River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-07-04
NOIRAUD.
BY LUDWIG HALEvY.


sengers TO the station for fifteen years
and no one ever missed train. sir,
never
But"
mo use looking at your watch, sir;
there is something you don't know and
which your watch can't tell yOu-the
train Is always fifteen minutes late;
there never was an occasion when il
has not been fifteen minutes late"
This day. however, the rule did not
hold good. The train was on time and
j missed il. Nv driver was enraged.
You ought IL announce that the
trains leave on time all at once" ne
cried TO the statiOnmaster. Il never
heard Of such thing" and taking all
the porters as witnesses he said: Was
IL ever heard OF before? / do not wish
TO be at fault in this gentleman's eyes
A train ON time. Tell him for me that
this is the very first time it ever hap
peued."
There was a general chorus of 20,
yes; always late, always"
So / only had three long hours 10
pass in this very melancholy village of
the Canton Of Vaud. fianked by two
melancholy mountains. with each a
little Do tch Of snow on its summit
How kill these three hours? I in
turn spoke for assistance. and there
was a general cry Of Go and see the
Chaudron. the only thing worth seeing
in these parts"
And where was the Chaudron?
'-On the mountain 20 the right. half
way up, but the path Is little compli-
Gated" l was advised 10 take guide.
and over there. way over there in the
white house with green blinds. | would
Ind THE best guide in the country, a
fine guide, Father Simon"
went over 20 the little house and
knocked at the door. An old woman
opened it.
lis Father Simon in?-
lie lives here's il to 20 TO the
Chaudron?"
Yes: To go to the Chaudron.-
well, he hasn't been himself since
this morning; his legs trouble i'm; he
can't get about But don't be dis
turbed, we have some one to replace
him, Noiraud, only ! must warn you
that Noiraud Is not a person"
Not a person.
NO; he is our dog. He is used to it.
and will guide you very well, as well
as my husband"
AS well as your husband?"
Certainly. FOR years and years
Father Simon has taken him along. so
he has learned the places. and now he
does the business alone lie has often
taken travellers before, and we have
always had compliments for him. As
for intelligence, don't he afraid; he has
as much as you and I; he only needs to
talk, but il is not necessary for him to
talk in this case. If it We're to- show a
monument and know history dates and
a speech IL would be different. Here
are only the beauties of nature. Take
NOiraud. And then. monsieur, he is
cheaper. My husband is three francs
and Noiraud is but a franc and half.
and he will show you as much FOR
the frame and a half as my husband
would for the three"
VERY we'll Where is NOiraud?"
'He is resting in the garden. He
has already taken some English up to
the Chaudron this morning. Noiraud.
NOiraud,'
He came in through the window
with one bound. lie was an ugly
enough little black dog, with long
curly, woolly hair. his looks did not
speak for much. but in his whole per
sonality there was a certain air of
gravity. decision and Importance. lie
first gave me precise. clear, sharp
glance which enveloped me rapidly
from head 20 foot and seemed clearly
TO say: 1t is a traveller; he wishes to
see the Chaudron."
Being left once was enough for that
day. so was essentially careful not to
expose myself to a second such misad-
venture. | explained to- the woman
that / hal but three hours for the
walk TO the Chaudron-
'sOh. YES said she: You wish to
take the four o'clock train. Don't be
afraid Noiraud will bring you back
in time. Come. Noiraud; start along
my boy; start along"
But Noiraud did not appear to feel at
all disposed Ia start along. lie sat mo-
tionlesS. gazing at his mistress with
agitation.
''Ah. how stupid am" said the old
woman. Il forgot had forgotten
the sugar"
She took four Jumps of sugar from a
drawer and gave them 10 me
That is why he did not want to
start; you hadn't the sugar. Start up,
my boy. tn the Chaudrou, the Chaudron,
the Chaudrou,-
She repeated these words three
times. speaking slowly and very dis
tinctly. aud I meanwhile examined
Noiraud with attention. lie answered
her with little mods. which at the end
showed little Impotence and i'll tenn
per. They could be interpreted: Yes
-ves-to the ChaudrOn-I understood
the gentleman has the sugar-and
we are going to Chaudron- Do you
take me for an idiOt2' And without
waiting for the third '-Chaudron" of
Mime. Simon. Noiraud. evidently
wounded. turned his heels and
placed himself in front of me. show
ing me the door by look and saying
as distinctly as it is permitted dogs:
well, will you Gomez
followed him meekly. He kept on
ahead and we passed through the viii
lage thus The children romping in
the street recognized NV guide.
He. Noiraud. good old Soiraud.'
and they tried 10 play with him. but
he averted his head disdairfully with
the air of a dog who has no time To
amuse himself, hut who is doing his
duty and earning thirty sous one of
the children cried: Let him alone.
lie Is taking the monsieur TO the
Chaudron-how dry do. monsieur"
smiled, but awkwarily. | know. |
felt embarrassed. even humiliated.
was. in fact, dominated by this ami
NAL. He was for the time my master;
he knew where he was going and /
did not. | was in haste 20 leave the
village and he along among the beau
ties of nature with \Oiraud. whose
mission II was TO make me admire
them.
These beauties of nature were. 10
commence with. an awful burning
dusty road. under broIling sun The
dog marched briskly along tried TO
moderate his gait.
'NOiraud. good dog. not so fast. not
So fast"
Noiraud turned deaf ear and fol-
lowed his LITTLE path until attempted