The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1871-09-28
sTRoUDSBURG, MONROE COUNTY, PA. SEPTEMBER 49, 1871.
Morrow B. Lowry and the Rocky Noun
tain Cat.


Jim Stewart, sometimes called "The
Commodore" is the most noted darkey in
Erie Jim is good natured, shrewd
sort of fellow, somewhat addicted to do
ing business now and then on the Jeremy
Diddler style, as the following incident
will testify. Living near the residence
of the Hon. Morrow B. Lowry, he was
frequently employed by the latter to do
odd jobs around the house and in the
garden. One day Mrs. Lowry conclud-
ed that the peccadillos of a worthless and
venerable tom cat, long an attache of the
family, were such as demanded tie innic-
tion of capital punishment, and Jim was
called upon to play the part of execu
toner. After a long chase, the victim
was captured and put in basket, over
which an old shawl was securely fastened.
The next question was how to dispose Of
the prisoner Mrs. l.. suggested drown
ing, but Jim, with tears in his eyes, pro-
tested that he could no more drown "that
ere" cat" that he could "drown himself !"
that were he to do so, his conscience, act
ing on naturally tender heart, would
trouble him so much at nights that he
was sure he could never sleep a wink
thereafter. Not wishing to ruin Jim's
peace of mind, Mrs l.. compromised the
matter by giving him a dollar and direct
ing him to take the cat and dispose of it
In any way he pleased, so that she could
never see it again. Putting the dollar in
his pocket and the basket on his arm,
Jim started down town. He had not got
out of sight of the house when he met
Morrow walking leisurely toward his
home, and the following colloquy ensued:
Morrow-Hello, Jim, what have you
got there.
Jim-One OBJ de celebrated Rocky
Mountain cats, sah
Morrow-A Rocky Mountain cat
Why jim, where did you get him, and
what are you going to do with him ?
JIM golly, sab Didn't you heah
OBJ de big bunch oh dem cats dat kum to
town yesterday from Kaliforny, sab
Bes mousers in dc wurl, sab, and dis is
de biggest and beS one OBJ de lot, sah.-
Dey are gwine to glib me foah dollahs for
him at de Reed House, sab.
Morrow (Recolecting the general
cussedness" of the family cat) Jim, we
want good cat up home, and | guess III
take this fellow, but-but-don't you
think four dollars is mighty steep for a
cat
Jim-All de res sold for FIVE dollars
sab.
This decided Morrow, so he paid jim
the price asked, and told him to carry
the Rocky Mountain cat up to Mrs
Lowry. jim, however, had very import
ant business elsewhere, and begged Nor
row to take the basket himself, which
the latter good naturedly consented to do
Arriving at home he took his prize into
the sitting room. carefully closed the
doors, slightly lifted the basket and cover
ing, and smiling beuevolently at Mrs
LIS apparent astonishment, remarked =
"My dear, I've brought you Rocky
Mountain cat-the best mouser'-at this
moment the cat jumped out of the basket
and commenced rubbing himself against
his masters legs. Morrow stopped short
while his wife broke in impatiently =
"La me morrow Why that's the same
old cat | gave Jim Stewart a dollar tC
drown, not more than ten minutes ago.
What followed we know not, but a
minutes later the Hon. Morrow B
Lowry might have been noticed on the
streets of Erie, armed with a very heavy
walking stick, and wondering "why man
can never find that ID niger, when he
wants to see him badly.-BeaUer Radi-
caL