National Republican., 1883-06-12

the usual diplomatic bows, and paid the usual
diplomatic compliments. Madame Grevy
asked NJ. Dc Bcyens to be seated, and tho
ambassador of tho king of the Bel
gians took his seat. Hardly had tho
grave ambassador felt himself comfortably
in the elegant diplomatic chair before cat
concealed under another chair leaped on his
knees, NJ, De Beyens, anxious to be pleasant
stroked tho cat on the head, when to his
great astonishment, it raised its bristles and
planted its claws in the hand of the Belgian
minister, making most painful wound.
The minister, surprised aud panied, uttered
a cry and gave the cat a terrible blow on its
head. The cat at once retreated, uttering
cries of pain,
Madame Grevy arose, pale and indignant
and expressed her sympathy for her stricken
cat but no sympathy for NJ. De Beyens.
The Belgian minister, whose hand was COW
cred with blood and burning with indigna-
tion, bowed himself out; while Madame
Grevy went in search of her cat.
This was not the end of 1t.
The Belgian minister at once sent dis
patch to NJ, Frere orban, minister of foreign
affairs at Brussels, and requested his imme-
diate recall. He said in tho dispatch, az
have been insutod in the homo of the presi-
dent of the republic. o o % Twas made the
victim of acts of violence, and l have every
reason to believe that they were premcdi-
tated."
NJ. orban, tho secretary of foreign affairs,
replied to tho ambassador asking for a
full explanation of the affair. NJ. De Bey-
ems replied that his assailant was the fa-
vorito cate Madame Grevy, and that it was q
we'll known fact in Paris that this cat had
been brought up and taught to hate aud show
its hatred to tho Belgians
NJ. orban, in reply, asked, "what kind
of cat is it2 If (the minister of foreign
affairs gravely and automatically said) the
cat is of the Angora breed, matters may be
conciliated, especially on account of the fur.
The ambassador replied that the cat was not
an Angora but was an awful beast its hair
having the color of new bricks. The minister
of foreign affairs at once ordered the embas-
sador to return. The minister called on M.
Grevy to say "adieu" He was invited to
stay to dinner and was told that he would
have the pleasure of dining on an exquisite
hare. The minister was prevailed upon, and
remained at dinner. The minister ate largely
of that hare, and pronounced it the finest he
had eaten.
Dinner over, the Belgian minister arose to
make his final adieus.
Monsieur and Madame Grevy hoped he had
enjoyed the hare.
NJ. De Beyens was profuse in his praises of
the hare,
At this moment Madame Grevy arose from
the table with eyes sufTused with tears, aud
said TO tho Belgian minister, Monsieur De
Beyens, this hare which you found SO good is
not q hare, it is cat. 1t was my cat, the
samo that wounded you. / consented to
immediate this cat to save trouble between our
governments / try to initiate tho courage
of Abraham, who offered his son as sacri.
flee. France is not afraid of Belgium. II
the cat had belonged to France, it would moi
have been sacrificed, but it was the cat Of
Madame Grevy, and she does not hesitate To
sacrifice it rather than make war with
Belgium"
This settled tho matter.