Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-06-22
A Shy at the Cats.

Register, is Hammond all over
| We stated, long time ago, that there would be
trouble some moonlight night among the cats that
congregate the long shed in the rear of our dwell
ing. We gave notice that we had wasted more wood
On them than we were able to spare-that we had
used up all the brick-bats that we could lay our
hands on-that we had thrown away something less
than a ton of coal-and had smashed window on
the opposite block. All this proving of no avail we
said we had got double barrelled gun, and percus-
sion caps, and powder and shot and some morning,
after moonlight night, somebody's cat wouldn't
come home to breakfast or if it did 1t would be
troubled with the dumps. We gave fair notice of our
grievances, and what we intended 10 do about them.
Well, the moon came up on Monday night, with her
great, round face, and went walking up the sky with
quoenly STEP throwing her light, like mantel OF
brightness over all the earth We love the calm OF
moonlight night, in the still Spring time, and the
cats of part of the town love it too; for they
come from every quareT--from the sheds around the
National Garden--from the kitchens and from the
stab es-creeping stealhy and softly along the tops
OF the fences, and along the sheds, and clamberng
up the boards that lean up against the out-budngs
they sat themselves down, more or less of them, in
their old trysting place-rght opposite chamber
window. To all this we had, in the abstract no OBJ
lection. If a cat chooses TO take quiet walk by
moonlight-if he chooses TO 60 out for his pleasure
his profit it is particular business of ours, and
we havn't word to say. Cats have rights, and we
have disposition to interfere with them. But they
must keep the peace They must get up no dsorderly
meetings, no unlawful assemblies. If they choose to
hold convention they do 1t for all usbut they
must 60 about it decenty and in order.
They must talk matters over calmly; there must
be no rioting, no fighting. They must refrain from
the use OF protane language--they mustn't swear.-
There's law against ali this, and we warned them
long ago that would stand no such nonsense
We said we'd let drive among them with a double
barreled gun loaded with powder and duck-shOt, and
we meant it. But those cats didn't believe word
we said. They didn't believe we had any powder or
shot. Trey didn't believe We had any gun, or knew
how to use it if we had. And great Maltese,
with eyes like Tea plates and tail like a Bologna
sausage grinned and sputtered, and spit in derison
and defiance at our threats every well p said we,
very we'll, Mr.. Tom Cat, very we'll indeed On
your head be it, Mr.. Tom Cat Try it on, Mr. Tom
Cat, and see who'll get the worst of it'
We said the moon came up Monday night with her
great round face and all the little stars hid them.
selves if ashamed OF their twinkle in the splendor
of her superior brightness We retired after the ba-
by had been put asleep in his crib, and the rumble of
the carriages and carts had ceased in the Streets and
the scream of the ten o'clock train had died away
into silence, with quiet conscience, and in the
fdence that we should find that repose to which
who has wronged no man during the day is Justly
titled. 1t may have been eleven o'clock, possibly
midnight, when we were wakened from a pleasant
slumber by babe of unearthly sounds in the rear
of our chamber We knew what those sounds meant
they had cost us fuel enough to have lasted US a
week. We raised the window and there, of old,
right opposite u.s. on the north end of that long she'd
assembage of all the cats in that part of the
town. We won't be precise as to numbers, but it is
our honest belief that there ess than three hun
dred OF them; and II one among them all SILENT
we didn't succeed in discovering which it was There
was that old Maltese, with his great saucer eyes
and sausage tail; and over against him sat a mon
strous brndle and off at his right an old spot
ted ratter and his left was one, black as VOLTS
mouth, all but his eyes, which glaed with Iphur-
Gus and urid brightness; and dotted all around,
space of thirty eet square, dozens more, of all
sizes and colorsand such growing and sptting and
shreking and swearing, before broke, with
hdeous dscord, the silence of midnight!
We loaded double barrelled gun by candle
light, we put plenty OF powder and handful of shot
into each barrel We adj usted the caps carefully,
and stepped out of the window upon the narrow
roof upon which it opens. We were then just eigh-
| ty rods from the cat convention, and We addressed
ourself to the chairman, (the old Matese) in dis
tinc and audible voice. and cried Scat y! He didn't
! recognize our right to the floor, but went right OIL
with the business of the meeting. /" Scat" cried we
again, emphaticaliy than before, but were an
swered by an extra shrek from the chairman, and
| fercer scream from the whole assembly. ''Scat
!" cried we again, we brought gun to
present. Scat twice =! and 1--WE aimed straight at
The chairman and covering half dozen others in the
range. Scat, three times" and we let drive
Bang went the right hand barreI-and bang went
the left hand barrel. Such scamperng such leaping
| off the shed, such running away the caves of
the out buildings, the tops of the wood sheds,
were never seen before. Inc ecnOeS or the hTng
had scarcely died away when the whole assemblage
was broken up and dispersed
Thomas, said we next morning. to the boy who
does chores for &" There seems to be cat a.
sleep out that shed-go up and scare ii away
Thomas clambered up the shed and went up to where
that cat lay and lifting it up by the TAIL haoed back
| to us. q" This cat can't be walked up; it can't be
scared away-its dead ~ After examining it mo-
ment ' Somebody has been shootin' of it, by thun-
der - said he, he tossed it dowE into the yard -
g You don't say so !" said we That cat was the old
! Maltese, the chairman of that conventon-but he
won't preside over another very We don't
know where he boarded, or who claimed title to him.
What we do know IS, that it cost quarter to have
him buried thrown into the river; and if ybody
owned him, all we ask is, that he should pay back
quarter, and the difference between his value and
! that of the powder and shot we expended on him.
Well throw in the vexalion of beng broke of our
rest, and the wckedness of using certain expletves
under the excitement of the occasion-which are
not TO be found in any of the religious works of the
day.
WORD TO LITTLE G1RLs-Who is lovely? 1t
is the girl who drops sweet words, kind remarks,
and pleasant smiles, she passes along; who has
kind word Of sympathy for every boy girl she
meets and kind hand to help her companions out
of difficulty who scolds, never teazes, nor
seeks in any way diminish, but to increase their
! happiness. Would it please you to pick up a string
of pearls, drops OF gold, diamonds, other precious
stones you pass along the street? But these
precious stones which never be lost Sympathize
with those In trouble. Strive everywhere to dIffuse
around you sunshine and Joy. If you do this, you
| will be to be beloved.
HOME THRUsT.-A preacher took passage in one
of the Lake Erie boats, a Sunday. He had not
been long on board before he applied for permission
10 holdla religious meeting
or said the captain, to whom the application