Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-07-07

II
tree that afforded scant shade. lie set
TO barking in "A little irritated voice, cast.
ing ;n!paticnt chances at me- Plainly
what was doing was against the rule 1t
wasn't the custom to stop there. And his
vclns were SO sharp and cXasperating Tint
! arose 10 resume my walk. Noiraud in
stantly quoted down and went trotting
ravly in advance. | had comprchendcd
lie was satisfied
Some minutes later we entered on de-
licious road. all flowers, perfume, shade,
all full of coolneSs and the m,lruur OF
spriups Noiraud suddenly slipDed among
the trees. took to a gallon and vanished
down u little path followed him ont of
breath. ! had not gone hundred steps
when found my Noiraud awaiting me,
his head high, his eye shining. in n sort of
hail of verdurc made gay with the song Of
dainty waterfall. There was an old
rustic bench. and Noiraud's glance turned
impatently from my eyes to the bench,
from The bench to my eyes | was begin
ming to understand the language of Noi.
raud. "Now." it said tn me. "thpre's a
place TO rest rs nice herc-it's cool. You
were stupid You wanted to stop in the
hot sun. Come, sit down; you may sit
down: | allow YOU that"
And | stopped, and I sat down, and
lighted a ci9nr. | was just on the point Of
Offering one to NCiraud. Perhaps he
smoked But it occurred to me that he
would prefer hit of sugar. He caught it
very adrotly on the fly, Crunchcd it with
zest, lay down and settled himself Mt my
feet Evidently here be was used to lit.
tie halt and a little nap
He scarcely dozed ten minutes. was
now completely at ease, Noiraud began to
inspire me with absolute confidence, had
made up my mind to obey him hlndly. He
rose, stretched, gave me little sidelong
glance which signied Lets start, my
friend, lets start" And away we went
Like two old friends, through the wood at
gentler pace. Noiraud was enjoying the
charm, the silence, the sweetness of the
place. On the road awhile back in haste
to escape the heat and dust he had gone
on with little firm, quick gait He was
marching TO get through. And now
refreshed, relaxed, Noiraud was walking
for the pleasure of walking in one Of the
prcttiest little paths of the Canton of
Wand.
a road opens to the left. A slight hest
tation on Noraud's part. Then he passes
by and keeps on his route straight ahead,
but not without some uncertainty, some
trouble in his manner Now he stops. He
must have made Il mistake Yes, for
he retraces his steps, and we take the road
TO the left, which, at the end of a hundred
PAGES, brings us to a sort of amphit heater,
and Noiraud, nose in air, invites me to CON
template the very respectable height of the
impossible wall Of rocks that forms this
amphitheatcr. When Noiraud and | have
contemplated sufficiently, about face! and
we resume the little path through the
wood. Noiraud had forgotten to show me
the rocky amphitheater-a slight error
quickly repaired.
The route soon becomes very steep,
broken difficult. | can only advance slow
ly with infinite precaution. Noiraud leaps
lightly from rock to rock, but does not de
sert me. He waits for me, fixing upon me
IA look of the most touching solicitude
Finally begin to hear a sort of boiling;
Noiraud yelps ioyously.
Courage" he says to me. Courage.
We are nearing it. You shall see the
| Caldron." \ stream, modest enough and
! from a modest height, falls with backward
| lets and rebounds into Il great rock slight
| ly followed out. | should hardly be paid
for this laborious ascent by seeing this
mediocre marvel if | had not had for u
companion this brave Noraud, who is
! much more interest ing and very much
more remarkable than the Caldron.
On each side OF the stream, in little
! Swiss ChaletS, are placed two milk stands
| kept by two little Swiss girls one blonde
! one brunette, both in the national cos
tune, eagerly watching my arrival from
| the threshold of their houselets, veritable
| little boxes, cut out by machinery
1t seems to me that the little blonde has
| very pretty eyes, and ! had already made
| three or four steps toward her, when
| Noiraud breaking into furious banks. res.
olutely bars my passage Can he have a
| preference for the little brunette? |
| change my direction. Yes, that was it.
Noirauds friend enters her little play
| house, and Noiraud follows at her heels
| Through a half open window | followed
| Noiraud with my eyes The wretch. He
is being served before me. 1t is he who
first has his big bowl of milk. He is
yenal.
After which, with little drops of milk ON
| his mustaches. Noiraud come, to keen me
company and watch me drink nv milk. |