The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1895-06-21
FORREST CITY, ARK, FRIDAY AFTERNOON, JUNE 21 1885,


walk to the Chaudron.
"Oh, 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 to start along. He sat mo-
tlonless. gazing at his mistress with
agitation.
"Ah. how stupid am," said the old
woman. II forgot-I had forgotten
the sugar"
She took four Jumps of sugar from a
drawer and gave them to me-
THAT is why he did not want to
start; you hadn't the sugar. Start up,
my boy, to the Chaudron, the Chaudron,
the Chaudron."
She repeated these words three
| times, speaking slowly and very dis
| tinctiy, and l meanwhile examined
Noiraud with attention. He answered
her with little mods, which at the end
showed little impatience and i'll tenn
per. They could be interpreted: Yes
-yes-to the Chaudron-I understood
the gentleman has the sugar-and
we are going to Chaudron. Do you
take me for an idiot?" And without
waiting for the third "Chaudronn of
Nine. 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 vii
lage thus. The children romping in
the street recognized my guide.
He, Noiraud. good old Noiraud!"
and they tried to play with him, but
he averted his head disdainfully with
the air of dog who has no time to
amuse himself, but who is doing his
duty and earning thirty sous. One of
the children cried: Let him alone.
He is taking the monsieur to the
Chaudron-how d'y do, monsieurl"
] smiled, but awkwardly, know.
felt embarrassed, even humiliated. I
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 to leave the
village and be along among the beau
ties of nature with Noiraud, whose
mission it was to make me admire
them.
These beauties of nature were, to
commence with, All awful burning
dusty road, under a 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 l attempted
to sit down by the wayside under a
tree which threw a thin shade. He
was seized by a fit of wrath and
barked with little furious voice,
throwing irritated glances at me-evi-
IDENTIFY what l was doing was contrary
to the rule-and the yappings were so
sharp. SO piercing, that l arose to fol-
low the path. Noiraud calmed down
Immediately and commenced to trot
gayly before me. / had understood.
He was content.
A few minutes later we came to de-
licious road, shady, lowered, perfumed
and full of freshness and murmuring
of spring. Noiraud at once started off
at gallop and disappeared in the
green. / followed him tritle breath
less. hundred feet and | found my
Noiraud awaiting me with head held
high and shining eye, in sort of
chamber of verdure, livencd by the
twinkle of a wee cascade. There was
an old rustic bench, and from this
Noiraud glanced with impatience to
my eyes, and back again. This glance
said:
"Now here is place to rest. 1t is
nice here; it is cool. You wanted to
stop in the hot sun. Come now and sit
down; don't object"
So sat down and lighted cigar. l
almost offered one to Noiraud, but the
thought that he might prefer lump
of sugar came to me. He caught it
adroitly on the fly, ground it up quick
ly, then lay down and drowsed at my
feet He was evidently accustomed to
make little halt and take little nap
at this place. He slept ten minutes.
felt perfectly tranquil Noiraud had
inspired me with absolute condolences;
l had resolved to obey him blindly.
He arose, stretched himself, threw
me little side glance signifying:
''Start up, my friend" and like two old
friends we wound through the woods,
enjoying the charm, the silence and
the sweetness of the place. Presently
we came to a path at the left. Noir-
aud hesitated a little, reflected, and
then continued in the road, but not
without a trifling uncertainty in his
gait; he stopped He must have made