AHEAD. 
 
 Mr. Rouquette was growing old; his pen had lain 
 idle for so long that his friends all thought the muse had 
 deserted him, when suddenly his talents had a re-awaken- 
 ing in a work truly admirable — "his great work," as a 
 distinguished English journalist said — a work which 
 elicited the acclamations of the most eminent writers. 
 
 More than sixty years of age, Mr. Rouquette writes 
 with the fire and brilliancy of his youth. "La Nouvelle 
 Atala" was written in French, and is an idyl, so fresh, so 
 pure, so replete with truth and beauty and goodness that 
 one scarce knows how to begin its description. The second 
 part of the title, "The Child of Spirit," introduces the 
 reader at once into a supernatural region, above the 
 commonplace, very near to the heart of primitive nature, 
 closely united to the God of Nature. Atala inhabits this 
 region. To appreciate this poem in prose, one should take 
 the book and wander off alone into the depths of the 
 forest. There, with the heart attuned to harmonize with 
 nature, in silence and solitude, the inner spirit of "La. 
 Nouvelle Atala" will permeate the soul. 
 
 The following is a brief summary of Mr. Rouquette's 
 fascinating little legend, though, by reason of necessary 
 brevity and the translation into English, it is shorn of the 
 greater part of its wealth of beauty. * * *
 
 94 LIFE OF THE ABBE KOUQUETTE, 
 
 About the first of the nineteenth century a family of 
 French origin dwelt on their plantation in the southern 
 part of the United States, near a large city. Their secluded 
 residence was hidden beyond groves of orange trees. 
 Avenues of pecan and oak trees wearing the grey moss 
 festoons and all the luxuriant growth of many tropical 
 vines led to the large dwelling, with its broad verandas 
 and comfortable, airy structure. 
 
 The family consisted of three members — the father, 
 mother and an only child — a daughter. There were many 
 negro slaves on the place, to till the soil, to tend the herds 
 and flocks and to serve the master's household. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. O had named their young daughter 
 
 Atala, in memory of the heroine of Chateaubriand's novel, 
 which they had read with unusual interest. They had sent 
 the little Atala to be educated in a famous old convent of 
 the city, and at the time the story opens she had just com- 
 pleted her studies and returned home. 
 
 In disposition, Atala was serious, reflective and with- 
 out the slightest attraction for the ordinary pleasures and 
 vanities of her sex and age. She preferred solitude, and 
 was fond of seeking the most secluded nooks, where she 
 could contemplate at leisure the wild beauties of the 
 forest. The sight of a flower charmed her, the song of a 
 bird thrilled her with emotion, the sighing of the breeze 
 in the trees, the murmur of the waves, cast her into a 
 reverie. In the open fields, beneath the majestic pines of 
 the forest, her nostrils would quiver and her lungs expand 
 to inhale the fresh scent from the wild prairies and wood- 
 lands.
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 95 
 
 Her imagination, her heart, her spirit, her whole 
 being was drawn by that mysterious genius who inhabits 
 the immensity of the virgin solitudes. 
 
 She almost envied the Indians, who often visited her 
 father's house to sell their baskets and aromatic herbs, 
 and she loved to speak to the pure and innocent maidens 
 of the desert. She would say to them : "You are so happy, 
 while I am most miserable ! Why was I not born in a reed 
 cabin like unto yours? Then I could wander free in the 
 great forest. Oh! I long to run away from the world of 
 civilization and go with you far, far off into the woods!" 
 
 This was very puzzling to the simple savages, but they 
 asked no questions, and Atala gave no further explanation. 
 
 All is wanting to a soul that lacks what it most de- 
 sires. What are pleasures, riches, glory, celebrity? The 
 soul is like an ocean into which all the rivers flow, but 
 which they never fill. So thought Atala. 
 
 "Oh! Infinite Beauty! Oh! Ideal Perfection! When 
 shall I possess Thee!" cried this child of the spirit, whose 
 soul was captivated by the splendor of a celestial vision. 
 Her parents understood nothing of this divine nostalgia 
 which devoured Atala. Her father was engrossed in 
 amassing wealth, and she cared nothing for riches ; her 
 mother was constantly in the exciting whirl of worldly 
 amusements, and Atala despised them as vain and useless. 
 She lived a life apart, confiding her secret longings to none 
 save the faithful negro slave who was given to her as a 
 present on her return from the convent. 
 
 Atala's health was frail, and with saddened hearts her 
 parents beheld her grow daily more pale and fragile.
 
 96 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 They consulted the best physicians, but none could 
 discover any malady. All, however, counseled change of 
 air, exercise on foot and on horseback, and removal from 
 habitual scenes. The family left at once for a distant 
 country residence, and strove by every means to interest 
 Atala in her new surroundings. 
 
 One day they all went out for a long walk in the 
 forest. Atala seemed so pleased and so gay that her 
 parents rejoiced to see her eagerly gathering flowers to 
 make a bouquet, and singing low as she flitted here and 
 there. They became absorbed in conversation, while she 
 wandered further and further away. A mocking-bird 
 perched on a tree nearby seemed singing to her alone. He 
 watched her closely, and, as soon as she drew near the 
 tree where he sang, would flit away to a more distant spot. 
 Each time she followed him, attracted by the magic of his 
 wondrous song, and ere long she was far away from her 
 parents, in the mazy depths of the forest, where no path 
 showed her how to return. In her endeavors to seek one 
 she only went further away. 
 
 The parents waited some time for Atala's return, and 
 then grew uneasy and began a long and fruitless search. 
 At last, worn out with fatigue and anxiety, they returned 
 home to get help. In another hour they returned with 
 nighbors, who soon made the forest resound with their 
 cries, with the ringing of bells and the firing of guns. 
 Echoes alone responded. 
 
 Atala heard the noise, but was frightened and fled as 
 fleet as a deer deeper and deeper into the solitudes, cross-
 
 POET-MISSIONAEY OF LOUISIANA. 97 
 
 ing once or twice little streamlets, until she reached a lake, 
 and there rested. Night had come. The cries ceased, and 
 silence and solitude took possession of the woods. Yet 
 she was not afraid. She felt herself in safety, and, find- 
 ing a mossy bank beneath a spreading oak, slept the peace- 
 ful sleep of youth and innocence in the Heavenly Father's 
 care. Early in the morning she arose and offered herself 
 to God, feeling His presence so very near ; then she sought 
 for berries, and thus satisfied her hunger. Ere long the 
 same tumult as on the preceding eve was heard, but at a 
 great distance, and again she was ready to hide, through 
 fear — not knowing what wild men might be rousing the 
 echoes of the forest. 
 
 This was repeated for several days, until her parents 
 lost all hope of ever finding her alive, and so they returned 
 to their old home disconsolate. 
 
 Atala grieved for the pain she knew they were suffer- 
 ing on her account; but a mysterious love for the solitude 
 enchained her, and she felt that at last she was in the 
 sanctuary her heart had sought so long in vain. It seemed 
 to her that she was now in her proper sphere, and, select- 
 ing a sheltered spot, she began to construct a sort of rustic 
 grotto of stones and green branches. 
 
 In this humble retreat she prepared her simple couch 
 of leaves and moss. Her food was near at hand in abund- 
 ant berries, wild fruit, and the crystal water of a small 
 stream which ran into the lake. 
 
 From the very first day Atala felt a peculiar charm in 
 this new life. She was never lonely, for the flowers, the
 
 98 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 birds, the trees, the stars, all spoke to her of the Creator. 
 She loved them all and it seemed to her they reciprocated 
 her affection. She called each spot, each object with a 
 name of her own coining, thus forming a new vocabulary, 
 a new language, even composing an alphabet containing 
 many vowel sounds and only the necessary consonants. 
 Her language reproduced the harmonies she heard in the 
 many-voiced accents of nature. She would even listen to 
 hear the flowers to bloom, and the rays of starlight quiver 
 as they shot through the mellow air of evening, and played 
 hide and seek with the moonbeams among the fleecy cloud- 
 lets in the sky. Atala had, as it were, become the echo of 
 the voice of nature. 
 
 The visible symbolizes the invisible; the sensible the 
 ideal; the intelligible, the Divine. So Atala saw God in 
 all — and all, in God, putting everything into its proper 
 place, and as order is beauty and harmony and unity, it is 
 God manifested in His works. All creation has a mystical 
 sense and speaks a divine language which we call poetry. 
 Atala possessed this instinct, this gift, the knowledge of 
 this mystical sense, therefore she was a poetess. All her 
 thoughts were unwritten poems celebrating the love and 
 beauty of God. Her soul was the sanctuary wherein 
 burned this divine fire of love returned, and it was lofty, 
 pure, exalted. 
 
 From the dawn of reason she had consecrated every 
 fibre of her being to the Creator ; without even understand- 
 ing what she did, she had made the vow of virginity, al- 
 though the secret was hidden in the depths of her souL
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 99 
 
 She had fostered every pious sentiment by a love of spirit- 
 ual reading, and at first, in her wild-wood home, missed 
 the companionship of her books ; but soon she learned to 
 read from the great book whereon God's finger has traced 
 the characters and from which God spoke to her in the 
 colors, the sounds, the figures and diverse forms of His 
 works. 
 
 The open life of the forest soon developed the maiden 
 into a woman and ere long, tall, majestic, her long black 
 hair flowing free, her dark eyes reflecting the dim avenues 
 of the sombre woods, with a glint of the sunshine and a 
 gleam of the moonbeam, she might remind one of Mar- 
 guerite de Montmorency, the Solitary of the Pyrenees, or 
 rather, the imposing personification of the wild, the aus- 
 tere nature surrounding her. 
 
 In her wanderings she often met tribes of Indians, 
 who called her the "White Savage," and often hunters re- 
 turning from the chase would place beside her little her- 
 mitage game and the skins of wild beasts, dressed and 
 ready to convert into apparel. 
 
 A young Indian maiden who was persecuted by her 
 parents for having received Baptism, sought the retreat 
 of Atala and received hospitality. They spoke not the 
 same language, but were soon able to understand one an- 
 other; and Atala taught her companion the language she 
 had composed, without knowing that she was imitating 
 St. Hildegard, who also composed a mystic language which 
 she alone understood. 
 
 Atala had kept with care the dress she wore when
 
 100 LIFE OF THE ABBE KOUQUETTE, 
 
 lost, and was thus enabled to attend Mass in a little forest 
 chapel. The saintly old priest, her confessor, alone knew 
 her history. He gave her aid from time to time, but 
 never revealed her secret. He thought her more like a 
 religious than a sibyl. 
 
 The young Indian girl, who had become Atala's com- 
 panion, had a brother who still loved his sister, and who 
 always brought her a share of his game, so the two maid- 
 ens never lacked food. 
 
 Atala, who so loved the birds that they would perch 
 upon her head and sing while she worked and prayed, had 
 also gained the affection of a gentle hind, which she 
 named Palki or Fleetfoot, and the faithful animal gave 
 her milk, fresh and pure. She had likewise won the fidel- 
 ity of a magnificent deer hound, which one day pursued 
 Palki even to the hermitage of her mistress. When the 
 dog saw Atala kneeling motionless, her eyes raised to 
 heaven, her arms extended, he stopped and then, as though 
 charmed by some secret influence, crept close to the 
 kneeling girl and lay down beside her. He never after left 
 her. On account of a white spot on his forehead, Atala 
 called him "Star." 
 
 Palki and Star guarded the repose of their mistress 
 with a vigilance as sure as the grilles of the monastery af- 
 ford the cloistered nuns. 
 
 The young Indian who shared Atala's solitude, built 
 for herself a little hermitage near by on the border of 
 Lake Okatta. Thus Lassima, or the "Flower of the Even- 
 ing" dwelt beside her friend. Atala was very happy, but
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 101 
 
 sometimes the remembrance of her childhood's home would 
 come back to her mind, and she would wonder what her 
 parents were doing", and whether they still grieved over 
 her loss. Then she would sigh with the desire to see once 
 more her own Rosalie, the confidant of her childish days. 
 
 One evening, when Atala was thus musing over the 
 past, a shadow fell across the entrance of the grotto. 
 Atala looked up and beheld Rosalie's welcome face. In an 
 instant the slave was kneeling at her mistress' feet. At 
 last Atala found her voice and the language of her child- 
 hood to ask news of her parents, and how Rosalie had 
 found her. 
 
 "They are well," answered Rosalie, "and it is only by 
 perseverance in seeking you that I am at last successful. 
 Regarding the rest, ask me no more. Some day when 
 the hour comes, I will reveal all." 
 
 So Atala asked no more questions. Rosalie had come 
 to share the life of her mistress, so she at once constructed 
 a shelter for herself, and having brought with her some 
 seed and implements of cultivation, began a little garden 
 in which she raised corn, potatoes and beans. The rich 
 soil rendered the hundred fold, so there was plenty in 
 the hermitage for the three solitaries. 
 
 Lassima, Atala's first companion, had a brother, as 
 was mentioned before, who came to bring them game. 
 His name was Issabe, or the "Killer of Deer," and when 
 he saw Rosalie, the "daughter of the night," he wished to 
 win her for his bride, and always counseled his sister to 
 give the half of whatever he brought to Rosalie.
 
 102 LIFE OF THE ABBE KOUQUETTE, 
 
 Lassima smiled and asked if he had dreamed of a 
 cradle swinging from the branch of an oak He answered 
 not but pursued his suit. At first Rosalie refused to re- 
 linquish her maiden liberty, but when Issabe saved her 
 from the charm of a rattlesnake, and when he promised 
 to be baptised, she yielded consent. 
 
 Lassima was grieved to think that earthly love was 
 stealing Issabe and Eosalie from the service of God. 
 "Happy the virgin," she would exclaim, "who like Atala 
 loves God alone and resembles the angels!" Then in an 
 ecstasy of thanksgiving she would renew her own conse- 
 cration. 
 
 About this time a new personage appeared and Avon 
 the esteem and respect of the solitaries. European by 
 birth, he came to America and begged to be admitted 
 among the Indians as one of their tribe. 
 
 He had belonged to a noble Breton family, had exer- 
 cised important functions in France and might have 
 looked forward to a career of renown, but had abandoned 
 home and country to become a savage and- was known 
 among the Indians as Hopoyouska, or "Wise Man." 
 
 Hopoyouska and Issabe had become friends, hunting 
 together, sitting beside the same fire, and reposing be- 
 neath the same tree. Hopoyouska loved God with a love 
 so intense that he hated evil and wickedness with a hatred 
 that knows not how to spare. Hence he fled from France, 
 the land of his love, because he could not see her ruled by 
 a government which sought to banish God and His service, 
 to abolish relis>'ion. Here in the virgin forest he could
 
 POET-MISSIONAEY OF LOUISIANA. 103 
 
 possess his God in profound peace and pure joy. For 
 several years he bad dwelt in the very forest which had 
 given Atala a home, but had never addressed her, content 
 to admire her from a distance. 
 
 One day when Hopoyouska was near the hermitage 
 he ventured to speak to Atala. She received him kindly, 
 and when he began to tell her the story of his life she lis- 
 tened with great sympathy. He recounted to her how 
 he had come to dwell among the Indians, and that loved 
 by a beautiful daughter of the tribe, had wedded her. 
 Their union was blessed by the birth of a daughter, but 
 alas! during his absence, enemies had come, destroyed his 
 home and taken away his wife and child. The tale was so 
 pathetic that as he spoke the tears fell from Atala's down- 
 cast eyes. At the conclusion of his narrative, he looked 
 upon Atala exclaiming, "Thou, who art so beautiful, re- 
 mindest me of my poor Pakanli, that ideal woman whom I 
 so loved and have lost. Oh! Atala! If you are free to give 
 yourself to another " 
 
 He could say no more, for with a piercing shriek 
 Atala fell senseless at his feet — horror and anguish de- 
 picted on her countenance. 
 
 The heavens grew dark, thunder rolled ominously on 
 high and a bewildering flash of lightning struck a tall 
 pine near by, sending a large section of splintered wood, 
 burying it deeply in the ground at Hopoyouska's side. 
 
 Fear, terror, remorse, filled his soul. "Sacrilegious 
 fool that I am! I have tried to rob the Almighty of His 
 consecrated spouse!" And he fled from the spot which he 
 felt that his presence polluted.
 
 104 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 Lassima and Rosalie had flown to Atala's assistance, 
 and soon revived their holy companion. But the past in- 
 terview was impressed upon her mind, and she did not 
 cease weeping bitterly and crying aloud to her Heavenly 
 Spouse. Oh! my God, where was Thy jealous love when 
 this man dared to suggest to me, Thy promised bride, the 
 thought of human marriage! Oh! how long is my exile? 
 Would that I had the wings of a dove, that I might fly to 
 Thee, my treasure, my love! O would that my soul could 
 break the chains that bind me to earth ! O death ! how slow 
 thou art to come! O my best beloved! come, come and 
 take me to Thee! 
 
 Atala was consumed by a divine nostalgia and the 
 fragrance of immortality was just ready to be wafted 
 from the flower that was drooping toward the tomb. As 
 day succeeded day Atala grew weaker and more feeble. 
 Her devoted friends saw she could not linger much longer 
 separated from the union with the Heavenly Bridegroom. 
 She was ripe for heaven. 
 
