The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-07-30
@isceIlanp.


crowded and tie room allotted 70 our two ne.
roes was also occupied BY six OK eight others.
Shake-down beds. enough 70 accommodate the
guests, vere dispossd about tha room, against
ths fc,: walls. having N oPsa spses IN th' osn'
Judge CLARK lay With his head 10 the north. on
eoe side, and Judge Thomas lay with his head
70 the south, on the other side Of the room. 90
far a. that room was concerned, it might 30 said
that their heads represented the north and south
poles, respectively. Ht4 t-E
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 different
beds had equal rights. Here, in picturesque
confusion, lay the boots hats, coats aud breaches
Of the sleepers. There were NO windows, snd
though the door was open, there being no moon,
the night was very dark in that room.
The WHY lawyers who had been opposing coun-
sci in Q case tried in the town court that day,
and hsd opposed each other with the contumacy
81 wild pigs, were now the very incarnation Of
meekness, for when the hungry swarm Of mos
quitoes settled down and bit them on the enc
also. - -s"t-' Es t'.
But hush bark!
A deep sound strikes on the ear like rising
knell!
Judges Clark and Thomas were wide awake,
and sitting bolt upright in an instant:
Again the startling cry FH
''Ye-ow, ye-ow!"
There's cat {" Missed Clark
"Scat, you !" Missed Thomas.
Cat paid no attention to these demonstrations,
but gave vent to another yowl.
"Oh, Lord !" cried Clark, II can't stand this
Where is she ?" ...
"On your side of the room, somewhere" re.
piled Thomas. u ..... ..... ..
''Nc, she's on your side," said Clark.
Ye-ow.ow-ow
There, said she was ON your side," they
both exclaimed in breath.
And still the "yowr went on.
The idea now entered the heads of both the
lawyers, that by the exercise of certain strategy
they might be enabled to execute certain flank
movement on thecat, and totally demoralize him.
Practically each determined to file "a motion to
squash" the cats attachment tor that room. 80
Each kept his plan to himself, and in the dark,
unable to see each other, prepared for action.
Strange as it may appear, 1t is nevertheless
true that the same plan 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
will think tother oats around. That cat will
come toward me, and when he shall have arrived
within reach, I'll blaze away with anything /
can get hold Of, and knock the mew-sic out Of
him.
So each of the portly judges, noiselessly as
cream comes to the surface of the milk, hoisted
himself onto hls hands and his knees and,
hippopotamus fashion, advanced to the neutral
ground occupying the central portion of the
ruum
Arrived there, Judge Clark selected q boot.
jack, and Judge Thomas heavy cowhide boot,
from the heap, and settled themselves down to
work. -
Clark frightened his grip on the boot-jsck. and
throwing up his head, gave vent to . prolonged
and unesrthly "Ys.ow-oww that would have
reelected credit upon ten Of the very largest kind
Of cats - ~ .'e,
"Aha," thought Thomas, who was not six feet
away, she's immediately close around Now I'll
inveigle him. and be gave the regular dark
night call for feminine cat
Each of the judges now advanced little
closer, and then Clark produced questioning
Low! owl"
Thomas answered by reassuring "Pur-ow!
pur-ow" and then they advanced very little
more.
imagining the cat had but moment moro TO
live, whaled away the one with his boot, the 9th.
OF with his bootjack. r.'f..
The boot took Clark square in the mouth de-
molishng his teeth, and the boot-jack came down
on Thomas bald head just ss he was in the midst
of triumphant "Ye-ow!"
When lights were brought tho cat had disap.
peared, but the catastrophe was in opposite cor.
ners OF the room, with heels in the cir, swearing
blue streaks.