Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1899-06-06
BOSSue'S VindicatiOn
How Charger Sustained His Dead
Masters Honor

NHEN NJ. de Bossue returned to
w the court in France he was most
coldly received, The king refused to
see him and the kings courtiers were
quite uncivil. At his sweetheart |
house, in the Rue des Saints peres. the
door was closed in his face. lie was
filed with astonishmentandg grief. both
of which were increased when he went
to see his friends. All looked askance
at him, few deigned even TO speak to
him, and none accorded him the eXpla-
ration he sought.
Too proud to question strangers. and
YET sensitive enough to suffer keenll
under The treamenShe 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 duh and
sad; while across his left cheek a long
disfguring scar told where saher had
cut deep.
He left the mirror and sat down de-
iectedly. IL am grown ugly" he said.
"and poor, and therefore they shun
me-" lie thought of his life, offered 10
his country and to glory Of his hard
campaign in America and the indies;
of the famous battles In which he had
done his part under Montcalm and Vau-
dreuil-"but all this" he told himself.
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 10 lick my
hand and neigh gladly at my coming
he, TOO, is gone, for l 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 10 his
hand-one shot and the deed was done.
At court they said 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 discon-
tented with his work. NJ. lie Connie de Ia
Puysaye returned 10 France and 10 The
court. He gained prestige al Mesdames
de Buhess'. de Chauyelin's, de Surgere'S
and Luxembourg asked new service
of the king. and solicited a regiment.
He called himself friend Of Bossue's.
Poor fellowl" he said; only 80 years
old. What could have made him leave
us in that way?"
His face clouded when he heard the
story, for he was brave man himself.
"A cowardl" he cried; "impossible!"
But yesl" said his informer; I'VE re-
peat only what the reports said-re-
ports which were sent to The king di-
rect. NJ. de Bossue, it seems. disAlsed
the enemy too greaily-so much so. in
fact, that he could never bring himself
to approach him"
"Bossue a coward" cried the count;
"he must have changed greatly, then
May not those reports have been faise2 p
We'll. the marshal himself" and so
on. La Puysaye heard the story re-
peated a score Of times, and found that
the mention Of Bossue's name brought
forth only curses OF reproaches. lie
ended by renouncing bin.
But" be said TO himself one day. u
can't forget him. loved kim well, and
believe / love him still Very well.
shall allow myself this little eceen-
tricty-that Of loving a dishonored
wretch. Bossue remains my friend
and Of all the world alone shall recall
, him with something other than dis
b dain."
lie hung the dead mans portrait ou
/ 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 bad used
. lie thought Of the horse Where is be
now? They tell me that be sold him
That horse carried poor Bossue for ter
years must find him"
Once. while his friend still served
with him. he had seen the horse-'
curious beast. OF a dark-yellowisf
! color. the product Of a cross between I
Spanish barb and an Indian pony. III
H.