 At last Lassima and Rosalie realized that the end 
 was very near, so they summoned Issabe and Hopoyouska. 
 They came and brought with them the venerable Father 
 Emmanuel, who administered to Atala all the rites of 
 Holy Church for her departing children. After the cere- 
 mony Atala revived. Rosalie knew her strength could 
 not last long, so she knelt beside the lowly couch, took the 
 dying saint's hand, and said : "My dear Mistress, the hour 
 has come for me to reveal what I promised you long ago 
 when first I joined you in this solitude. Listen, this is
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 105 
 
 the history. About fifty years ago was born an infant 
 whom her parents named Pakanli, the Flower. At the 
 age of twenty this maiden from the banks of the Houmi- 
 kli in Alabama was given in marriage to the grand chief 
 of the Seminoles. Pakanli had two children when the 
 chief was killed in the war between the Indians and the 
 white men. She had been a widow for two years, when she 
 met and was beloved by a son of France, a noble Breton, 
 who had come to dwell among the Indians, and he made 
 her his bride. A daughter was born to them and in bap- 
 tism received the name Marie. 
 
 One night, when the paleface was away hunting, an 
 uncle of Pakanli came to execute vengeance upon her for 
 having wedded an alien. He destroyed the cabin, and 
 placing Pakanli and her infant behind him on his fleet 
 war horse, rode rapidly away. They travelled for more 
 than a week, and he left Pakanli and her child in a vast 
 forest near a great city. She was skilful in weaving bas- 
 kets, and sold her wares in the market place. 
 
 All went well until the terrible fever and cholera rav- 
 aged the city. Pakanli caught the infection and dragged 
 her fainting steps to the home of a wealthy planter. He 
 was as charitable as he was rich, and took her in, doing 
 all in his power to nurse her to health. All was in vain. 
 She died and left to her kind Samaritan the legacy of her 
 little child. The planter and his wife were childless and 
 they gladly adopted the little Marie. She was educated in 
 the best convent of the great city, and then brought home 
 to gladden the hearts of her parents. But the child, now 
 a maiden, was not happy although all that was possible
 
 106 LIFE OF THE ABBE KOUQUETTE, 
 
 was done to render her life agreeable. Once, during an 
 excursion into the forest, she became separated and was 
 lost." 
 
 As Eosalie continued her story, Hopoyouska drew 
 nearer, and knelt as near as possible to the dying virgin. 
 
 "This young girl, this mystic virgin, this spouse of 
 Christ, who was called Atala by Mr. and Madame Oman, 
 was not their child, but the daughter of Pakanli and the 
 noble Frenchman who came from Brittany to live with 
 and as the Indians of America." Rosalie paused and 
 Hopoyouska, unable longer to control his emotion, cried 
 out : "She is then my own daughter," and taking the hand 
 of Atala kissed it reverently, while the hot tears streamed 
 from his eyes. 
 
 Atala, half supported and partly by the strength 
 given her from excitement, whispered faintly, but audibly : 
 "What I have never understood in my life, I now com- 
 prehend at the hour of death. My God and my all, I am 
 ready, receive my soul! It has never loved aught but 
 Thee!" She fell back; her prayer was answered. Atala 
 was dead. ***** 
 
 Such is the substance of the last great work of Mr. 
 Rouquette. The legend was recounted to him by an aged 
 Indian woman of a hundred and twenty-five years of age, 
 who claimed to have known the various persons men- 
 tioned in the tale. Words of appreciation must be brief, 
 though the subject tempts one to linger long over this 
 pure and chaste Idyl of Louisiana. 
 
 The following quotation from eminent critics will 
 suffice to establish the great merit of "La Nouvelle Atala."
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 107 
 
 "Aside from the religious idea which permeates like a 
 leaven the whole structure of the volume, "La Nouvelle 
 Atala" offers a curious study from a purely literary point 
 of view. It reflects the spirit of a life, a most unique 
 and strange life, the life of a missionary so enamored with 
 nature and with solitude, and of the simple, healthy ex- 
 istence of those who call him the "Black-Robe Father," 
 that he has become as one of them as his Indian appella- 
 tion teaches us. A priest whose temple is the forest, with 
 the cloud-frescoed heaven for its roof; and for the aisles 
 the pillared magnificence of the pines; whose God is the 
 God of the Wilderness, the great Spirit overshadowing 
 the desert — must be a man of high and holy aspirations. 
 
 Aside from its spiritual merits we may call attention 
 to the work as a most remarkable and beautiful piece of 
 writing, idyllic in sentiment, strong and brilliant in col- 
 oring, valuable as a unique example of romance, inspired 
 by the personal experience of a life spent in the solitude 
 of the wilderness/' 
 
 From the pen of another we read : "Atala is written 
 in most harmonious language, spontaneous, picturesque, 
 colored, fresh, limpid, graceful, with all the effervescence 
 of youth. The work is a resume of the most diversified 
 talent. The author has put his own soul and life into it. 
 It is the cry of his heart. From the midst of a material 
 world he conducts the soul up into the sublime regious 
 of the ideal. But to understand and appreciate 'La Nou- 
 velle Atala,' one must be pure of heart. Only the pure of 
 heart see God."
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 god's hour. 
 
 As we saw in a preceding chapter, Adrien Rouquette 
 returned to New Orleans in 1843. He was now in the 
 full vigor of his manhood and had embraced what he 
 deemed the career destined for him by Divine Providence. 
 He had proved his capability as a writer, and the world 
 had welcomed his works with applause. 
 
 Once settled at home in New Orleans, he resumed his 
 literary labors, entering the broader field of journalism, 
 soon to become one of Abbe Perche's most efficient co- 
 workers. 
 
 Thus the future seemed mapped out to every one's 
 satisfaction. But as the Prophet tells us of the Almighty's 
 designs: "Your thoughts are not my thoughts," so in the 
 secret arrangements of the Most High, a new epoch in 
 Adrien Rouquette's life was at hand. 
 
 Before touching upon the coming event, so wonder- 
 ful and so far reaching in its effects, a glance backward 
 at the history of religious affairs in New Orleans is neces- 
 sary. 
 
 We need not dwell upon the great work accomplished 
 by Bishop Dubourg and his immediate successors, Bishops 
 Rosati and de Neckere, but proceed directly to the great 
 prelate who achieved what these had so nobly begun. In 
 1835, Bishop Blanc had been appointed to the onerous
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 109 
 
 responsibilities of the See of New Orleans. His first object 
 was to pursue the spiritual restoration begun by Bishop 
 Dubourg. It was no sinecure that had fallen to his lot. 
 There were difficulties and obstacles on all sides to be 
 removed and smoothed over, and it was a labor demand- 
 ing heroic patience, perseverance and humble self-sacri- 
 fice, and that not for a month, or two, but perhaps for 
 years. Undaunted by the unpromising aspect in many 
 circumstances, he resolutely set to work, strong in the 
 might of God, set to work for the glory of God, and God 
 blessed his labors. By degrees consolations came to cheer 
 the Bishop. Religious orders were multiplied, their works 
 flourished and it was with the keenest satisfaction that 
 the venerable prelate saw vocations springing up from 
 among his own flock. Nothing could have given him 
 more genuine satisfaction, for was it not a proof that the 
 Master was pleased with His shepherd and wished to 
 manifest His appreciation, by inviting chosen souls to 
 join His elect! 
 
 Bishop Blanc, therefore, determined to found a sem- 
 inary. He chose the salubrious, secluded site in Assump- 
 tion Parish on the banks of Bayou Lafourche, near the 
 town of Plattenville. The inhabitants of that region were 
 descendants of the old Spanish settlers and the French 
 emigrees, who had retained their quiet, pious, peaceful 
 habits with a love of culture and refinement, and were 
 patrons of education, and above all devoted to their re- 
 ligion and pastors. The whole State could not have fur- 
 nished a more favorable location, and from 1838, the year
 
 110 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 of the foundation, until 1855, when the Seminary was de- 
 stroyed by fire, it was a veritable home of piety and eccle- 
 siastical discipline under the able management of those 
 renowned trainers of young levites, the Lazarists. 
 
 There was another reason why Bishop Blanc did not 
 attach the Seminary to his own residence. For many years 
 there had been a very sad state of affairs at the Cathedral. 
 As far back as 1828 Leo XII had been obliged to condemn 
 the mode of procedure of the lay trustees. Unfortunately 
 this was not very effective, and the abuses continued to 
 prosper until the trustees had actually usurped even the 
 spiritual authority. In the time of Bishop Dubourg, 
 when he returned from Rome, at the period when he se- 
 cured the services of Mr. de Andreis and Mr. Rosati, his 
 intention had been to fix his See in New Orleans and es- 
 tablish the Congregation of the Mission in that city. But 
 there was so much opposition that he was forced to change 
 his plans and settle in St. Louis. 
 
 Later, when some of the anti-clerical chiefs were out 
 of the way, he was able to come to New Orleans. But the 
 troubles were not ended yet. The trustees still governed 
 the Cathedral. They were elected by the congregation, and 
 in order to secure votes admitted to the church, on those 
 occasions particularly, people of any or no denomination. 
 So one need not be surprised to learn that at one time the 
 president of the board of trustees was at the same time 
 grand master of a Masonic lodge, and had gone so far as 
 to attempt to erect a Masonic vault in the Cathedral cein- 
 eterv.
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. Ill 
 
 In 1842 a new outbreak of hostilities occurred. The 
 trustees positively refused to allow Bishop Blanc or any 
 priest appointed by him, the privilege of officiating in the 
 church. This was the climax. The Bishop at once placed 
 the church under an interdict. The trustees were furious, 
 and determined to call in every weapon of the law to force 
 the ecclesiastical authority to bend before their will. Liti- 
 gation ensued and the battle continued in the courts al- 
 most a year — ending finally in 1843 — and may it ever re- 
 dound to the glory of Louisiana, by a complete victory for 
 the discipline of the church. 
 
 Therefore in 1843, at the time of Adrien's return 
 excitement and party spirit ran high. However, the 
 Church was soon to issue from the conflict stronger, more 
 powerful, and more flourishing than ever. It was a criti- 
 cal moment. There must be union of forces to combat 
 error and re-establish right. Abbe Perche was a host in 
 himself with his writings and influence on the other sup- 
 porters of the Catholic press. 
 
 He had realized what a gain his cause would enjoy 
 in securing Mr. Kouquette's services, and the prize was 
 won. Adrien was now ready and willing to devote all his 
 energies toward the moral elevation of mankind and the 
 progress of religion, to aid in the warfare the Church must 
 ever wage against the powers of evil, and with filial en- 
 deavor to show forth her divine mission. 
 
 Here was the very occasion — the very opportunity — 
 and he embraced it. 
 
 Bishop Blanc felt that now was the propitious hour
 
 112 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 to draw the people together, to foster their piety, love of 
 God, devotion to the Church, and above all, at the present 
 moment, win their filial obedience to their lawful pastors, 
 whom they must now actively support in the distressing 
 
 conflict. 
 
 Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the Bishop decided that 
 a mission would be given to the lay Catholics in the 
 church adjoining the episcopal resident, at St. Mary's, on 
 Chartres Street, near the St. Louis Cathedral, now stand- 
 ing so solemn, so dark, so gloomy, in its desertion, under 
 the ban of interdiction. Abbe Perche was chosen as the 
 orator for the mission. He enjoyed a well-deserved re- 
 nown as an eloquent and persuasive preacher, and those 
 who did not know him in that capacity, were curious to 
 hear as a speaker one so distinguished as a writer. The 
 whole city was excited, enthusiastic, and many were ready 
 to rally to the call for loyal adherence to God's cause. 
 
 Adrien's sympathies were already enlisted in this 
 cause, and even were it not so, the personal magnetism of 
 Abbe Perche's character exerted such an attraction that 
 he could not have kept away. St. Mary's Church was 
 packed, there was not even standing room, and many were 
 obliged to return home without even reaching the door. 
 This continued throughout the mission. 
 
 Adrien, from his connection with the Abbe, was al- 
 lowed a privileged place, and there the grace of God 
 awaited him. 
 
 It is very hard, nay, it is impossible to tell what 
 transpires within the depths of the soul when the voice of
 
 POET-MISSIONAEY OF LOUISIANA. 113 
 
 God speaks there and makes known His superabounding 
 love — when that love solicits the total surrender, and do- 
 nation with return of love, when the soul in bliss ineffable 
 is betrothed to her God. Such a moment came to Adrien 
 Rouquette. The God of the Sanctuary held converse with 
 his soul, whispered to him those solemn, mystic words that 
 cause the flame of love to be enkindled in the heart, and 
 then allure to self-renunciation, self-surrender, self-sacri- 
 fice, beckoning on to the mount which is both Thabor and 
 Calvary. 
 
 For it is Thabor to be allowed to follow Him, and 
 Calvary not to be able to draw all hearts to love Him. 
 Thabor to share in His priesthood, Calvary to suffer and 
 toil for the salvation of souls. 
 
 To say that Adrien was impressed is too faint a word, 
 and conveys no idea of the state of his mind. All the 
 good effects produced some years before in his soul by 
 the sermons of Father de Ravignan at Notre Dame in 
 Paris, were renewed with a hundredfold intensity. Now 
 was God's hour. What could the words have been which 
 affected such a marvellous change? It matters little. God 
 sent one of those lightning flashes of grace such as struck 
 down the Apostle of the Gentiles and transformed him 
 into an Apostle of Christ. 
 
 God makes use of insignificant instruments, some 
 simple idea which apparently embodies nothing extra- 
 ordinary, as a medium by which to communicate a great 
 luminous truth to the soul. 
 
 At that instant, a few words are impregnated by God's
 
 114 LIFE OF THE ABBE KOUQUETTE, 
 
 special grace, they enter the mind and shed such abun- 
 dant efficacious light and strength that the soul sees 
 clearly what before was dark, and embraces joyfully what 
 the Master desires. The hour of grace passes, but the 
 effects remain — and one will wonder, upon considering the 
 words, which God used as a medium of communication, 
 how they could ever have been fraught with such signifi- 
 cance. They were vivified by grace, just as the little cop- 
 per wire conveying the magic current of electricity to 
 illume the fairy-like designs, receives its power from the 
 dynamo. 
 
 So during the mission God sent His illuminating 
 grace into Adrien Rouquette's soul and invited him to a 
 new life, so high, so noble, that he had never even dreamed 
 he could be found worthy to approach it. Yet it was of- 
 fered him and in response his whole soul was filled with 
 a sweetness never before experienced and an overwhelming 
 desire to go forth and do great things for God. A love was 
 kindled within his heart, a personal love for Christ, his 
 Master, and to satisfy this love, he was impelled to the 
 priesthood. This thought alone occupied his mind. What 
 mattered the rest. He had no time now to study ways and 
 means. He had no time for aught except to rejoice over 
 his new-found love, and it was all-absorbing. Days went 
 by and the great call was still a secret locked within his 
 breast. The mission closed and Adrien was silent, and, 
 it seemed, even taciturn. Every one expected to hear that 
 he had disappeared as of old, hastening to bury himself 
 in the forest, but their surmises were unfulfilled. He knew
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 115 
 
 that with his impulsive nature, serious reflection should 
 precede such an all-important step. Hence meditation and 
 prayer accompanied his election. The final decision was 
 made, and he went to pay a visit to Bishop Blanc. 
 
 Adrien recounted the history of his life — and told 
 how God seemed to call him to the Sanctuary, terminat- 
 ing his recital with these words : 
 
 "Here I am, Monseigneur ; you know all and have only 
 to say the word, and I will leave at once for the Seminary." 
 
 The holy Prelate laid his hand upon the head of the 
 young man kneeling beside him and replied : "My Son, 
 I bless your resolution and willingly accept you as a can- 
 didate for the priesthood. You may enter the Seminary 
 just as soon as you can settle your worldly affairs and be 
 ready. Come to see me again when you are ready to de- 
 part." 
 
 Adrien left to hasten his preparations, and was soon 
 able to appoint the date. He had never known what it 
 was to bind his actions to the will of another. For years 
 he had come and gone to Bayou Lacombe, and even to Eu- 
 rope, as the spirit moved him, so now he acted as hereto- 
 fore, with perfect independence. Settling his affairs did 
 not consume much time, so at about thirty years of age, 
 (1844) Adrien bade adieu to the world, and went to Plat- 
 tenville to enter the Seminary. 
 
 There is little to be said of the life of a seminarian. 
 Adrien was a good scholar, and devoted himself entirely 
 to his theology. The uniform regularity makes the days 
 pretty much the same. The visits of the Bishop were
 
 116 LIFE OF THE ABBE KOUQUETTE, 
 
 epochs in the life of the students, and especially when, as 
 in the case of Adrien, they marked the periods of his pro- 
 gressive steps toward Holy Orders. Mr. Rouquette re- 
 ceived the Order of Sub-Deacon in 1844, and at last the 
 goal of his ambition was attained when, in 1845, he was 
 ordained a priest forever according to the Order of Melch- 
 isedeek.
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 A NEW VOCATION. 
 
 Bishop Blanc, from the beginning of his acquaintance 
 with Father Rouquette, had formed a warm attachment 
 for the young man whose progress he had followed with 
 great interest, especially after he entered the Seminary. 
 
 A few days after his ordination the Bishop sent for 
 Father Rouquette, and told him the plans for the near 
 future. He was to become a member of the Bishop's 
 household and exercise his ministery in the St. Louis 
 Cathedral. The stirring times of the warfare between the 
 clergy and the trustees had given place to peace, but, as 
 the Bishop said, it was necessary to labor earnestly and 
 use every means possible to attract and to hold the peo- 
 ple. The Cathedral required zealous pastors who would 
 not only administer the Sacraments, but who would 
 preach the word of God regularly and so effectively that 
 the congregation would be attracted by the sermons. And 
 these should not only be eloquent orations, but also ex- 
 positions of solid Christian doctrine. 
 
