The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-01-18
BOBON.

QrOugnt up In tnlS city OF Bordeaux,
France, bought him dog, and married
him wife, in the reign of the Sixteenth
Louis. His dog was large, brown,
shaggy creature, which many people
called ugly; but nobody ever applied
that epithet to Pierrot's wife, who was
young, sylph-like, pretty and fascina-
ting. Jacques loved two creatures
his dog and his wife. We mention the
dog first because he always did, and 1t
was the one of his two loves which he
first procured.
Now, though Jacques loved both dog
ard 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 ex-
ceedingly, perhaps because she fancied
he divided affections that should have
been all her own.
jacques, she would frequently say
to him, ''now do sell that ugly brute. If
you can find anybody fool enough to buy
him-or, If not, give him away. He is
only in the way here and eats as much
as you or l."
'Now, my dear Jeanette" jacques
would reply, you'd be one of the
sweetest and most reasonable beauties
in the world, If you'd only appreciate
poor Bobon, who's dog that knows as
much as either of us"
"Speak for yourself, Master Jacques,
and not for me! It's no great compli-
ment to the dog to say he knows as
much as you. But if he knew ten times
as much, of what use would he be to
usp For he takes it all out and brings
nothing in"
"But l like company, Jeanette"
"Well, haven't you meP"
"Yes-but you cannot follow me all
over the city as Bobon does"
II wish l could and make nightly
report for your benefit"
Eyes, but don't want any report,
and SO prefer the dog, who's always
discreet and keeps civil tongue. And
then, jeanette, you know. he guards
the house at night"
Guards fiddlesticks, Jacques. 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 80 sweetly to me who knows
but they'd just carry you off and leave
me to break my heart in solitudep You
see, l got Bobon for some purpose-I
don't exactly know what-but it'll turn
up one of these days as sure as l am a
prophet"
.'Pshaw! you're fool, Jacques"
81 know it, but can't help it, any
more than you can help being SO sweet
and pretty"
''Well, then, Jacques" jeanette
would generally wind up with a kiss,
''you are a dear, good soul, SO you are,
and if you'll only promise to like me
best you may keep Bobon as long as
you Ike"
This kind of colloquy took place as
often as once, sometimes twice, a week
jeanette beginning with a firm de-
termination to get rid of the dog, and
ending with permission for him to re-
main as long as he and his master
might think proper.
The subject of this family pickering
was very sagacious animal, who be-
haved himself as all gentlemanly dogs
should. His master did not stretch the
truth much when he said Bobon knew
as much as himself or his wife--for the
dog was 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 under the table, and there,
with his large, bright, noble looking,
brown eyes fixed earnestly upon the
contending parties, would seem to lis
ten anxiously for the conclusion; and
then, if favorable to himself as it gen.
orally was, he would come forth wag-
ging his tail, and look up cheerfully,
almost humanity into the faces of both.
Time rolled on. France became as
a troubled ocean, and a perfect tornado
of human passions swept madly over
the ship of state. The good but vacil-
lating king master was put under the
matches, and 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 wreck, and engulfed hun
dreds of thousands of human beings
who had embarked on her for the voy-
age of life.
Speaking without figure, the bloody
epoch known as the reign of terror had
begun in France, and thousands of all
classes and ages were daily being drag
ged to prisons and dungeons, to be
thence conveyed to the reeking guillo-
tine and sinking hulks, or to some open
spots of fiendish massacre. tt
But, so far, Jacques and jeanette,
though often Mortified at what they
saw and heard, remained unmolested;
and Bobon still kept them company;
and at last even Jeanette went so far
as to say she was glad the noble brute
was with them and that she would not
part with him for any money.
Jacques Pierrot was smith by
trade--which was a good business in
those days when letters, chains, bolts,
swords, axes, Knives and firearms were
in such constant requisition-and be-
licving himself as safe at the forge as
elsewhere he kept steadily Mt work
from day to day, minding bis own busi- !.
ness. giving everybody civil word