The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1899-06-27
INDICATED.

ment and grief, both Of which were in
creased when he went to see his friends
All looked askance at him. few deigned
even to speak to him. and none accorded
him the explanation he sought.
Too proud to question strangers and
yet sensitive enough to suffer keenly
under the treatment he had received,
he went to his room to brood alone
There was mirror here, and in this
he surveyed himself The hardships Of
war had deprived him of his good looks.
His face was drawn and haggard, his
skin wrinkled. his eyes were dull and
sad. while across his left cheek long,
disfguring scar told where saber had
cut deep
He left the mirror and sat down de-
jectedly. IL am grown ugly" he said.
"and poor, and therefore they shun
me, He thought of his life, offered to
his country and to glory, of his hard
campaigns in America and the Indies,
Of the famous battles in which he had
done his part under Montcalm and
Vaudreuil. "But all this. he told him
self, ''has been in vain The king, my
love, my friends. they are none of them
left to me The only faithful one Of
them all-my horse, who used to lick
my hand and neigh gladly at my COM
ing-he, too. is gone. for have sold
him. No one-nothing is left to mel"
One black thought was succeeded by
another. and his gloom and melancholy
increased till life seemed but burden
to be got rid Of He was a man of
promptitude and decision, and, having
come to this conclusion, he did not pro-
crastinate. His pistol lay ready to his
hand-one shot and the deed was done
At court they said, I'M. de Bossue
had the fever. Weeks and months
passed. and they spoke of him no more
But there remained to Bossue an old
time friend. After serving in Spain for
some ten years and growing discomfort
ed with his work M. le Comte de La
Puysaye returned to France and to the
court He gained prestige at Mines
de Boufess' De Chauvelni's, De Sur
CERES and Luxembourg's, asked new
service of the king, and solicited regi-
ment He called himself "a friend Of
Bossue Poor fellow" he said
"Only 80 years oldl What could have
made him leave us in that way?"
His face clouded when he heard the
story. for he was a brave man himself
ga coward" he cried. Impossible
''But, yes, " said his informer. 1--WE
repeat only what the reports sabre
ports which were sent to the king di-
rect M. de Bossue, it seems. disliked
the enemy too greatly-so much SO, in
fact. that he could never bring himself
to approach him.
''Bossue cowardP' cried the count
HE must have changed greatly, then.
May not those reports have been false? p"
"Well. the marshal himself" and
80 on. La Puysaye heard the story re-
peated score of times, and found that
the mentioneof Bossue's name brought
forth only curses or reproaches- He
ended by renouncing him.
But, he said to himself one day
81 can't forget him / loved him well,
and / believe / love him still Very
well. shall allow myself this little &C.
centricity-that of loving dishonored
wretch Bossue remains my friend, and
of all the world | alone shall recall him
with something other than disdain.
He hung the dead mans portrait on
his wall once more. But the portrait
was an old one and no longer resem-
bled anybody La Puysaye. discomfort
ed. wished for some other souvenir
which Bossue had used He
thought of the horse. Where is he
nowf They tell me that he sold him.
That horse carried poor Bossue for ten
years I must find him !"
Once. while his friend still served
with him. he had seen the horse-a
curious beast. of dark yellowish color,
the product of cross between Span
ish barb and an Indian pony. He was
able to furnish descriptions of the ami
NAL to certain men whom he sent in
search of it.
The men were away three months
One day La Puysaye received notice
that horse answering to the descrip-
ton given had been found in field in
Artois He went to the place and
bought the animal at once 1t was in
deed. Bossue's extraordinary beast. the
friend of his friend. old and thin. worn
by the hard service before the pillow and
the i'll treatment of the farm hands.
There were the white legs. still fine as
those of q racer. the long, black tail and
name and those eyes. dark. cold. clear
and fixed. that made one uneasy
"Strange ANIMAL thought La Puy-
saye
He had it fed. groomed and saddled
and set out for Paris at rather halt
ing gallop Much fatigued. he arrived
at length. But tired as he was there
was to be little rest for him A note
from the bureau of war awaited him.
informing him that his request for g
regiment had been granted; that II
was to be known as the Grenadiers Puy'
saye. and that he must join it near Fri
bourg as soon as possible. Taking hard
ly time for the writing of letter and
the saying of an adieu, he departed for
that place, and gratifying his own wish
be went there ON Bossue's horse
His new grenadiers grumbled among
SIS it with that plug, !"
they said. ''that he means to lead usf''
La Puysaye's friends looked at the
beast critically. An ensign lifted its
lip mo use. said the count; ''he's
an old horse. and his teeth no longer
mark his age. -
"But why didn't you come on your
black fellow ?"
ooh, Constantine broke his leg, and
but do not laugh, messieurs-poor
and old as is this charger he is good
enough for the campaign. / judged that
we should be only amusing ourselves
here, and / did not wish to honor the
enemy by riding too fine horse. .
The officers saluted s1nilingly, and
the colonel, wishing to see the marshal,
M. de Coigny, inquired the way to his
quarters Before going thither he left
his horse with his orderly. who was go
ing toward the trenches Bring him
back to me tonight, said the count.
and the man departed with the horse.
But not more than an hour had pass
ed, and La Puysaye was just leaving
the marshal's quarters, when an attack
was ordered on strong point where
/, 800 men had been killed the nigh
before. The trumpets sounded and tht
army fastened to respond All othel
tasks were abandoned and, with the
others, their uniforms in order, theil
arms in readiness. the grenadiers fel
into line.
Being ordered to hold his regiment
in reserve. M. de la Puysaye conducted
1t behind certain embankment, theI
sought to go after his horse. But hi
friends stopped him. 'Nct now" thel