The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1875-09-29

teel an inclination to jump down into the
garden, during the night, 10 destroy the
plants, to tear the bulbs with his teeth,
and TO sacrifice to his wrath the owner
himself, il he should venture to stand up
for the defence of his tulips.
But to kill tulip was horrible crime
in the eyes of genuine tulip fancier; as
to killing a man, it would not have mat
tered so very much.
Yet Van Baerle made such progress in
the noble science of growing tulips, which
he seemed TO master with the true ins
stinct of genius, that Boxrel was at last
maddened to such degree as to think OF
throwing sticks and stones into the flower
stands of his neighbor. But remember
ing that he would be sure TO be found
out, and that he would not only be pun
ished by law, but also dishonored for
ever in the face fall the tulp-growers OF
Europe, be had recourse to stratagem;
and, to CRAFTY his hatred, tried to devise
plan by means of which he might gain
his ends without being compromised
himself.
lie considered long time. and at last
his mediIstious were crowned with sue
cess.
One evening he tied two cats together
10y their hind>legs with a string about
Fix feet in length. and threw them from
the wall into the midst ofthat noble. that
princely, that royal bed. which contained
not only the Cornelius De Witte," but
besides. the Beauty of Brabant,', milk,
white, edged with purple and pink; the
Marble of Rotterdam" color OF flax
blossoms, feathered red and flesh-color;
and the Wonder of TIaarlem,' dark
dove-color, tinged with a lighter shade OF
the same.
The frightened cats, having alighted on
the ground, first tried TO fly each in d il
ferent direction, until the string by which
they were tied together was tightly
stretched across the bed; then, however.
feeling that they were not able to get off,
they began to pull to and fro, and to
wheel about with heart-rending caterwal.
ings. moving down with their string the
flowers among which they were disport>
ing themselves, until, after furious strife
OF about a quarter OF an hour, the string
broke and the combatants vanished.
Boxtel. hidden behind his sycamore,
could not see anything. as it was pitch
dark; but the piercing cries of the cate
told the whole tale, and his heart, over
flowing with gall, was now throbbing with
triumphant JOY.
Bnxtel was so eager to ascertain the ex-
tent Of the injury, that he remained on
his post until morning to feast his eyes at
the sad state in which the two cats had
placed the Hower-beds Of his neighl or.
The mists of the morning chilled his
frame, but he did not feel the cold, the
hope OF revenge keeping his blood at fe-
yer heat. The chagrin OF his rival was
to pay for all the inconvenience which he
incurred himself
At the earliest dawn the door of the
white house opened, and Van BaerIe
made his appearance; approaching the
fiower-beds with smile Of a man who
had passed the night comfortable in his
bed, and has had happy dreams.
All at once he perceived burrows and
little mounds Of earth on the beds which
only the evening before had been as
smooth as a mirror; all at once he per-
ceived the symmetrical rows of his tulips
TO be completely disordered. like the pixies
of battalion in the midst of which a
shell has fallen.
lie ran up to them with blanched
checks.
Boxtel trembled with joy. Fifteen or
twenty tulips, torn and crushed, were
lying about, some Of them bent, others
completely broken and already whitening;
the sap oozing from their bleeding bulbs:
how gladly would Van Baerle redeemed
that precious sap with his own blood
But what was his surprise and his de
light what was the disappointment of
his rival Not one Of the four tulips
which the latter had meant to destroy
was injured at all. They raised proudly
their noble heads above the corpses of
their slain companions This was enough
TO CONSOLE Van Baerle, and enough to fan
the rage Of the horticultural murderer
who tore his hair at the sight Of the effect
Of the crime which had been committed
in vain.
Van Baerle could not imagine the
cause Of the mishap, which. fortunately,
was Of far less consequence than it might
have been. On making inquiries. lie
learned that the whole night had been
disturbed by terrible caterwaulings. He
besides, found traces Of the cats, their
footmarks and hairs left behind on the
battlefield; to guard. therefore, in future
against similar outrage, he gave orders
that henceforth one of the under-garden-
ers should sleep in the garden in a sentry
box near the flower beds.
Boxtel heard him give the order, and
Jaw the sentry-box put up that very day