The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-12-24
Jim Wolf and the fOm Cats.

|
knew by the emotional flush upon the
strawberry OF the end OF the old free
| Iiver's nose, that Simon Wheeler's
memory was busy with the olden
times. And so prepared to leave,
because these were symptoms of a
reminiscence-signs that he was going
to be delivered Of another of his per-
sonal xperiences-butI was too slow /;
he got the start of me. As nearly as
| can recollect, the inAiction was
couched in the following language;
F." We was all boys then, and didn' t
care for nothing only how to shirk
school and keepu revivin state of
devilment all the time. This var
Jim Wolf ard I was talking about
was the prentice, that he was the
best hearted fellow he was, and the
most forgivin' and onselfsh [ ever
see-weH, their couldn't be more
butler boy than what he was, take
him how you would, and sorry enough
I was when | see him for the last
time.
Me and Henry was always pestern
him, an. plastern' horse bills on his
back, and putin humble bees in his
bed, and so on, and sometimes we'd
let on to get mad and fight across
him, so as to keep him stirred up like.
He was nineteen. he was, and long,
aHd lank, and lean, and was bashful.
and we were fifteen and sixteen, and
tolerable worthless and lazy.
So that night you know, that my
sister gave that candy pullin' they
started us off to bed early, so as the
company could have full swing, and
we rung in on Jim to have some fun.
Our window looked out on the
roof of the ell, and about ten o'clock
a couple of old Tom cats got to rarn'
and chargin' around it and carryin'
on like sin. Thar Wuz four inches of
snow on the roof, and it wuz froze so
that thare Wuz a right smart crust of
ice on it, and the moon was shining
bright, and we could see them cats
like daylight. First they'd stand off
and eyow-yow-yow, just the same as
if they were cussin one another, you
know. and bow up their backs and
bush up their tails, and swell around,
spit, and then all of sudden the gray
cat he'd snatch up a handful of fur
off the yaller cats ham, and spin him
around like button on a barn door.
But that yaller cat was game, and
he'd come in and clinch, und the way
they'd gouge, bite, howl and make
the fur fly was astonishing to old
settlers.
Well, Jim, he got disguised with
the row and lowed he'd climb out
that winder and shake EN- off that
roof. He hadn't RELY any notion of
doin' it, likely, but we everlastinly
logged him and bullyragged him, and
lowed he'd always Dragged as how be
wouldn't take dare, and so on, till
bimeby he histed up the winder, and
10 and behold you, he went-went
exactly as he was-nothin' but shirt,
and it was a very short one You ort
to have seen him Gre e-pin' over the
ice, and diggin' his toe nails and fin
ger nails in to keep him from slip
pin; and 'bove all yor ought to seen
that shirt fappin' in the wind, and
them long ridiculous shanks of his a
glistenin' in the moonlight.
d. Them company folks was all down
there under the caves, and the whole
squad of EN- under that ornery shed
of dead Washin ton bowervines-all
settin' around abot two dozen sassers
of hot candy, which they'd sot in the
snow to COOL And they were laugh
in and a taikin' and maxim things
lively; but bless you they didn't know
nothip about the panaramma that
was goin on over their heads. Well,
Jim ne went sneakin up, onbeknowns
to them tom cats-they was swichin
their tails, y0w-yowin' threatenin' to
clinch, you know, and not payin' any
attention-he went sneakin' and
sneakin' right up to the comb of the
roof, until he was in a foot aud half
of EN-, and then all of a sudden he
made grab at the yaller catl But,
by gosh be missed fire and slipt his
holt, and his heels few up and he
Topped on his back and shot off n that
roof like dartl-went a smashin
and crashin through them old vines
and landed right In the dead center
of them company people-sot down
like a earthquake in them two dozen
sassers of red hot candy, and let off a
howl that was bark from the tomb
Them girls-well, they left you know.
All done In a secont; it was done Just
one little war-hoOp and a whish OF
their dresses and blame the wench OF
EN- was in sight anywhere.
Jim was in sight. He was all a
germ of bilin' hot 'lasses candy clean
down to his heels, and had more
busted sassers hangin' to him than il
he was an Ingun princess; and he
come prancin' up stairs just whoop.
in and cussin'; and every jump he
gave he shed some china, and every
squirm he fetched he dipped sun
candy
Blistered did you say? Why
bless, your soul, that poor creatul