CONCLUSION.
One autumn twilight, five years after the peace
was ratified between the two belligerent powers
—Europe, and the North United States—a group
might have been observed by one, sailing up
to the capital of Louisiana, gathered on the portico
of an elegant villa, situated on the banks of the
Mississippi, a few miles below the city. This
group consisted of six. In a large armed chair, sat
an old gentleman, with a dignified air, and a bland
smile, dancing upon his knee a lovely child, just
completing her third summer, with sparkling black
eyes, and silken hair of the same rich hue, while
an old slave, seated at his feet, was amusing herself
with the antics of the delighted girl.
Near the steps of the portico, stood a gentleman
of middle age, with a lofty forehead, slightly disfigured
by a scar, a mild blue eye, and manly features,
who was directing the attention of a beautiful
female, leaning on his arm, to the manœuvres
of a small vessel of war then doubling one of the
majestic curves of the river.
The lady, united in her face and person the dignity
of the matron with the loveliness of the maiden.
The sweet face of the cherub upon its grandsire's
knee, was but the reflection of her image in
miniature!
Leaning against one of the columns of the portico,
stood a noble looking and very handsome young
man, in a hunting-dress. A gun rested carelessly
upon one arm, and a majestic dog, venerahle with
age, whom he occasionally addressed as Léon,
stood upon his hind legs, with his fore paws upon
his breast.
Leaving this brief outline of the happiness and
fortunes of those whom we have followed through
their various adventures, we will take leave of the
reader with a few words of explanation.
Henri, on reaching France, fell heir to the title
and estates of the nobleman whose name Alphonze,
the Count D'Oyley, he assumed. Lafon was a
name given to their aged captive, by the buccaneers,
from his resemblance to one of their number, who
bore that name. Gertrude has long since been
translated to a better world. Achille, after exiling
himself from his native land, assumed the name of
Lafitte, by which and no other, he was known to
his adherents, and to the world:
“He left a corsair's name to other times,
Link'd with one virtue and a thousand crimes.”
