The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-04-13
THE CHARCOAL BOYS CAT.


There was once boy who lived in the
heart of deep forest, and burned char
coal for living 1t was q wild and
gloomy place The boy worked with
great many men. They cut solid tim
Der out of the forest, and, after digging
a place in the ground, set the logs on
end ia the shape of an Indian wigwam;
they then covered the heap thickly, so
that fire would smolder in 1t, and sci
il on fire; after several days of slew
burning, the logs were changed into
solid black charcoal; 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-burners. Many a
time had the charcoal boy lain stretched
on the grass, with his hands and bunch
of pine boughs under his head, listen
inc 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 had to be covered more
closely.
The charcoal boy had nobody 10 live
in his cabin with him but cat, for his
home and his brothers and sisters were
far down the valley. He was much
ike Mother Goose's little dairyman,
who lived by himself until the rats and
the mice led him such life that he had
to 90 to London to seek him 4 wife!
However, the charcoal boy had cat, as
| said. When the cat first came to keep
his house for him, she was forlorn and
wretched creature. Somebody had
evidently carried her away from civil
cation and turned her loose in the
woods. She was q mere kitten, but
so thin and shaggy and wild-eyed, when
she appeared and rubbed herself new
ing 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 cat sounded pleas
antly. So he gave her part of his sup
per, and let her lie purring round his
feet all night. Before long she grew
sleek and spirited. She combed her
coat carefully, and settled into very
domestic cat. As she sat in the door to
welcome her master, when he came
home from his work, or as she moved
gracefully about his hut, she was as
comfortable a puss as one would wish
to see.
The charcoal boy, to amuse himself
in his idle hours, taught her tricks,
which she performed with such spirit
that he grew really fond of her. His
door had a wooden latch, which was
lifted by a string. He connected this
string ingeniously with his table, so
that puss could at any time pOunce upon
the table and with one sweep of her
paw open or shut the door. He also
hung d small trapeze from one OF the
rafters, and taught the cat to whirl her
self over and over on it. This was
great fun for the boy, and in time he
trained the cat so perfectly and commu-
nicated with her so well by means OF
''me-ows," that she went through her
performance in a regular routine, at
any time that he signaled her! Often,
when the pine sticks were dying down
TO ashes on the hearth, and he stretched
himself to sleep on his hard bed, he
put the cat through all her tricks, and
laughed at her till his. eyes grew too
sleepy to watch her. But he did not
know that he was training her
to save hmm 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
away in smooth bills under his head.
Next day, he meant to go down the val
ley, and carry il to his home. His mind
was full of what he should see and hear
at home. He lay awake, with his hands
under his head, until the late owls
booted in the wood. Puss was curled
around his feet. BY and by he heard
steps outside his cabin, and two shad-
ows passed between his little window
and the moonlight. In an instant he
remembered that couple of idle, Vi
cious-looking men had been lingering
for several DAYS around the charcoal
camp, and he felt sure that they were
now coming into his cabin to rob him.
He was no coward, so he resolved to
give them q singular reception. Slip
ping off his bed and squeezing himself
under it, he uttered a long "me-ow!"
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 open by invisible hands.
However, the holder of the two stepped
in, and the other followed.
"Me-ow!" continued the charcoal
boy.
"Me-ow!" answered puss, springing
to her trapeze.
"There's nothing but cats in herei''
whispered one man. al hear 'em
jump!"
"Srike light, will you?" said an
other. al can't see any thing"
So they struck light, and, peering
all around cautiously, saw hut unin-
habited by. any creature, save . cat
whirling madly on a trapeze over their
heads. A wicked ignorant man is east
~ terrlneQ DS al ulLatuldl SlSh'i inc
two thieves quaked.
"Ptz!n signal the charcoal boy
1.-THE witches are in this housen'
whispered enc of the men.
" Meow" replied the cat, promptly
obeying her masters signal, and leap
ing 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 it
swung slowly to without hands TO move
it! The cat arched her back and Kissed at
them; but before she could utter the pro-
longed howl which expressed her dis
like, they both ran and clutehed the
door latch, and few away from the cabin
as If the rags Of their shoes were little
wings! As fer puss, she stood still on