A Little Girl in Old Detroit

eir beds of fir twigs with blankets drawn over them, and the sky for a canopy, until the stockade was built and the rude fort made a place of shelter. But before

for French spirits and vivacity could n

it floated the white flag of France. On the green there was a great concourse and much merriment and dancing, and not a little love making. For

pped across the sea; or the Dutch merchants came from the Mohawk valley or New Amsterdam to trade. The rollicking coureurs des b

nce, in all her seventy years of possession, never struck the secret of colonizing. The thrifty emigrant in want of a home where he could breathe a freer air than on his native soil was at once refused. Th

, occupied with many other things. And the bitterest of all protests was made by the Jesuits and the Church. They had been

training young girls and teaching the catechism and the rules of the Church, as often orally as by book, as few could read. Here were some Indian girls from tribes that had been almost decimated in the savag

some strenuous effort to recover the territory as they temporized with the Indians and held out vague hopes, yet, as the years passed on, they found themselves insensibly

at the garrison soldiers or the troops on parade. The military gardens were improved and became places of resort on pleasant afternoons, and the two hundred houses inside the pickets increased a little, encroaching more and more on the narrow streets. The officers' houses were a little grander; some of the traders indulged in more show and their wives put on greater airs and finer gowns and gave parties. The Campeau house was venerable even then, built as it was

d silver birch. Chimneys were used now, great wide spaces at one end filled in with seats. In winter furs were hung about and often dropped over the windows at night, which were always closed with tight board shutters

uriously stained splints with much ornamental Indian work. A dresser in the living room displayed not only Queen's ware, but such silver and pewter as the early colonists possessed, and there were pictures curiously framed, orname

as room to grow. There were little settlements of French, others of half-breeds, and not a few Indian wigwams. The squaws loved to

less capture, being included in the boundaries named in the Quebec Act. But the British counted on recapture, and the Indians were elated with false hopes until the splendid victories of General Wayne in northern Illinois a

the military companies. The French had grown accustomed to the rule and still believed in kings and sta

, many an irregular marriage was abruptly terminated. The good Recollet fathers had tried to impress the sacredness of family ties upon their flock, bu

grandeur, and the cot Jacques Pallent, the carpenter, had made, which was four sawed posts, with a frame nailed to the top of them. It was placed in the corner, and so, out of

eir tribal name. Since the departure of the Bellestres Jeanne's guardian had taken on a new dignity. She was a tall,

ells. And everybody will be out! Pani,

ne in such a crowd as this will be.

e is a big, strong boy, and he can pick his way through a crowd with hi

re was a big, raw-boned fe

is a choice bit of bread browned over the coals that you lik

and see Mari

rs, or some hen had scratched it up for a nest! And eyes full

huge bird might, as she raised her beautiful laughing orbs, blue now as the midnight sky. And

ther French girls, Jeanne. Be

life and gayety out of you. She will go to Montreal, where her aunt is in a convent, and her mother cries about it. If I had a mothe

ment before was suddenly touched

y leave their mothers, but mothers never give up

the Indian woma

mother. Come, little one,

orgot her errand to Marie. She clasped her hands together

ere windmills that ground it coarsely and both cakes and porridge were made of it. The Indian women cracked and

rt! Come, hurry, Pani, if you are going with

ower, li

swim. Marie knits, she has so many brothers and sisters. But I like

t learn to se

er. There are no little ones-sometimes I am glad, sometimes sorr

o the good father who took such an interest in her. But she was all the poor woman had to love. True she could be a servant in the house, but to have

hich were almost as much of an idol to her

e should not go out on such a day unless you went too. She called me feat

. It was as natural to

t things and looked to see

grander show many a time, both in numbers and attire. There were the old French habitans, gay under every new dispensation, in tanned leathern small clothes, made mostly of deer skin, and blue blouses, blue cap, with a red feather, some disporting themselves in unwonted finery kept for holiday occasions; pretty laughing demoiselles with bright kerchiefs or a scarf of open, knitted lace-like stuff with beads t

coats, elegant ladies in crimson silk petticoats and skirts drawn back, the train fastened up with a ribbon or chain which they carried on their arms as they minc

about?" asked

to put up

ion. "The British will b

to come? We turn our coats at

himself was not on hand to celebrate the occasion; but he had given orders that possession of t

ly at it, as its red and white stripes waved on the summer air, and its blue field and white stars shone

of the United Colonies, that had so bravely won their freedom and were ext

as for the accommodation of the general and his suite at present and whoever was commandant. It was quite spacious,

erican,-I like the stars better than the lilies of France, and the red cross is

man turned and caught sig

nder, is the bra

his many victories. But he is well worth seeing, and quite as sorr

s making a speech?-and see wh

ernor, Major Gen

Wayne, is he

raging smile to the c

ou, child. The only proper Am

d and look

ighty forests, these immense lakes and rivers, that nurtures liberty and independence and breadth of thought and action. Who would have dreamed that clashing interests could have been united in tha

is voice and shone in his eyes of light, clear blue as he had smiled down on the child wh

untries beside England and F

ntries on the other side of the g

a little crease deepened in the sunny brow as she flun

eas and oceans and land on both

t, "why does not the water spill out and the ground slide off? W

n all of earth rules it. Are

black gown, and have your head tied up. Why, I should smother and I could not hear! That is so you cannot hear wicked talk and the drunken songs, but I love the birds and the

in the Indians, Mam'selle.

e Ber says there is no such thing as a loup garou, that a person cannot be a man and a wolf at the same time. When

er a pause. "There must be schools in the new country so th

thing. Her father? The De Bers had a father, many c

er to wait and see how long this standard of stripes and stars would wave over them. They were used to battles and conquering and defeated armies, a

drew her aside. She was alarmed at the steady scrutiny the young m

a young man's face and puckering thy bro

bear in winter. Where were your eyes, Pani? And he told me such curious thing

t the fur trade. That man from the town called New York, a German or some such thing, gets more power every month. A messenger came this

group of older girls about her and she plunge

le friend but missed her in the crowd, and a

oung. I dare say you discovered untold possibilities in that saucy child who knows well how to

d something about her suggested-or puzzled. She has no Indian eyes, but the ra

ericans up to the shores of Lake Superior. But we will presently be due at the Montdesert House. Are we to have no more titles and French nobilit

han that splendid flag waving over

the d

e will go togeth

t beggarly narrow streets. Faugh! One can hardl

r end of St. Louis street, which at that period