Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-10-20
The Charcoal Boys Cat.

There was once a boy who lived in the
heart of a deep forest, and burned charcoal
for a living. II was wild aud gloomy
place. The hoy worked with great many
men. They cut solid timber out Of the for
est, aud, after digging place ia the ground,
set the logs on end, in the shape Of an Indian
wiggam they then covered The heap thickly
So that fire would smolder in it, and set il
on fire after several days Of slow burning
the logs were changed into solid black char
coal. and charcoal, you know, is sold in the
markets and streets. There were long rows
Of these heaps where this boy worked. The
men watched them all day while preparing
new heaps, and took turns guarding the fire
in them at night. Such workers are called
charcoal-bumers. Many time had the
charcoal boy lain stretched on the grass,
with his hands and bunch of pine boughs
under his head, listening to the chat Of his
companions, or to the signing noise of the
great woods around him. Frequently vivid
pink lights would flash out of the heaps,
and then they would have 10 be covered
more closely.
The charcoal boy had nobody TO live with
him in his cabin but cat, for his home aud
his brothers aud sisters were far down the
valley. lie was much like Mother Goose's
little dairyman, who lived by himself until
the rats and the mice led him such life,
that he had 10 90 to London to seek himself
q wife However, the charcoal boy had a
cat as ! said. When the cat first came to
keep his house for him, she was q forlorn
and wretched creature. Somebody had evil
IDENTIFY carried her away from civilization,
and turned her loose in the woods. She was
a mere kitten, but so thin and shaggy and
wild-eyed, when she appeared and rubbed
herself, mewing, against the charcoal boys
legs. as he sat in the door eating his supper,
that she looked aged and decrepit The boy
might not have taken to her kindly; but he
was all alone in his cabin, and even the voice
of a cat sounded pleasantly. So he gave her
part Of his supper, and let her lie purring
round his feet all night Before long, she
grew sleek aud spirited. She combed her
coat carefully, and settled into being a very
domestic cat. As she sat in the door to well
come her MASTER when he came home from
his work, or as she moved gracefully about
his hut, she was rs comfortable puss as
one would wish to see
The charcoal boy, to amuse himself in his
idle hours. taught her tricks, which she per-
formed with such spirit that he grew really
fond of her. His door had wooden latch
which was lifted bya string. lie connected
that puss could at any time pounce upon
the table, and with one sweep of her paw
open or shut the door. lie also hung
small trapeze from one of the rafters, and
taught the cat TO whrl herself over and over
on it. This was great fun for The boy, and
in time he trained the cat so perfectly, and
communicated with her so web by means of
"me-ows," that she went through her per-
Torrance in a regular routine, at any time
that he sgnaled TO her Often, when the
pine sticks were dying down to ashes ON the
hearth, and he stretched himself on his hard
bed, he put the cat through all her tricks,
and laughed ut her till his eyes grew too
sleepy to watch her But he did not know
that he was training her to save him from
danger. One night, when the charcoal boy
lay down in his hut, he could scarcely sleep;
for all the money which he had been several
months earning was laid in smooth bills un-
der his head. Next day, hs meant to go
down to the vally, aud carry it to his home
His mind was full Of what he should hear
at home lie lay awake with his hands un-
der his head until the late owls hooted in
the woods. Puss was curled around his feet
by and by he heard steps outside his cabin,
and two shadows passed between his little
window and the moonlight. In an instant
he remembered that a coupled of idle, vicious
looking men had been lingering for several
days around the charcoal camp, and he felt
sure that they We're now coming into
his cabin TO rob him. lie was no coward,
SO he resolved TO give them singular reoep-
ton Slipping off his bed and squeezing
himself under it, he uttered long meow !"
which puss understood. In an instant she
answered with another cat.note, and leaping
upon the table, opened the door
The two men were Just ready to force it
open but they started back at finding it
thrown wide by invisible hands However,
the holder of the two stepped in, and the
other followed,
Meow !" continued the charcoal boy
Meow !" answered puss, springng to her
trapeze.
"There's nothing but cats in her !" whsp-
cred one man. " | hear 'em jump"
&" Strike light, will you 2"said the other
" ! cant see anything !"
So they struck light and, peering all
around cautiously, saw u hut uninhabted
by any creature, save cat whirling madly
on n trapeze over their heads A wicked,
ignorant man is easily terrified by any I'M
natural sight; the two thieves quaked.
-" Ptz !" signaled the charcoal boy.
" The witches are in the house !" whis-
pered the men.
Meow !" replied the cat, promptly obey
ing her masters signal and leaping back to
the table to shut the door.
If the two men felt misgivings when the
door opened to them Of itself, they were
completely frightened when 1t swung slowly
to, without hands to move it The cat arched
her back and Kissed at them but before she
could utter the prolonged howl which ex-
pressed her dislike, they both ran and
clutched the door-atch, and flew away from
the cabin as if the rags of their shoes were
little wings As for puss, she stood still on
the table, waving her tail TO and fro like
victorious banner while her master laughed
till the tears ran down his cheeks THE
Metropolitan.