Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-08-04
BREAKING UP A CAT CONyEN-
TION.

The following graphic picture is from the
Albany State Register
We stated long time ago that there would
be trouble some moonlight night among the
cats that congregate on the long shed in the
rear Of our dwelling.
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-inat VIC had thrown
away something less than n ton OF coal--and
had smashed window on the opposite block.
All this proving Of no avail, we said we had
got doubed-barrelled gun and percussion caps
and powder and shot; and some morning after
moonlight night somebody's cat would nj
come homo TO breakias, or if it did it would be
troubled with the dumps. We gave fair notice
Of our grievances and what we intended to do
about them.
Well, the moon came up on Monday night,
with her great round face, and went walking
up the sky with queenly step, throwing her
light, like mantle Of brightness over the whole
earth We love the calm Of moonlight
night in the still Spring time, and the cais of
our part of the town love 1t too /; for they come
from every quarter from the sheds around the
National Garden-from the kitchen and the
stables creeping steethily and softly along the
| tops Of the fences and along the sheds, and
clambering up the boards that lean up. against
the ont-buldings they sat themselves down,
more or less Of them, in their old trysting place
right opposite our chamber window. To all
this, we had in the abstract no objection. II a
cat wishes TO take quiet walk by moonlight
il he chooses 10 go out for his pleasure or his
profit, it is no particular business Of ours, and
we have Mt word to say. Cats have rights
and We have no disposition TO interfere with
them. But they must keep the peace. They
must get up no disorderly meetings, no unlaw-
ful assemblies. II they chose 10 hold CON
vention they can do it for all us-but they must
go about il decently and in order.
They must talk matters over calmly there
must be no rioting, no fighting. They ymust nj
swear. There's law against all this aud we
warned them long ago that We should stand nc
such nonsense. We said we'd let drive among
them with double-barrelled gun loaded with
duck shot, and we meant it. But those cats
did MT believe word we said, They did NJ
believe we had any powder or shot, They
did mt believe we had any gun or knew how l6
use it if we had. And one great Maltese
with eyes like tea plates, and tail like DO
logna sausage } grinned and spuilered, and spi
in dersion and defiance at our threais-"Very
; well !" said we, very well, very WE'LL Nj
Tom Cat, very well indeed On your head b.
it, Mr. Tom Cat. Try ii on, Mr. Thomas Cat
and see who will get the worst of it,"
We said the moon came up on Monday nigh
, with her great round face and all the littl
{ stars hid themselves as if ashamed Of thei
twinkle in the splendor Of her superior bright
/ ness. We retired after the baby had been pu
: to sleep in his crib, and the rumble Of the car
riages had ceased in the streets, and the scream
, of the ten o'clock train had died away into 81
lence, with quiet conscience, and in the con
iidence that we should find quiet repose I
: which one who has wronged no man during III
: day is Justly entitled. II may have been eleS
1 en- O'Clock, possibly midnight, when we wer
i wakened from pleasant slumber by babel {
: unearihly sounds in the rear of our chamber
Q We knew what these sounds meani-they hay
0 cost us fuel enough to have lasted us a weel
Q We raised the window; and there, as of oil,
S right opposite US, on the north end of that Ion
o shed, was an assembage Of all cats in that pa
Il of the town. We won't he precise as 10 nun
If bers, hut il is our honest belief that there wei
IS less than 800 Of them and If one among the
+ all was silent, we did MT succeed in discoye
!, ing which il was. There was that same O
, Maltese, with his greater saucer eyes and sal