The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-09-08


Miss Meacham was, ofcourse,
greatly astonished, but to her In
quiries Mr.. Catlin replied that he
had telt sudden pain in the region
of the heart, but that it had passed
away and was Of no consequence.
He apologized profusely for his i'm
proper language, and said that the
pain had been so sharp that 1t had
momentarily deprived him Of his
self control. When he sat down he
avoided the corner, and occupied a
place at about the middle of the
sofa AS he was due at about that
point on The sofa at that precise
time, Miss Meacham thought that his
change of seat was perfectly natural,
and glanced at the clock to learn
how long it would be before he
would take up another and nearer
position.
Five minutes later Mr.. Catlin
again bounded to his feet, express
ing himself in even more torcible Ian
guage than he had previously used.
Miss Mary Jane asked, with great
concern, if he had been a second
time attacked with pain in the heart,
but he said that his heart was all
right, and wished to know why on
earth she made a needle cushion out
OF her sofa. The young lady denied
that there were any needles in the
sofa, and carefully passed her hand
over it to convince him that she was
right, but he refused to be convinced.
She then suggested that perhaps
there was needle concealed some
where about his clothing, but he re-
fused to admit the suggestion.
Chat there soia," said the injured
man, "is just chock with needles,
and | amt going to risk my lie
by siIting on it any more"
Whereupon he drew up a cane bot.
toned chair and placed himself in it
with as much care as if he had car
ried dynamite cartridges in his coat
pocket.
The conversation was presently
resumed, and Miss Mary Jane was in
the act OF saying-apropos of the
binomial theorem-that she could be
happy with any man she truly loved
in the smallest possible house, when
she unexpectedly cried out in pierre
ing tones, COIL My goodness p
and leaped TO her feet. Mr.. Catlin
eaaghta Der in his III arms aud :. en- ~
treated her to tell him what was the
matter, but she merely moaned, and
alluded in an incoherent way to that
dreadful sofa. 1t then drawed upon
Mr.. Catlin that this also was a case
of needles, and he was just remark
ing that the best thing to be done
with that sofa was to burn it, and to
subsequently sell the needles by the
pound tor old iron, when he heard a
subdued chuckle. STOPPING down,
he caugh: the infamous Master
Meacham by one leg, and dragging
him from under the sofa. confiscated
the long carpet needle with which
the monster had accomplished his
tendish purpose.
Most men would have killed the
wretch on the spot, for, in addition
to his other crimes, ne had overheard
all the conversation concerning the
tariff and the binomial theorem, and
was morally certain to repeat it a,
the dinner table in case his life was
spared. 1t is greatly to Mr.. Catlin':
credit that be did not Stay the boy OF
the spot, and that, on the contrary
he even protected him from his sis
ter, who flew at him with appalling
fury, and would, had she not been
restrained, have stretched him ;
hairless corpse on the carpet. Seiz
ing the boy by the collar Of his Goa
and elsewhere, Mr.. Catlin threw hin
out Of the open window into thu
back yard, expecting that he woul(
strike on SOFT bed Of onions an(
sustain no material damage. Hi
motive was simply to rid himself Of
the wretch in the quietest and safes
manner, and he was horror striker
when he heard the voice OF old Mr.
Meacham in the back yard, appar
emily in acute suffering, and whel
that irascible old gentleman leape(
in at the window, and, demanding t
know what be meant by his throw
ing his family at him, knocked thu
young man down and ordered hi
daughter instantly to bed.
1t is this wholly unforeseen acci
dent which by reckless reporters hal
been represented as an attempt oil
the part of Mr.. .Catlin to murder al
entire family without the sliohtes