The Washington bee., 1893-05-06

Alfred de Mussr the famous French
| poet, was at OF ne conduetinc q
canvass for 9, N to the French
Academy. p RS of this distin.
guished be- J elected to it by those
who are al ..,ly members and custom
requires that an aspirant shall 90 about
soliciting the votes of members. Mus.
set had gone from one Academician to
another, and was on his way, On foot
to the house of the Count de Saint Aul.
aire, just outside Paris. whose vote be
hoped to gain. When he almost ar.
rived at the place a large yellow dog
began to follow him; but the doc
sneaked behind, and as the poet was too
much wrapped in his thoughts to look
round, he did not know that what was
perhaps the most hideous dog in Paris
was at his heels. When the poet rang
at M. de Saint Aulaire's door the dog
watched his chance, and as the door
was opened slipped into the house.
The servant supposed the dog WAS the
new comer's, and the poet supposed
that it belonged to the house.
The host and his family were warm
admirers ofs Musset, and gave him
very hearty welcome, though they
glanced askance at the horrible yellow
dog, which had curled his long legs
down on beautiful rug woven by the
young lady of the family as a present
to her grandmother.
ssFyfroord;porr1 focFa 3, ,,;1
the host to himself. az to a great
poet anything may be pardoned. +"
Strange" said Musset to himself,
"that an elegant family like this should
keep such hideous cur.
When, presently, the poet had been
invited to remain to dinner, and the
dog had promptly accompanied the
family and their guests to the din
ing-room, the master of the house
was in grave doubt whether "any-
thing could be pardoned to o poet.
The animal rushed round the table,
grabbing at pieces of food, frightening
the venerable grandmother almost to
death, and acting like the hungry
vagabond that he was.
Hhe hostess, by way of delicate COM
pliment to her guest, carved a large
plate of food to be placed for the dog.
The animal ate it in q minutes time,
and galloped round the table for more.
He barked ferociously when one of the
family declined to give him a piece of
meat that he saw on plate. The dogs
actions prevented any conversation or
OF the meal. The host
looked at his guest and wondered. The
guest looked at his host and wondered.
As the party was rising from the table
the dog rushed against servant and
him to upset the greater portion
of a set of rare and precious china, an
heirloom in the family. The ladies
gathered about weeping, and began to
pick up the precious fragments. Some
thing in his hostess's look inspired the
poet with sudden and fearful thought.
He rushed up TO the count.
Can it be possible, SIR" he ex-
that you supposed that this
dog belonged to me p
why. of course, we supposed hs
was yours, said the count. HE came
with you, did he not p
II never saw the hideous beast be-
lore r said Mussst. II supposed all
'he time that he belonged to the
house."
Then the animal, which had shown
'igns of uneasiness during the little
sneaked toward the door.
BE was turned out but once we'll ont.
'ide he shook himself and trottsd of
With complacent air, which seemed
% say
We'll, that's all right-so long as
7ou didn't turn me out before dinner.
NJ. de Saint Aulaire voted for Mus
et.
But" he said, 81 shouldn't have
lone 80 If that dog had really been
lis.
T1nnn arrch 1;fEIa l. r,raak