 The Bishop had studied the character, talents and ap- 
 titudes of his young cleric, so he knew that his desires 
 would be realized. 
 
 Thus Father Rouquette began an apostolate which 
 was to last fourteen long years, each bearing a fruitful 
 harvest for the Master of the Vineyard.
 
 118 LIFE OF THE ABBE KOUQUETTE, 
 
 If only the stones of the "vieuoD quarticr" could speak, 
 what volumes they would tell. The walls of the great Ca- 
 thedral would become eloquent in describing the young 
 priest's untiring devotedness, self-sacrifice and love drawn 
 from his Savior's Heart, for the little ones of Christ. The 
 baptismal font, the confessional, the altar and the pulpit 
 were the witnesses of his zeal. Particularly in the latter 
 did Father Rouquette display that marvellous capacity, 
 that virile energy, fiery eloquence, sublime heights of sa- 
 cred science, and that tender piety which drew immense 
 crowds, Sunday after Sunday, to hear him preach. 
 
 "The New Lacordaire," as many of his admirers liked 
 to name him. Besides ministering in the church, Father 
 Rouquette labored no less generously among the poor, the 
 sick, the sinful members of the parish. The old flag pave- 
 ments, the dark alleys, the secluded courtyards, these 
 could tell of his visitations, so hidden and quiet that only 
 the angels knew the record. 
 
 The night was never too dark or stormy for him to 
 respond at once to a sick call, and this, irrespective of 
 position, nationality, or color. Rich or poor, saint or sin- 
 ner, slave or master, Father Rouquette went as lovingly, 
 as readily to one as to the other. If he ever showed a pref- 
 erence it was in his eager desire to regain a sinful soul to 
 its Redeemer, for he looked first to the welfare of the 
 immortal soul. One among many similar incidents will 
 illustrate his tender charity for the poor. 
 
 A family of French origin had lived for years in the 
 Cathedral Parish. As was the custom, they owned slaves,
 
 POET-MISSIOXABY OF LOUISIANA. 119 
 
 and, as some of the rare cases which unfortunately did 
 exist, looked upon the negroes as creatures born to serve 
 in rank no better than the other domestic animals. Mad- 
 ame was a widow, and thought a life in the midst 
 
 of Parisian gayeties would be an agreeable change. So 
 she left her property to be sold, with several slaves too 
 aged and useless to accompany her. 
 
 Meanwhile one old negress became bedridden and was 
 left destitute, starving and wanting for everything. The 
 account of her case was made known to Father Rouquette, 
 and at once he went to visit her. 
 
 Ill, in the midst of dirt and disorder, she was an ob- 
 ject of pity. The young priest paid a negro girl to visit 
 every day and attend to the old woman, while he himself 
 would come laden with food and clothing and even with 
 wood for fuel. He would then sweep the poor hovel, make 
 the fire and sometimes cook something for his protege to 
 eat, and then, after having ministered to her bodily needs, 
 he would sit beside her humble bed and speak to her of 
 God's mercy and love and forgiveness, preparing her for 
 Confession, Holy Communion and the Last Sacraments. 
 Xo matter what were the occupations of the day, before 
 retiring to his own well-earned rest, he would seek the old 
 brick outhouse where the dying negress lay waiting for 
 the visit of "Mon Pere." Many a time he furtively se- 
 creted the best portion of his dinner to take to some such 
 case. But he was more loved for his personal sympathy 
 and spiritual ministry than for the goods of this world, 
 which he was enabled to give.
 
 120 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 By degrees Bishop Blanc placed more confidence in 
 Father Rouquette, gave into his care various delicate mis- 
 sions and trained him to fill the responsible position of 
 Vicar-General. 
 
 The diocese, though much reduced in size since Bishop 
 Dubourg's time, by the elevation of the Sees of St. Louis, 
 Natchez, Mobile and others, was very large, and visitations 
 necessitated frequent and long absences. Vigilance and 
 prudence enabled Father Rouquette to keep up the pros- 
 perous and edifying conditions the good Bishop had worked 
 so hard to establish. 
 
 The Seventh Plenary Council of Baltimore had sug- 
 gested to Rome the advisability of raising New Orleans to 
 an Archdiocese, with Bishop Blanc as Metropolitan, as- 
 sisted by four Suffragans. This was done in 1850. The 
 new Archbishop had just organized all affairs in the 
 Archdiocese, when the General Council of 1854 was con- 
 vened in Rome. He then left for the Eternal City, and 
 was one of the few American Prelates present at the defi- 
 nition of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. He 
 was well pleased upon his return to find everything in 
 such good condition. During his administration churches 
 had multiplied from twenty-six to seventy-three and clergy- 
 men from twenty-seven to ninety-two. All else was par- 
 allel, and in the accomplishment of all this none was more 
 eager to spend himself for the Lord than Father Rou- 
 quette, and no small portion of the good effected was due 
 to his initiative and good management. Thus time went 
 on for fourteen years, during which Father Rouquette as
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 121 
 
 an earnest, zealous priest had been absorbed and happy 
 in his duties. 
 
 But the hour was near when the same Divine Voice 
 that had called him from the world to the Sanctuary, was 
 again to speak to his heart, and beckon him on further 
 and higher up the holy mount, following closely in the 
 footprints of the Master. 
 
 It came in the Spring of 1859, and long years after, 
 when in a reminiscent mood, Father Rouquette told a tried 
 friend how God had manifested to him his real vocation, 
 the life-work for which all previous events had been but 
 the preparation. It happened thus : 
 
 Father Rouquette was to say a Low Mass at the 
 Cathedral, and up to the moment of ascending the altar 
 steps, had no other thought than his usual devout prep- 
 aration to celebrate the sacred mysteries with due atten- 
 tion and fervor. 
 
 The day happened to be the first Sunday of Lent, 
 March 13; and the Gospel relates that "Jesus was led by 
 the spirit into the desert." 
 
 How often before had Adrien read those same words 
 unmoved. Yet, to-day, they seemed instinct with life, and 
 suggestive of so much beyond the simple text that they 
 fascinated him. He read them over, and on a sudden his 
 mind was illumined, his heart throbbed with emotion, 
 while his whole being seemed to go forth into a region 
 distant yet familiar. 
 
 He saw himself in the midst of his beloved Choctaws, 
 in a mission which he thought he had established in the
 
 122 LIFE OF THE ABBE KOUQUETTE, 
 
 very heart of the Choctaw hunting-grounds at the head 
 springs of Bayou Lacombe. He was standing in spirit at 
 the altar of a woodland chapel ready to celebrate the 
 Divine Mysteries, surrounded by his swarthy children of 
 the forest. He could hear the chanting of the woodland 
 choir, he could inhale the fragrance of the wild flowers 
 decking his rustic altar, and as a sweet sentiment of joy 
 and intense happiness pervaded his whole soul, a voice of 
 harmony divine spoke these words: "Come into the land 
 that I have shown thee and say to the dwellers thereof : 'I 
 will be your priest and you shall be my people.' ' In re- 
 sponse, there could only be an oblation complete, and un- 
 reserved as it was, almost ecstatic in its exultant jubila- 
 tion. 
 
 Then the scene faded, and the solemnity of the pres- 
 ent action came back to banish all other thoughts, and Fa- 
 ther Eouquette went on with the Mass, making heartfelt 
 acts of contrition for having allowed his mind to wander 
 from the august sacrifice. 
 
 At the Offertory he was again thrilled by the mes- 
 sage it conveyed, "and an assurance seemed given him that 
 God was really calling him to a new mission and would be 
 his support." This is what he read : u The Lord will over- 
 shadow thee with His shoulders, and under His wings 
 thou shalt trust." 
 
 He did not pause, but strove to concentrate all the 
 powers of his soul upon the more solemn part of the 
 Mass. Soon he held in his hands the very Body of the 
 Master, whom he loved with all the strength of his nature,
 
 123 
 
 and as be bowed an and reverently in adoration he 
 med i" bear: "Adrien, if tli<m l « . n • — i Me, go and feed 
 m\ little ones, \l\ nheep that are in the desert." And with 
 burning >-"iil he renewed lii- promise, telling Christ in a 
 tender colloquy all bis love, .ill his longing, aJI his thanks- 
 gh • 
 
 Once re th< d liturgy \\a- illnmined by divine 
 
 light to convey the last inspiration when he read in the 
 Post Commnnion : "Maj our partaking of Thj sacramental 
 
 flee, Lord, imparl to as strength to serve Thee in 
 iM-u Mrss of spirit." 
 
 The preceding emotion, now increased, caused the tears 
 in stream from the priest's eyes, and he was obliged to 
 pause before concluding the ll"!.\ Sacrifice, in order to 
 regain bis self posseBsion. 
 
 When he reached th< Vestry, the server, thinking 
 Father Rouquette was ill, approached and respectfully 
 asked if he could do anything t<> relieve him. The Father 
 thanked him, but said, no, he did not need assistance. 
 What be did want waa solitude and leisure to meditate 
 upon what had transpired ami to dwell upon the rues- 
 sage conveyed so Btrangely to bis soul. 
 
 The sen i< • - of the rest of the <lay were performed as 
 by a dreamer, as by one who has been dazed, and so he 
 was in truth dazzled by the bright light vouchsafed him 
 in the morning sacrifice. 
 
 He was not woi to tell his inmost thoughts, so this 
 new vocation was not manifested for some time. He 
 wished to mak< - bis second great election with God,
 
 124 LIFE OF THE ABBE KOUQUETTE, 
 
 and then he intended revealing the secret to the Arch- 
 bishop. 
 
 Of course he could not banish from his mind the 
 scene of the woodland chapel, and his Chahta children, and 
 -his day dreams added many a realistic detail of the life 
 to come. He could see the dancing sunshine shimmering 
 in glinting rays, as the visible grace of the Great Spirit 
 •descending upon the prostrate Indians, when at the close 
 of a Summer day, he gave them the Benediction of the 
 Blessed Sacrament, Or, he pictured himself administer- 
 ing the Sacraments to the poor untutored children of the 
 desert, and then such a longing would come over him 
 that he felt he could fly at once to embrace the labors 
 that so appealed to his soul. 
 
 Adrien Rouquette studied his own past life, and then 
 liow clear it all became in the light of this new-born grace. 
 Why it was all but a preparation for this mission to which 
 God was calling him, and his final resolve was taken, for 
 he felt that the time was ripe for its fulfilment. A few 
 days passed before Father Rouquette could summon the 
 courage to tell Archbishop Blanc, whom he loved as a 
 father, of his determination. He knew it would be a great 
 blow to the aged prelate. 
 
 At last he went and made known to him the call of 
 God, and he dwelt long upon the remote preparation God 
 had provided to fit him for an Apostolate among the Sav- 
 ages. 
 
 Archbishop Blanc did not wish to hear the project 
 • spoken of as a divine mission. It was, he said, nothing
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 125 
 
 but a day dream, and so he opposed it strongly. He could 
 not see the necessity. He tenderly loved the ardent priest, 
 and could not resign himself to the thought of losing him. 
 
 "Ah!" said he, "are there not savages enough in the 
 city, without going to seek for them in the forest? Ah ! my 
 dear Adrien, this is not what I have dreamed for you ! I 
 have loved you as my son, and now in my old age, you 
 would leave me ! Oh ! no, it can't be ! I cannot let you go !" 
 
 Adrien was deeply pained, his soul was in anguish, 
 torn by conflicting desires. He loved this kind and gentle 
 Superior, but he had given his promise to God. He told 
 the Archbishop that he would pray and reflect — and then 
 would return to tell him his decision. Adrien now felt 
 that in his perplexity the wise counsel of a friend was 
 needed, and he turned instinctively to one whose holiness 
 inspired implicit confidence. He wrote a full account of 
 all that had transpired to Monseigneur Odin, who from 
 Vicar Apostolic had become Bishop of Texas. The Bishop 
 answered at once and encouraged him to persevere in his 
 new vocation. "Continue, my son, to devote yourself to 
 your Indians, and God will bless you and your work." So. 
 great was Adrien's veneration for Monseigneur Odin that 
 an adverse decision from him would have probably 
 weighed down the rest. Bishop Odin had been a pupil 
 and later a companion of Mr. de Andreis and Bishop 
 ,Rosati. When the Congregation of the Missions was es- 
 tablished in the South, Mr. Odin evangelized the States of 
 Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. In the latter place he 
 labored so strenuously that he deserves to be called, "The. 
 Father of the Church in Texas."
 
 126 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 Adrien had seen the saintly apostle in 1841 as he 
 passed through New Orleans. He was literally in rags, 
 and the generous Bishop Blanc, knowing well it was be- 
 cause he gave everything to his flock, came to the assist- 
 ance of his poverty-stricken condition and renewed his 
 wardrobe, notwithstanding the holy man's supplications. 
 So impressed was Bishop Blanc with Mr. Odin's sanctity 
 and ability that he proposed him first as Coadjutor of 
 Detroit, and when he refused the honor, as Vicar Apostolic 
 of Texas. He became Bishop in 1842. 
 
 New Orleans was happy to receive him as Archbishop 
 Blanc's successor. He died at an advanced age in his 
 native town in France, and was honored by the following 
 eulogium : "Archbishop Odin was a martyr by merit, with- 
 out the glory of martyrdom!*' Such was the wise coun- 
 sellor chosen by Adrien to direct his decision, and once 
 Bishop Odin had approved his resolution, all other argu- 
 ments were excluded. Convinced that his work among 
 the Choctaws was awaiting him, he went again to Arch- 
 bishop Blanc and told him that hesitation was no longer 
 possible, he felt certain that God was calling him, and he 
 must obey. 
 
 Grieved as the Archbishop was, he had too much rev- 
 erence for divine inspiration to oppose its effects. Bless- 
 ing his spiritual son, he bade him go in God's name to un- 
 dertake the mission to which he felt himself called. 
 
 Adrien kissed the trembling hand just held over him 
 in Benediction, and silently and sadly left his presence to 
 depart for his new home.
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 A HEROIC PERIOD. 
 
 The Choctaws, or Chahta Indians, were the fortunate 
 people for whom Father Eouquette heard that special call 
 of God, that invitation to devote the best part of his life, 
 to spend himself in order to lead those children of the 
 forest to their Heavenly Father. 
 
 This tribe of savages had originally dwelt in the ter- 
 ritory between the Tombighee and the Mississippi Rivers. 
 They were more numerous than any other of the Southern 
 tribes, and powerful on account of their number. By na- 
 ture the Choctaw was brave, haughty and revengeful, ac- 
 tive in the chase and even in agricultural pursuits, but 
 cunning and deceit were traits too marked to allow the 
 whites or even their Indian neighbors, to place much con- 
 fidence in the words of a Chahta. In physical appearance 
 they were tall, raw-boned, and had the foreheads flattened 
 by the custom of binding bags of sand on the foreheads 
 of children. 
 
 As soon as Georgia and Alabama became well settled 
 the white race began that sad system of defrauding the 
 poor Indian of his land and home; till finally by a gen- 
 eral act of (one might say) confiscation, the greater part 
 of their territory was taken or exchanged, and the owners 
 transferred to Indian Territory. The Choctaws of Louis- 
 iana clung to that region in St. Tammany, where they had
 
 128 LIFE OF THE ABBE KOUQUETTE, 
 
 dwelt from time immemorial, and in like manner the At- 
 takapas remained in the Teche country. These latter 
 Indians were once cannibals, as their name signifies, mean- 
 ing, "man-eater." Of all the Southern tribes, none wove 
 baskets with the artistic taste of the Attakapas. 
 
 Like the Natchez Indians, the Choctaws held chief- 
 tainship by right of birth, but the descent was in the fe- 
 male line. For instance, the son of a chief could not suc- 
 ceed his father, the latter must be replaced by the son of 
 his sister or nearest female relative. 
 
 Most of these tribes worshipped the sun and called 
 their chief "the Great Sun," while to his council was given 
 the appellation of "Little Suns." Otherwise their relig- 
 ious ideas were vague and undefined. 
 
 This gives us a faint idea of the people for whom 
 Father Kouquette was to work and pray and whose deep- 
 est affection he was to win. 
 
 When the would-be missionary left Archbishop Blanc, 
 all was decided and he longed to depart at once, but the 
 Lenten services, Holy Week and all the Springtide festi- 
 vals, besides the arrangement of matters connected with 
 the diocese had all to be thought of, prepared and settled 
 before he would bid farewell to civilization. This kept him 
 in town till the close of August, though allowing a few 
 brief visits to Bayou Lacombe and the vicinity, to seek 
 the various chiefs and confer with them as to the most fa- 
 vorable localities for establishing missions. 
 
 At last on September 8th, under the auspices of Our 
 Blessed Lady's Nativity, Father Rouquette opened his
 
 POET-MISSIONAKY OF LOUISIANA. 129 
 
 first mission, gathering around him for the first time his 
 Chahta children at the Ravine des Cannes. This founda- 
 tion was placed under the patronage of his favorite Indian 
 Saint, the Blessed (or Venerable) Catherine Tegahwitha. 
 Few knew better than the missionary what superstitions 
 had to be uprooted, what soil had to be cultivated before 
 Christian virtues could be planted. Belief in the Divin- 
 ity, the wonderful truth of the Incarnation, reward and 
 punishment in the next world, were preliminaries, if one 
 dare so speak, to the culture of Christian peace, charity, 
 temperance and morality; the very points on which the 
 Indian character was fatally weak. Father Rouquette suc- 
 ceeded beyond his fondest hopes. If the vast congrega- 
 tions at the St. Louis Cathedral had seemed like some great 
 lyre whose strings the impassioned orator had swept with 
 a master hand, what shall be said of his influence over the 
 children of the forest, so much more powerful and virile! 
 
