The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-12-17

The Lawyers and the Cats.
Two Arkansas lawyers were domes
ticated in the rude hotel of country
town. The hotel was crowded, and
the room allotted to our two heroes
was also occupied by six or eight
others. Shake-down beds. enough to
accommodate the guests, we're dispos-
ed about the room, against the four
walls. leaving an open space in the
centre of the apartment.
Judge Clark lay with his head to
the north, on one side, and Judge
Thomas lay with his head to the south,
on the other side of the room. So
far as the room was concerned, it
might be said that their heads repro :
scented the north and south poles,
respectively.
All the other beds In the room
were occupied. The central part of
the room was deemed neutral ground,
in which the occupants of the differ
ent beds had equal rights. Here, in
picturesque confusion, lay the boots,
hats, coats and breeehes Of the Sleep
ers. There were no windows, and
though the door was open, there
being no moon, the night was very
dark IN thaG room.
The willy lawyers, who had been
opposing counsel in case tried In
the town court that day, and had OPP
posed each other with the contu-
maeity of.wild pigs, were now the very
incarnation of meekness, for when
the hungry swarm of mosquitoes
settled down and bit them on the one
cheek, they slowly turned the other
to be bitten also.
But hush bark
A deep sound strikes the ear like a
rising knell!
Me- oT- ow
Judges Clark and Thomas were
wide awake, and sitting bolt upright
in an instant.
Again the startling cry
Ye ow, ye-owl"
There's a id eat!" whispered
CLARK.
Scat, youP' Kissed Thomas.
Cat paid no attention to these
demonstrations, but gave vent to
"Oh, tordl'' cried Clark, 81 can't
stand thisl Where is she, Thomas?"
"On your side of the room some
where, replied Thomas.
mo, she's on your side" said
CLARK.
"Yo-ow ow-oRI''
There, told you she was on your
side" they both exclaimed in q
breath.
And still the "yowl went on.
The idea now entered the heads oil
both the lawyers that by the exercise
of certain strategy they might be
enabled to execute q certain flank
movement on the cat, and totally de.
moralize him. Practically each de.
termined to file" motion to quash
the cats attachment for that room
Each kept his plan to himself, and
in the dark, unable to see each other
prepared for action.
Strange as it may appear, it il
nevertheless true, that the same plar
suggested itself to both. In words
the plan would be about as follows
The yoWler is evidently looking
and calling for another cat, with
whom he has made an appointment
will initiate cat, and this cat viii
think t'other cats around. This ca
will come towards me, and when b,
shall have arrived within reach, III
blaze away with anything ] can ge
hold of, and knock the meW-sic on
of him.
So each of the portly Judges
noiselessly as cream comes to tn
surface of the milk, hoisted himsel
upon his hands and knees, and. hip
popotamus fashion, advanced to tn
neutral ground occupying the centra
portion of the room.
, Arrived there, Judge Clark selectet
. a bootiack, and Judge Thomas
heavy cowhide boot from the heap
f, and settled themselves down to thu
: work.
r Clark frightened his grip on tn
booUack, and throwing up his head
2 gave vent to a prolonged and un
(, earthly " Ye-ow-oW" that would haV
Q reflected credit upon ten of the larg
; est kind of cats.
AHA" thought Thomas, who wa
q not six feet away, hes immediatel
: close around. Now, I'll inveigle him
+ and he gave the regular dark Nigh
. call of feminine cat.
Each of the Judges now advance
a little closer, and Clark produced
questioning "OWl owl"
ell Thomas answered by reassurin
: Pur-owl pur-oW" and the adVanC
= ed little more.
They were now within easy reacl
. and each imagining that the cat ha
: but a moment more to live, whale
away, the one with his boot, the otht
with his boot jack.
o The boot took Clark square in tt
/ mouth, demolishiDg his teeth, an
?, the boot jack came down on Thoma
'e bald head just as he was in the mid
e of a triumphant Ye-owl"
d When lights were brought the Ct
r had disappeared, but the catastropl
n was in opposite corners of the roor
e with heels in the air; swearing bl,
streaks.