Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-01-10
from the San Francisco Wide West
Biddy Maloney's Cat.


From the San Francisco Wide West
Biddy Maloney's Cat.
Matthew Maloney, better known by the boys at
the mill as Father Mat" on returning from work
one evening" was met at the gate by Biddy, his
better half, in high state of excitement.
Mat" says she, theresa strange cat in the
cabin"
Cast her out, thin, an don't be bothenn' me
about the baste."
"Faix, an I've been sthrivn' to do that same
for the matter Of ten minutes past but she's jist
beyant my rache, hehint the big rid chist in tho
corner. Will yez be afther helpin' me to dhriye
her out, Mat?"
"To be sure will, bad luck to the consate she
has for me house show her to me Biddy till i
tache her the rispict that's due man in his own
houso-to be takin' possession without as much
as by yer lave, the thafe of the world"
Now Mat had special antipathy tor cats, and
never let pass an opportunity to kill one. This he
resolved to do in the present case, and instantly
formed plan for the purpose. Perceiving but
one mode of egress for the animal be says to Bid
dy-- rs. #v
!" Have yez iver male bag in the house, me dar-
intf"
:" Dvil wan is there, Mat. Yez tux it to the
mill wild yer to bring home chips wid, this morn
in"
Faix an did, and there it is yit thin Well,
have yez nothing at all in the house that will tic
up like bag Biddy2"
Troth, an have, Mat; there's me Sunday
pitticoat; ye can dhraw the strings close at the
top, an it will do better lettin the cat be
LAWN yes"
Bddy, darlint, yez o Jewel to be thinkin O
that came; be aither brngin' it to me-"
Biddy brought the garment, and when the
strings were drawn close it made a very good sub
stitute for the meal bag and Mat declared it was
s'ilegant."
So holding it close against the edge of the
chest, he took look behind and saw par af
bright eyes glaring at him.
An is it there ye are We divilp Be out o that
now bad luck to all yer kin, ye thavin bagabonc,
yc Bedad, an We won't lave me house at all wild
perlite akin Yer silfwil bates pigs intirely.
Biddy, have yez any hot wather in the house"
"Yis I've plenty, Mat; the tay kettlesfull
NV it,
BE afther castin' the matter of quart thin
behnt the chist till say how the shay devil lhes
It," H a
g Hould Inn close, Mat here goes the wather.p
Dash went the water, and out jumped the animal
into Mats trap.
''Arrab, be the howly poker, have him in,
Biddy," says Pat, drawing close the folds OF the
garment; "now bad cess to yez, ye thafe, it's
nine lives We have is itg Be afther akin me for
givcness for the thavin' ye have been doin in me
house, for I'm thin1in the nine lives ye have won't
save We now any way. Biddy, saize hoult OF the
poker, an whin I'll shoulder the haythen yen beat
the daylghts out OF im."
Mat threw the bundle over his shoulder and
told Biddy to play St. Patrck's day in the morn
ing" on it. Biddy struck about three notes OF that
popular Irish air, and suddenly stopped, exclaim-
ing
"What smills so quare, Mat It's takin' me
birth, away wild the power Nv it. Och, murther,
Mat, shure an ye have the devil in the sack"
"Bate the ould haythen, thin; yez i'll niver
have better chance. Bate the horns of i'm;
lather i'm like blazes, me darlntp
"Augh," says Biddy, /" I'm aintin' wild the
power NV i'm. Cast i'm off yez, Mat"
"Howly St. Pather !" says Mat throwing down
the sack Bddy, the baste is pole-cat! Lave
the house or yez i'll be kilt intirely. Murther an
turf how the haythen smells Och, Biddy Ma
lony purity kittle Of fish yez made Nv it, to be
shure, to be mstskin' that little divil for harm
less cat"
MAT, for the love of God, If yez be convanient
to the door, be affher openin' it, for Fm narey
choked wild i'm. Och, Biddy Maloney, bad luck
to yez for lawn ould Ireland to be murthered in
this way! Howly Mary putct mel Mat I'm
clane kilt, intirely; take me ous uf this II
Mat drew her out of doors, and then broke for
the pump like quarter horse, closely followed by
Bddy.
"Shure that little villain bates the devil ntire
| ly; he's ruined me house an Kilt Biddy, an put
me out o consate wild meself for month TO come
Och, the deoaivin' vagabone, bad luck to him; :"
and Mat plunged his head into the horse-trough
up to his shoulders.
"Get out O that, Mat I'm narely blind" and
Biddy went under water.
"0ch the murtherin' baste," says Biddy, sput-
terng the water out of her mouth, "me best pitt
coat is spoilt intirely. Mat Maloney, divil tap
viii liver help yez sit for cat agin."
I" Don't trouble yourself Mistress Msloney, yeve
played the devil as it is. Niver fear me AKIN
haporth o. yer assistance. It's a natural fool ye
| are to be takin' ba.te NV poe-cat fur a house
| cat
| Mat and Biddy went cautiously back to the cabin
| from which the offensive quadruped bad taken his
| departure. Things were turned out o doors, Bid
dy's petticoat buried the bed, which fortunately
| escaped, moved to a near neighbor's, the stove
| moved outside, and for weeks they kept house out
| of doors, by which time, by dnt of scrubbing
| washing and airing, the house was rendered once
more habitat, but neither Mat nor Bddy have for
| gotten the 9 strange cat
PARAGRAPH ON CATs.-Bayard Taylor, in his
:" New Volume Of Travels" gives the following
humorous description Of the cats OF Aleppo:
" The other remarkable thing here is the hos
pital for cats. This was founded long ago by
rich cst-oving Musselman, and is one of the best
endowed institutions in that city. An old mosque
is appropriated to that purpose, under the charge
Of several directors and here sick cats nursed
homeless cats end shelter and decrepid cats grace.
| fully purr away their declining years.
"The whole category embraces several hun
dreds and Il is quite sight to behold the corridors
and tarraccu of thp rnoSnnea ewarnninp with them