 What was the secret, the magic talisman by which 
 he moulded anew the hearts of this primitive race? He 
 became as St. Paul, "all things to all men," and he gained 
 all to Christ. He adopted the Indian dress and mode of 
 life except when appearing in his priestly character, for 
 then he always wore his black soutane, otherwise a casual 
 observer could hardly have recognized in him a white 
 man. 
 
 His long black hair, flowing upon his shoulders, his 
 strong, stern features, with an aquiline cast, his skin 
 bronzed by exposure to the weather, his tall muscular 
 form wrapped in a blanket, with bare feet and in the mild
 
 130 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 season wearing no covering on his head, he made a pic- 
 ture, once seen, never to be forgotten. There was a 
 spiritual expression on his countenance that reminded 
 one of a higher life, a nobler destiny, suggesting that 
 such might be the reflection of an angel's face. 
 
 Those early days of Father Rouquette's mission were 
 full of toil and hardship. Tradition for many years has 
 pointed out an old oak of giant dimensions which long 
 served the missionary as a place of shelter in its hollow 
 trunk. 
 
 Besides the station at the Ravine aux Cannes, half- 
 way between Mandeville and Bayou Lacombe he erected 
 a church at Hachunchuba, or Alligator Bayou, now 
 known as Kildara, or the Cabin of the Oak. Still an- 
 other was built with a dwelling nearby, on Bayou La- 
 combe, when the chapel of Buehuwa was destroyed. The 
 Bayou Lacombe mission Father Rouquette loved best of 
 all, calling it the "nook," and this spot he called home. 
 
 These were the fruits of the years 1859 to 1861, and 
 after-events proved that God had very abundantly blessed 
 the zealous priest's labors, for notwithstanding the ter- 
 rible devastation caused by the war, no sooner had the 
 dear "Black Robe" returned to the "nook" than his faithful 
 Indians flocked once more to join the shepherd's fold. 
 
 In 1861 Louisiana seceded from the Union and joined 
 the Confederacy under the Presidency of Jefferson Davis. 
 
 In New Orleans, from the beginning of hostilities, 
 business was put aside and all who could, and some who 
 should not, joined the army at Richmond. This left the
 
 OAK TREE. 
 
 ANOTHER TREE. 
 
 PINE TREKS.
 
 POET-MISSIONABY OF LOUISIANA. 131 
 
 city very few to defend it in the event of an attack. Only 
 in 1862 did the Federals threaten the Crescent City. Their 
 main object was to obtain possession of the waterway, and 
 cut off supplies from the Southerners. 
 
 On April 25th Farragut passed the forts and anchored 
 before the city. The authorities well knew that resistance 
 was useless, so employed the time before capitulation in 
 destroying the stores of cotton, sugar and molasses laid 
 up in the warehouses. 
 
 The cotton was set on fire, the sugar barrels burst 
 open and scattered broadcast, much of it burned with the 
 cotton, and the molasses was allowed to run into the gut- 
 ters. The only ones who enjoyed this state of affairs were 
 the little black pickaninnies, who revelled in the flood of 
 sweets. 
 
 Meanwhile the poor inhabitants were beside them- 
 selves for fear of a bombardment, which did not occur. 
 The troops withdrew from the city before the Federals 
 entered — and thus the conquest was peaceable. 
 
 Farragut's first order was to lower the Confederate 
 flag from public buildings and raise in its place the Stars 
 and Stripes. 
 
 May 1, 1862, General Butler was given command. 
 The news of his actions in New Orleans soon spread to 
 Baton Rouge, and when the gun-boats appeared before 
 that city, the people, alarmed lest they be treated as those 
 of New Orleans, hastily secreted their valuables. Many 
 a silver service lay hidden in the depths of a well till trou- 
 bled times were over.
 
 132 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 The Northern soldiers roved all around the environs 
 of New Orleans and helped themselves to horses and other 
 supplies, as required. This terrified the Indians, and they 
 fled far back into the swamps where they knew there was 
 not the slightest danger that the soldiers would follow. 
 They left their homes, their ungathered crops, all their 
 worldly possessions that could not be carried away in the 
 huge bundles with which they were laden. So the Choc- 
 taws decamped, leaving behind the smiling home of peace 
 and plenty to seek refuge in the swamp where the rattle- 
 snake lay hid and where the very atmosphere was poi- 
 soned by the miasma rising from stagnant water and de- 
 caying vegetable matter — a poison that soon penetrates 
 to the very marrow of the bone, and laid prostrate num- 
 berless victims. 
 
 Sickness, misery, deprivations were but beginning a 
 long and painful reign. 
 
 Fortunately there was one soul of heroic mould sent 
 by the Providence of God, to accompany, to protect, to 
 solace, to comfort the wanderers in their dreary exile. 
 Chahta-Ima, as the Indians called Father Eouquette, Avas 
 as a father in the midst of his children. He did every- 
 thing for them, even nursing with tenderest care those 
 stricken by illness, rendering the most menial services and 
 never seeming to be himself even capable of feeling fatigue 
 and suffering. The food was scant, the water impure, 
 clothing reduced to rags — making the camp an abode of 
 misery. 
 
 All through the parching heat of Summer, drenched
 
 POET-MISSIONABY OF LOUISIANA. 133 
 
 and chilled in the Fall and Winter storms and cold, the 
 indefatigable missionary went back and forth between the 
 city and the camp of his poor savages, carrying drugs, 
 pieces of cloth and the food he could manage to procure. 
 
 Many a hair-breadth escape he had in approaching 
 and leaving the enemies' lines. Once he was apprehended 
 as a spy, but succeeded in obtaining not only liberty for 
 himself but donations of food and medicine for his Indian 
 proteges. 
 
 Who can describe the weary journeys, the painful 
 vigils, in the midst of inclement weather, when, poorly 
 nourished and scantily clad, the heroic pastor struggled 
 on, mile after mile, through the rough canebrake and 
 thorny undergrowth of our Louisiana swamp, bearing the 
 heavy burden of articles for his afflicted children in the 
 swamp? This certainly testifies to great self-abnegation, 
 self-sacrifice and immolation in close imitation of the 
 Master, who said, "Greater love than this hath no man, 
 that he should lay down his life for his brethren." 
 
 But even the worst things come to an end in this 
 world, and after a long period of suffering, during which 
 Father Rouquette strained every nerve to keep his flock 
 together and to lay ever more deeply the foundation of 
 their religious belief and practice, the happy day at last 
 dawned when the war was over and he could gather his 
 Indians once more around him in the quiet, shadows of 
 the "Nook."
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 "They went forth sowing in tears, but they 
 returned reaping the harvest with joy." — Psalms. 
 
 Who would have thought, during the gloomy period 
 of 1862-63 and '64, which witnessed such dire distress 
 throughout the Southland, that so soon after the declara- 
 tion of peace the mission of the Choctaws would ex- 
 perience a wondrous resurrection! Yet so it was. Events 
 hastened on, and before even the good priest could realize 
 it he was again settled down in his humble little chapel 
 home, with his beloved Chahta children building their 
 own reed cabins near by the black-robe's dwelling, each 
 vying with his neighbor to supply the necessities of life 
 while he labored for the regeneration of their souls, and at 
 the same time lent them the protection of his position and 
 authority. 
 
 Perhaps during the entire period of his residence in 
 the Choctaw forest no more pleasing occurrence had 
 broken the monotony, if such existed, and surely bright- 
 ened Father Rouquette's life, than the visit of Father 
 Chocarne, the eminent Dominican, already made famous 
 by his able and charming life of the great Lacordaire. 
 
 A few words regarding this illustrious visitor to the 
 "Pays des Chactas" cannot be amiss, since he has con- 
 tributed in the following letter so true a picture of Adrien 
 Rouquette's mission.
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 135 
 
 Pierre Alphonse Chocarne was born at Dijon, April 
 4, 1826. His parents destined him for a commercial career, 
 but God designed a more glorious life-work, and he en- 
 tered the seminary and received minor orders. Lacordaire 
 came to Dijon and gave a series of conferences. The 
 young Abbe Chocarne was captivated by the marvellous 
 eloquence of the saintly Dominican, and entered the 
 Order's novitiate in Flavigny, October 7. 1849, taking the 
 name of Brother Bernard. 
 
 The next year he was ordained, and at the age of 
 twenty-nine became Superior of the monastery at 
 Toulouse, and later Master of Novices at St. Maximin. 
 In 1861, Lacordaire died and Father Chocarne undertook 
 as a work of love, to write the "Interior Life" of the great 
 orator. We know how well he succeeded and how wonder- 
 ful has been the effect of this work. Various troubles 
 caused Father Chocarne to resign the position of Prior in 
 Bordeaux, and, obtaining permission to visit America, he 
 sailed from Liverpool September 5, 1866. 
 
 America won his affection from the start, and, above 
 all else, he admired the liberty enjoyed by the Church. 
 Father Chocarne began at once the pleasing task of pre- 
 paring himself for pulpit oratory, and, had not prudent 
 friends intervened, was on the point of entering a very 
 heated field of debate. His whole heart, and talent were 
 aroused by the slavery question which, though now settled 
 by force of arms, still stirred up animosity on both sides. 
 Father Chocarne just longed to fling himself headlong into 
 the opposition party and preach with all the fervor of his
 
 136 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 French enthusiasm against an institution established for 
 the barter of human beings. Happily, the wisdom of his 
 counsellors prevailed and Father Chocarne relinquished 
 his plan. 
 
 Some months later found him in New Orleans, and he 
 had the good fortune to meet the Apostle of the Choctaws. 
 Here was a subject quite as interesting as the slave ques- 
 tion, and the Dominican never tired asking information 
 regarding the Indians. Father Rouquette invited him to 
 pay a visit to the savages in their forest home — a privilege 
 most cordially accepted. A letter sent to France describing 
 this visit tells the story so well that it would be a loss not 
 to give at least a good extract : 
 
 "I promised you an account of my visit to the home of 
 the Choctaw Indians, so to-day I come to redeem my word. 
 You remember my description of the passage across Lake 
 Pontchartrain, from New Orleans to Mandeville, which 
 nestled near the border of the lake with the neighboring 
 villas and charming Summer residences stretching along 
 the shore on either side. Then came the fury of a tropical 
 storm, succeeded by a magnificent sunset in the midst of 
 clouds of gold and fire seen beyond the giant trees in garbs 
 of green, now bathed in light and illumined, as it were, by 
 an immense Bengal flame that gave the sparkling and scin- 
 tillating raindrops, still trembling on the leaves, the as- 
 pect of a veritable shower of pearls and diamonds. This 
 was May 17th. The next day I left Mandeville for Bon- 
 fouca, accompanied by the priest, a former Italian Domin-
 
 POET-MISSIONABY OF LOUISIANA. 137 
 
 ican, set adrift by the troubles of his native land, and now 
 in charge of the three or four surrounding parishes. 
 
 "On Sunday I preached in the Church of Bonfouca, 
 and then pressed forward into the forest, into the region 
 where the Chahta Indians dwell. 
 
 "From Mandeville to Bonfouca requires about three 
 hours' drive in a carriage, and as one leaves the little town 
 by a grand avenue going straight into the woods, it is easy 
 to fancy oneself in some magnificent park. How I enjoyed 
 the pure perfumed air of the forest, and admired the mag- 
 nificence of Nature! At the end of this avenue the scene 
 changes. Then one enters a vault of Gothic arches, formed 
 by the tall pines whose shade gives a sense of solemn mys- 
 tery to the silent solitudes. There is no undergrowth to be 
 seen now, and no other fragrant odor than the healthful 
 resinous perfume which is exhaled by a silvery liquid 
 which exudes in large tears from the trunk of the tree. 
 One has a fine view, and can see far in the distance grazing 
 herds which the neighing of a horse will send galloping 
 away. These seem to be the sole inhabitants of this en- 
 chanting forest. We soon perceived that this was not the 
 case, for a savage was approaching, his gun on his shoul- 
 der, the hunting dogs preceding him, his feet bare, his body 
 unclothed except for a pair of short trousers, and a white 
 band on his forehead to prevent his long hair from blowing 
 over his face. He passed us without deigning to raise his 
 eyes, while I almost sent mine out of their sockets in my 
 endeavor to take in every detail of his form and figure. This 
 was my first glimpse of a bona fide Indian. In this prim- 
 itive attire, with a step firm and proud, with a wild free-
 
 138 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 dom expressed in every movement, beneath the shades of 
 the lofty pines, a place which seemed his own domain, he 
 bore no resemblance to the Indians I had seen in the city, 
 squatting on the pavement of the old French Market, ex- 
 hibiting their wares for sale. These wore a sad, timid, em- 
 barrassed expression as though they felt themselves out of 
 their sphere. Before noon we arrived at Bonfouca. 'And 
 what is Bonfouca?' you may ask. 'Is it a village?' No, it 
 is simply a church, a charming little wooden structure on 
 the border of the Bayou, and just beside the church is a 
 tiny house for the priest, surrounded by a garden, and fur- 
 ther on, as a background, the great forest. 
 
 "Then we dined, and I had the pleasure of a little 
 excursion up the Bayou in a pirogue. It was delightful! 
 My two oarsmen sent the little boat swiftly and silently 
 amidst the white and yellow blossoms which open at dawn 
 and close their sleepy eyes as the sun goes down. From 
 time to time an alligator raised his ugly head above the 
 water, showing a double row of vicious-looking teeth, and 
 then plunged to the bottom when he perceived our prox- 
 imity. 
 
 "Along the banks of the Bayou, separated from one 
 another, at a considerable distance by vast fields of cane 
 and Indian corn, by forests of great oaks and other trees, 
 are the dwellings of the planters. From time to time a 
 white sail brought toward us a little fishing smack en- 
 route for the great city. 
 
 "We spent thus two hours in the midst of these wild 
 and picturesque scenes. Then I landed and pushed for- 
 ward, alone, into the interior. There was no sound of hu-
 
 POET-MISSIONABY OF LOUISIANA. 139 
 
 man voice, no sign of rural labors. I seemed to be in a 
 solitary forest where man had never before penetratd. 
 Birds of a thousand colors, every shade and hue, of red, 
 blue, brown and yellow, looked at me with an air of sur- 
 prise, but with so little fear that I could almost touch 
 them ere they stirred. How naturally does the soul rise to 
 God when one is thus alone in the presence of the wonders 
 of His creation! I stopped once to admire a giant oak 
 whose foliage measured full 200 feet in diameter, while its 
 hollow trunk could have sheltered an entire family. Then 
 I wended my way back and, entering my canoe, returned 
 to Bonfouca. 
 
 "The next day was Sunday, and a festival for the 
 church of Bonfouca. How different was the aspect! 
 Crowds came from the vicinity apparently so desert-like. 
 All ranks of society were ithere assembled, white and 
 black and yet I missed the very people I had come to seek, 
 the dear savages. They simply will not mingle with the 
 whites, not from timidity, but from native pride. Not so 
 the negro. He wishes nothing better than appearing in 
 company with his erstwhile master, but his presence is not 
 accepted socially, while the Indian refuses all invitations 
 to sociable intercourse. To see the Indian, therefore, I 
 had to go to the very heart of the forest. 
 
 "Early Monday morning I began an excursion in 
 search of my friend, the Abbe Rouquette, the Apostle of 
 the Choctaws in Louisiana. I had made his acquaintance 
 in New Orleans, and he was awaiting my arrival at his 
 hermitage in order to present me to his parishioners.
 
 140 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 "What an excellent man! What a good and noble 
 heart has Adrien Rouquette. He is a Creole of Louisiana, 
 belonging to one of the oldest families of New Orleans. 
 He made most of his studies in France and possesses a 
 cultivated mind, an elevated intellect, a generous soul 
 filled with the double love of his God and his country. As 
 a priest, his burning eloquence drew the entire population 
 of New Orleans, and as a renowned orator his reputation 
 was widespread and well merited. Archbishop Blanc, 
 predecessor of Archbishop Odin, made Father Rouquette 
 his Vicar-General, and even dreamed of a still more ex- 
 alted dignity for his favorite, when a decided vocation for 
 solitude and a special attraction to devote himself to the 
 conversion of the Indians, made him a recluse and a true 
 missionary. He knew the language of the Choctaws and 
 he went to dwell in their midst, built a church and gave 
 his time to their instruction. 
 
