The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1867-11-15
Jim Wolf ana the Torn Cats,

\ Here is one of Marx Twain good
storys, He knows how to make the
lreader laugh, and if the following
Goes not provoke a smile, IL is be-
cause there is no mirth in mankind
during the hot weather:
a knew Of the sympathetic glow
| upon his bald head knew by the
thoughtful look upon his facet
knew by the emotional fash upon
the strawberry oh.the end of the old
free liver's nose, that Simon Wheeler's
memory was busy with the olden
time. And 60 | prepared TO leavej
beeahse all vhese were symptoms Of
q reminiscence-signs that he was
going to be delivered of another Of
his tiresome personal experiences
but was too Slow ho got the start
of me. AS nearly as | can recollect,
tho infiction was couched ia the fol-
lowing language: ,amani aj
awe were all boya then, end didn't
care for nothing, and didn't have no
troubles, and didn't worry about
nothing only how to shirk school
and keep up q reviyin' state OF de-
yilment all the time, This var Jim
Wolf was a talking about, was the
prentice, and he was the best heart
ed feller, he was, and the most for
rivin' and onselfisb I ever see-welI,
there couldn't be a more butler boy
than whatih he was, take him how you
would; and sorry enough | was when
l see him for the last time.
''Mo and Henry was always pester-
ing him and plastering ho6s, bills on
his back and putting umble baesih
his bed. and so on, and sometimes
we'd crowd in and bunk with him,
Notwithstanding his growing and then
we'd, let on to get mad and fight
across him, 30 as to keep him stirred
UP liko. He was nireteen, he was,
and long, and lank, and bashtol, and
we was fifteen and sixteen, and tol.
erably lazy and worthless.
80 that night, you know, that my
sister Marry i've the only candy
pGllin' they started us off to bed early,
so, AS the comply could have full
swing, and we rung in on Jim to have
some fun. s3tl,.,.- a.
"Our window looked out into the
roof Of the ell, and about ten o'clock
a coople of old tom cats got to rairin'
and chargin' around On it and carry
in on like sin. There was four in
ches of snow on the roof, and it
was frozen so that there was right
smart crust of ice on it, and the moon
was shining bright, and wo could
see them cats like daylight. First
they'd stand off and e'yow-yowyow,
Just the same as if they was a cassin
one another, you know, and bow up
their backs and push up their tails,
and swell around and spit, and then
all of sudden the gray eat he'd
snatch o handful of fur out of the
yaller cat ham, and spin her around,
like the button on a barn. door
But the yaller cat, was game, AID
he'd come and clnch, and the way
they'd gouge. and bite, ard howl; |
and the way they'd make the fur fy |
was powerful. i
"Well, Jim, he got disgusted With |
the row, and lowed he'd cline out |
thers and shake him of'n that ipof.
He hadn't RELY no notion doin5 lit, |
likely, but we everlastin'ly dosged |
him, and bullyraggged him, and |
lowed how he'd always Dragged he |
wouldn'd take dare, and ~ on, till |
bimeby he highsted up the winder, |
and 10 and behold you, he went
went exactly as he was-n thin on |
5ut shirt and it was short. But /
you ought too see him! You ought
to see him creepin' over the ice.
and diggin' his toe. e.nails and finger
nails in for to keep from slippln';
and 'bovo all, you ought to seen that
shirt Aappin' in the wind, and them
long ridiculous shanks of his'n q
glistenin' in the moonlight.
"Them comp'ny folks was down
there onder the caves, the whole
squad of 'em under the Onery shed
of old dead Washin'ton Bower vines
all settin' round about two dozen
sassers of hot candy, which they'd
sot in the snow to cool, Aud they was
laughm' and talkin' liyelyj but they
didn't know nothin' bout the puno-
rama that was goin on over their
heads. Well, Jim, he went a she
akin and q sneakin up an beknowns
to then tom cats-they was swishin'
their tails yow-yow.yow in and
theratenin' TO elinch you know, and
not psgin' any attention-he went
a sneakin' right up to the comb Of
the roof, till no was in a f0otn' a
half Of en- and then all Of sudden
hspmado'sq grab for the yeller cat!
Rut by Gosh he missed Hro and slip.
ped bis holt, and bic heels few up
and he Topped on bis back and shot
off'n that roof like q DART went a
annaahin and n eraahtui do,vn tkrourh