, 1863-01-08
The Cat that Dragged the Man
Through the Pond

~
Generally the people Of 0ldhan kIo par||on-
larly wide hunkei but thefo are aonl oG11p.
tons, and occasionally . clFcnmelqncl octnf1
showing that there are slill idlViduaI1 of lho
Nefdant Green class, who have an idea that lho
moon 10 made Of green cheese. Who believe N
the traditional sugarcandy trso nnd trrncla val
Of their nursery days who really have h'|h y
the power Of the cat q play the hddle, and thal
the COW did actually jump over The noon Bear
ing strong resemblance % this class i1 carter
" BoFnley lane, 70 name WHOM would Be = tarl
y saying Jack Roblnsonr last Wednesday
week. between six and seven In The cfIn|n1, this
worthy went 10 the FloWefpoI in Nayr1lo-|ahI.
and there met afew companions Ihs contif
sation turned on the sirength q arimala. sub.
ject upon which The carter cleimed 70 b ar ~
thorily and be wae c0neequonilY perfectly ~.
founded when told that cat could bt found that
would pull him through q lodge of WATER ID
uasnot quite 20 green as 70 believe that but hil
friends stuck 70 The statement with such peril
nacitY that he dared them o hld ct that
could pull him through the water. Wasn't 9
man IS strong a. q catf h knew n1 Nt1
There was not = cat II the torn that could pull
him through. Amer some faTiner fnp1lf1 1g
both sides, the landlords eat Was produced md
. pair Of string gears we're prepared irrit Thea
the party proceeded 70 the lodge q The Robin
Hin CollieTy, and rope was fastened 70 TIE man
and 70 the gears Of lhe eat The man bong a one
side Of The lodge and the cat ntfhe olntr. 1corr1
Of spectators assembled 70 watch The sport, Tho
cat was ready, the man was ready, and When N1
gave the word, Nov, lhen,n ol won't I1o -
AZ nltline pace, hall'a-doEcs ulsn Il|o|II IN
and the astonished carter was dragged backward.
through The lodge, splashlng and struggling. and
making a. much bother a. hilfa dozen Yonnr
whales 1t play, or couple Of score 81 dolphIn1
tumblng orer each other. lie could not nnd1r'
stand Il He bad been dnEgei ih1'rr1 be-
thatihe cat bad done Il. SiliAo Has sufa be al1
as strong ~ 4 eni--he vn1 not e re4t a. =
kite" 80 he complained bitterly that ih1 ca
vas started before ht uaa ready and loudly l1'
nandod that BE- should have II1I1lI II|.| |1 ||..
the eatlhfuugh the water Bot that Ha1 Dol q
BE- alloWed~-thr cat must necessarily feal weak
aifur is exeriions, ard The knight Of he whip
might drag il into The Naier and dIouniL IhH
only made him more anxious 10 have unol||1f
Try, but tbs owner d ihe cil would noi ~ 4 %
hafnesssd again, and ihe PERFORMANCES va .Io1l
% close, when lad exclaimed " knoT het'f
little dog that will pun him through. I1o
crowd applauded the ideA Of fetching he little
DOG, and the carter lsll more certain lhan tlI1Il
that he should Be victorious but eoI 70 llfo4
away any chance, Be fastened . pair Of spurs n
his shoe heels 50 that he could dig lhsm into
the ground and have good hold. The deg ell
brought and fastened 10 The gears friend John
put the rope round himself Igaini dug bis lpuil
deep into The ground. and gave iho word
" Ready" The dog was Stated on. au'l11
shrieks Of laughter Irom The spectators How
many helpers the dog bad John never knew, D1I
he was again dngged through be Lodge 10 al.Iu
q bis spurs, and safely landed On tno uI11l ~,
in state Of the greatest amagemenk HQ Tn1
still not satisfied nor convinced hshad pol bad
ainif siari-he'd have another ty--lhsI. |1I
then. be a have anoihcr ~. But lhe oEn.I 81
the dog was not willing The lel|o~ h1d been
dragged through the wafer fVio1. once bT ell.
aid once By . doe. and u llnl would 11t cohfIncI
him that be vas weaker than eat what would
No; he dog shonli not be usad again. Az lhnll
was no appeal from this decisIoni John went
home IL bis vet clothes. accompanied hy crowd
Of children shouting " The catE pull u That I|||1I
through pltn Amer be changed d. l|o|h11|
he ruiurne1 % the beer houan. nnd. amii1| IraIl
Of laughter, announced his intention o( having
another trial on some future day When he
does " again, Il b 70 Be hoped llal hl win an
nounee the time and plnca, for he oentit q he
public Of Oldham,
7aa Long i've Be.
~ And when be nett doth ride a0lold
b Nag vel be there 70 sc6l ~ IN n