The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1877-11-29


down to the river, a bag on his shoulder,
with big stone IN It, followed for some
distance BY two chubby children, crying
lusiily. Twice did the Deacon put down
the bag, which moved in spite Of the
stone, and mewed piteously, TO chase the
lchlldren home, but they still followed,
though Al greater distance, aud still
cried, till The Deacon aud the empty bag
came back ---lhen they yelled.
On the following morning the Deacon
heard hIs little ones taking together in
80 soft aud snbdued a manner that be
was tempted TO listen,
See It cuddle! Oh, Amt you gladl
Yes, sin't 1t petty? It's all gray. Let's
put Il in box
Where'd yon 6nd Il?
Under the bay. guess old catty
though she'd hide il, don't your Papa
ketched four, aud there was iiYe Of 'em.
/ We won't tell him, cause bell drown II
Iifwe do,
The Deacon laughed and sat down TO
think. Il would never do to LET the boys
deceive him after that fashion; so, seelsg
Johnny ate only half Of his milk, aud
Dickey saved slice of his bread, be set
! his wits to work.
wonder if | found all them kittens,
mother2 be asked. The Deacon bad pey-
er studied Lindey's grammar.
| Johnny looked up in nervous terror.
His brown eyes dilated.
! almost wish you had left one, said
the good woman, who had received her
lesson. The children like pets, you
know.
4 should think they had more pets now
than they could care for, was the res
ponse.
No, we amt, in intelligent chorus.
i | didn't search the straw, continued
the Deacon, with twitching lips, but If !
thought there was one there
No, there amt; he's gonel cried john
ny.
Gonel Why, did you find another
kitten? asked the Deacon in assumed
sstonshment.
Because If you did, you can keep it,
said the mother, seeing a scared denial
visible in both faces.
j Oh, it's jes' as nice aud soft as it can
be cried Johnny, SO happy that he trem-
bled. May go up and get t2 It's al
most smothered in box.
Allright, said the Deacon, as gravely
as he could. You may keep it, and !
think you had better let old pussy have it
for while, or it will starye to death.
So the kitten was saved, and grew and
thrived as the boys did, and at six years
of age when Johnny was twelve and
Dickey was ten, there was not hand
somer gray cat in all Allentown. Even
the Deacon was proud of It, and used 10
show off its wonderful tricks, and tell
how Teddy was saved from an eaIly
death by them two boys of his.
One hot summers Sabbath following a
week Of hard work at haying, the Deacon
went to church alone, His wife was Wis
iting in neighboring city with her sis
ter, aud the boys were away at school.
Now the Deacon had one failing; he
would sleep in church in drowsy weather
as be called hot spell. His wife was
obliged to exercise the utmost diligence
in order to keep him half awake, If no
more, and her greatest anxiety on leav-
ing home was on this account.
1t happened that day that there was a
strange minister, an old man with SER
mon that extended to the ffthlies. AT
: about the thirdly, the Deacon fell asleep
The pews directly in front and directly
behind him were empty, for the old
: preacher was not fayorite, so there was
+ no one TO nudge the Deacon, even when
he snored.
I Somewhere about fourthly, there ap-
. peared on the window-sill, at the end of
the Deacon's pew, a huge, handsome
, gray cat. Pussy looked around with an
! expression of intelligence that was
, praiseworthy IN Deacon's cat. Every
body knew him, aud the congregation
smiled.
But pussy was not content with bis
, perch In a slow aud cautious manner,
! after a sidelong gaze at the speaker, be
crept down into the pew, smelled of the
: hymn book, aud was lost to further
vision until be re-appeared, creeping
softly up the Deacon's arm, and finally
] seated himself with an air Of feline tri-
> umph squarely on bis shoulder, purring
! contentedy.
( And still be did net wake.
! The minister brought out his lflhly,
: and pussy looked up at him with quiet
. blinks. There be sat In sight Of all the
a laughing boys, and there the Deacou
/ slept, bis bead thrown back and bis
r mouth open.
4 say the minister proceeded with bi.
! ffthly. Then be happened TO look IL
0 the direction Of the Deacon's pew. III
stopped. Hc seemed struggling witt
r some inward emotion, and having said
!. In a strained voice, Finally, my brethren
{ looked at the cat and abruptly sat down
o OF course be was hidden by the pulpit
J. and no one saw bin shake as be tried f
: recover his gravity, for, unfortunately
/ he bad too keen perception Of The Iudi
7 crous. 1t was quite all be could Do &
= compose bis eountenspce sufficiently 4
rise and say
Brethren, the meeting is dismissed
y and then, sans singing, sans beuediction