Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1867-04-10
The Irishman's Cat.

| of Father Pat, on returning from work one
evening, was met at the gate by Biddy, his
betterhalf, In nigh state Of excitement.
Pat, says she, there s a strange cat
in the cabin.
Cast her out thin; don't be botherin'
me about the baste. a
''Faix an I've been strivin' to do that for
the mather of tin minutes past, but she is
beyond my reach, behind the big red chest
in the corner. Will yez be afther helpin'
me dhrive her out, PatY'
''To be sure l will; bad luck to the con-
safe she has for me house. Show her to me,
Biddy, till tache her the respect that's due
TO the man in his own house-to be takin'
possession without so much as by yer lave
the thafe o the world /"
Now, Pat had special antipathy to 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 way OF egress for the an
imal, he says to Biddy:
Hey yez liver male bag in the house,
me darlint? ?'
"Divil a one is there, Pat. Yez took it
to the mill with yez, to bring chips, this
mornin'. -
Fax an l did, and there it is yit, thin.
An hev yez nothin' at all at all in the house
that will tie up like bag, Biddy?"
''Troth, an have, Pat-there' me Sum
day petticoat-ye can draw the sthrings close
at the top an sure it will be better for not
lettin the cat LAWN ye. -
'Biddy, darlint, ye're jewel; just be af
ther bringin 1t to me at wanSt-
Biddy brought the garment, and sure
enough it made good substitute for bag.
Pat declared at glance that it was Elegant.
So, holding it close against the edge of the
chest, he took look behind and saw a pair
OF eyes glaring at him.
An it's there ye are, We divil? BE out
O that, now, bad luck to yez, ye thavin
vagabone Bedad an ye won't lave at all
with perlite akin '-yerself will bate the pigs
intirely. Biddy, have yez any hot wather?
Sure, I've the full of tay kittle all a
bilin', Pat"
BE afther castin' the matter of quart
thin behind the chest, an we Il see how the
baste minds the like o that.
How'd close, thin, here goes the steamin'
hot wather.' Sosaying, dash went the wa
ter, and oat came the animal into Pats trap.
''Arrah, be the howly poker, | have him
now, Biddy," says Pat. Its nine lives ye
have, We baste? Well, now, be akin me
in ME house, or it's the nine lives will not
save ye Biddy, SAFE howld O the poker,
and whilst | shoulder the bag, jist whack
daylights out O the haythen divil intirely."
Pat threw the bundle over his shoulder
and Biddy struck about three blows to the
tune of St Patrick's day in the morning
when she suddenly stopped.
What smells so QUAR-, Pat? Sure it 5
takin' me breath away wild the power of it.
Och, murther, Pat it the divil ye have in
the sack -
Bate him, thin-bate the horns off
Il IN faintin', - said Biddy; ''cast him
off o ye, Pat ~
Och, murther! murther! Biddy Malo-
ney, what have We done p Ie've went an
mistaken horrible pole cat for harrum-
less tame cat t!''
pat, for the love O God, if ye'r conva-
nient to the door unclose it, for L m perish
ed intirely. Oh. Biddy Maloney, that iver
you should have left ould Ireland to be
smothered and murthered in this way
Fax, the little villain bates the divll
himself; he's ruined me house and kilt Bid
dy, aud put Inc out o consate wild me own
self"
By dint of washing and securing and air
ing, and the burial of BIddy' best petticoat
under the ground for space of time, things
were at at length set to rights again. But
not little recrimination took place be-
tween them on the occasion, and neither ev.
er forgot the expulsion from the cabin OF
Biddy Strange cat.