The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-10-11
BOlnbOchOu.
from the French

Dat. why SHOulu llOt nave hllOWH Hill I!
As Sancho says, one should have friends
everywhere.
This mountebank had just died, and am
going to tell you his story. 1t is common
place enough, when all said; but this noun
tebank in dying, uttered sublime word. 1t
was the grain of gold in the heap of sand.
Pierre Boursot was born at Soulitre, lit
tie village near Mans. His father was a
cooper At five one is not aristocratic, and l
have had many pleasant game with little
Pierre. In time it became necessary to go
to Paris tc college, and after that l could see
my former comrade only during vacations.
We were no longer together, but. we were
not lost to each others sight.
As for Pierre, he grew big, went to the
common school, became good workman
like his father, and toward his nineteenth
year, nothing would do but he must fall in
love with the cures niece, a very pretty girl,
on my word. But it was not for him that
two bright black eyes beamed, and that beat
a little heart whose flutterings agitated a
young bosom, divinely nodded.
All these treasures were reserved for the
village teacher. When Pierre learned net
only that he was not loved, but that his
charmer loved another, the unhappy boy
became mad, and two DAYS before the we'd
ding night he sought quarrel with his hap
py rival A struggle followed, and the poor
devil Of a sutton, cut with knife, fell never
to rise again.
1t was on that occasion that | for the first
time gained a knowledge of the quality of
French Justice. The case was very simple,
was it not? The affair occurred in the pres
ence of ten witnesses, and, for that matter,
Pierre avowed all that OIL e could ask, even
generalization, which was entirely unneces-
sary. Well, the magistrate found grounds
60, Itorr In 1arfcn To oil For ciy
months. That was astonishing enough; but
what was more so was that Pierre, defended
by young lawyer who made his debut as
an advocate in this case, was acquitted on
the trial.
Once more free, Pierre did not go back to
Soulitre He disappeared without ever COM
municating with his relatives. In the sum-
mer, when l again saw his father, said to
him, ''have you received letter." "No,"
answered poor Boursot Afterward l did
not ask him the question, so as not to revive
his grief which time was healing.
Ten years afterward l was walking one
Sunday in the Place de la Bastile, when
saw about one hundred persons gathered
around a mountebank, who was dancing on
a rope stretched on two ricketty stakes in
the ground. l drew near, and what struck
me most was woman covered with bits OF
tinsel, which would have been happy to be
considered spangles. A wooden bowl in her
hand, this woman made the round of the
crowd, but the sous seemed few. never
saw such a monster as that woman. She
was bumped like Punchinello; her enormous
head was sunk into her neck; her short legs
made her look just like a spider. She had
gone about half through the crowd when the
mountebank suddenly ceased his gyrations,
hesitated an instant, then bowed, jumped
to the ground and cried out, Ladies and
gentlemen, the performance is ended" Gen
eral applause followed, in the midst of which
/ left the place and went on my way. had
not gone hundred steps before l was ac
costed by the mountebank who had tried to
hide his costume beneath a large cloak.
Monsieur does not recollect me?' he
said
''No," replied.
Il am Pierre Boursot, and would very
much like to talk to Monsieur a little, but
this spot is not convenient. If Monsieur
should be willing to give me his address l
would come to see him tomorrow morning.
l have laborer's suit
L hesitated a moment, then | made an ap-
pointment with him at my residence at 8 the
next morning.
'Ah, sir" he said, on entering, ''give me
some news of my father and mother. Are
they still living? And on my answering
affirmf.tively, he added: ''Ah, poor people!
How 7 would like TO embrace them v'
SWhy do Won dcnv Yourself that pleas
urep,,
..Bec ,use of the past and also of the pres
ent." he replied hanging his head: .'but
what could dop After nv crime If was i'm
possible for me to return to The village.
wished to work-to resume my tradr-but
whenever L applied for employment they
asked me who was and where was from.
foannd AZ w, o',oetin afta7 n,ast;on thou
,,-o,,Id LII ~ ~ 80, nv, ori,,a Ono JaT
Wa, o,,orutodU bad ,afrsod mo aims dr;n1
" I,,i,'rror os''+arad ~ tbo rrato
y, f,,i,, ~ ,,,a,,t al III tho ant
nf ,7ra,,a,.;ro thsir o,,a,,;,,o n,aai Tha ch;of
was IN dreadful nassion The assistant
had aad carrJ;ng off p their casb.hov What
wonld Won have sirp The hone Of GETTING
some simmer the idea Of eanino a living
friobt Of The axistonce which I had been
iaa1;no for two montbs-aJI tbis overcame
i, ,,,, mind tbe disrust which mioht have
had for such a calling and 7 offered mvsnlf
in Mace of the nnfaifRfnl assistant
:! Won know notbino of the trade said
tbo i,lnstr;ons pboramon6 tbe Terror of tbe
So,,tI, os lis n,ocarJs stuleJ him lint Won
90 ms PHI - st,;.l;,,r ooa
a1o 80 ,1atl,;.'ar 81 ,-oi, '
s.And " ,,non tI,o snnf 7 ciotGad mvsalf with
+,o feel IF INV rradecassor Rombocbon is
d te irofn on o1 ivy ivy PRembocSo
sI Iii 81 ~ raoo,,nt 70 ,,o,, +,,o do;,as IF
+bo two WI foiio,r;n@ Nears learned 70 sfrut
o oIo tben to dsnce On y rome then To iue.
~1o ,,;tt t' baary wa;%hts Tbat l. finn bnt
Gie MIL neaey mei ~ Que maj 40 ft er
uou cav th;s ,; Fay said 70
ny you u 'i rs iJ. hu W
noiliooouou, IL olu al 'nsnif 1,a
Tanro,. nf tba So,,ti T 1yaS s.orday thror,
h. 10 Si,ltean yeayS old + ;s ti,na
fo y me- ,a to retire have LITTLE money laid
NV an 9oino to sell INV ontft and settle
d S for Tife One thinS annoys me-Nmv
Jamgbter Doroth6e Don;f Won want 70 rc,
Iieve me Of her? As She has the disadvan-
taae If being humn-backed will rive her
do2vrv of three hundred francs. You know
besides with what skill She perfnrms. If is
in short q Good thing that I offer Won
- IT sIi accant9edWves Sir accented: and r
81 Gov. ioro IF r a,,,
Mi; Mao iu ME- q rr'n rr .o tbat onster
ru by le,aod d rrhn Iorod r,o oiso W.
mn1ni io.eu anu VIM CIV iJ.oI h is' hnnno No
thrae e ol ndppS Iaiy on9 ai"e oT, ho aI
rnaSv aid 'S % Mott We "uoie "n nth m,.o q"
toaus "iu 10 h"'.eIs 20 vi ia'hoi IN