 "The beginnings were painful, for the Indian does 
 not yield readily. To his native pride is joined a want of 
 confidence in the white race, unfortunately well-founded 
 in many instances. At first the savages regarded Father 
 Rouquette as a government spy, so they watched his every 
 movement, placed no reliance in his promises and waited 
 proofs in actions, more persuasive than words. Later, 
 when his entire devotedness showed how worthy he was 
 of their affection and reverence, they themselves told him 
 of the mysterious, hidden vigilance with which they had 
 guarded his every movement at all times. 'When you 
 wandered alone in the depths of the forest,' they said,
 
 POET-MISSIONAEY OF LOUISIANA. 141 
 
 'reading in your book of prayers ; or when, retired to some 
 hidden nook on the bayou for a bath in the deep still wa- 
 ters, our eye was ever upon you, we never for an instant 
 lost sight of you, either day or night.' Alone or in public 
 the Indians found the Black Robe the same, the priest of 
 God, and they gave him their respect and veneration. 
 And now, how he loves his Chahta children, and how, in 
 turn, he is beloved by them ! He knew that it was a festa 
 for me to visit his mission, so he rejoiced almost as much 
 as I did. But now, let me return to my departure from 
 Bonfouca. The good priest gave me his carriage, secured 
 a guide, and I started for Bayou Lacombe, where my dear 
 Abbe Rouquette had his dwelling. About an hour's drive 
 through the pine forest brought me to the Bayou. I then 
 sent back the carriage and guide, and crossing the rather 
 wide stream in a pirogue, took a beaten path that seemed 
 to invite me to unknown solitudes. A walk of ten minutes 
 showed me the hermitage, and before I could realize it, the 
 'Black Robe,' with a cordial welcome, was almost re' 
 proaching me for having so long delayed my visit. 
 
 "The term Black Robe is not a mere figure of speech 
 here for the 'Father of the Chahtas' or 'Chahta-Ima,' al- 
 ways wears the long black soutane when in the midst of 
 the savages. 
 
 "Adrien Rouquette is a tall, well-made man, his long 
 black hair falls in ringlets on his shoulders, framing a 
 countenance sweet, gentle, and noble. Large, brilliant, 
 keen dark eyes illumine features at once fine and distin- 
 guished, responding quickly with keenest sympathy. He
 
 142 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 is one of those figures so appealing to an artist where every 
 emotion, every expression lives, speaks and attracts. Such 
 is my dear Abbe Rouquette, whom I love with all my 
 heart. 
 
 "And what shall I say of the hermitage? You would 
 have to see it to form an idea. There is nothing borrowed, 
 no attempt to seek the picturesque, nothing grandiose. 
 All of its poetry is in the simplicity and poverty of the 
 little wooden chapel surrounded by the charm of solitude, 
 in this magnificent forest. This is not the first chapel 
 that Father Rouquette built in the midst of an Indian 
 village. The war came, dispersed the Choctaws, burnt 
 their wigwams and confiscated their crops and herds. One 
 little church still exists, but, empty robbed of all it con- 
 tained, and now stands a desolate ruin. 
 
 "At the close of the war the Indians came hither and 
 grouped their dwellings about the Black Robe's home, 
 knowing that near him they will have protection, assist- 
 ance and the affectionate care of a father. 
 
 "The home of Father Rouquette, which serves also as 
 a chapel, is a sort of chalet in wood, a square building 
 surrounded by a gallery. The chapel occupies the main 
 part of the first floor and the gallery serves as a sort of 
 vestibule. The chapel is adorned with engravings, por- 
 traits of hermits, Dominican saints, among whom is St. 
 Rose, for Father Rouquette is tenderly attached to the 
 Order of St. Dominic. He even offered himself once to 
 Father Lacordiare to enter our Order, with the intention 
 of bringing a branch of the old tree to plant in the soil of
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 143 
 
 Louisiana. But Father Lacordaire thought the plan pre- 
 mature, and while dissuading him from its accomplish- 
 ment, encouraged him to persevere in the life of devoted- 
 ness he had undertaken for the Indians. Which he did, 
 and now I, a son of Father Lacordaire, have been priv- 
 ileged to visit the mission. 
 
 "The semi-twilight, the silence, the solitude, all, dis- 
 pose the soul for prayer and render the presence of God 
 sensible. But mid-day came, and my morning excursion 
 had whetted my appetite. But, Oh ! how my illusions van- 
 ished! Instead of the hermit's meal of cold water, nuts 
 and dried figs, under the shade of a tree, I found a table 
 laden with all the delicacies of civilization. What fairy 
 wand had created this feast worthy of a prince? It was 
 all explained when the good Abbe introduced to me his 
 brother, Mr. Felix Kouquette, who lives near by, and who, 
 hospitable and generous, as are all these Creole planters, 
 had ordered the repast for his brother's guest. But I was 
 impatient to be off to visit the Indians, and my host en- 
 joyed the fervor of my anticipation. After dinner he took 
 his stick and we set out. Now, there are no paths to be- 
 tray the presence of the Indians' wigwams, so to me we 
 seemed to wander aimlessly. Soon the bark of a dog an- 
 nounced that we were perceived, and in a few moments 
 we reached a fence, enclosing, here a garden, there a pas- 
 ture. Three Choctaw women were seated on the ground. 
 They did not rise, scarcely deigned to look up, and con- 
 tinued their work. My presence intimidated them, and it 
 was in vain that the Abbe tried to draw them into conver-
 
 144 LIFE OF THE ABBE KOUQUETTE, 
 
 sation. The elder woman, evidently the mother, was 
 making a scarlet garment, one of her daughters was weav- 
 ing a basket, the other was parching coffee. The Mongol 
 type is readily recognized. The Choctaw has the slightly 
 flattened nose, the almond shaped eye, and the thick lips, 
 while the color is a copper red. 
 
 '" Father Rouquette said a few words in Choctaw re- 
 garding my presence, and they asked if I came from beyond 
 the great lake, raising for an instant their large timid 
 eyes to look at me, then bending them at once upon their 
 work. The men were away hunting, and the women were 
 sorry not to have some game to offer their Father on the 
 occasion of this visit of the white man. 
 
 "Near by was the cone-shaped wigwam made of cane 
 reed and branches. Within were hung the arms and uten- 
 sils, the guns and hunting kives were all modern. I looked 
 in vain for bows and arrows, tomahawks and feather dec- 
 orations. On the ground were mats and blankets. This 
 was all. Near the cabin was a little fire with a kettle hung 
 over it, and further away a few chickens and the dog com- 
 pleted the inventory of this humble home. 
 
 "They envy us not, ask nothing of us but the liberty 
 to live after their own customs, with the forest for their 
 hunting grounds, the solitude — their independence. The 
 Choctaw has preserved many natural good qualities ; aside 
 from love of drink, which he has learned from the whites, 
 he is sober, of pure morals, hospitable and generous. He 
 is happier in giving than in receiving. 
 
 "Every violation of morals is severely punished, and
 
 POET-MISSIONAKY OF LOUISIANA. 145 
 
 now rarely occurs. One of the principal punishments is 
 to cut the hair, which is for both men and women a public 
 dishonor and humiliation. 
 
 "When we reached home, we found two young Choc- 
 taws leaning on their guns, waiting to offer a large turtle 
 and four squirrels. The dress of these men was similar to 
 the one seen in the forest the previous day, except that 
 these wore a sort of white tunic. These men were short in 
 stature, well formed, with broad shoulders and well- 
 developed muscles. Their skin was a dark bronze. They 
 were really splendid types of energy and savage pride. 
 
 "They received us with a smile, seemed happy to hear 
 our exclamations of welcome, then they received some 
 remnants left from our dinner and departed well satisfied. 
 As the shadows of the night began to close in around us, 
 Father Rouquette conducted me to my cell, a tiny cabin 
 five or six feet square, with a little couch, a mosquito bar, 
 a table and a chair. In all my life I never spent such a 
 happy night, I saw the shadow of the trees draw closer 
 and closer their curtains of darkness, then I could no 
 longer distinguish their variety, and soon the fireflies 
 began their dazzling dance above and all around my little 
 dwelling. The heavens were unclouded, a light breeze 
 freshened the atmosphere, and, playing in the branches of 
 the trees, produced a sweet and yet fantastic harmony. 
 
 "My enthusiasm is difficult to arouse, but that night I 
 became a poet, I think, as I walked back and forth, ine- 
 briated by the enchantment of the solitude. I spoke to 
 God in the depths of my soul, I sang in a low voice hymns
 
 146 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 of love and praise and gratitude, I prayed to the Virgin 
 Mother and to all the saints in Paradise. I prayed for 
 all, for France, my mother, my brother, my sister, my 
 brothers in religion, my friends beyond the seas — for 
 America, for the Indians, in a word for all. 
 
 "Next morning I rose early, said my Mass, and telling 
 my good Abbe Rouquette how happy and grateful I was 
 for his cordial hospitality, I turned my steps again — to- 
 ward the haunts of civilization." 
 
 No words could better describe the mission of Father 
 Rouquette than this letter of Father Chocarne. It shows 
 in a most vivid pen-picture the work accomplished, both 
 before and after the war, and may we not add, during the 
 war — a work so enduring that the exile, privations and 
 sufferings of those years of strife had obliterated none of 
 the teachings, none of the truths of Faith from the poor 
 Indians' souls. Christ's message to these children of the 
 forest had been heard as well amidst the cannons' roar and 
 the thunder of the battle as in the days of peace and pros- 
 perity; and once the struggle was over, the Master's voice 
 was heard : "Arise, my beloved, the Winter is past and the 
 rains are over." And they responded to His invitation 
 and clustered once more around Christ's representative to 
 hear the word of eternal life. 
 
 "One of the Abbe's beloved nooks was a noble tree — it 
 can be found to-day within a few miles of Chinchuba. 
 Here he loved to meditate, here he prayed not only for his 
 Indian friends, but also for his country, as expressed in his
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 147 
 
 own beautiful words: 'Aimer l'Eglise, c'est aimer la 
 patre, et aimer la patrie, c'est la servir par la priere.' 
 
 "His chapels were always built under or near some 
 glorious oak, several of them over abandoned Indian log- 
 cabins then a hundred years old, built by the Choctaws 
 before they had seen a white man's face. They are all gone 
 now but one! It stands on the grounds of the Deaf-Mute 
 Institution at Chinchuba — a silent companion of the dear 
 ones there whose lives are as noiseless as this loved relic 
 of the poet-priest. 
 
 "The love of solitude seems to have been an inborn 
 need of his soul — but its inspiration was his love of God. 
 The beautiful forests of Louisiana reflected the beauty of 
 their Creator, and within their gloom and glory he felt 
 near to heaven and its King.
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 HOME FOR GOOD. 
 
 Even the best, even the holiest, even the most heroic 
 persons — even those which in our poor human judgment, 
 God should leave here on earth much longer to continue 
 the great work they are doing for the Church, for the salva- 
 tion of souls — must one day close their tired eyes upon 
 this world's scene of action, to open them for the eternal 
 contemplation of their reward exceeding great. 
 
 Sometimes the volume of a life is ended but is not 
 finished. That soul may cry: "Pater, in niamis tuns com- 
 mendum spiritum mewml" but it cannot say: "Consum- 
 matum est., Father, I have finished the work Thou gavest 
 me." Could not Adrien Rouquette claim this privilege at 
 the close of his long career? 
 
 For twenty-eight long years, in hardships and labor, 
 he had devoted himself untiringly to the Chahta Indians — 
 and so great was his influence, so profound the respect he 
 inspired, so unbounded the confidence he won, that long 
 before he saw the period of his exile on earth near its end, 
 it was well night impossible to find a savage unbaptized, 
 uninstructed, who did not proudly proclaim allegiance to 
 the faith of Chahta-Ima, as the Indians loved to call their 
 Black Robe Father. 
 
 Toward the beginning of the '80s two ladies of New 
 Orleans were spending the Summer in Mandeville, and
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 149 
 
 enjoyed nothing more than a drive into the country 
 around, especially in those regions evangelized by the 
 saintly missionary, Father Rouquette. 
 
 Civilization was creeping apace and extending the hab- 
 itations of the paleface ever deeper into the section so long- 
 in possession of the Choctaws. These withdrew further 
 back into the forest, and with the exception of the few 
 Indians who still frequented the French Market in New 
 Orleans, one might drive many miles without meeting a 
 savage. 
 
 Father Rouquette was well known by reputation to 
 these ladies, and they had seen him occasionally as he 
 came in regularly to the Archbishop for confession, even 
 as the humblest of his flock ; and then to gladden the hearts 
 of old friends, none of whom welcomed him with more 
 genuine pleasure than Archbishop Blanc, and later his 
 worthy and holy successor, Archbishop Odin. 
 
 On these occasions the missionary remained over 
 night and early in the morning said his Mass most de- 
 voutedly at a side altar of St. Mary's Church. His was 
 an imposing figure, once seen, never to be forgotten, and 
 the impression made always left a desire to know more of 
 the missionary, about whom such wondrous histories were 
 told. One evening the ladies left the little town of Mande- 
 ville for a long drive which would take them to the imme- 
 diate vicinity of one of Father Rouquette's woodland 
 chapels. When quite near the place they met an Indian 
 woman carrying an infant. The carriage was stopped, and 
 though the woman seemed timid and reserved, when the 
 ladies beckoned to her she approached and showed them
 
 150 LIFE OF THE ABBE KOUQUETTE, 
 
 her little child. They tried to interrogate her, but soon 
 perceived that she understood neither French nor Eng- 
 lish. Then they endeavored by signs to find out whether 
 the infant had received baptism. This, too, seemed in- 
 effectual till one of the ladies mentioned the name of Fa- 
 ther Eouquette. At once her face was illumined, a flash 
 of comprehension was followed by expressions of joy and 
 reverence, and repeating the name, "Eouquette, Eou- 
 quette, Chahta-Ima!" she explained by gestures that her 
 little one had received baptism from the venerable Father, 
 and was now a child of God. 
 
 How often during the twenty-eight years of his apos- 
 tolate had not Father Eouquette realized his vision at the 
 altar, that foresight, as it were, of the future, when with 
 uplifted monstrance he gave the Savior's Benediction to 
 the kneeling Indians amidst a scene of sunset glory which 
 cast a halo round the hallowed spot. He had truly made 
 himself one with his people and gained them all to Christ. 
 
 One reason why Father Eouquette chose the "Nook" 
 as the rallying place for the Choctaws after the war, was 
 because from time immemorial the spot had been sacred to 
 the Chahta dead. One of their old pagan rites had been 
 to assemble there yearly to render homage to their an- 
 cestors. 
 
 From far and near the Indians came, even from 
 Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi, as well as from the 
 most remote sections of Louisiana, and far from discour- 
 aging this remnant of paganism, with the instinct born of 
 loyalty to Mother Church, and in imitation of her own 
 deeds in pagan Eome, the zealous missionary saw therein
 
 POET-MISSIONAEY OF LOUISIANA. 151 
 
 a means of apostolate. He Christianized the pagan rite, 
 converting it into another day of All Souls. 
 
 Father Rouquette was sure to be at the place so dear 
 to the different tribes, ready to welcome the weary pil- 
 grims, and while pouring the balm of earthly consolation 
 upon their bruised feet and fevered bodies, and distribut- 
 ing food to the famished multitude, he was no less solici- 
 tous by winning their love and reverence to lead them to 
 their Heavenly Father. So when the wanderers returned 
 to their homes far away they bore with them the seed of 
 Faith — a knowledge of the teachings of Christ, and, often 
 a great desire to become worthy children of the great 
 Spirit whose minister and representative was the White 
 Father, the Black Eobe — Chahta-Ima. 
 
 Thus the tiny mustard seed grew into the large and 
 spreading tree. 
 
 And right here, after considering the mighty work 
 in the Master's vineyard accomplished so lovingly by this 
 heroic laborer, let us pause and look forward a quarter 
 of a century. Could the shade of Father Chocarne return 
 to the land of the Choctaws ; could the spirit of the gen- 
 erous and devoted missionary return with him to contem- 
 plate the once loved scene of a great life-work, what 
 would they say? It is not given us to know the whys and 
 wherefores of God's designs in man's regard, and the "Im- 
 itation of Christ" warns us not to inquire curiously into 
 the plans of Divine Providence. Still we are not forbid- 
 den to see the course of events allowed by God, and there- 
 from derive spiritual profit.
 
 152 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 Where are the numerous tribes of Indians evangelized 
 by Father Eouquette? Vanished as the mist before the 
 sun, as the mark in the water left by the keel of a boat, as 
 the passage in the air cleft by the wing of a bird. 
 
 The Indians intermarried with the negro race, and 
 sought new homes at a distance; and now it is well nigh 
 impossible to find a full-blooded Choctaw in the old forest 
 homes of Louisiana. 
 
 It is but a repetition of the same old story, heard long 
 ago in the North, East and West. The Indian must dis- 
 appear from the land he once called his own and give 
 place to the onward march of progress following the wake 
 of the paleface invasion. It all enters into the domain of 
 the Divine Omniscience. 
 
 As Father, or rather as Canon Sheehan says in his 
 "Parerga": "The social body is moved ahead along the 
 wheels of suffering — every great forward movement in 
 human history has been preluded by conquest. The path 
 of progress is the path of pain. Bleached bones and 
 broken hearts, mark every inch of its way. 
 
 How each tiniest item of creation works outward 
 and upward, subserving some higher species. It is the 
 altruism of nature, the desgn of making all things co- 
 operate in one single plan, each working for some higher 
 existence than its own and subserving some higher and 
 hidden purpose beyond its ken." 
 
 It is a beautiful picture to contemplate, this giving 
 of Christ's message to the last members of a race about to 
 disappear, to vanish, from their cherished hunting-
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 153 
 
 grounds, but as they go to bear upon their brow the shin- 
 ing Cross of regeneration. And to whom was the glorious 
 work confided? To Adrien Rouquette, another son of the 
 same soil, who had heard the Master's invitation "Follow 
 Me," and had responded with all the generosity of his 
 burning zeal : "Master, lead on, and I will follow Thee, to 
 the last gasp, in faith and loyalty !" 
 
