Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1874-12-31

with-that fussy old woman's cat it is
! certainly none of my business, and if
! YOU know when you are well off YOU
won't make it any of yours. just as sure
/ as you do you'll get yourself into trouble
/ The boys expect to have a good time
/ New Years Day Beat up those eggs
now, and get all my things together for
/ the pudding, and I'll be down in half an
/ hour to make it,"
/ Bessies little feet fairly flew over that
/ kitchen floor She had decided to keep
1 the promise she made to Aunt Jerusha,
/ at all hazards. She thought the subject
/ over in every light, and decided that it
was right; and SO, after she had ar
ranged everything for Mrs Murdoch,
/ she tied on her bonnet and shawl took q
large covered basket, and went down
into the cellar. Poor Tom was securely
/ tied, and she was compelled TO 70 back
to the kitchen for knife to cut the
1 cords with All this necessarily con-
/ sumed some minutes, and when Bessie
emerged from the regions below, with
poor Kitty trembling and bruised in the
basket, it seemed to her that she was
quite rs badly frightened as the
animal she had in charge She heard
Mrs Murdoch call after her from an up
per window: " Bessie Atwood, where are
YOU going? Come back this minuteW But
| Bessie turned neither to the right nor
left. She didn't even think of what
awaited her on her return She had just
begun to congratulate herself that Aunt
Jcrusha's cottage W ould be soon reached
indeed, it was in plain sight-when
half dozen boys, blowing tn horns and
hooting and believing in the rudest and
maddest manner, came rushing toward
her Hal and Frank were among the
foremost, and Immediately suspected
what she had in the basket.
"Give me that cat, you hussy,' shouted
| Hal, cor I'll give you good punch
XII the effect this threat had upon
| Bessie was to make her hold on to her
| charge the trmer.
| Meaw, meaW, pled0tr, squealcd Tom,
| trying his best to get out.
| "She heard what we were talking
this morning" said Hal. "And the little
| thief worked her cards pretty well; but
Just before she did she didn't, eh! Now
tell you, fellers, one of you hold on to
her arms from behind, and I'll have the
cat out of the bag in twinkling"
Up to this time Bessie had not spoken
a word Now she said, clearly and calm
| ly: Boys, stand aside! Aunt Jerusha
came to the house for her cat and
promised her that if saw him or heard
anything of him / would let her know.
| am on my way now to keep my
promise
But you won't be on your way long,
not if | know it. Take hold Of her,
Frank. Wen settle up some old scores
now And with this the young desper-
ado dealt her a ringing blow on the side
of her face. AT the same time Frank
and another boy pulled at the handle of
| the basket, but without effect.
| Let 60" screamed one of them, cor
| you'll get hurt"
You may kill me, boys, if you will, -
said she, holding on with all her might;
"hut ! started for aunt Jerusha's with
| this cat, and if you succeed in taking it
| from me you'll DO it when I'm dead, not
| before"
That's the talk, little girl" said a
| friendly voice from the rear. Got
| Aunt Jerusha's Maltese cat in that bas-
| ket, have you? Now tell me who those
boys are
Bessie obcyed. She had never seen
| this gentleman before, and felt quite
sure he was a stranger in the village,
Pm going to the cottage continued
| the gentleman. Come along with me,
I'll see if there's any law in this town at
ter | see you safely housed" And the
two walked on, leaving the boys consid-
erably creStfallen and not little alarmed,
How does thee DO mother:' said the
gentleman, walking straight into the
house leading Bessie by the hand.
Bless thy heart, boy, is it thee, safe
home againy' said Aunt Jerusha. 81
expected the Lord was preparing this
surprise for ne" And the old lady cu,.-
died down in her sons arms as if there
was nothing else on earth to wish for
And here is thy cat mother con
tinued the stranger, land the brayest
little girl ! ever heard of. Why, that
child would stand AT The lannon's mouth
without tlinching"
In the meantime Bessie had liberated
Tom; and he now purred contcntedly on
his mistress knee. After hearing a full
account of the child's struggle Aunt
Jcrusha said, suddenly, taking her sons
hand
William, how much moncy has thce?"
Enough and to spare was the quiet
answer.
Has thee enough to rear this child as
she should be rearcd-enough to secure
her good home with me and all the
advantages that active little brain de-
mands:"
Yes. mother, and nothing would
please me so wen as to take this RESPONSE
bility. Little girl, he continued, "what
do you want most Of anything in this
/ world?"
70 60 to school" answered Bessie,
simply, land have somebody TO love
me-
Aunt Jcrusha wiped her eyes and said
William, this child has been abused.
She must never go back Take off your
Z .t.s.-.-- D.-.s. So ,syt,v l.yt,.