Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1852-04-03
uow HE dropped the Cat.

NJ Isaac ;, said Mrs. Darlington, as she
80 the room with basket covered over,
' 'taEe Tabbv and drop her somewhere, and take
that che don't come back again, for | am sick
0Hi I t;red of driving her out of the butter. She
q the thievngest cretur But don't hurt her,
Isaac. only take good care that she don't come
back"
old lady felt happy in getting rid of her trouble
without resorting to violence. She would rather
have endured the evils of the cat great as the evil
was, than that the poor quadruped should be inhu-
manly dealt with. She saw Ike depart in the dusk
of the evening" and watched him until he became
lost to view in the shadow of tree. 1t was full
half an hour before he returned with his empty
basket and an unusual glee marked his appear
snce-it sparkled in his eye, it gowed IN MS cheeh
it sported in his hair-and Ike looked really hahd
some as he stood before the dame and proclaimed
the success his mission
''Did she drop easy, Isaac asReo Tue oiu Id
dv LOOKING mon him kindly land won't she come
back 2"
"Sbe dropped just as easy p said Ike, letting
his basket fall on the floor, and laying his cap on
the table, somewhat endangerlnga glass lamp With
wooden bottom that stood thereon; ''she dropped
lust as easy and she won't come back-you may
bet high on that"
'But didn't you beat and mange her, Isaac
did you if you did | should be afraid she would
come back and haunt us--I have heard of such
things :" and she looked anxiously in his face but,
detecting there no trace of guilt, she patted him
on the head and parted his hair, and told him to
set down and eat his supper which the young gen
tleman did with considerable JUNCTION.
Isaac Isaac - screamed Mrs Darlington at
the foot of the little stairway that led to the little
attic where the boy slept, the next morning after
the above occurrence, .Isaac y and he soon came
down stairs slowly, rubbing his eyes as he came
She had disturbed his mornings nap.
Isaac said she, ''what is that hanging yon-
der to limb of our apple tree ?" One scattering
tree, as she said, constituted her whole orchard
unless she counted the poplar by the corner.
Il can't SO far off, said Ike, still rubbing
his eyes.
''Well / should think it was cat and it looks
to me like our Tabby. Oh, Isaac if you have
done this ~ and tone akin horror trembled il
her voice.
''I'll go and and see if it's her, said Ike, as
not hearing the last part of the remark, and HI
dashed out of the door but soon came back will
wonder depicted on every feature of his expressly,
couutenance
''Oh it is her sure enough it is her p cret
he; ''but 1 did drop herP
''Well, how could she come there then 20 anC
the old lady looked puzzled.
''Ill tell how | guess it was said Ike, lookinl
demurely up, 81 guess she committed suicide be
cause we was going drop her; they are dreadful
knowing creatures you know"
True enough" replied the old lady, while
tear glistened in her eye--her pity excited
''true enough, Isaac, and dare say she though
hard of us for doing it, but she hadn't ought to
she'd considered a minute
Ike said no more, but went and cut down til
supposed suicide with serious manner, and bu
RED her beneath the gallows, deep down anon!
the roots OF the old tree, and she never cam
back.
The old lady told the story to the minister an
Ike youched for it, but the good man shook hi
head incredulously at he idea of the suicide, an
looked at the boy He very evidently understood
how the cat was dropped- Carpet Bag.