The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-10-12

and calling the child TO her examined more |
carefully the state of things, when he found
to her horror, one of those large and poison
Gus caterpilars called in French procession
naires," which had painfully irritated the
delicate skin of the child.
It was about this time that MacHenry,
continuing his artistic labors in spite of all
the difficulties of the situation, resolved on
taking for the subject of a new picture his
goat Fanchette nursing the little Marie
Fanchette lent herself with her usual intel
ligence and docility to his wishes and Ma
rie was represented lying among grass and
flowers with her four-footed friend bending
over her. This picture which was afterward
regarded as one of MacHenry's best works.
obtained the most signal success at the Par
is exhibition of modern art-the truthful
ness of the design, the freshness Of the col
oring, and the grace of the composition be-
ing equally striking.
But these bright autumn days soon passed
away, and very many recollect the bitt' r
c)ld of the sad Christmas of that dismal
winter Poor little Marie suffered so Sc
verely from it that after a vain attempt to
recall some warmth by lighting fire of
brdshwood, the only fu uel that could be pro-
cured, her mother, as a last resort, put her
into her little bed, in the hope that by heap
ing upon her all the clothing she could pro-
cure, the child might regain little heat, but
| it was in vain no heat came, and the blood
| had almost ceased to circulate in her frozen
| limbs. At this moment Fanchette arrived,
and without waiting for an invitation sprang
upon the bed. 1t was in vain they tried to
drive her away; she only clung the closer to
her nursling, and, covering the child with
her body, soon restored her to warmth and
animation.
There was one among the temporary in
habtants of Boulainvilliers for whom Fan
chette entertained an unmitigated aversion ;
this was knife-grinder of the name of Mas
sicault. His appearance was certainly not
calculated to produce a favorable impress
sion, for his features were repuisive and his
expression disagreeabe. A low forehead, a
scowling eye, and short, thick-set figure
were the principal physical traits of this
parsonage nor were they redeemed by those
of his moral character. He had for his con-
slant companion large, ill-tavored bull
dog with spiked collar, who seemed to
share all the evil instincts of his master.
Every one wondered how the knife-grinder
managed to feed this animal at a time when
it was 80 hard to find the merest necessaries
of life for human beings-and that, too,
without ever seeming to do hands turn of
work for all day long he was lounging
about, and it was rare indeed to hear the
noise of his wheel when auyone-alarm-
ed at the threatening aspect of the brute
who never failed to growl and show his
fangs when approached asked his master
; to call him off Masscault used only tC
reply with an ill-natured laugh: "He ha'
not yet begun to eat such big morsels as
you but there's no saying what he may dC
one of these days"
MacHenry was sorry that his goat partool
of the general dislike to this man. HI
would have rather wished that she shoulc
have tried by her winning caresses to softer
his rugged nature, and bring him to love The
creature that had gained all other hearts
but, as we shall see in the sequel, thing
turned out very differently.
One of the last fine days of that sad year
) a crowd having gathered round her maste
was amusing himself by exhibiting her in
telligence in the selection of the fruit anC
flowers he named, in which she acquitted
herself with her usual sagacity. MacHenry
had her fetch an apple. There We're SOM
still hanging on tree in a neighboring gar
d n, but, instead of running off as usual t.
the well-known place, she went right up tc
the knife grinder and pushing aside will
her paws the skirts of his coat, displayed tw'
d pocFets stuffed with something, which tn
crowd, amid shouts of laughter, declared t.
: be stolen apples The artist tried to call OF
= his goat, and the man drove her away will
j curses, but two vigorous peasants immediate
: ly laid hold of him and insisted on seein
i the contents of the suspicious pockets, ,whc
proved to be, as all had supposed, apple
stolen from the tree in question. The dis
:, covery only increased the rage Of Massicault
5 who swore with the most fearful oaths tina
he had never shed one of them, and tha
e the apples found in his possession had bee
given to him by friend. Though none be
i lievei him, several, in order to get rid of
e dsagreeable affair, ieigned to do so, and 5
he was finally let off bat many thoughtthe
had thus got the clue to the authorship {
several robberes recently committed to tn
u prejudice of different members of the littl
community.
7, The misadventure excited in the knife
e grinder violent hatred against Fanchett'
which was heartily shared by his worth
], companion, the bulldog. The latter was a
d object Of special terror to poor little Mari
Fanchette seemed to understand the fears
n the child, and whenever the dog approache
e her, she would lower her horns as if to PR
e. tect her nursing and defy her enemy. The
S, demonstrations of valor were generally su
e, cessful, the dog sinking Off with droopr
D. tail.
lg One day Fanchette nestled up close to h
ID master, putting her foot upon his arm, an
Sc having succeeded in gaining his attention
IS ran off to particular spot, where she stoo
Is, ed to sniff the grass, and then trotting bac
lg she renewed several times the same ma
ii euvre. MacHenry, persuaded that som
rs thing extraordinary must be the matter, re
of and followed her When she reached t
be spot, putting aside like terrier dog the 10
h, herbage with her feet, she displayed to vie
a leather pocketbook, which the artist pic
pr ed up and examined. An instant sufic
,ly to show that it belonged to the knife-grir
of er, and its contents proved that Il
to man was one of the'numerous spies the G
SO mans had constantly and everywhere in tn
ak service. He found besides in this pock
ner book, pushed under the covering, the 7
tura of a child ona of those common nhO