The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-04-18
HERCULES.


Prom ne Frsnch Of Jean Ramean.
Il.
All The inhabitants Of salignacq in Gas
cony well knew what . hateful rivalry there
vas between the two miilers OF the COM
mune--C assagnet. the owner Of the Upper
Mill. and Labarthe, the proprietor Of the
Lower Mil. CastAgnet Of the Upper Mill
was rich; Labarihe OF the Lower Mil Was
poor. The Upper Mill had the prettiest
maid Of the mill in the canton; but the
Lover Mil possessed the handsomest
donkey In the district. The maid Of the
mill WAS The daughter OF Castagnst. and
on LahaFfhe's estate, and was named Her
suies. Now, II must b regretfully Cd
United, the handsome Hercules competed
with the pretty Yanstte advantagsously,
and, thanks TO him. the poor Lower Mil Was
making ready 10 ruin the rich Upper MIL
Let us hasten to cay that Hercules was not
IN ordinary donkey. Hercules Was - big
~ = horss. hence his prestige; strong as
NO mules. hence his name; and ~ learned
u several college graduates. hence his
triumph. His master. the beaming La
sarthe, had two sons. The older. elegantly
sanaed Auguste, Was handsome fellow Of
Is. provided with thick moustachs. and
accomplished In the art Of stealing the
iucks Of the customers st the mill. . spec
atty Of the Gascon millers. All salignacq
admired him. The other son, sneeringiy
FAMED Cadeton, Was feeble youth of -.
Afflicted with beardless face. and usver
sble 10 cheat . friend out Of the smallest
little chick. And the young girls made fun
IL him. II was this fellow, disinherited by
nature. who Was the teacher Of Hercules.
And what donkey hs made Of him.
To begin with, Hercules was well en-
lowed. While very young he carried two
sacks Of flour and his master atop. with the
sase Of horss taking young girl TO ride.
Taught BY Cadeton. Hercules learned to go
Town on hts knees when he WAS scoided. to
iAncs when the peasant girls pattsd his
lose. 70 ring his bell when hs passed before
he church door; 70 salute the schoolmas-
er. whom he honored with . respectful
.hake OF tho head. wagging his ears the
While; 70 count up 70 nine with his hoof.
or which be was rewarded with an extra
iish OF bran; to-ah, we'll. let as confine
ourselves TO saying that he made the entire
commune wonder over his learning--glo
ZONES quickly in Gascony--so that In the
title evening gathering they talked of moth
nc but the exploits OF Hercules. The Illus
Iious donkey Of the Lower Mil. The Up
ser Mil got into terrible rage over It:
,very day II lost customers. All the coun-
ay round about. daxzIcd by the wonderful
leeds OF Hercules. sent it grain TO Labar.
he.
Hercules charmed all the farmers and
a - Ill A.
The four donkeys Of the Upper Mill could
act compete With him. And Yanetts. the
maid Of the mill. who Was prudent - well
~ pretty. Was not 90 honorcd as the
amous inhabitant OF the rival mill.
Csstagnes. not entirely discouraged. con-
suited fortune tellers in high repute. and
asid thsm roundIy. 10 throw spell over
he cursed donkey. But Hercules was.
psshaps. as much Of . witch as they; at
any rate nothing worked against him.
and the wheel Of the Upper Mil turned
only when there was grain 10 be ground
or the family. Sastagnet would have
bought the wonderful donkey from his en-.
smy; he would certainly have given leo
crowns Tor him. and You can get ten
tonksys for that money at the fair in
Psyhonrade. Hat Hercnles would not
have consented 10 tho salsl And IL was
secessary TO reckon with the beast
Ills reputation had PASSED the bounds os
he commune. and superb offers had come
a isaharthe. who had accepted them. Bat
Hercules always came bach home on the
morrow OF the sale. and l.aharshe had to
'sfnnd the money 10 the hayer. From
peaiiien. distant three leagues; from
tiaeas. over fiseen miles away; even from
Ridsche. which vas at the farther end of
The next department. Hercules had thus
resarued. And each time, with very
humble movements OF his ears, he had
zone down on his knees before his teacher.
caieson. but Cadstoa never had to he
sarvful nos to scoia him; indeed nesi lie
ev~d his pupil too much' lie Was so
proud Of hint Thanks TO the donkey.
hey had little consideration for the
asller in Ssiignaes.
And. besides. there we're certain bonds
anitsnx Hercules ard Caiescn unknown 10
he world. In former DAYS. when each WAS
90 yossng 10 carry sacks OF -Four. they both
amused themselves on the red heAshs Of the
pantxy. CAieton rode on Hercules bach.
and. dssrsg srdsng the TACT thai he had no
saasssssche, be played soldier, was . gen
sral. and charged on his hcstsA enemies.
AMI IN these games Yan<tts took part. the
areity Naaeste OF the urrer Mil. who did
sos know yet tia. she oaghs - hate Casie-
on of The lower Nil Cadeson was thea
ioarseen and Yanetts thirteen. she Was
already very pretty. with her weai-roundess
icrshesd. her hsg eyes, her dainty chin,
Ind al her face. 80 tnaid aaa 80 lively,
shsre sAons constantly an ingenious
nm{ie Then ss~nerAl tNa,srs..s 3zrsss a,
sall her Mrs Gencrals@ And Ysnssse
liked well 10 hear herself called So Bar
since chen, Caiesca bad heeome serious.
Despite his eaergessc razor. hss nsoastache
persisted in remaining beneath the akin.
lie had 10 right 10 leck ~ young girls He
40 aeRxsr looked ~ Yanesse. and be gave
der very iew salute when he net her !:
and. II he huxhed before her. be eaaxAed
~ esss~ b make eelsevs he bad swailow ei
something the ssvns way. Csdsson. -