The Ely miner., 1899-03-08

his wall once more. But the portrait
was an old one, and no longer resem-
bled anybody. La Puysaye, discon-
tented, wished for some other souvenir
something which Bossue had used.
He thought of the horse. where is he
now? 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 a dark-yellowish
Spanish barb and an Indian pony. He
was able to furnish descriptions of the
animal to certain men whom he sent in
search of it.
The men were away three months.
One day, La Puysaye received notice
that a 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 plow and
the ill-treatment of the farmhands.
There were the white legs, still fine as
those of 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 a rather halt
ing gallop. Much fatigued he arrived
at length. But tired as he was, there
was to be little rest for him. \ note
from the bureau of war awaited him,
informing him that his request for a
regiment had been granted; that it was
to be known as the 'Grenadiers Puy-
saye;" and that he must join it near
Fribourg as soon as possible. Taking
hardly time for the writing of a letter
and the saying of an adieu, he departed
for that place; and, gratifying his own
wish, he went there on Bossue's horse.
His new grenadiers grumbled among
themselves. SIS it with that plug"
they said, "that he means to lead us?"
La Puysaye's friends looked at the
beast critically. An ensign lifted its
lip. ''No 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?"
'Oh. Constantine broke his leg, and
but do not laugh, messieurs; poor and
old as is this charger, he is good
enough for the campaign. I judged
that we should be only amusing our
selves here, and / did not wish to honor
the enemy by riding too fine horse"
The officers saluted smilingly, 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
passed, and La Puysaye was just leav-
ing the marshals quarters when an at
tack was ordered on a strong point
where 1,SOO men had been killed the
night before. The trumpets sounded
and the army fastened to respond. All
other tasks were aband doned, and, with
the others, their uniforms in order,
their arms in readiness, the grenadiers
fell into line.
Being ordered to hold his regiment in
reserve, NJ. de la Puysaye conducted it
behind a certain embankment, then
sought to go after his horse. But his
friends stopped him. "Not now," they
said; 'the place is exposed; you would
be risking your life needlessly."
La Puysaye returned to his place and
gave vent to his veXation. Miserable
orderly!" he cried; my horse! See
what he has done with my horse!'
"Ciel!" exclaimed the captain, in as
tonishment, 'why are you so concerned
about the beast? From whom did you
get him?"
La Puysaye, tired of keeping his
secret, revealed it. From De Bossue.
He was, alas, one of my old friends
The news was murmured through the
ranks, while the officers marveled audi
bly,. "What an ideal" they said. Where
is he, that we may observe him again %
"In that trench over there, which is
so exposed My orderly must have been
drunk, to leave him in such a place.
"Oh," cried an officer, "have no fear!
Bossue's horse. The horse of coward!
He'll crouch when the bullets fly; you'll
find him again safe and sound
''After ALL" said another, "the trench
covers him; he's satisfied to stay in it;
he won't come out"
At that moment bomb came singing
through the air, and from the trench,
calmly, proudly, defiantly, a horse
emerged. He stood alone in the middle
of the field, in great open place
alone The saddle was ON his back, the