 And he never swerved from the path traced for his 
 priestly mission all during those years from 1859 to 1886. 
 Even then he strove to revive by spiritual means the vigor 
 of departed youth — and his people grew to think he was 
 of some superior mould not subject to old age, decay and 
 dissolution. But he had borne the burden and the heat of 
 the day and he felt the chill of life's twilight numb the 
 energies that had cleft asunder apparently adamantine 
 difficulties. The fire of his ardent nature had moulded 
 great designs, but now its heat was cooled into a quiet 
 and tranquil peace, which left only one boon to desire — 
 unending union with the great, the absorbing love of his 
 consecrated heart — a love that could only be satisfied 
 when his happy soul could seek its center — could see its 
 God face to face and know that henceforth there should 
 be no parting. 
 
 Adrien felt that his work was drawing to a close, 
 that the shadows of eventide would soon give place to night 
 and then Oh! glory of the elect! then would be born the 
 dawn of that perfect endless day we call Heaven. 
 
 But he did not wait the summons in idleness, know- 
 ing that his task was done. No, he wished the Master of
 
 154 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 the harvest to call while the garnered sheaf was still 
 within his hands. 
 
 At last the time arrived. In 1886, Adrien became very 
 ill, and kind friends were obliged to insist that he permit 
 them to take him to New Orleans, so that the good Sisters 
 of Charity at the Hotel Dieu might do all that human 
 skill can devise to keep on earth a soul homesick for 
 Heaven. They strove by every means within their reach 
 to stay the progress of the malady and succeeded for some 
 time in checking its ravages, but with the opening of 1887 
 all hope was withdrawn. The celestial citizens were 
 claiming their companion and the poor Indians were to 
 be deprived of their Father, Chahta-Ima. Never more 
 was he to visit their humble huts, making them sanctuaries 
 of Divine consolation as he ministered to the sick, the dy- 
 ing, the mourner, or the new-born child. Never again 
 was his revered form to appear at the altar, the inter- 
 mediary between them and their God. Never again was 
 his dear hand to be raised in benediction over his children 
 of the forest. 
 
 His hour had come and science, art, love and prayer, 
 all alike, were ineffectual. The Lord will have His way, 
 and on July 15, 1887, fortified by all the helps of Holy 
 Mother Church, Adrien Rouquette's soul took its flight 
 for the Father's Home to reap the reward of his long and 
 holy life and labors. 
 
 All during his long illness the Indians had eagerly 
 gleaned every item of information concerning their Black 
 (Robe's conditions and now the sad intelligence is given
 
 POET-MISSIONAEY OF LOUISIANA. 155 
 
 them that all is over. Their stoicism vanishes before their 
 child-like sorrow, and overcoming their natural timidity 
 and reluctance to mingle with the whites, they forget all 
 else except that Chahta-Ima is dead, and that they must 
 pay him the last tribute of their love and gratitude. They 
 leave the forest solitudes and walk many a weary mile to 
 mourn beside the bier of their Father. It was all just 
 as he himself would have arranged it, and as his simple, 
 humble children of the forest laid their wreaths of wood- 
 land vine and flowers upon his grave, his spirit in Heaven 
 must have looked down in tenderness and pity and sent 
 earthward one more benediction upon the people whom 
 he had loved so well. 
 
 Poet of purity! Singer of God! 
 Thy deeds are not hidden beneath the green sod. 
 In the annals of earth they will ever more shine, 
 •And a place in the glory of heaven is thine. 
 
 S. B. E.
 
 POEMS. 
 
 It is not without a profound reason that one speaks 
 of "the Republic of Letters," and it is with equal wisdom 
 that Plato wished to banish from his Republic all impious 
 poets, because a Republic and true Liberty live by Re- 
 ligion and virtue. Poets should be sacred singers, patriotic 
 hymnists. 
 
 Considering poetry from this high point of view, 
 which gives us a correct idea of its social mission, I have 
 used all the talent which God gave me to glorify His name 
 and to serve my country, to make vice hateful and virtue 
 lovable. 
 
 There is no glory where virtue is absent. 
 
 A. R. 
 
 We insert a few of Abbe Rouquette's poems in English 
 and French. The two English ones are not translations. 
 
 POEMS WRITTEN IN ENGLISH BY ABBE ROUQUETTE. 
 
 NATURE, MY MOTHER. 
 
 O Nature, powerful, smiling, calm, 
 
 To my unquiet heart, 
 Thy peace distilling as a balm, 
 
 Thy mighty life impart.
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 157 
 
 Nature, Mother, still the same, 
 So lovely, mild with me, 
 
 To live in peace unsung by fame, 
 Unchanged I come to thee; 
 
 1 come to live, as saints have lived, 
 I fly where they have fled, 
 
 By men unholy never grieved, 
 In prayer my tears to shed. 
 
 Alone with thee, from cities far, 
 
 Dissolved each earthly tie; 
 By some divine magnetic star 
 
 Attracted still on high. 
 
 Oh, that my heart inhaling love 
 
 And life with ecstacy, 
 From this low world to worlds above 
 
 Might rise exultingly! 
 
 THE WILD LILY AND THE PASSION FLOWEK. 
 
 Sweet flower of light, 
 
 The queen of solitude, 
 The image bright 
 
 Of grace-born maidenhood.
 
 158 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 Thou risest tall 
 
 Midst struggling weeds that droop. 
 Thy lieges all, 
 
 Most humbly bow and stoop! 
 
 Hail, Passion Flower! 
 
 So solemn, awful, sad! 
 I feel thy power, 
 
 O King, in purple clad! 
 
 To heart of mine 
 Thou art the emblem dear, 
 
 Of woes divine, — 
 
 The Flower I most revere! 
 
 The lily white, 
 
 The purple passion flower, 
 Symbol Mount Thabor bright, 
 
 The gloomy Olive bower! 
 
 Such is our life, 
 
 Alternate joys and woes ; 
 
 Short peace, long strife, 
 Few friends and many foes. 
 
 My heart, away 
 
 With wailings here below; 
 The Royal way 
 
 To realms above — is woe!
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 159 
 
 PATRIOTIC POEM. 
 
 L'Amerique, oh! l'Amerique, 
 'C'est le pays du printemps ; 
 C'est le sejour poetique 
 De tous les enchantements ! 
 
 C'est l'Eden de la jeunesse! — 
 
 Sur le deuil du souvenir, 
 II faut que tout j renaisse! — 
 
 C'est l'Eden de l'Avenir 
 
 La Republique sera benie 
 
 Malgre la haine des potentats ; 
 Et par l'Union et l'harmonie 
 
 Grandiront les trente — trois Etats. 
 
 Amerique, O ma patrie, 
 
 Dans ce grand sieele agite, 
 N'est tu pas l'Arche cherie 
 
 Ouverte a l'humanite? 
 
 N'offres-tu pas tes savanes 
 
 Tes forets et tes vallons, 
 Aux nombreuses caravanes 
 
 De toutes les nations? 
 
 N'as tu pas des champs fertiles, 
 
 Entre tes deux oceans, 
 Pour servir toujours d'asiles 
 
 A cent peuples d'emigrants?
 
 160 LIFE OF THE ABBE BOUQUETTE, 
 
 Au progres, a la science, 
 Ouvre tes bras maternels ; 
 
 A Fame, a la conscience, 
 
 Rends tous ses droits eternels ! 
 
 Sous ta celeste banniere, 
 
 Abrite la Liberte, 
 Et sois FArche hospitaliere 
 
 De toute Phumanite! 
 
 TRIBUTE TO ORESTES A. BROWNSON. 
 
 Oui, je comprends, Brownson, ta haute intelligence 
 Repandant sur nous tous sa feconde effulgence, 
 Je comprends ta Revue, immense mine d'or 
 Riche Californie, indigene tresor, 
 Arsenal litteraire, ou nous trouvons des armes 
 Pour vaincre et terrasser Perreur pleine d'alarmes. 
 
 TO FATHER HECKER. 
 
 Je te comprends, Hecker, avec tes compagnons 
 De la cause Eternelle eloquents champions, 
 Apotres du Pays, heroiques Paulistes, 
 De notre Republique ardents Evangelistes, 
 Vous que le ciel destine a porter de grande coups, 
 Je vous aime et salue, et je suis avec vous.
 
 POET-MISSIONABY OF LOUISIANA. 161 
 
 This poein might have been written to-day. It is the 
 report of the Demon who watches over cities to his infernal 
 Chief — Satan — written fifty years ago. 
 
 LE DEMON DE LA CITE. 
 
 En voulant rendre a tous la piete facile, 
 J'ai tenue ce discours a la foule imbecile:— 
 II faut interpreter Pesprit de l'Evangile 
 Selon les temps, les lieux, la nature fragile. 
 L'homme doit craindre en tout l'exageration ; 
 II doit craindre Pexces de la perfection, 
 L'exces dans la pudeur et dans la temperance; 
 Le moindre poids de trop fait pencher la balance! 
 
 Le point d'arret pour lui, c'est le juste-milieu, 
 En sagesse il ne faut le trop, ni le trop peu 
 Croyez moi, le chemin, pour arriver aux cieux, 
 Le chemin le plus sur, c'est le plus spacieux ! 
 
 Et vous, vierges, suivez en tout les autres f emmes ; 
 Pour plaire et reussir, soyez des grandes dames ; 
 Cubliez a jamais les lecons du Couvent, 
 Et reines de la mode, en avant! en avant! 
 Sans honte, revetez la nudite mondaine 
 Laissez la pruderie a la dame puritaine, 
 Le chemin le plus droit, pour vous, en verite, 
 C'est le chemin suivi par la majorite. 
 Si le peuple est le inaltre, abrogeant toutes lois, 
 Nul n'etant asservi, vous serez tous des rois. 
 Le sexe tres-devot, les vierges et matrones,
 
 162 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 Pour varier le cour des plaisirs monotones, 
 Savent comment passer du theatre au saint-lieu 
 Et de la table sainte a la table de jeu ! . . . . 
 Oui, du trone a l'autel, de la tombe au berceau 
 Tout est enveloppe de notre froid reseau ! 
 De la societe nous rongeons les entrailles ; 
 Le Christ verra bientot ses grandes funerailles, 
 Et le monde, soumis au culte des Demons, 
 N'aura dans l'avenir que la foi des Mormons! 
 L'interet, sans amour, forme et dissout les noeuds ; 
 Et le lit nuptial n'est qu'un sepulcre affreux ! 
 
 LA POESXE EST SAINTE! 
 
 La Muse de l'autel peut s'approcher sans crainte; 
 
 Le Barde, apres le pretre, est roi dans le saint lieu ; 
 
 La langue de David, c'est la langue de Dieu! — 
 
 La poesie est sainte! et 1'Eglise inspiree 
 
 N'a jamais recuse cette langue saeree, 
 
 Avec Tencens, les fleurs, et les presents divers, 
 
 Le poet fidele a droit d'offrir ces vers! 
 
 Oui, l'Elglise a toujours accueilli d'un sourire 
 
 Le fils de Pharmonie incline sur sa lyre! 
 
 Et quand tout s'en allait, croulant de toutes parts, 
 
 L'Eglise, au sein des flots, fut l'Arche des Beaux-Arts! 
 
 On le sait, aujourd 'hui, c'est elle au Moyen-Age 
 
 Qui, riche de tresors, les sauva du naufrage. 
 
 Lorsque la nuit pesait sur tout le genre humain,
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 163 
 
 Elle seule tenait un flambeau dans sa main. 
 
 La poesi est sainte! Autrefois le poete 
 
 Etait pontife ou roi, voyant, juge ou propkete. 
 
 Le poete anjourd hui' n'est pas moins qu'autrefois, 
 
 La harpe de David vibre encor sons ses doigts! 
 
 Dites Synesius, Gregoire, Apollinaire 
 
 Si vOus avez marche sur les traces d'Homere, 
 
 Si vous avez orne de fleurs la verite, 
 
 Jusqu' au pied de Fautel si vous avez chante, 
 
 Et si vos chants, echos des hymnes angeliques, 
 
 Ont transports d'amour les peuples Catholiques, 
 
 Oh ! dites, ai-je en vain recu le meme don, 
 
 Et dois-je pour mes vers implorer le pardon? 
 
 Est-ce pour qu'elle reste inutile et muette 
 
 Que Dieu mit une lyre dans mon coeur de poete? 
 
 LE SOL NATAL. 
 
 Le sol natal ! chaque homme a tout sol le prefere, 
 Comme a toute autre femme, il prefere sa mere ; 
 Et de son nom blesse chaque homme est le vengeur, 
 Comme il avenge sa mere atteinte en son honneur ! 
 Une mere pour nous, ah ! c'est plus qu'une femme! 
 Ton sourire, Amerique, a fascine mon ame; 
 Et s'il reste un obstacle entre le ciel et moi 
 Oui, le dernier obstacle, Amerique, c'est toi! 
 Ah! malheur a tons ceux qui t'insultent, ma mere!
 
 164 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 Car mon amour, emu de toute sa colere 
 
 D'un fils en sa vengeance, imitant les exces, 
 
 Irait jusqu a s'armer pour qu'ils soient expulses! 
 
 Oui, l'instinct filial, oui, le patriotisme, 
 
 C'est un avengle instinct, un jaloux fanatisme: 
 
 C'est aimer et hair avec notre Pays ; 
 
 C'est aimer ses amis, hair ses ennemis ! 
 
 Celui qui entendre injurier sa mere, 
 
 Et qui ne repond pas, dans sa sainte colere, 
 
 Et qui ne tire pas sa glaive menacant, 
 
 Et qui ne f rappe pas . . . . ce fils n'a pas de sang ! 
 
 TO THE CHURCH IN AMERICA. 
 
 L'Eglise d'Amerique, en qui tant d'espoir brille, 
 De l'Eglise Romaine est la plus jeune fille, 
 Rayonnante de gloire et pleine d'avenir. 
 Gloire aux Etats-Unis! Gloire a la Republique! 
 Rome etend chaque jour sa main pour la benir! . . 
 Gloire a toi, jeune et libre Eglise Catholique, 
 Pour baillonner ta presse et restreindre tes droits, 
 Tu n'as pas un sabreur, un Napoleon — Trois.
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 165 
 
 DISCOURS. 
 
 A la Cathedrale de St. Louis, Nouvelle-Orleans, 1846, 
 
 A LOCASION DE LANIVERSAIRE DU 8 JANVIER. 
 
 Messieurs et chers concitoyens, depuis 1814 vous venez, 
 chanque annes, dans cette vieille cathedral, rendre graces 
 a Dieu pour la victoire du 8 Janvier ; vous venez celebrer ce 
 jour glorieux, ce jour de triomphe et d'enthousiasme 
 national. — Que je suis heureux d'avoir ete choisi, cette 
 annee, par Monseigneur, pour vous adresser quelques 
 mots, en partageant votre entliousiasme. En ce jour si 
 solennel, mon emotion est grande, elle est intime et pro- 
 fonde, j'ai de la peine a la contenir; mais ce n'est pas une 
 emotion de crainte et d'hesitation, c'est l'emotion d'un 
 coeur Louisianais, d'un coeur patriote. C'est done de mon 
 coeur seul, c'est du fond de mon coeur emu, comine les 
 vdtres, que je tirerai toutes mes paroles, et c'est a vos cceurs 
 amis que je les adresserai. 
 
 Mais aujourd'liui, pourquoi etes-vous reunis en si 
 grand nombre dans cette enceinte, et pourquois suis-je 
 monte dans cette chaire? Qu'attendez-vous de moi? Est- 
 ce un discours commemoratif de la victoire de 8 Janvier? 
 ou bien, est-ce plutdt une oraison funebre? 
 
 S j'etais en presence d'un auditoire d'etrangers, a la 
 vue de tant d'hommes reunis qui feraient silence pour 
 m'ecouter et pour me juger, et qui se poseraient devant moi 
 dans une attitude ouvertement hostile, peut-etre serais-je 
 accessible a un premier mouvement de crainte, peut-etre
 
 166 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 hesiterais-je un moment!. . . Mais ici qu'ai-je k craindre? 
 Je parle a des Louisianais; je m'adresse k, freres, k mes 
 amis d'Anierique. — Le dirai-je, Messieurs, je me sens 
 rassure, comme si j'etais en famille, et entoure de freres et 
 d'amis devoues; c'est que je connais votre bienveillance, 
 vous ru'avez deja donne des temoignages si eclatants de 
 votre vive synipathie! et je le sens, c'est aujourd'hui 
 surtout que ma voix amie et fraternelle trouvera un echo 
 sympathique, et dans les jeunes cceurs enthousiastes qui 
 me comprendront, et dans les coeurs plus calmes des sages 
 vieillards qui me jugeront. 
 
 Je n'ai qu'une crainte, Messieurs, c'est de ne pouvoir 
 traduire, par mes faibles paroles, toutes les pensees et tous 
 les sentiments que ce jour m'inspire; toutes les emotions 
 surtout que votre presence reveille au fond de mon ame; 
 mais vos coeurs suppleeront facilment a ce qui manquera a 
 mes paroles ; vous devinerez ce que je ne pourrai exprimer. 
 
 Aujourd'hui, vous le comprenez, je n'aurai ni le temps, 
 ni la force surtout de rien developper, de rien demontrer : 
 je ne ferai que quelques reflexions rapides; je ne pourrai 
 qu'indiquer quelques grandes et fecondes verites, que je 
 soumettrait a vos meditations profondes. 
 
