The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1886-12-11
NJ. SEGUIN'S GOAT.
The Fate of One Who Wanted to
Be Free.

You will always be the same, my
poor Gringoire.
What! You are offered the place of
chronicler in a good newspaper in
Paris, and you have the face to refuse.
But only look at yourself, you unfor-
tunate fellow. Look at your torn doub-
let and dilapidated hose, at your thin
face that cries famine. And yet that is
what your passion for rhyming has
brought you to. That is what you have
gained by ten years of loyal service as
page to my Lord Apollo. Are you not
ashamedP
Take the place Of chronicler. fool;
take the place of chronicler. Earn
your five rose mobiles, and you can dine
at Brebant's, and show yourself on first
nights with new feather in your cap.
Mop You will not? You mean to
keep your freedom till the end. Very
well, listen to the story of Monsieur
Seguin's goat. You will see what one
gets by wanting to be free.
Monsieur Seguin had never had any
luck with his goats. He lost them all
in the same way; one day they would
break their cord and escape up into the
mountain and there be eaten by the
wolf. Nothing could keep them, neither
their masters caresses nor their fear of
the wolf. 1t seemed they were inde-
pendent goats, determined to have
their liberty and live in the open air at
any price.
Poor M. Seguin, who could not at all
understand the character of his goats,
was in CONSERVATION. 1.-THE fact is"
said he, 1.-THE goats are bored here. I
shall never be able to keep one."
However. he would not be discour-
aged, and after having lost six goats in
the same way he bought a seventh;
only this time he took care to buy a
very young one, so that she might get
used to living with him.
All! Gringoire, she was beauty,
M. Seguin's little goat! She was
beauty, with her soft eyes. and her
beard like young officers, with her
shining black hoofs, and striped horns,
and the long white hair of her coat;
she was almost as charming as Esmer-
aida 9 goat, you remember, Gringoire?
She was gentle, too, and caressing, and
let herself be MIXED without stirring,
or putting her foot in the milk-pail; q
love of little goat.
M. Seguin had field hedged with
hawthorn behind his house. And there
he put his new guest. He fastened her
to stake in the prettiest part Of the
field, and took care to give her very
long cord, and from time to time he
came to see if she was comfortable
there. The goat considered herself
very lucky, and browsed on the grass
with SO much pleasure that NJ Seguin
was delighted. "At last" thought
the poor man, II have found one who
will not grow weary with me-
M. Seguin was mistaken, his goat did
weary, ike the rest.
One day she looked up at the mount
ain and said to herself:
''How nice it must be up there! How
pleasant to gambol about in the heath
cr without tiresome tether to tear
the skin off ones neck. It is all yery
well for donkey or cow to browse
In a field. But goats were made to
live in the OPEN"
And from that moment the grass in
the field seemed tastelcss to her. She
was bored. She began to grow thin
and to lose her milk 1t was sad to see
her pull against her tether all day long,
with her head turned toward the
shifting and crying sadly:
"Me!' M. Seguin saw that something
was the matter with his goat, but he
did not know what. One morning. "a
he finished milking her, the goat turned
to him and said in her language:
Listen to me, Nj. Seguin. am bored
to death here. Let me go into the
.'Ah! me! She toor, cried M. Seruin
aghast, and dropped his milk-pail; then
ne sat down in the grass by the side of
his goat.
''And so. Blanquette, you want to
leave me?''
Blanquette answered:
Eyes. NJ. Seguin."
Haven't You grass enough here?"
20. yes, NJ. Seguin.''
perhaps your cord is too short, shall
give you a longer onep"
1T Is not worth while. Monsieur Sc
gum"
well. what is the matter with you?
What do you wantP'
II want to go into the mountain.
Monsieur Seguin.
but. foolish creature, you do not
rnow that there is wolf in the mount
lin. What would you do if you met
limp"
Il would fight him with my horns,
Monsieur Segliin."
THE wolf would laugh at your
lorns. He has devoured goats that
lad very different horns from yours.
you remember old Renaude who was |
ere last year? She was goat! as |
trong and ~ violent rs hegoat. She
ought with 1he wolf for . whole night,
nd in the morning tho volt devourod