Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1877-10-25

hink. Itwould never do to lei Che
boys deceive him after that fashion, so,
,eeing that Johnny ate only half OF his
milk, and Dicky saved slice of his
ore ad, he set his wits to work.
Il wonder if | found all them kittens,
nother?' he asked. The deacon had
aever studied Lindley's Grammar.
Johnny looked up in a nervous ter
ror. His brown eyes dilated.
Il almost wish you had left one, said
the good woman, who had received
1er lesson. The children like pet.
you know
i should think they had more pets
now than they could cale for was the
response. -
No, we amt in intelligent chorus.
'Ididu't search the straw continued
he deacon, with twiiching lips, but
if Thought there was one there.
No, there amt, he's gomez cried
Johnny. - ~
'GoneI Why, did You find another
kitten?' asked the deacon in assumeu
istonishment.
Because ii you did, you can keep it,
said the mother, seeing a scared denial
visible in both faces.
sOh, it's les as nice and soft as it can
bep cried Johnny, so happy that ne
lrembled. May go up ard get ii?
| It's almost sInOthered in box
All right, said the deacon, as grave
Iy as be could. You may keep il, and
L think you had better let old pussy
have it for awhile, or ii will starve TO
DEATH -ef
80 the kitten was saved and grew
and thriVed as the boys did, and at six
years of age, when Johnny was twelve
and Dicky was ten, there was not q
handsomer cet in all Allentown. Even
the deacon was proud of it, and used TO
show off its wonderful tricks, and tell
now Tom was saved from an early
Death by them two boys of bis r..
+ One hot summers Sabbath morning
following . week Of hard work at hay
ing, the deacon went to church alone.
His wife was visiting in g neighboring
city with her sister, and the boys were
ava " at school. 81 - Il
Now the deacon had one falling: he
would sleep in church in droWsy
weaih her, as he called a hot SPELL. His
wife was obliged to exercise the utmost
fdiligence 10 keep him half awake,if nc
more, and her greatest anxiety on
leaving home was on this account.
Ii happend thar Giay, there MAS q
strange minister, an old man with q
sermon that extended to the 'fifihlies.
tAt,about the thirdly the deacon fell
ssIeep.5 The peNs directly in front and
directly behind him were empty, for
the old preacher WAS not a faVorite, So
there was no one TO nudge the deacon,
even when he suored.
SCfiBeW here about 'fOurtbly,' there
sppeared IN the window sill atthe end
Of the deacon's pew, huge, handsome
gray cat. Pussy looked around with an
Expression of intelligence that War
praiseworthy in deacon's cat. BY
erybody knew him, and the'congresa-
tiOn smiled.
But pussy WaS not content with bis
perch. IRA slow and cautious manner;
after a sideloug gaze at the speaker, he
crept dow n. into the pew, smelled o.
tihe hymn book, and was lost TO fur.
lher vision until be reappeared, creep
ing,s0itIy up the deacon's arm, and h
lnally seated himself, with an air OF fe
| line triumph, squaTely on his shoulder
purring contentediy.
Andistill he did not wake. 2 =
re minister Brought ont his 'fiEthly,
and pussy looked at him with quie'
blinks. There he sat in sight of all the
laughing boys, and there the deacoo
tslept, his head thrown back and his
mouth open.
Isay the minister proceeded with th(
filthy Then he happened to look lr
the direction Of the deacon's pew. ID
stopped. He seemed strug2 ling with
sOme inward emOtion, and having
said, in 4 strained voice, FINALLY, my
brethren,' looked at the cat, and alb
ruptIy sat down. OF course he wa;
hidden by the pulpit, and no one saw
] him shake as he tried to recover hi'
gravity, for, unfortunately, he eSshad
Zoo keen perception of fthe iudicrous
1t was quite ali he~ could Go tocom
pose his countenance sufficiently u
trise AMI sayT -
I sBrethren. the meeting is dismissed, p,
and then sans bensdictiOn, sans sing
ing, the whole body rose and went ou
leaving the sexton TO wake the deacOI
and drive away the cat.
Marvellous to say, it was some TIM
before The deacon understood thePur
port of the broad grins that for week
! afterwards met him on trivial OF, serl
Gus occasions, and when he did learI
of it, his Indignation was all ventet
1pon Teddy, " no declared, would new
ler have inade him laughing stock
I be had 'druMnded him as he onghter
when he was IA kitten.