The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-20
Mr.. SEGUIN'S GOAT

Mr.. Seguin never had good luck with his
goats. he lost them all in the same way;
some fine morning they would break their
cord. dash away TO the mountains, and up
there. alasl the wolf would eat them up
Neither the kindness of their master nor
the fear OF the wolf would restrain them.
They we're, apparently, independent goats.
wishing. at any Price. for open air ana
liberty.
Coed Mr.. Segun, who did not understand
the dispositions of his animals, was in
despair. He would say:
well, well, that's all there Is about il;
the goats get tired Of my place. l shall
never be able to keep one"
However, re was not discouraged. and
after having lost six goats In the same way
he bought seventh; only this time he took
care to take very young one. so that she
could get better accustomed to dwelling
with him.
All! what pretty little goat she was this
goat Of Mr.. Seguin How lovely she was,
With her mild eyes, the little tuft Of hair
under her chin, her shining black hoots,
her striped horns and her long white hair
covering her Ike a great coat, and then
gentle. affectiOnate, letting herself be
MIXED without moving, never so much as
putting her foot in the pall-a love OF little
goat.
= Mr.. Seguin had behind his house an In
closure surrounded by a hawthorn hedge.
1t was there he put bis new pensOner lie
attached her 10 a stake in the most beautl-
:. full part of the meadow, taking care to leave
her plenty of cord, and from time to time he
came to see ii she was getting along all
right The goat was quite happy, and ale
: md : 6HaTtalV
Seguln was quite delighted.
"At last" thought the good man, here is
one who will not weary OF my house.
Nj Seguin was mistaken; his goat did
weary.
One day she sad, looking at the noun
tain:.. Bow happy they must be I'D there
How delightful TO gambOl on the heath
without this hoTrid tether, which Tubs the
Q. skin off ones neck. 1t Is good enough for
dOnkeys and cows to browse in field;
goats must be In the open,
From this moment the grass In the
meadow tasted insipd TO her. She wearled
of 1t all. She got thin; her milk became
SCARCE. 1t was pathetic 10 see her lying
down all day long, her head turned toward
the mountain, her n9stTils open, crying
''Me - sadly.
MI Spguin saw very well that there was
something the matter with the goat, but be
did not know what ii WAS. One morning,
as he tried 10 milk her. the goat turned and
said TO him in her own language:
Listen, Mr.. Seguin, am tired OF your
house. Let me 60 to the mountain"
"Oh, alas! Another" cries Mr.. Seguin,
dismayed. letting his pail fall in his con-
sterna;iOn. Then, sitting on the grass be-
side bis goat. said;
slows this, Blanquette? You wish to
leave met"
And BlanQuette replied:
''Yes, Mr.. Seguin."
stDonft Won have eDouph grass 2p
"0h. yes, Mr.. Seguin."
Your rope is perhaps 200 short. Shall 1
That is not the trouble. Mr.. SeguIn"
What is the trouble, then? What do
you waHt?"
q want to go to the mountain, Mr.. Sc
gum"
But, unhappy beast, don't you know that
there is a wolf on the mountain? WHAT
will you do when he cOmes?"
''Hll butt him with my horns"
Indeed The wolf will laugh at your
horns. He has eaten big goats with stronger
horns than yours. You know old RenauGe,
who was here last year2 A powerful goat,
strong and wicked. She fought with the
vol all night. Their, in the morning, the
wolf ate her up"
what a shameI Poor Renaudel But
that makes no difference. Mr.. Seguin. Let
ne go up the mountain"
"Great goodness I" said Mr.. Segnin. 'But
what gets into my goats? Here's another
That the wolf is going to eat up tor me.
No, indeed, / shall save you, 10 spite OF
yourself, you young monkey, and for fear
that you VIII break your cord, / shall shut
you up in your stable and you shall stay
theIe always"
Thereupon Mr.. SeguIn carried the goat
into dark stable, the door Of which he
shut with a double lock. Unfortunately,
he forgot the udOw, and scarcely was his
back turned v hen the goat got away.
When the white goat reached the noun
tain there was general rejoicing. Never
ha0 the young oaks seen anything so pretty.
They received her as little queen. The
chestnut trees bent almos: to the ground.to
caIess her with their branches. The golden
- broom opened a passage for her and smelled
as swestly as 1t could. Tie whole mountain
made festival for her,
You can fancy il our goat was happy
No more cord, no more MISUNDERSTANDING
to prevent her gambellng and browsing to
her hearts content What grass there was
theIel AS high as her horns. And what
heTbsl How savory, fine, toothsome, made
Of thousand plants. This is a very differ
eat kind from the field grass And the
AoweTsl Great bluebels, the purple digi-
tails with long stems, whole forest Of wild
flowers. filled with delicious Juice.
The white goat, intoxicated with delight.
wallowed In the grass, her legs In the air,
and rolled down the SLOPE peli-mell, with
the fallen leaves md the chestnuts. Then
suddenly she raised herself with bound
on her hoOfs-hoop. lal there she goes, her
head in The air, across the hedges and the
bushes, now on ridge. now In a ravlne,
up high. down low, everywhere. One would
have thought there were ten little white
goats on the mountain.
Blanquetie was afraid Of nothing. She
bounded, with a single leap, over huge
torrents, which spTinkled the gorges with
spray and foam. Then, shining with the
sllyery drops, she stood on fat rock and
let the sun dry her coat Once, gamboling
to the edge OF plateau with flower be-
tween her teeth, she saw below, away below
on the plain, Mr. SerRuin's house, with its
closed-ln little field. The sight of ii made
her laugh till tears came in her eyes.
"How small 1t lOoksp she cried. "aow
ever was content to stay there?"
Poor little thing! Seeing herself perched