The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-10-13
Morrow B. Lowry and tine Rocky Mountain

thls
Jim Stewart, sometimes called THE
Commodore" is the most noted darkey
in Erie. Jim is good natured. shrewd
sort of fellow, somewhat addicted to
doing business now and then on the
Jeremy Didder style, as the following
incident will testify. Living near the
residence of the Hon. Morrow B. Low
ry, he was frequently employed by the
latter to do odd jobs around the house
and in the garden. one day Mrs. Lowry
concluded that the peccadilloe5 of a
worthless and venerable tom cat long
an attacho Of the family, were such as
demanded the iniliction OF capital pun
ishment, ana Jim was called upon to
play the part of executioner. After q
long chase, the victim was captured and
put in a basket, over which an old shawl
was securely fastened. The next ques-
ton was how to dispose of the prisoner.
Mrs. Il. suggested drowning, but Jim,
with tears In his eyes, protested that he
could no more drown ''that ere cat'
than he could "drown himself; that
wero he to do 50, his conscience, acting
on u naturally tender heart, would
trouble him 50 much at nights that he
was sure he could never sleep thereaf
ter.n Not wishing to ruin Jim's peace
of mind, Mrs. l.. compromised the
matter by giving him a dollar, and di
recting him to take the cat and dispose
OF 1t IN any way ne pleased, so tnat she
could never see it again. Pa tting the
dollar in his pocket and the basket on
his arm, Jim started down town lie
had not got out of sight Of the house
when he met Morrow walking leisurely
toward his home, and the following coll
loquy ensued:
Morrow-Hello, Jim, what have you
got there?
Jim-One of the celebrated Rocky
mountain cats, sab.
Morrow-A Rocky mountain cat ?
Why Jim where did you get him, and
what are you going do do with him?
JIM golly, sab. Didn't you hear
oh de big bunch Of dem cats dat KUN
to town yesterday from Kaliclny, sab !!
Best mouser5 in de wuld, sab. Dey are
gwine TO glib me foah dallars for him at
the Reed House, sab.
Morrow (Recollecting the general
cussedness," of the family cat,) Jim we
want q good cat up home, and guess
I'll take this fellow, but-but-don't
you think four dollars is mighty steep
for cat?
Jim-All the 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 i'm
portant business elsewhere, and begged
Morrow to take the basket himself,
which the latter good-naturedly con-
sented to do. Arriving at home he
took his prize into the sitting room,
carefully closed the doors, slightly lift
ed the basket covering, and smiling
benevolently at Mrs. LIS apparent as
tonishment. remarked: "My dear, rvo
brought you a Rocky Mountain cat-tho
best mouser"-at this moment the cat
jumped out of the basket and com.
meneed rubbing himself against hi.
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 to
drown not more than ten minutes ago.
| What followed we know not, but Il
few minutes later, the Hon. Morrow
Lowry might have been noticed
on the streets of Erie, armed with Il
heavy walking,stiek, and wondering
"why man can never find that id
niger, when he wants to see him bad,
ly."
| ABOUT three miles east of PottstL wn.
Montgomery county, in eastern Penn
| sylvania, is large mass of rocks, stu.
ated upon the brow of high and yer,
| extensive hill, which from its peculia
attribute is known as "The Ringin,
Rocks.' These rocks on being strucl
with a hammer give out well-defned
bell.like sounds, with all the graduation
from bass to shrill, according to tn
rock that is struck. From the grea
weight of these stones it is believed
that iron enters largely into their com
position, and it is thought that unde
the pile of rock hollow space exists
There are other rocks in the neigbor
hood of this group, but none of then
possess the strange quality of those de
| scribed.
THE bloom Of youth will fade away
the brightness of the eye will grow din
with age, but miserable little corr
will never pass away.
"HIs pill.grimage is over" as thu
druggists widow said when she order
ed an epitaph for his tombstone.
"JACK your wife is not so pensiye as