The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-08-29
LOwry's Cat.

TIM STEWART, sometimes called the
J 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 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 con-
cluded that the peccadillos of worthless
and venerable tom-cat, long an attache of
the family, were such as demanded the
inhiction of capital punishment, and Jim
was called upon to play the part of exc,
cutioner. After 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. than he could drownd his
self" that were he to do SO, his con-
science, acting on naturally tender
heart, would trouble him SO much at
nights that he was sure he could never
sleep wink thereafter Not wishing to
ruin Jim's peace of mind, Mrs. L. COM
promised the matter by giving him dol
lar and telling him to take the cat and dis
pose of it in any way he pleased, so that
she should 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 col
loquy ensued rml.st..ti ...u.
Hello, Jim, what have you 90 there"
Gone OBJ de celebrated Rocky noun
tain cats, sab ,'rrsplied Jim. 1ampd
ga Rocky Mountain Cat? Why Jim
where did you get him and what are you
going to do with him ~ st.s ...'..
Oh, gOlly, sab, " replied Jim, didn't
you hear oh de big bunch OBJ dem cats dat
kun to town yesterday from Kaliforny,
sab ? Bes' mousers in de world, sab,
and dis is de biggest and bes one OBJ dc
lot, sab. Dey are gwine to glib me foah
dollahs for him at de Reed House, sah."
"Well," said MISUNDERSTANDING the
general cussedness of the family cat
T" Jim we want a good cat up home, and
| guess I'll take this fellow, but don't
you think four dollars is mighty steep
for a cat ?"
"All de res sold for FIVE dollars, sah,"
answered Jim. 't''''''.' %. if't
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 cov-
ering, and smiling benevolently 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 stop
ped short, while his wife broke in impa-
tiently: ola me Morrowl Why that S
the same old cat l gave Jim Stewart a
dollar to drown, not more than ten min
utes ago." j. aa8l. a.trt
What followed we know not, but a fe W
minutes later the Hon. Morrow b. Low
ry might have been noticed on the streets
of Erie, armed with very heavy walk
ing-stick, and wondering "why a man
can never find that id niger, when he
wants to see him badly.