St. Landry democrat., 1879-08-30
Stories {for {f the {irssids.
BOMBOCHOU.
FROM THE FRENCH.

Lave pScu Wcu dC4 uAiutcu W1Lu n
mountebank. It is not of a politician
that I wish to tell you, but only of a
common acrobat. Why should I have
known him? AS sancho says, one
should have friends everywhere.
This mountebank had just died, and I
am going to tell you his story. It is
commonplace enough, when all said +;
but this mountebank in dying uttered a
sublime word. It was the grain of gold
in the heap of sand.
Pierre Boursot was born at Soulitre,
a little village near Mans. His father
was cooper. At five one is not an aris.
tocrat !; and I have had many q pleasant
game with little Pierre. In time it be-
came necessary to 60 to Paris to college
and after that I 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 work.
man like his father and toward his nine-
teenth year nothing would do but he
must fall in love with the cures niece, q
very pretty girl, On my word. But it
was not for him that two black eyes
beamed, and that beat little heart
whose flutterings sgitated q young
bosom divinely nodded.
All these treasures were reserved for
the village teacher. When Pierre learned
not only that be was not loved, but that
his charmer loved another, the unhappy
boy became mad, and two days before
the wedding night he sought a quarrel
with his happy rival. A struggle fol-
lowed, and the poor devil OF tutor, cut
with krife, fell never to rise again.
1t was on that occasion that for the
first time gained knowledge of the
quality of French justice. The case was
very simple was it not The affair
occurred in the presence of ten witness
ses, and for that matter, Pierre avowed
all that ene could ask, even premedita.
tion, which was entirely unnecessary.
Well the magistrate found ground for
sending the prisoner to Jail for six
months ] That was astonishing enough,
but what was more 30 was that
Pierre, defended by a young lawyer who
made his debut as an advocate in this
case, was acquitted on the trial.
Once more free, Pierre did not 20
back to sonlitre: He disappeared withs
out ever communicating with his rela.
tives. In the summer, when I again
saw his father, I said to him, aHaye
you received letter?'' No." an.
swered poor Boursot. Afterward I did
not ask him the question, 80 as not to
revive grief which time was healing.
Ten years afterward I was walking
one Sunday in the Place de Ia Bastile,
when ] saw about ONE hundred persons
gathered around mountebank, who was
dancing on rope stretched on two
ricketty stakes in the ground. drew
near, and what struck me most was |
woman covered with bits OF tinsel, which
would have been happy to have been
considered spangles, wooden bowl In |
her hand this woman made her round In |
The crowd, bnt the sous seemed few. I |
never saw such monster as that woman.
She was bumped like Punchinello; her
head was sunk into her neck
Ter short legs and long arms made her
COX just like q spider. She had gone |
bout half way through the crowd when
he mountebank ceased his gyrations,
leaitated an instant, then bowed, jumped
o the ground and cried out, "Ladies
md gentlemen, the performance is
nded. General applause followed. In |
he midst Of which / left the place and
vent on my way. ] bad not gone hun.
ired steps before / was accostad lv tho
nountebank, who had tried to hide his
'cstume beneath large CLOAK.
Monsieur doesn't reoollect mefu he
sid.
Mo- 4 / replied.
an Pierre Bouraot, and I wouId
lke yery much q talk to Monaieur lit~