The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-10-12
Select Story.
FANCHETTR, THE GOAT OF B0ULAlN.
VlLLIERS.
AN EPISODE OF THE SIEGE OF PARIS.

ron grasp the most brilliant aud pleasure
owing city of Europe, transforming in a
its epicurean population into peo-
pie of heroes, the environs once so gay and
20 beautiful had experienced change al
most as great. Most of the detached villas
we're deserted, or occupied by the army, and
the villages, whose regular inhabitants had
either taken refuge in Paris or fled to dis
tance, were repopulated by singular assem-
blage of individuals, belonging to all classes
of society, and bound together only by the
tie of common nationality, and the neces
sty of finding shelter and providing for
their daily wants.
The hamlet of Boulainvilliers, which had
been thus abandoned, had received an en-
trely new colony, and its beautiful avenue,
carpeted with turf OF the most lovely green,
had all the appearance of camp. As long
as the season would permit cooking was car.
ried on in the open air,and groups were con-
stantly to be seen surrounding the fires and
exchanging accounts of their mutual mis-
fortunes.
A painter of Fleurs, bearing the English,
or rather Scotch, name of MacHenry, was
among these refugees He had brought
with him from Colombes, where he had be-
fore resided, remarkably beautiful white
goat, called Fanchette. This creature, to
which her master was much attached, fig
ures in most of his pictures. Light and
graceful as gazelle, she is represented some
times cropping delicately the green branches
of the hedge-rows and bushes, sometimes
entanged in a maze of brier roses, their pink
blossoms and green leaves falling around
her in elegant garlands, and contrasting well
with the snowy whiteness of her skin.
Fanchette was universal favorite, and
few there were at Boulaiuvillers who would
not have deprived themselves of a morsel Of
the bread sometimes so hard to procure, that
they might reserve mouthful for the goat,
which, however, the saucy thing would only
accept from her particular friends.
The grace and rare intelligence Of the an
imal frequently relieved the miseries of the
siege. All were surprised at the wonderful
education which her master had succeeded
in giving her. He had even taught hel
something of his art, and it was really extra
ordinary to see the sensible creature busily
employed in arranging pebbles on the grounC
so as to form a rude resemblance to hu
man profile, often grotesque enough, bu
still such as one occasionally sees on humai
shoulders and, looking at her work, on
could not help thinking that, after all tn
lower animals are, perhaps, not so inferior t.
US as we suppose. .
The art with which Fanchette selected
| from bunch of flowers each one that wa
named to her was really marvellous. Roses
wall flowers, tulips, camelias, were prompt,
chosen from the number, and it was rare in
deed that she made the least mistake. Tw
centuries ago they would have burned tt
poor beast for witch.
| The exercises which she preferred to al
Others consisted in catching on her horns
series of brass rings which her master threV
| up in the air. This she did with the great
est address, and when she had got doze
or so of them encircing her brow like dia
dem she would begin jumping and galloPin
and shaking her head to make them Jingle
till, over excited by their rough music, sh
would end by dancing in the most fantasti
style on her hind feet, till, tired at lengt
by her exertions, she would bound towar
ther:master and throw the rings at his feet.
Among those who had found refuge in tn
hamlet was a child of five years old, calle
Marie, the daughter of a peasant whose farI
had been burned by the invaders. She wa
an object of general interest in the little co
ony on account of her gentle manners, an
the sweet but suffering expression of ht
pale infantine features. A year or two pre-
yiously she had been so severely bitten
the arm by vicious dog that the arm ha
to be amputated, and her delicate constitr
ton had never recovered from the shocl
Fanchette soon took great fancy to the Ii
tie girl and the doctor having advised ht
to be fed as much as possible upon mill
MacHenry offered that of the goat. II WI
beautiful to see the pleasure with which tn
affectionate cIeature took upon herself th
Office of nurse, and the avidity with whic
the child sucked in the grateful nourishmei
which was giving her new life Fanchet'
became every day more and more attache
to Marie. She rarely left her, except whe
wanted by her master or some new study
and when it was ended, and MacHenry 81
her at liberty, saying''Now be off to Marie
with what joy the creature bounded ava
and how rejoiced was the little one to hay
again by her side her darling Fsnchette
Nesting her head under the child's han
a world of loving things were Interchange
in their mute caresses.
1t once happened that lady having
her hand crown of artificial ivy which 81
had picked up somewhere, probably the d
bris of school fete during happier time
placed it on the head of the little Mar
Fanchette, rising on her hind legs, exami
ed it with comical curiosity and, havi
made up her mind on the subject, scamper
off to an old tree close by, around who
trunk the real ivy twined in thick and gle
sy wreaths, butted at it with her hori
twisting it around them, and tearing off 10
trailing garlands. She then ran back in t
umph to throw her treasures at the chill
!. feet saying as clearly as if she had the gift
speech "Look. This is better than
coarse imitation they have decked You wi
this is the real thing p
Another day the child was looking at h
self in mirror, and Fanchette immediat
began to do the same The expression
sadness and wonder in her eyes seemed
say so plainly "Why are Marie and
different If were like her / could sp,
to her, and then we should love each OF
still better"
One evening Marie, who was sitting
her mothers side, began to fdget and CO
plain of an uneasy sensation IN her bs
Her mother, ,busily engaged with some We