Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-02-01
A Good Story, Though an Old One.

Jim Stewart, sometimes called the
Commodore is the most noted darkie
in Erie. He 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 Hon. Morrow c. Lowry,
he was frequently employed by the lat
ter to do odd Jobs around the house and
in the garden. One day Mrs. Lowry
worthless tom-cat, long attached TO the
family were such as demanded the in
fiction of capital punishment, and jim
was called upon to play the part OF
executioner. After a long chase the
victim was captured and putin a basket,
over which an old shawl was fastened.
The next move was how to dispose of
the prisoner. Mrs. Lowry suggested
drowning, but jim, with tears in his
ewes, protested that he could no more
drown the cat than he could drown him
self; that were he to do 50, his con-
science, acting on naturally tender
heart would trouble him so much at
nights that he was sure that he would
never sleep a wink thereafter. Not
wishing to ruin Jims peace OF mind,
Mrs. Lowry compromised the matter by
giving him a dollar, and directing him
to dispose of it any way he pleased, so
that she should never see it again. Put
ting the dollar i'll his pocket and the
basket under his arm, Jim started down
town He had not gone out OF sight OF
the house when he met Morrow walking
along leisuroly toward his home, and
the following colloquy ensued:
Morrow Hello, Jim, what have YOU
got there
Jim.-Onc oh dc celebrated Rocky
Mountain cats, sab.
Morrow A Rocky Mountain cat!
Why, Jim, where did YOU get him, and
what are vos going to do with him.
JIM golly, sab. Didn't you hear
Oh dc biz bunch ob dem cats cum to
town yesterday from kallorny, sab :
Best mousers in the wurl, sab, and dis
Is dc biggest and bes' one oh dc lot, sab
Dcy are gwinc to give me four dollars
for him at de Reed House, sab.
Morrow recollecting the general
'cusscdness' OF the family cAt) jim,
we want good cat up home, and |
guess Ill take this fellow, but-but-
don't YOU think four dollars is steep Tor
cat?
Jim.-Why' all dc res sold for five
dollars, sab.
This decided Morrow, SO he paid the
price asked, aud told him to carry the
Rocky Mountain cat up to Mrs. Lowry
Jim had, however, very important bu,i-
ness elsewhere, and he begged Morrow
10 take the basket himself. which the
latter consented TO do. Arriving at
home. he took the prize into the sitting
room, carefully closed the3foors, slight
~ lifting the ba-ket-covering and smil-
ing bcnevolently at Mrs. Lowry's ap-
parent astonishmcnt, remarked: My
dear, I've bought Rocky Mountain
cat-thc best mouser-
At this moment the cat jumped ont OF
the basket, and commenced rubbing
himsel against his masters legs. Nor
row stopped short, while his wife broke
impatiently: La me, Morrow. Why,
that's the same cat gave Jim Stewart
a dollar TO drown not more than ten
minutes ago.
What followed we know not, but a
few minutes later the Hon. Morrow Il.
Lowry might have been noticed on the
streets of Erie, armed with il walking
stick, and wondering why man can
never find that nigger when he wants TO
see him badly. Bearer Pa.) Radicul.