 Et d'abord, Messieurs, il y a plus de quatre siecles, il 
 vint k un homme l'idee d'un Nouveau Monde. Christophe 
 Colomb (ce nom a quelque chose qui rappelle la Colombe 
 envoyee de 'lAche-Sainte pour decouvrir la terre apres le 
 deluge), Christophe Colomb eut done une grande inspira- 
 tion; il fit voile vers l'Occident; il s'aventura dans des 
 mers inconnues; et un jour, apres une longue et perilleuse
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 167 
 
 navigation, le soleil, en se levant magnifique, fit surgir du 
 sein des ondes inexplorees le Monde ineonnu qu'avait devine 
 son genie: ce Monde, Messieurs, c'est notre patrie! — Et 
 il j a trente-cinq ans, 1'etoile brillante de la Louisiane s'est 
 ajoutee a la radieuse constellation qui decorait deja la zone 
 d'azur du drapeau ainerican. L'independance de la Loui- 
 siane a ete proclamee; independante, elle a participe aux 
 bienfaits et a la gloire de la Republique, elle a joui de la 
 liberte que lui assurait sa constitution. Ajourd'hui, voyez 
 la Nouvelle-Orleans, sa fille ainee ; comme une reine riche- 
 ment paree, elle est assise sur le bord de Videal des fleuves 
 navigables . . . (L'expression n'est pas de moi, elle est d'un 
 etranger ) . La Nouvelle-Orleans, c'est le plus vaste entrepot, 
 c'est le point le plus important, c'est la clef, c'est la reine 
 du Midi et de FOceident. Elle doniine par sa position ; elle 
 est riche surtout de ses produits agricoles, la richesse la 
 plus reelle. Par le nombre des navires et des bateaux a 
 vapeur qu'elle charge chaque annee, elle etonne les mers, 
 les ports etrangers, le fleuve et toutes ses branches tribu- 
 taires. Elle est la soeur jumelle, l'egale de New- York. Elle 
 forme avec la cite du Nord les deux poumons des fitats- 
 Unis. Oui, la Nouvelle-Orleans et New York, voila les deux 
 poumons puissants qui animent le commerce; les deux 
 poumons par lesquels respirent les Etats-Unis. O'est de ces 
 deux poumons, c'est de ce double foyer que s'echappent le 
 mouvement, le fluide vital qui circulent toutes les veines 
 de l'Union-Americaine. 
 
 La Nouvelle-Orleans, Messieurs, noble cite ouverte a 
 tous les etrangers ; la Louisiane, terre hospitaliere et gene-
 
 168 LIFE OF THE ABBE BOUQUETTE, 
 
 reuse! "II est une vertu, nous dit Ciceron, que Theo- 
 "phaste loue entre toutes les vertus, et cette vertu, c'est 
 "l'hospitalite! Kien, en effet, n'est plus beau que de voir 
 "les maisons des indigenes ouvertes aux etrangers ; il y va 
 "de la gloire de l'Etat, il y va ineme de l'interet et du 
 "credit de ceux qui aspirent a gouverner." Eh bien! j'ose 
 le dire ici, en presence de tant d'etrangers, les enfants de 
 la Louisiane ont toujours ete hospitaliers et genereux ; et, 
 a cause de leur genereuse hospitalite, Dieu a beni la Loui- 
 siane, et la Louisiane a prospere, elle est florissante. Qui 
 pourrait pressentir toutes les graces que Dieu lui reserve 
 dans Pavenir? On peut dire seulement que les passe de la 
 Louisiane est un prejuge legitime en faveur de son avenir 
 de bonheur et de gloire. 
 
 Les fetes nationales, Messieurs, sont des fetes religieuses ; 
 rien de ce qui interesse la patrie n'est etranger a la religion ; 
 a toutes les grandes victoires, l'Eglise fait retentir le chant 
 du Te Deiom, cette hymne sublime de louange et d'actions de 
 graces. Dans cette cathedrale nieme, un venerable prelat, 
 vous vous le rappelez, 6 veterans de la glorieuse journee, 
 monseignneur Dubourg, en presentant au general une cou- 
 ronne de lauriers, le salua du glorieux titre de liberateur 
 et de second s.auveur de la patrie. — C'estque le Seigneur, 
 Dieu des armees, Dominus, dens exercituum ; celui qui pre- 
 side aux evolutions militaires, comme a celles de l'huma- 
 nite, qui inspire le courage et distribue la vietoire, Dieu 
 avait ete le premier sauveur de la patrie! 
 
 Oui, tout en admirant le genie militaire du general, 
 sans rien diminuer de sa gloire et de notre reconnaissance,
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 169 
 
 nous pouvons dire, nous devons dire, que la victoire du 
 8 Janvier f ut toute divine, toute providentielle. Dieu avait 
 des vues de inisericorde sur la Louisiane, cette terre catho- 
 lique ; car nous ne devons pas oublier qu'une des premieres 
 croix qui fut plantee dans le Nouveau-Monde, le fut sur le 
 bord de ce fleuve, ou la victoire devait couronner un jour 
 les defenseurs de la liberte et de la religion. La Louisiane 
 est fille de la Prance et de PEspague catholiques ; elle 
 conibattait pour une cause juste et sainte, Dieu a combattu 
 avec elle, Dieu Pa fait triompher! 
 
 "Oui, il y a un homme qui a gagne sur les troupes 
 "disciplines du due de Wellington, sur les liberateurs 
 "du Portugal et de PEspagne, la derniere- bataille de 
 "la guerre de 1814. Cet homme est le general Jackson. 
 "Les milices du Kentucky et de POhio ont appris ce nom 
 "a leurs enfants, et POuest de PAmerique Pa repete dans 
 "Penthousiasme de la voictoire." Ainsi s'exprimait, il y 
 a dix-sept ans, une feuille franchise hostile a la politique 
 de Jackson, comme president. 
 
 Mais quelle nouvelle, aumoisdejuin, est venue plonger 
 les Etats-Unis dans un deuil national? Pourquoi tous ces 
 monuments funebres eleves sur les places publiques? Pour- 
 quoi ces insignes lugubres, cette marche lente des mili- 
 taires, et ces roulements sourds de tambours voiles qui pre- 
 cedent le convoi innombrable? Pourquoi ce deuil universal? 
 Jackson a cesse de vivre ; nos annales comptent un mort 
 illustre de plus. — Je me trompe : Jackson est immortel ; le 
 genie ne meurt pas ; la gloire d'un heros est plus eclatante 
 apres la sepulture; son esprit survit parmi nous, et nous
 
 170 LIFE OF THE ABBE BOUQUETTE, 
 
 aniine; sa grande anie plane et veille au-dessus de nous; 
 son courage est hereditaire. 
 
 Jackson a aime sa patrie, il a combattu pour elle ; il a 
 fait tout ce que son amour lui a inspire pour la rendre heu- 
 reuse et f lorissante. II etait koinrne, il a pu se troinper ; mais 
 il a voulu le bien, nous le croyons; il a tout fait, selon ses 
 convictions, pour le bonheour et la gloire des Etats-Unis. 
 
 Le genie militaire de Jackson, son courage, sa perse- 
 verance et son energie, sa conception rapide et l'execution 
 presque aussi rapide de ce quil avait concu, tout cela est 
 inconteste, tou cela a ete reconnu et admire par les Ame- 
 ricains, comme par les etrangers, en deca comme au dela 
 de POcean. La renommee du guerrier est done universelle. 
 N'ayant a parler que du 8 Janvier, je devrais peut-etre ne 
 considerer dans Jackson que le soldat heureux, le guerrier 
 intrepide. 
 
 Cependant il est un fait de sa vie civille sur lequel 
 j'appelllerait toute votre attention, parce qu'il renferme un 
 prof ond enseignement, vous le savez, dans des circonstances 
 critiques, croyant que e'etait le seul moyen de sauver la 
 patrie, Jackson proclama la loi mortiale. 
 
 ( Messieurs, je ne pretends pas juger du droit de Jack- 
 son, de la legalite de l'acte ; je cite seulement ce fait afin de 
 rapporter un autre fait, qui en est une consequence, et qui 
 est une gloire pour le general. Je n'ai aucune opinion 
 politique ; je ne veux en exprimer aucune, surtout du haut 
 de cette chaire sacree. Si done quelques unes de mes 
 expressions pouvaient etre interpreters dans le sens d'un 
 parti politique quelconque, ce sens, je le desavoune!)
 
 POET-MISSIONAEY OF LOUISIANA. 171 
 
 Jackson trouva done que les legislateurs se livraient & 
 des discussions oiseuses et trop lentes. Des lors, il s'eleva un 
 conflit entre le pouvoir civil et le pouvoir niilitaire. Dans 
 cette lutte, un juge se distingua surtout par son opposition 
 courageuse. Le general, croyant son temps trop precieux 
 pour le perdre a disputer sur des inatieres civiles, fitarreter 
 le magistrat et Peloigna de la ville. II pensait qu'on ne 
 devait pas s'amuser a raisonner avec des paroles, quand la 
 patrie etait menacee, mais qu'on devait decider les choses 
 avec le canon, la derniere raison des peuples, ratio ultima 
 populorum. 
 
 La victoire ou la mort! tel avait ete son cri de ralliement. 
 A ce cri du general, l'armee f ut electrisee. Bientot, la victoire 
 ayant couronne ses arnies, pendant que les vaisseaux anglais 
 fuyaient loin des cotes de la Louisiane, le 23 Janvier, le 
 general vainqueur fit son entree triomphale a la Nouvelle- 
 Orleans aux acclamations unanimes de toute la population 
 reconnaissante, accourue au-devant de lui. Le magistrat 
 courageux, de retour de son exil, se portant juge et partie 
 dans sa propre cause, condanmna Jackson a une amende de 
 mille piastres. "General, lui dit-il, je vous regarde comme 
 le sauveur de la patrie ; mais, pour avoir desobei a la. ma- 
 gistrature, je vous condamne a une amende de mille pias- 
 tres." Jackson n'invoquapour sa justification, ni sa victoire, 
 ni cette ancienne maxime des Komains : inter arma silent 
 leges, en temps de guerre, les lois sont muettes. II se soumit 
 a Pautorite civile; il acquitta k l'instant cette somne, en 
 disant ces memorables paroles: "Juge, cette meme epee 
 qui a servi a defendre la patrie vous defendrait, s'il le fal-
 
 172 LIFE OF THE ABBE KOUQUETTE, 
 
 lait" ; et, a sa sortie du tribunal, il fut porte en triomphe 
 jusqu'a sa demeure. 
 
 Sublime exeinple, au milieu du succes militaire le plus 
 eclatant, de la soumission la plus humble aux lois et h. 
 l'autorite civile. Adinirez Jackson sur le champ de 
 bataille ; admirez le soldat courageux, le guerrier couronne 
 par la victoire ; moi, j'admire le simple citoyen qui se laisse 
 juger et condamner, et qui donne Fexemple de l'obeissance 
 a Pautorite legitime qu'il avait cru pouvoir violer dans une 
 circonstance tout exceptionnelle ou il fallait sauver la 
 patrie. 
 
 Sans doute, il aurait pu dire an juge : inter arma silent 
 leges, quand le canon gronde, les lois sont muettes. . . II 
 s'est tu! 
 
 C'est que Jackson aimait son pays; il savait que ce 
 qui rend un Etat florissant, c'est le respect pour les lois 
 et l'autorite, c'est la saintete du serment, c'est la justice, 
 c'est la vertu, c'est la religion. 
 
 Oui, Messieurs, il savait que tous les devoirs peuvent 
 se concilier, parce que tous les devoirs, comme toutes les 
 verites, sont solidaires; oui tous les devoirs et toutes les 
 verites dans l'ordre religieux, civile et politique. 
 
 Tous les pouvoirs legitimes aussi, parce que tous vien- 
 nent de Dieu, peuvent se concilier, se maintenir dans 
 l'equilibre et l'harmonie; mais si l'harmonie est detruite, 
 s'il y a conflit entre les divers pouvoirs, alors il n'y a pas k 
 hesiter ; il vaut mieux obeir a Dieu qu'aux homines. 
 
 Rendez a Dieu ce qui est a Dieu, et a Cesar ce qui est a 
 Cesar. Et moi aussi, j'obeirai a l'autorite civile et politique ;
 
 POET-MISSIONABY OF LOUISIANA. 173 
 
 mais j'obeirai a l'autorite divine, au pouvoir religieux; 
 j'exposerias ma vie, s'il le fallait, pour sauver nion pays, 
 mais je serais martyr aussi pour la religion de mon Dieu, 
 qui est inort sur le Calvaire; je mourrais avec joie pour ma 
 patrie terrestre et passagere, mais je mourrais avec encore 
 plus de joie pour ma patrie celeste et eternelle. Je puis etre 
 bon citoyen, ardent patriote, sage et enthousiaste repu- 
 blicain, sans cesser d'etre bon catholique, pretre devoue a 
 mon eveque, et decide, s'il le fallait, a quitter le sol ame 
 ricain pour aller porter la lumiere evangelique dans les 
 contrees les plus lointaines, conime d'autres ont quitte leur 
 patrie pour venir evangeliser FAmerique. 
 
 Mais j'ai prononcele mot de patrie. — Messieurs, qu'est- 
 ce que la patrie, l'amour de la patrie, le vrai patriotisme? 
 Qu'est-ce que la patrie? Vous parlerai-je des fleuves, des 
 plaines et des forets, du sol, en un mot? Mais tout cela ce 
 n'est pas la patrie de l'homme, c'est la patrie du boeuf, du 
 bison et de l'oiseau. A l'homme, etre intelligent et moral, 
 cree a l'iniage de Dieu, oui, a l'homme il faut une bien 
 autre patrie. Avec ces fleuves, ces plaines et ces forets, 
 avant et par-dessus toutes choses, il lui faut des joies, des 
 perils et des interets communs, des mceurs, des lois, des 
 traditions, des vertus, des eglises ; il lui faut un Dieu pro- 
 fondement craint, profondement aime. 
 
 La patrie, nous dit un grand publiciste contemporain, 
 n'est pas ou l'homme trouve en abondance 1'aliment qui le 
 nourrit et les arts qui le captivent ; car il ne vit pa$ seule- 
 ment dc pain et <!<• spectacles. Elle n'est pas meme dans le 
 pays ou il a regu le jour et l'education, ou sont ses amis,
 
 174 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 ses parents les plus ckers, ou reposent les cendres de ses 
 peres, ou il fit l'apprentissage et l'essai des vertus et de la 
 gloire. La patrie, en tant qu'elle est sacree et qu'elle doit 
 etre cherie et defendue, est dans le pays ou le beau le Men, 
 le bon sont en bonheur, ou la verite est connue et la vertu 
 toleree. 
 
 Et, en effet, Messieurs, ou serait la patrie s'il n'y avait 
 pas des lois ou si les lois n'etaient pas executees? Non, il 
 ne faut pas prendre le sol pour la patrie. L'idee de patrie 
 est une idee complexe ; l'amour de la patrie se compose, pour 
 les societes civilisees, de la religion, des lois, des inoeurs, 
 des souvenirs et des esperances, du passe et de l'avenir. 
 On peut distinguer trois patries, celle du coeur, celle du 
 devoir et celle de l'interet. Je regretterai toujours la pre- 
 miere, la patrie du coeur, parce que je suis homme et que 
 rien de riiomme ne m'est etranger ; j'abandonnerai au plus 
 grand nombre, a la foule cupide et materialiste, la patrie 
 de l'interet, et je m'attaclierai inviolablement a la patrie du 
 devoir et du sacrifice. Oui, le vrai patriotisme est un sen- 
 timent a la fois naturel, politique et religieux, et voila ce 
 qui explique la superiorite des Chretiens dans leur amour 
 pour la patrie; voila ce qui explique Phero'isme de leurs 
 vertus et de leurs sacrifices, la Constance de leur abnega- 
 tion. 
 
 "Les Aimericains, dit Tocqueville, conf ondent, si comple- 
 "tement dans leur esprit le christianisme et la liberte (et 
 "moi j'ajouterai le patriotisme), qu'il est presque impos- 
 "posil>le de leur faire concevoir l'un sans l'autre; et ce n'est 
 "point chez eux l'une de ces croyances que le passe legue
 
 POET-MISSIONAKT OF LOUISIANA. 175 
 
 "au present, et qui semble moins vivre que vegeter au fond 
 "de Fame." 
 
 Quels sont done nos devoirs envers la patrie? Nous lui 
 devons nos biens, nos talents, notre vie. Nous lui devons 
 nos biens, e'est le plus petit sacrifice. Le bien, l'interet 
 particulier doit ceder au bien general. Qui sert le public 
 sert chaque individu. 
 
 Nous lui devons nos talents et notre vie. 
 
 "Parmi le peuple de Dieu, nous dit Bossuet, dans les 
 "besoins de l'Etat, tout le monde etait oblige d'aller a la 
 "guerre, et. voila pourquoi les armees etaient si nom- 
 "breuses." Nous lisons, dans l'Ecriture Sainte, que les sol- 
 dats couiniandes par Machabee etaient prets a mourir pour 
 leurs lois et leur patrie, pro legibus et patria mori parati. 
 C'est qu'il est doux, il est beau de mourir pour sa patrie, 
 meme aux yeux d'un paien : 
 
 Dulee et decorum est pro patria mori. (Hor.) 
 
 Vous rappellerai-je une loi de la Grece sur l'amour de 
 la patrie? 
 
