Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-01-12
MEMPHIS TENN. SATURDAY EVENING. JANUARY l9 1878


two exclamations were uttered at
the same moment:
" Madame de Noriolis I"
Monsieur de la Roche Targew
/ have an aunt between whom
and myself my marrying is a source
of continual dispute.
"Marry," she would say.
81 will not" was my answer.
Would you have a young lady?
There are Miss A, Miss B, Miss O."
"But | won't marry"
"Then take a widow; there are
Mrs. D, Mrs. E, Mrs. F." etc.
"But marry / will not"
Madame de Noriolis was always
in the first rank among my aunt's
willows. To tell me she was rich,
lively and pretty was unnecessary;
but after setting forth all her at
fractions, my aunt would take from
her secretary a map Of the district
where she lived, and point out how
the estates of Noriolis and La
Roche large Joined, and she had
traced a red line upon the map
uniting the two properties, which
she constantly obliged me to look
at. Eight hundred acres within
a ring-fencel a fine chance for a
sportsman" But | would shut my
eyes and repeat as before: "I will
never marry" Yet seriously speak
ing, / was afraid of Madame de
NOriolis, and always saw her head
encircled with an aureole, Of my
aunt'S red line. Charming, sensi-
BILE, talented, and eight hundred
acres within ring-fence p! Escape
for your safety if you will not
marry.
And l always did escape; but
this time retreat was impossible. |
lay extended on the turf, covered
with sand, my hair in disorder, my
clothes in tatters, and my leg stiff.
What are you doing here ?" in
quired Madame de Noriolis. "What
has happened?"
candidly confessed | had been
thrown.
"But you are not much hurt?"
"No; but | have put something
out in my leg-nothing serious, l
am sure"
And where is the horse which
has played you this trick ?"
pointed out Brutus, who was
quietly grazing upon the shoots of
the broom.
How it is him, the good horsel
He has amply repaired his wrongs,
as | will relate to you later. But
you must go home directly"
how cannot move a STEP"
"But l am going to drive you
home, at the risk of compromising
you"
And calling her little groom,
Bob, she led me gently by one arm,
while Bob took the other, and made
me get into the carriage. Five
minutes afterward we were moving
in the direction of La Roche large,
she holding the reins and driving
the pony with light hand; | look
ing at her, confused, embarrassed,
stupid, ridiculous. Bob was charged
to lead back Brutus.
extend your leg quite straight" !"
said Madame de Noriolis, sand |
will drive you very gently to avoid
jolting." When she saw me COM
fortably installed "Tell me-" she
said, show you were thrown, and
| will explain how l came to your
assistance"
| began my story, but when l
spoke Of the efforts of Brutus to un-
seat me after the two shots, 81 un-
derstand it ALL" she exclaimed !;
"you have bought the trumpeter's
horse"
N M
"The trumpeter's horse 2"
"Yes, that explains it all. You
have seen many scenes in the Cirque
de PImperatrice, the performance
of the trumpeters horse. A Chas-
seur d'Afrique enters the arena
upon gray horse then comes the
Arabs, who fire upon him, and he
is wounded and falls; and, as you
did not fall, the horse, indignant at
your non-performing your part in
the piece, threw you down. What
did he do next?
| related the little attempt of
Brutus to bury me.
Exactly like the trumpeter's
horse. He sees his master wounded;
but the Arabs may return and kill
him, so what does the horse do?
He buries him and gallops off, car
rying away the colors chat they
may not fall into the hands of the
Arabs"
"That is my hat which Brutus
carried off"
Precisely. He goes to fetch
the yivandiere-the vivandiere of
to-day being your humble servant
the Countess de Noriolis. Your
great gray horse galloped into my