"
"Why, we saw those sketches!" Ricky's eyes shone with excitement. "Do
you remember, Val?"
Her brother nodded. "Must have cost him plenty to do it," he replied.
"Richard had an immense personal fortune of his own gained from piracy,
and he spared no expense in building. The larger part of the stone in
these walls was brought straight from Europe, just as they later brought
the paving blocks for the streets of New Orleans. When he had done--and
the place was five years a-building because of Indian troubles and other
disturbances--he settled down to live in feudal state. Some of his
former seamen rallied around him as a guard, and he imported blacks from
the islands to work his indigo fields.
"The family continued to prosper through both French and Spanish
domination until the time of American rule."
"Now for Uncle Rick." Ricky settled herself with a wriggle. "This is
even more exciting than Pirate Dick."
"In the year 1788, the time of the great fire which destroyed over half
of New Orleans, twin boys were born at Pirate's Haven. They came into
their heritage early, for their parents died of yellow fever when the
twins were still small children.
"Those were restless times. New Orleans was full of refugees. From
Haiti, where the revolting blacks were holding a reign of terror, and
from France, where to be a noble was to be a dead one, came hundreds.
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