FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86  
87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   >>   >|  
in the shop as an assistant in the preparation of drugs. During the war between England and America, he was sold by this physician to a surgeon, and by that surgeon to Dr. Robert Dove of New Orleans. Here he learned French and Spanish so as to speak both with ease. In 1788, he was received into the English church, when he was twenty-one and became, says the report, "one of the most distinguished physicians in New Orleans." "I conversed with him on medicine," says Dr. Rush, "and found him very learned. I thought I could give him information on the treatment of diseases, but I learned more from him that he could expect from me." _The Columbian Gazette_, II, 742-743. [52] Gayarre, III, p. 595. [53] _Ibid._, IV, p. 218. [54] _Ibid._, p. 219. [55] Gayarre, IV, p. 219. [56] _Ibid._, p. 229. [57] Grace King tells a pretty story of the saving of Jean Lafitte's life. On the very day that a price was set upon his head by Gov. Claiborne he was invited to be the guest at a plantation, and almost at the same instant there arrived unexpectedly Mrs. Claiborne, the wife of the governor. The hostess, with quick presence of mind, introduced the gentleman to the wife of the governor as Monsieur Clement, and then hurriedly went out of the room, leaving her guests together. She called Henriette, her confidential servant, and looking her straight in the eyes, said: "Henriette, Gov. Claiborne has set a price upon Monsieur Lafitte's head. Anyone who takes him a prisoner and carries him to the governor will receive five hundred dollars reward, and M. Laffitte's head will be cut off. Send all the other servants away; set the table yourself, and wait on us yourself. Remember to call M. Lafitte, M. Clement--and be careful before Mme. Claiborne." The colored woman responded with perfect tact and discretion. See Grace King, "New Orleans, the Place and the People," 204. [58] Gayarre, IV, p. 127. [59] _Ibid._, p. 127. [60] Gayarre, IV, p. 131. [61] King, "New Orleans: The Place and Its People." [62] Paul Alliot's Reflections in Robertson's "Louisiana under the Rule of Spain," I, p. 67. [63] _Ibid._, 103, 111. [64] Evans, "A Pedestrian's Tour, etc." Thwaites, "Early Western Travels," VIII, 336. [65] Harriet Martineau painted in 1837 a picture of this society, showing how the depravity of the settlers had worked out. "The Quadroon girls of New Orleans," said she, "are brought up by their mothers to be what they have
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86  
87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Orleans

 

Gayarre

 

Claiborne

 

learned

 

governor

 

Lafitte

 

surgeon

 

Henriette

 
People
 

Monsieur


Clement

 

responded

 
perfect
 
colored
 

careful

 

servants

 

receive

 

carries

 

hundred

 

dollars


prisoner
 

Anyone

 

reward

 
Laffitte
 

discretion

 

Remember

 

Harriet

 

Martineau

 

painted

 

Travels


Thwaites

 

Western

 

picture

 
society
 

brought

 
worked
 

Quadroon

 
settlers
 
showing
 

depravity


Pedestrian
 

straight

 
Alliot
 

Reflections

 

Robertson

 

mothers

 

Louisiana

 

unexpectedly

 
distinguished
 

physicians