Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1850-08-08


about him as be ought-for over his head under the
cover of the wall, among old chinks and cobwebs,
there dwet willy, dustcolored lizard, who enjoyed
fly beyond every thing else in the world, and had
been particularly unsuccessful in catching all day
Watching, therefore, till the fly had buried his mining
apparatus pretty deep in the honey, he crept down
quietly, looking bit of old plaster possible,
but for those bright eyes of his, which, In his eager
ness for the capture, were intently fixed upon the fly
Unlucky wight Little did he think that those very
eyes had attracted the attention of fine tabbycat
who but few minutes before, with blinking eyes,
presented perfect picture of conientment but now
reused by sudden temptation, STOPPING stealth
lily down as she behed the lizard for whom she had
so often watched in vain. Down stole the lizard
on stole the cat; so that here at the same moment
were three creatures so bent upon indulgence that
they even though of looking about them Alas
no. There a sworn enemy of the cats approach
ing Also (under cover of large basket in the shape
of mischievous white dog, kept by very quarrel
some man on the other side of the street. This dog
was the terror of all the cats in the neighborhood
and most of all of the flour dealers; so often had
i he chased her. and so often experienced the bitter
disappointment of seeing her climbing up the posts
of the shop, and then splitting at him from the top of
the shed.
Infatuated lizard! Wretched fly Betrayed pussy
She needed not the sly creep of the dog, intent
she upon the successful issue of her spring upon
the lizard The fly was gorging himself with honey.
He alone partook not of the intense anxiety of the
lizard, the cat, and the dog. He partook only Of
honey,
The crisis at length arrived The lizard made its
nimble pounce the fiy. The sprang at the liz
ard. The lizard missed its footing in consequence,
and would have been the cats portion-fy, honey,
and all-but for the dogs sudden attack upon puss
Here a scene! The lizard falling to the ground
at involved in the consequences of the quar-
rel between the dog and cat What were fly or honey
to him at the moment, when in a state between life
and death he crept back sore and wounded to his
chinks and cobwebs! The fly might or might not
have escaped. Not so the cat now sorely worried
by the dog, in spite of all her oucres and all she
could do In the way of biting and clawing; for it
was an old score the dog paying her off, and that
might cost her her life, if her master had not
rushed out of his shop with broomstick, with which
he began to belabor the dog.
Now the owner of the dog had been as long at
enmity with the man of -four and honey, as the dog
had been at enmity with the cat and probably longer
VI course, therefore, when he heard his animal
cries, and the punishment infiictng, he armed
himself with broomStick also, and rushing across
the street, gave the fiour-dealer such crack upon
his head as knocked him down as flat pancake.
Take that, you villain,' said he &c for it's debt
Eve long owed you!''
"Have you;' said the -four dealers son, as he
rushed out with cudgel in his hand. ''Thel tell
me how you like that''-giving him such a he arty
whack across the shoulders that he was ain to drop
/ his broomstick.
/ Yetthe blow had hardly been given, before friend
OF the dogs master ran up with drawn sword, and
would have made mincemeat of the fiour-dealer's
son, but for soldier, who cried out, Shame, thou
coward, and son of coward who would attack
youth with only stick in his hand, and you armed
with sword! Shame on you! It's Just like you
rascaly Hindoo fellows who pretend TO be soldiers,
and as much like soldiers as that poor cat. Why
don't YOU try me,''
''Why not>'' replied the man. &c Do you think
Pm afraid of such bully as you? Come on, you
scOundre, and I'll show you what difference there is
between a cat and Hndooi"
Upon this the soldier drew his sword, and both be-
gan to cut at each other in good earnest.
On this all the people cried out, g Murder. Muir
der' and great many soldiers running to the spot
were soon engaged, always attacking the Hindoos,
who were the dogs side and the Hindoos the
Mussulmans who on the side of the cat; and
and wherever a HindoO and MusSulman were fight
ing, the HindooS aided the Hindoo and the AIusSul-
mans the MuSSulman; and the consequence was the
death of many on each side and the wounding Of
most of the foolish, Guarrelsome people engaged.
OF course such a hubbub as this could not be con-
tinued long without its being reported TO the Rajah
who forthwith fastened from his palace with his body
| guard and some horSemen, and soon put stop TO
this terrible fray; and all the rngleaders were forth
with seized and tied together, and marched off TO
prison, there TO be kept closely confined till the sad
business should be fully inquired into, and the
OF dreadful riot ascertained and fixed upon the
/ guilty.
All that night, therefore, were the magistrates and
polce-oficers hard at work listening TO evidence,
but they did not advance single step the business
no, for several days after, Notwithstanding the
great impotence of the Rajah, to whom they could
only report from time 10 time the hearing of nothing
but the words, Cat, Dog,'-'' Cat and Dog, -
/ I" Dog and Cat, ''-'' Dog, -" Cat"
/ very similar feeling, also, entertained by
the lawyers who were called in, and who, after in
tense application, declared themselves doubtful uery
doubtiul-So much was advanced and really to be
and I'D hx both
the side of the and of the dog, and consequently
of the of the cat, as well the of the
dog and the partZans of the owners of the dog and
cat-insomuch that the whole city split into most
determined cat and dog factions, and all strangers
that entered the gates instantly absorbed in the
dog and cat vortex, and whrled actually round and
round in this terrible fray, which every and then
broke out with fresh fury, notwithstanding all the
vigilance of the Rajahs guards. And yet even these
valiant heroes in some degree infected, giving
sly cuts at dog or cat men, just they themselves
inclined TO support the dog and cat question.
And so matters might have remained, either TO the
day of the final depopuation Of Shorapoor or Dooms
day ITSELF but for the wise ole Brahmn who had such
timely warning to turn out the stranger.
He had in reality been quietly chuckling little,
many are wont 10 do who have lived to see their
prophecies first deSpised and then fulfilled; but his
heart reenting, he fastened to the palace and pros
trating himself before the Rajah, with his hands
joined together, he thus spoke
May be your sacrifice, o thou eater OF noun
tans and drinker of rivers! have petition TO make
in this matter of the cat and dogi''
g 1t shall be heard" replied the Rajah Thou
art wise man; what dost thou say?-dog-c
and cat, or cat and dog? For my part, | still
reserve my decision, though somewhat inclining to
the opinion that the cat caused all the mischief, and
for this reason-because if the dog had not the
cat, he very probably would not have chased her
sout of sight OUT of mind, being of our Oldest
as we'll as truest proverbs.''
GO Alasi that should differ with your Hiphness-