Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-07-17

Ten years afterward | was walk.
ing one Sunday in the Place de la
Bastile, when ! saw about hundred
persons gathered around a mounte>
bank, who was dancing on rope
stretched on two ricketty stakes in
the ground. | drew near and what
struck me most was woman cover.
cd with bits OF tinsel. which would
have been happy TO 'e considered
spaDgles,a wooden bow in her hand.
TAis woman made the rounds 10 the
crowd saw the sous seemed few.
never saw such monster as that
woman. She was bumped like
Punchinello; her enormous head was
sunk into her neck; her short legs
and long arms made her look Just
like spider. She bad gone about
half through the crowd When the
mountebank suddenly ceased his ~.
rations, hesita.ed an instant, then
bowed. jumped to the ground and
cried out, Ladies and gentleman,
the performance is ended General
applause followed, in the midst of
which left the place and went on
my way had gone not hundred
steps before l was accosted by the
mountebank. who had tried to hide
his costume beneath large cloak.
Monsieur doesn't recollect me p
he said
No. | replied.
Il am Pierre Boursot, and 1 would
very much like 10 talk to Monsieur
q little but this spot is not convent
ent 1t Monsieur should De willing
to give me his address | would
come to see him TO morrow morn.
ing | have q laborer's suite.'
| hesitated am0ment then | made
an appointment with him at my res
dence at 8 the next morning.
Pierre was prompt; and as be had
told mo. his get-up would not have
disclosed to any one the nature of
his calling.
'Ah, sir he said, on entering, give
me some news of my father and
mother. Are they still living p
And, on my answering Automatically
he added: All poSr people how l
would like 10 embrace them
why do you deny yours. II that
pleasure p
Because of the past and also tho
present. he replied hanging his head
but what could l do After nv
crime II was impossible for me 10 re.
turn to the village. | wishe to
work-to resume my trade; wher Q or
applied for employment they asked
me who / was and where was
from. Then in place of answering,
| ran of. l feared that by ques,
ton after question they would lead
me- to avow my crime. One day.
when every body had refused me aims
dying of hunger. | encountered at
the gate Of Limoges family of
mountetanks 10 the act of preparing
their evening meal. The chief was
in dreadful passion The assistant
bad fed, carrying off their cash box.
What would you have sirl The hope
OF getting some supper, the idea of
earning living. fright at the exis-
tence which | had been leading for
two months-overcame in my mind
the disgust which l might have had
for such "a calling, and l offered N.Y.
self in place of the unfaithful assIs
tsnt.
'Ycu know nothing of the trade
said The illustrious Pharamond, the
Terror Of the south, as the placsrds
styled him;'but you are q very we'll.
made STRIPPING, and one could make
something of you
And upon the spot | clothed my
self with the frcck of my predecessor
Bembochou is dead long live Bonn
bochou !
Il will now recount to you the do.
ings of the two following years.
learned TO strut about, then to dance
on rope, then to juggle with heavy
weights.This was no fln;but could
eat every day. One morning, after
i've years of this life Pharsmond
said to me 'Bombocbou, I'm grow
ng old; rheumatism seizss me; aud.
although | call myself the Terror of
the South, | was yesterday thrown
by rascal only sixteen years old.