 Les jeunes Atbeniens parvenus a vingt ans se conso- 
 craient a la patrie en pretant le serment qui suit : " Je com- 
 "battrai, jusqu'a mon dernier soupir, pour les interets de 
 "la religion et de l'Etat; je combattrai avec les autres 
 "citoyens, seul, s'il faut. Je ne contribuerai jamais k rendre 
 "ma patrie malheureuse, mais je contribuerai de tout mon 
 "pouvoir a la rendre florissante. Je serai sounds aux 
 "magistrats et aux lois." Admirable serment, que le plus 
 sublime amour de la patrie pouvait seul inspirer!
 
 176 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 Les Juifs, captifs a Babylone, n'ont d'autre joie et 
 d'autre consolation que eelle que leur donne le souvenir de 
 Jerusalem. "Nous nous sommes assis sur le bord des f leaves 
 "de Babylone, disent-ils, et Id nous avons pleure en nous 
 "souvenant de Sion. Nous avons. suspendu nos harpes aux 
 "sanies qui croissent dans la terre d'exil, et nous sommes 
 "restes muets. . . . Comment aurions-nous chante un 
 "cantique de joie dans une terre d'exil?" 
 
 Themistocle, banni en Perse ,possedant un immense 
 territoire, comble de bienfaits par le roi etranger, oublie 
 tout ce qui Pentoure dans Magnesie, et demande a ses 
 amis de porter ses os dans l'Attique. 
 
 Aussi, yous vous le rappelez, Messieurs, Virgile, le 
 cygne harmonieux de Mantoue, voulant peindre le tendre 
 et imperissable amour d'un citoyen vertueux pour sa 
 patrie, Virgile nous montre un jeune Grec mourant sur 
 une terre etrangere, et, au moment qu'il expire, occupe du 
 seul souvenir de sa chere Argos : 
 
 Ea dulces moriens remiuiscitur Argos. 
 
 Thebes, s'ecriait Pindare, 6 ma mere! 
 
 Mais, apres ces exemples touchants de l'antiquite sacree 
 et poetique, permittez-moi, Messieurs, de vous citer Fex- 
 emple non moins touchant d'un jeune Sauvage exile a Paris. 
 II se nommait Potaveri : ce nom est devenu synonyme 
 d'amour de la patrie. Cet enfant exile etait triste, malade 
 et languissant; il ne pouvait se consoler d'etre si loin de la 
 foret natale. Pour le distraire, Pamitie ingenieuse et deli- 
 cate, apres l'avoir promene dans le Musee et les galeries du
 
 POET-MISSIONAKY OF LOUISIANA. 177 
 
 Louvre, imagina de le conduire au Jardin des Plantes; 
 mais le jeune Sauvage passe avec indifference au milieu des 
 plantes et des animaux, au milieu de toutes les curiosites 
 merveilleuses que Fart y a reunies; il est toujours triste 
 malade, languissant. Mais tout-a-coup il quitte le bras de 
 son ami, il se precipite vers un arbre exotique, il se jette 
 a genoux, et en Fembrassant, il s'ecrie: arbre de mon 
 pays! arbre de mon pays! et il retrouve la vie au pied de 
 eet arbre exile comme lui. 
 
 Combien de jeunes Creoles, combien de Louisianais, 
 exiles a Paris, loin du fleuve natal et des arbres de la patrie, 
 loin de leurs families et de leurs amis, ont du pousser le 
 mem cri de joie a la vue de quelque objet qui est venu 
 leur rappeler la Louisiane, la terre sacree de la patrie. . . 
 Oh! oui, quelle que soit la terre qui nous a vus naitre, 
 qu'elle soit composee de plaines ou de montagnes, de 
 rochers arides ou de fertiles sa vanes, qu'elle soit accidentee 
 ou monotone, riante ou sauvage, cette terre, elle est sacree 
 pour nous; cette terre, nous Faimons, nous ne pouvons 
 Foublier ; elle a ete la terre de notre berceau, nous voulons 
 y mourir, y reposer en paix. 
 
 Louisiane, 6 ma patrie! 6 ma mere! quel que soit le 
 lieu ou m'exile le devoir ou le malheur me pousse, si je 
 t'oublie jamais, que je m'oublie moi-meme! 
 
 Je vous ai parle de la patrie, de Famour de la patrie, du 
 veritable patriotisme. Maintenant, qu'est-ce que la liberie? 
 Ubi autem spiritus Dei, ibi libertas, nous dit saint Paul. 
 La ou est Fesprit de Dieu, la aussi est la liberte; c'est-a- 
 dire la ou est Fesprit d'ordre, de verite et de vertu, 1;\ aussi
 
 178 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 est la liberte. Obeir a Dieu, c'est etre vraiment libre. Deo 
 parere libertas est. Ce sont les paroles de Seneque. La raison 
 de l'liomme est emanee de la raison divine et souveraine, 
 et c'est en la soumettant volontairement a cette raison que 
 riiomme, creature raisonable, est vraiment libre. La 
 liberte consiste done a etre soumis aux lois eternelles de 
 l'ordre. Quoi ! la liberte pourrait consister a n'avoir d'autres 
 lois que ses desirs et ses passions, a faire tout ce que l'on 
 veut ! Oh ! non, messieurs, celui qui fait le mal est esclave ; 
 il n'y a que riiomme de bien, l'homme verteux, qui soit 
 libre! 
 
 La liberte, c'est la faculte de choisir; mais cette 
 faculte, remarquez-le bien, implique l'obligation de choisir 
 le bien. L'liomme est libre, parce qu'il a des devoirs, et 
 l'exerciee de sa liberte, c'est raccomplissement de ses 
 devoirs. 
 
 Non, la liberte ne consiste pas a etre affranchi de tous 
 les devoirs, a etre independant de tout superieur. La liberte 
 la plus grande, la plus pure, a laquelle l'liomme puisse 
 aspirer raisonnablement, c'est de vivre sous un gouverne- 
 ment. juste. II n'y a de vraie liberte que la oii regne la 
 justice, la justice que Ciceron appelle la reine et la 
 maitresse de toutes les vertus: liace enim una virtus 
 omnium est domina et regina dilution. 
 
 Mais avec 1'amour de la patrie, avec la liberte et la 
 justice, il faut le courage. Qu'est-ce que le courage, Mes- 
 sieurs? Le courage, sur le champ de bataille, n'est souvent 
 que l'effet momentane d'une ardeur beliiquese, d'une sur- 
 excitation causee par le bruit des amies, le mouvement de
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 179 
 
 l'armee et meme l'odeur de la poudre. Mais il est un 
 courage plus calme, plus constant, plus difficile, et par 
 cela meme plus rare, c'est le courage civil, le courage 
 politique, le courage moral qui resiste aux menaces, aux 
 promesses, a toutes les seductions. Le courage dans les 
 cliambres, dans la magistrature, dans toutes les positions 
 sociales ou il y a de grands devoirs a remplir, de grands 
 sacrifices a s'imposer, et ou Ton rencontre des perils sans 
 nombre qu'il faut affronter. Je ne vous parle pas du 
 courage religieux ; celui-la est invincible ; il brave les tyrans 
 et les bourreaux, la hache et le feu ; il triomplie de toutes 
 les tortures et se rejouit sous la palme du martyre. 
 
 Amour de la patrie, liberte, justice et courage, voila, 
 Messieurs, les vertus republicaines les plus vitales. Les 
 peuples, comme les individus, ne vivent pas seulement de 
 pain et de spectacles ; le bien-etre materiel n'est pas le seul 
 bien-etre qu'ils recberchent. Les peuples, comme les indi- 
 vidus, vivent de verite et de vertu. II faut que Dieu preside 
 a leurs hautes destinees, il faut qu'il les eclaire et les guide 
 dans leur marclie vers un avenir de bonheur et de gloire. 
 
 Je le sais, Messieurs, il y a eu de l'echo aujourd hui, 
 sous cette votfte sacree, toutes les fois que j'ai prononce les 
 mots de patrie et de liberte. . .Mais, plaise a Dieu qu'il ait 
 eu aussi un echo intime et universel toutes les fois que j'ai 
 prononce le mot de religion! ("est que la religion, c'est la 
 base des moeurs et des lois, c'est la sauve-garde de la justice 
 et de la liberte, c'est le palladium des republiques commes 
 des monarchies. 
 
 Vous avez sans doute compris et admire les trois
 
 180 LIFE OF THE ABBE EOUQUETTE, 
 
 couleurs symboliques du drapeau americain. Le fond 
 d'azur, seme d'etoiles, nous rappelle le ciel, la patrie de 
 notre ame immortelle; le rouge, couleur eelatante du 
 martyre, marque que nous devons etre toujours prets k 
 verser notre sang pour notre patrie, a mourir glorieuse- 
 ment pour la republique; et le Wane, la couleur virginale, 
 nous commande la bonne foi et Fincorruptibilite dans 
 toutes nos relations commerciales, civiles et politiques; 
 dans toutes nos relations d'amitie et d'interet. 
 
 O mes chers concitoyens, oserai-je le predire, le pro- 
 clamer avec une conviction profonde du haut de cette 
 chaire: un jour viendra ou Tor et les plaisirs cesseront 
 d'etre le mobile le plus puissant de notre societe; la re- 
 ligion se propagera, elle regnera parmi nous; Fesprit de 
 Dieu penetrera dans le cceur de cette societe nouvelle, et 
 il y aura encore de nobles devouements, des vertus 
 heroiques: le genie et la vertu sont imperissables dans 
 Fhumanite ; comme la mer, ils n'abandonnent un rivage que 
 pour se porter vers un autre rivage ; le feu sacre de l'amour 
 de la patrie, de la justice et de la liberte ne s'eteint dans 
 un cceur que pour se rallumer dans un autre. Oui, e'est 
 une loi de Fordre providentiel, qu'a des mondes viellis 
 succede un nouveau monde. . . 
 
 L'Amerique est jeune, PAmerique est grande et forte ; 
 l'Amerique est appelee a de magniflques destinees ; la civili- 
 sation, comme le soleil, marche FOrient en Occident. 
 Sparte, Athenes, Thebes, Carthage, ne sont plus; mais 
 l'Amerique a surgi du sein de FAtlantique. Le passe, les 
 souvenirs sont pour FOrient ; Favenir, les esperances pour
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 181 
 
 l'Occident. Oui, c'est ma conviction profonde, une haute 
 et glorieuse mission est reserves au Nouveau-Monde; 
 FAnierique est heritiere de toutes les gloires et de toutes 
 les vertus des anciennes republiques; mais ces gloires et 
 ces vertus, il faut qu'elles soient divinisees par la religion, 
 eh bien, la religion les divinisera. 
 
 Mais on parle de l'etendue des Etats-Unis, et en lisant 
 l'liistorie des republiques anciennes, on s'en effraie, on 
 tremble pour notre avenir. L'etendue, Messieurs, l'etendue 
 depuis l'application de la vapeur ale navigation etde l'elec- 
 tricite aux telegraphes? Depuis que la vapeur est venue au 
 secours du corps et l'electricite au secours de la pensee? 
 L'etendue! Mais voyez done comme la pensee de l'homme 
 parcourt ce fil electrique, aussi rapide que l'eclair qui 
 sillonne et illumine l'espace! Voyez toutes ces populations 
 que les bateaux et les chars animes emportent avec une 
 vitesse presque indicible! Oui, une chaine electrique 
 traverse les Etats-Unis ; les chemins de fer aboutissent aux 
 fleuves; les bateaux et les chars se rencontrent et se croi- 
 sent partout l'esprit a vaincu la matiere; l'homme est 
 maitre de l'espace! Oui, ce que Tertullien a dit des esprits : 
 omnis spiritus ales, tout esprit a des ailes, aujourd'huit 
 nous pouvons le dire des corps : le vapeur a donne des ailes 
 au corps, et l'electricite, des ailes a la pensee! 
 
 Oui, l'esprit a vaincu la matiere; le genie de rhommea 
 dompte l'orgueil des vents et des flots ; il a aplani les mon- 
 tagnes et comme efface les distances. Mais ce triomphe 
 de l'esprit sur la matiere, ces progres de la science et de 
 l'industrie modernes, seront-ils toujours exploites au seul
 
 182 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 profit des passions infimes et des besoins materiels de 
 1'homme? Oh! Messieurs, je proteste, an nom de Tame et 
 de Pintelligence, au nom du genie, qui est lui aussi une 
 sorte d'inspiration divine ; je proteste, au nom de la philo- 
 sophic et de la religion, oui, je proteste eontre cet alms de 
 la science et de l'industrie modernes ! La science est bonne, 
 Tindustrie est un moyen de prosperite; mais il faut pour 
 cela qu'elles servent au developpement des nobles facultes 
 que nous avons reciies de Dieu. 
 
 Messieurs, il n'y a de bonheur pour les peuples, comme 
 pour les individus; il n'y a de force, de grandeur, de 
 gloire veritables que dans la vertu : la vertu est Tame de la 
 societe; et, croyez-le, il n'y a de vertu solide, constante, 
 incorruptible, immortelle, que dans la religion : la religion 
 est Fame de la vertu ! 
 
 Keligion, amour de la patrie, justice, liberteet courage, 
 voila done les mots que je voudrais voir scintiller, en letters 
 radieuses, sur le drapeau de la republique de Washington. 
 
 "O republique de Washington! s'est eerie Lacordaire, 
 "cet eloquent apdtre de la jeunesse franchise, que n'a 
 "tourne ses yeux vers toi dans ces moments ou la patrie 
 "fatigue ! Qui ne s'est assis, dans la pensee, a l'ombre des 
 "forets et des lois de PAmeriqueL . ."
 
 ADDENDA. 
 
 POEM OF ABBE ROUQUETTE. 
 
 S. B. E. 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH 
 
 Adrien, Son ! Can the sad words be true, 
 
 Yon are scorning - the language your infancy knew? 
 
 Does the cold Saxon speech appeal to your heart, 
 
 Where only the music of France once had part? 
 
 Do you forget how my love was expressed 
 
 In the songs which I sang as you lay on my breast? 
 
 Has French lost to you all its melody rare? 
 
 Do you no more for its harmony care? 
 And the voice of your Muse ! It gave you, my son, 
 
 All the honor and glory your verses have won. 
 Then scorn not the language you lisped in your youth ; 
 It taught you the lessons of virtue and truth. 
 Heed a mother's fond prayer, be it answered by you, 
 To God, to your country, to me, this is due!
 
 184 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 The following partial Addenda of Choctaw words, 
 written by Abbe Rouquette's own hand, show a beautiful 
 devotion to a mother's wishes and a touching promptness 
 in obeying them. She had pleaded with her poet-son (see 
 poem ) never to prefer the Saxon tongue to his own native 
 French. 
 
 Notice how the translation of the Choctaw vocabulary 
 opens with five words in English, then suddenly that 
 language ceases, and is not used again in the entire work 
 of many hundred words! 
 
 EXTRACT FROM VOCABULARY. 
 
 Toli stone 
 
 I hullo, hih ahni love (verb) 
 
 Nan i hullo, heh ahni love (noun) 
 
 Uba anumpa iksa To play tricks 
 
 Iti wisakchi tree top 
 
 Shutik ciel 
 
 Nishkobo tete 
 
 Ikoula gosier 
 
 Noti dent 
 
 Sinti serpent 
 
 Shiluk fosse 
 
 Hopi sel 
 
 Chukush coeur 
 
 Ofi chien 
 
 Kattus chat
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 185 
 
 Luak fe W 
 
 / holisso epitre 
 
 Apostel apotre 
 
 Oka eau 
 
 Umbra pluie 
 
 Hushi soleil 
 
 Yakni terre 
 
 Itih couche 
 
 Lusa noir 
 
 Huma rouge 
 
 Lakna jaime 
 
 Kapossa froid 
 
 Oktak prairie 
 
 Tumaha ville 
 
 Isuba cheval 
 
 Shukha cochon 
 
 Nita ours 
 
 Nashoba loup 
 
 Chula renard 
 
 Hushi oiseau 
 
 Noni poisson 
 
 Itibi baton 
 
 Peni vaisseau 
 
 ^ pied 
 
 Shakba bras 
 
 ^ipi viandre 
 
 Hakshup peau 
 
 Hatak honmie
 
 186 LIFE OF THE ABBE ROUQUETTE, 
 
 Iki pere 
 
 Ishki mere 
 
 nusi dormir 
 
 Hotupa douleur 
 
 Itakobi paresseur 
 
 Tikambi f aible 
 
 Onna matin 
 
 Opia soir 
 
 Hocha riviere 
 
 Noli dos 
 
 Ibbak main 
 
 Akakushi poule 
 
 Iskifa liaclie 
 
 Yok joug 
 
 Chito grand 
 
 Iskitini petit 
 
 Hof obi prof ond 
 
 Kofota • • • vapenr 
 
 Hokchi planter 
 
 Klampko puissance 
 
 Hoyo eliercher 
 
 Ho po yuk sa sage 
 
 Nakf e f rere 
 
 Tchouka-hanta calybite qui 
 
 habite une 
 cabane 
 
 No-houllo un blanc 
 
 Ialeshke adieu
 
 POET-MISSIONARY OF LOUISIANA. 187 
 
 It is remarkable that the Choctaws had single words 
 for our complicated expressions of relationship. 
 
 For instance : Brother-in-law was "imalak." 
 Sister-in-law was "ipo." 
 Uncle-in-law was "iki." 
 His step-son was "ushitoba." 
 Her father-in-law was "imafo." 
 His father-in-law was "ipohchi." 
 Her mother-in-law was "ipokni." 
 Her younger sister was "nakfish." 
 Her eldest sister was "akni."
 
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