The Penn's Grove record., 1883-12-22
BOBON.

Jacques Pierrot, who was born and
brought up in this city of Bordeaux,
| France, bought him a dog, and mar.
| ried him a wife, in the reign Of the
| Sixteenth Louis. His dog was a large,
brown, shaggy creature, which many
called ugly; but nobody ever applied
that epithet to Pierrot's wife, who
was young, sylph-like, pretty and fas'
| chatting. Jacques loved two creatures
$50 he said. at least-his dog and his
wife. We mention the dog first, be-
cause he always did, and it was II OF
his two loves which he first pro
cured.
Now, though Jacques loved both
| dog and wife, and the dog seemed to
| love both master and mistress, the
| wife, for some reason, did not love
| both husband and dog, but disliked the
latter exceedingly, perhaps because she
| fancled he divided affections that should
have been all her own.
Jacques y she would frequently say
| to him, "now do sell that ugly brute
| if you Gun find anybody fool enough to
buy him-or, if not, give him away.
He is only in the way here, and eats
as much rs you or L."
"Now, my dear Jeanette Jacques
would reply, you'd be n of the
sweetest and most reasonable little
beauties in the world, if you'd only
appreciate poor Bobon, who's a dog
that knows as much as either of
u.s."
ftSpeak for yourself, Master jacques,
and not for mel It's no great COM
pllment to the dog to say he knows as
much as you. But if he knows ten
times as much, of what use would he
be to us? for he takes all out, and
brings nothing in"
"But L like company, Jeanette
"Well, haven't you me?"
"Yes-but you can't follow me all
about tie city as Bobon does"
ST wish Icould, and make a nightly
report for your benefit"
"Yes, but I don't want any report,
and so prefer the dog, who's always
discreet and keep a civil tongue. And
then, Jeanette, you know he guards
the house at night!'
"Gaards fddle-sticks, Jacquesl Why,
we've nothing for anybody to steal!'
"But the thieves don't know that,
my dear. you see. And then, if some
of the rascals should happen to hear
you talking so sweetly to me, who
knows but they'd carry you off, and
leave me to break my heart in solitude?
You see 1 got Bobon for some pur-
pose-I don't exactly know what-but
It'll turn up some day as sure as I'm a
prophet"
"Pshaw! you're a fool, Jacquesln
81 know it, but l can't help, it, any
more that you can help being so sweet
and pretty"
"Well there, Jacques" Jeanette
would generally wind up, with a kiss,
''you are a dear, good soul, so you are;
and if you'd only promise to love me
best, you may keep Bobon as long as
you like"
This kind of colloquy generally took
place as often as once, sometimes
twice. a week-Jeanette beginning
with a firm determination to get rid of
the dog, and ending with permission
for him to remain as long as he and
bis master might think proper.
The subject of this familyibickering
was a very sagacious animal, who be-
haved himself as, all gentlemanly dogs
should. His master did not stretch
the truth a great deal when he SAID
Bobon knew as much as himself or
wife-for the dog was a remarkable
dog, and would seem to comprehend
many things like a rational human
being. For instance, during the
wrangle about himself, he would steal
%sorrowfully away under the bed or un-
der the table, and there, with his
large, bright, noble-looking brown eyes
fixed earnestly upon the contending
parties, would seem to listen anxiously
for the conclusion; and then, if favor
able to himself, as it generally was,
he would come forth wagging his tail,
and'look up cheerfully, almost hnman-
ly, into the faces or both.
Time rolled on. France became as a
troubled ocean. and a perfect tornado
of human passion swept madly over
the ship of state. The good but vacil-
lating king master was put under
matches, and a monstrous and bloody
insanity took the helm, and ran the
old, leaky, and crime-laden vessel upon
the breakers of faction, where she
speedily became a wreck, and engulfed
hundreds of thousands of human beings
who had embarked in her for the vcy.
age Of life.
Speaking without figure, the bloody