St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1892-09-10
NOIRAUD--T GUIDE.

w kAA11 ~ ~ - ~ ~ AsAn
"Don't fear, Monsieur, you shall not
miss your train. Fifteen years now I've
been taking travellers to the station and
never have made one miss train-un-
derstand, Monsieur, never!'
Nevertheless" .
ooh, you need not look at your watch.
There's one thing you must know, and dc
not know, and your watch will not tell
you-the train is always quarter of an
hour late. There has never been an in.
stance when it was not late by quarter
of an hour
There was one that day. The train
had been on time, and I missed it. My
driver was furious.
"You should give notice." he cried to
the Stationmaster. 'You should give
notice, if your trains are, all of sudden,
going to leave on time. The thing has
never been knowing
And calling a bystander to witness
''Has it ever been known2 l don't wish
to seem in fault, Monsieur. A train on
the moment! A train exact! Tell him
that this is the first time it ever hap
pened." There was general cry: eyes,
yes, generally it is late" None the less,
I had three long hours to pass in a mel
ancholy village of the Canton of Vaud,
fanked by two melancholy mountains,
with little tufts of snow ON their
heads.
How to kill those hours2 In my turn
I appealed to the bystanders, and again
there was general cry: go see the
Caldron. There's nothing else to see in
this region" Where was the Caldron2
On the mountain to the right, halfway
up, but the road was little complicated.
I was advised to take guide, and there,
down there in that little white house
with the green blinds, should find the
best guide in the country, an honest fell
low, Father Simon.
Invent off to knock at the door of the
little house. An old woman opened it
for me-
''Father Simon2"
''rhis is the place, but, but, if it's to
go to the Caldron-"
yes, it's to 60 to the Caldron.'
"Well, he's not been we'll since morn
ing, Father Simon-his legs have given
out. He cannot go. But don't be wor-
ried; there's some one to take his place
there's Noiraud"
every well, let me have Noiraud."
''Only ought to let you know-it
isn't person-Noiraud.
''Not persona"
"No, it's our dog"
Chow, your dog?'
"Yes, Noiraud, and he'll guide you
well, as we'll as my husband, he's used
to it."
"Used to it2"
"Certainly, for years and years Father
Simon has taken him along; he's learned
the places, and now he manages very we'll
alone. He has taken up lot of travellers
and has always been complimented. AS
for intelligence, don't fear. He has as
much as you and I. He only lacks
speech. But speech is not necessarily
there was great building to show, yes,
then you must know how to recite the
story and give dates. But here there's
nothing but the beauties of nature.
Take Noiraud Then it's cheaper-3f
for my husband; Noiraud is only 80 SOUS,
and he'll show you as much for his 80
sous as my husband for ST.
"Well, where's Noiraud2"
"He's asleep in the sun in the garden.
He took some English people up this
morning. Shall / call him3''
eyes. Call him!"
'Noiraud Noiraud!"
He came through the window with q
bound. 1t was an ugly little black dog,
with curly and tumbled coat; he was
not pretty, but he had an air of gravity,
decision, Importance. His first glance
was at me, direct, precise, confident,
which took me in swiftly from head to
foot, and said plainly, dts a traveller.
He wants to see the Caldron."
One train missed was enough for one
day, and Explained to the good woman
that I had absolutely only three hours
for my trip to the Caldron.
"Oh, know perfectly You wish the
4 o'clock train. Fear nothing. Noiraud
will get you back in time. Come, Noiraud.
Start, my boy, start"
But Noiraud showed no disposition to
start. He remained motionless, regard
ing his mistress with a certain citation.
ooh, I'm stupid" said the old woman.
81 was forgetting the sugar"
She went to drawer, took out four
bits of sugar, and giving them to me:
sThat's why he would not start You
had not the sugar. You see, Noiraud,
Monsieur has got the sugar. Now start,
my boz. To the Caldron! Go! To the
Caldronl To the Caldron!
She repeated these words three times,
speaking very slowly and distinctly, and
watched Noiraud attentively. He an
swered his mistress with little movements
of his head, more and more emphatic,
with final touch of impatienee and i'll
humor. They could be translated. eyes,
yes, to the Caldron understand. The
gentleman has the pieces of sugar, and
we are going to the Caldron. That's
understood. Do you take me for
dunce2"
And before the third t'to the Caldron''
was fairly uttered, Noiraud, clearly hurt,
turned on his heels, planted himself right
in front of me, and, with his glance on
the door, said to me as plainly as dog
could say it.:
''Come on, come onr
followed him with decility. We both