The Van Buren press., 1871-04-18
Jim Wolf and the Tom Cats.


Iknew by the syupaths'io glow upon
his bald head-I knsw }y tae thoughtful
look upon his fvce ~! knew by the emo
tional fash upon The straw .er,y on the end
Of the old free !iyess as.e. that Simon
Wheeler's memory was busy with the odsn
times. And l prepared 20 leave because
all these were symptoms Of a reminiscence
signs that he was going to be delivered
OF another OF his tirosome personal expo
rences; but / was too slow he got the
start Of me. As nearly as | can recollect,
the inliction was couched in the following
language
We were all boys then and didn't care
foi nothing, and didn't worry about moth.
ing only to shirk school and keep up rc-
viying state ofdevilment all the time. This
yah jim Wolf WAS talking about was the
prentice. aud he was the best hearted .cler,
hn was, and the most forgivin and .unselt
ish ever ser--well. there couldn't have
bsen bullcr boy than he was. take him
how you would, and sorry. sorry enough
was when saw him for the last time.
Me aud Harry was always pesteriug him
and pla.,ering hoss bids on his back. aud
putting humble bees in his bed. aud so ON,
and sometimes we'd crowu in and bunk
him down notwithstanding his growing,
and we'd lie, on to get mad and fight across
him. and SO k,ep hun stirred up like, lie
was 10; he was long and lsnk. and bash,
ful and we was Ii aud ] 6 tolerable worth.
less and lazy.
SO that night. you know. that my sister
Mary gave Il candy pnliIn'. they started us
oil to bed early, 80 as the company could
have iuIl swing. and wo run into Jim to
have s0nc inn
One window looked out onto the roof oi
the ell. anu about ten o'clock u couple OF
oil tom eats 60, a rarin' and chargin' about
like sin There was about four inches ol
snow on the looi and j, was ozen 80 tina,
there was right smart crust Of Ice on it,
and the moon was shining bright and We
could STE them cats like day light +; first they
sand off AMI you VOW WOW just the same
as it they was russn' ono another, you
know, ANA bow up their backs and bush up
their tails, aud swell around and spit. and
then all of q sudden tho gray cat he'd
snatch handu! OF iur ont o the yallel
eats ham, and SPIN him round like the but.
Son on barn door. but the yaller cat wa.
game, and he'd como back aud clinch. and
tho way they'd d gouge. and bark. ana howl
aud the way they'd make the fur fly wa,
powerful.
Well, Jim, hc got disgustod with thi'
row, and lowed he'd climb out there and
take 'em off n the roof. lie hadn't reel y
no no,icn Ct doing it. but we everlaslin'iy
do eyed him, and bullymggel him, an,
'loscd he'd always Dragged how he woulc
rot take q dare. and 80 on, ill bimeby h,
histcd up the windc,, an 10 and behol'
you, he went eXactly as .o Was; nothing
On bu, shirt, and Il was short. But yol
ought to seed him eecp,a over that ice
and diggin' mis- oc.nai.s Ia to keep fron
sippin' and, aboyo alb. .eI ought to seel
thu shirt fappin' III the wind, and then
long. ridiculous shauks OF his glistoning il
moonlight.
Them company folks was down Their
under the caves, the whole squad Of 'em
under that orncry shed Of old Washin'toi
Bower vines--all settin' round about tw,
dozen sassers of hot candy. which they,
set in the snow TO cool. And they wa
laughin' and talking lively; but bless you
they didn't know nothin' about the pano
rama that was goin on over their heads
Well, Jim, he went sneakin' up unbe
known to them tom cats--they Was
swishin their tails. aud yow.yowin' '-an'
tineal.nn' 10 ciinch you know, aud no
- h, a in
right along tho comb Of the root, tii h
was within a loot and halt of em, an,
then all of a sudden he made for the yale
cat But, Ivy go.h. he missed five an,
slipped, his heels flew up, aud he hoppe'
on his back. and he went oif'n that roo
like a dart--went sla,hin' and o mashin
and q crashin down through them oil,
.ns.y vines, and landed in the centre q
them comp'ny people !-sat down like
yarthqnaks IN them two dozen sassers @
red.hot csndy, and lot off howl whie
was bark from the tombs Them gals
we'll. they looked. you know. They ~ce b
wash't dressed for company, and 30 the
left. All done in . second. II was JUS
one little war whoop and whish o. thei
dresses, and blame the wench OF EN- wa
in sight anywhere.
jim. be was sight. He was gorme
with that biin' hu. molasses candy clea
down to hi- heels. and had more burste
ssssers hangn' to him than il he was a
Injun prin,ess--snd ho came Il prancin' u
stairs. just hoopin and q cussin. an
every jump he made hs shed some china
and every squirm he fetched he droppc
sen,s candy
Aud blis,erci! Why. bless your soul
that p,or creature couldn't really set dow
for ~ much as !our weeks. Marx TWain