Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-03-20

Tended this soldier from the savage
fury of bis enemies!
The artist had made a striking pic.
ture. The haggard face wore a wicked
and ~slrlonic expression, and the, ;ari.
caturist had not forgotten any ludi.
crous details that distinguished NJ.
Mayeux's costume. His short trousers,
long coat and ample cravat all wer,
there. Underneath was this inscrip
ton:
N. MayeiIS, srEndnephew II Punchinrlln. slsy
ing dead soldiers during the glorious days u
July. uirst Series Of the Adventures OF NJ. Ma
yeau,)
MayeuX could not reprpss a cry.
Some Of the rabble turned around
and, seeing this grotesque little hunch.
back. they only laughed the louder.
mon Dicu.' they exclaimed. ''Thi,
is he! 1t is Mayeux himself"
And as the unhappy man, overcome
with shame and despair, burst into
tears, they shouted:
aha. He's in "A rage. Look al
him, in tears, Don't weep. Mayeux.'
The h~unchback collected all his
strength, and ran off at full speed, fol.
lowed by the ieers Of the crowd. He
took the street leading To his own
room, and shut himself up there. His
heart was broken.
From this day NJ. Mayeux's life was
IN of continual torment.
The artists sketch proved a brilliant
success. Copies of his picture were 10
he seen everywhere, and NJ. Ma.
yeux became famous, through the
passing caprice of a clever painter. He
stood Us the type Of the most hideous,
grotesque and malicious of his class.
Represented first as a child of the
people, and afterward ms a member of
the National Guard, he saw his whole
imaginary career illustrated in The
Charivari, for the sport and amuse.
ment of an entire nation. Then they
composed comic songs about him. In
France everything finishes with q
song.
Meanwhile Mayeux was afraid to
risk himself out of doors. His deform.
ity was now public property. The
street urchins ran after him. shouting:
"Mayeux! MayeuxI" Some among
them believed that he wore a mask.
"Eh, NJ. Mayeux." cried one more
mischievous than his companions:
You are too soon! 1t is not carnival
time yeti"
At last Mayeux said to himself, 81
will not GO out again"
He sent his resignation to the minis.
ter of war, and remained in his room,
which he never quilted until nightfall.
Even then he seldom ventured FAR. In
all this distress what he most regretted
were his swans. Poor man! he really
loved them.
One morning, as he was going up
the stairs, he heard little Pichon, the
innocent cause of his cruel persecu.
ton, talking To his mother.
"Maman, l have found little dog!"
he exclaimed. Mon Dieu, but he is
uglyl | intend to keep him all the
same, though. What shall l call
himl"
''Since he is so ugly" said NJ. Ma.
yeux. give him my name, Mayeux."
''Ah" answered Pichon. What a
lucky idea! That's the very name for
himr'
M. Mayeux was an old man now.
He had no object in life. His health
began TO fail. and he grew visibly
feebler from day to day.
well" he thought, "a little while
longer and all will he over"
Finally he took To his bed with a vi.
olent cough and a sharp pain in his
chest.
AT last! at lastr he repeated.
No one in the house thought of 60.
ing to see him. They left him to die,
as he had lived, alone.
He felt that the end was near.
"Now | shall be happy" he murmured
TO himself. There are no hunch-
backs up there. My heart was all
right! that is not deformed, at least.
Why have | been SO cruelty torment.
edi And | must die here alone!
alone!'
Big tears rolled down his sunken
cheeks. lie repeated necessarily The
words: "Motherl Jamesl Madeleine.
Oh, Godl"
There was a faint noise at the door.
NJ. Mayeux asked in O feeble voice:
"Who is thereT
No answered, and he called
again:
WHO is therei"
A plaintive bark was the only re
sponse:
'Ah." said he, and a sad smile
played over his face:
1T is the little dog. Mayeux."
He would have risen TO open the
door, but his strength failed him, and
falling back upon the pillow, he drew
a long sigh, and expired.
In his life. he had ever been hon.
est, gentle and kind. Yet his name
passed into "A synonym for cruelty,
oynicism and malice.
Such, perhaps. may be the origin Of
more than one accepted Legend
Louise A. Lpsesne, from the French Of
jules Clarctic in Times Democrat.