The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1859-04-02
No. II.

:, AN EXTRAORDINARY DOG - One dal yhc,
Dumont, a tradesman of the Rue St. Denis
q was walking in the Boulevard St. Antoine
d with friend he offered to lay wacor with
: the latter that if he were to hide six-live,
piece in the dust his dog would discover and
r bring it to him The wager was accepted,
and the piece of money sccreted after beine
# carefully marked. When the tvb had pre-.
ceeded some distance from the spot, n DIT
mont called to his dog that he had lost some
thing, and ordered him to seek it Caniche
immediately turned back, and his master ani
his companion pursued their walk to the Rue
st. Denis. Meanwhile Il traveller, who hap
pened to be just then returning in Il snail
chaise from Nincenncs, perceived the piece
of money, which his horse had kicked from
its hiding place he aighted took it up, and
drove to his inn, in the Rue Pont-aux. .Choux
Can1che had just reached the spot in search
of the lost piece when the stranger picked it
up, He followed the chase went in the inn,
and stuck close to the traveller. Having seen
ted out the coin which he had been ordered
to bring back i'll the pocket of the latter, he
leaped up incessantly at and about him.
The traveller, supposing him to be some
dog that had been lost or left behind by his
master, regarded his different movements as
marks of fondness, and as the animal was
handsome, he determined to keep him. He
gave him good supper and on retiring to
bed, took him with him to his chamber No
sooner had he pulled of his breeches than they
were seized by the dog The owner, concei-
wing that he wanted to play with them, took
them away again. The animal began to bark
at the door, which the traveller opened, under
the idea that the dog wanted to go out. Ca
niche snatched up the brecches, and away he
flew. The traveller posted after him, with
nightcap on and literally SAYS culottes.
Anxiety for the fate of a purse full of gold
Napoleons, of forty francs each which was in
one of the pockets, gave, redoubled velocity
to his steps.
Caniche ran full speed to his masters
house, where the stranger arrived moment
afterwards breathless and enraged. He ac-
cused the dog of robbing him. Sir said
the master 'smy dog lisa very faithful creature,
and If he has run away with Your breeches it
is because you have i'll them money which
does not belong to you" The traveller became
still more exasperated "Compose yourself
sir. rejoined the other smiling; ';without
doubt there is in your purse six-livre piece,
with such marks, which you have picked up
IN the Boulevard St. Antoine, and which [
threw down there with the firm conviction
that my dog would bring it back again. This
is the cause of the robbery which he has COM
mitted on you.o The strangers rage now
yielded to establishment; he delivered the six
liver piece to the owner, and could not for
bear carressing the dog which had given him
so much uneasiness and such an unpleasant
chase.
BALLOON VOYAGE TO EuRopE.-Mr. John
La Mountain is busily engaged in this city
n making preparations for the construction
If the balloon with which he hopes to be abb
o cross the Atlantic during the coming sea-
on. For too weeks one of butcher patent
machines, at the rope and cordage works, has
,een used in making the twne to be used for
he net of the ship. This is about onctenth
'f an inch in thickness, and composed of thir-
y-six strands Of the very best Holland linen,
arefully selected from the stock at the Me-
hanicville thread mills It was necessary
o gauge the machine and drills in order to
urn out cord Of the required size. That
Produced isaremarkably beautiful in its make
as smooth and even as woven silk. Its
trength may be inferred from the fact that
t will resist steady stranFof three hundred
pounds The silk for the balloon has been
elected from a recent importation from the
Cast Indies at New York 1t is remarkable
Or the strength and frmness of its fibre, while
t the same time it as light as any in market.
7he balloon is to be constructed at Lancas-
er, Pa, upon the frames and with the appa-
atus used by Mr.. Wise, the father of nro-
autlcs, for the purpose. It will probably be
ompleted early in May. The first trial trip
ill be made from Chicago during the latter
art Of that month-and Mr.. La Mountain
esgns crossing Of the lakes, and travelling at
east one thousand miles over the Continent.
Whatever may be fought of the practi-
ability of his scheme, he has entered into it
nth hearty earnestness which proves that
e believes its accomplishment practicable,
nd is prepared to risk everything in the
enture, with no possible hope of making any.
hing unless he succeeds. In this nineteenth
entury it will not do to laugh at any propo-
ition, however absurd it may seem. We
an, therefore, only wait and we shall see,
{ M La Mountain should cross the Atlantic
18th an oerial ship, his name will of course 90
own to posterity with those of the most "a
,ous men if he does not he will, it is not be
cared, share the fate of thoes who, Ego down
} the sea in ships. ''-1Zoy Times, Feb. 20.
An Irish gentleman perceiving that one of
be great branches of an apple tree in his
arden had by some accident become blasted,
,as determined to top it off. To efectuate
is purpose, the shrewd son of St. Patrick
counted the tree and got across the 1vitheyea,
ranch, and began very deliberately to saw
# between himself and the main trunk. The
Uttered branch being nearly cut through,
ave way, and down tumbled the gallant