The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1889-02-21
"A VAGUE COMPLIMENT.
How It Failed of Appreciation By
the Government.


! Boiste, name familiar to philologers
and grammarians, was a celebrated
maker of dictionaries, at which he
worked with an enthusiasm almost un-
rivaled in that department of labor,
and with degree of success which
brought him bothreputation and profit.
The great Napoleon gave him the post
OF royal grammarian; and the hard
working student received this fatter-
ing testimony to his merit just as he
was concluding his grand dictionary
OF the French language. Very sweet
were those concluding labors, and one
may imagine the pleasGfe with which
he corrected the last proof-sheets and
complied with the customary form of
sending complete copies to the censor
of the press. Sweet also were his
dreams that night and the anticipations
of the fame and the profit that should
accrue to HIM from the publication of
the elaborate work which in few days
would see the light. But, alas! never
was the adage that speaks of 1.-THE slip
'twixt the cup and the lip" more strik-
ingly illustrated than in the case OF
poor NJ. Boiste. He had retired to rest
one night after pleasant evening with
some literary friends. when. disturbed
By movement in his chamber, he
woke up to find his bed surrounded by
a posse of gendarmes.
What is it, gentlemen?" said he.
You have assuredly made some mis-
take. am Monsieur Boiste, lately
appointed grammarian to the En-.
peror."
"AhF' said the brigadier in com.
mand, 1.-The very man we want. See
sir; here is the order for the arrest O.
Monsieur Boiste, grammarian."
The order was in due form, SURE
enough, and it was but vain to appea
against it. The poor scholar had t.
turn out and dress; and in few minute.
was seated with his captors in close
carriage, driving rapidly towards the
castle OF Yincennes.
Having arrived at the prison, the
astonished captive was not without
hopes that the obstinate silence with
which all his inquiries had been met
during the journey would no longer
be maintained. He now urgently en-.
treated to be informed of the reason
for his arrest, at the same time pro-
testing his entire innocence and his
known devotion TO the Emperor. The
official at first paid no attention to his
entreaties5 but at length, out of re-
speet 1t may be for the prisoners gray
hairs, condeseended to refer to the or.
der of arrest, and after perusing it,
eoolly answered: ITO secure the pub
lie safety"
foor Boiste was no wiser than be
fore, but only the more perplexed.
de was at once led off to room fast
ened with an iron door and grimly
grated windows, and there he was
shut in. with the prospect of spend.
ing months, it might be years, in tor.
turing his brain to discover how il
could be that he, who had passed his
whole life in the harmless avocation
@ arranging words in alphabetical or.
uer, could possibly have compromised
the public safety, at can not be-" he
sad to himself, ''that l am arrested
on account of my book; for it was ex-
anlned three several times, was cor.
seeted and altered both by the chiefs
ana the suhordinates of the imperial
censorship. and every thing to which
ney objected was struck out. -
z was little use spending his days in
conlectures that led to nothing, and
nothing was to be got by indulging in
lamentations; SO he began to exert
pnaseli. de drew up memorials con,