The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-12-14

were put to keep them out Of his way,
and bowls Of jelly that had been partly
used. In fact, there was dish OF boiled
custard there at that moment, ready for
tea. Dan began climbing up by the post
which held the shelves. The cat saw
him coming, and making a plunge upset
and broke the dish, sending the soft Gus
tard down In rivers into Dams upturned
face and all over his jacket But that
was nothing to Dan. He dashed the Gus
tard out of his eyes and kept on. The
cat saw that he was in dead earnest.
There was but one way to escape, and
that was over Dams head, to the broad
shelf in front of the window. She leaped
therefore, setting all her four claws at
once into Dams scalp and forehead, and
sending a streak of blood down his face to
mix with the custard Dan screamed
with rage and pain, and made dash
with one hand toward his head; but he
was too late. The cat had landed on the
shelf into the midst of pan of hot apple
sauce, which had been set to cool in the
window. 1t was now the cats turn to
howl, and howl she did like forty cats in
one. She made a frantic dash at the
window, but thick wire screen stood
In her way, and Dan, who had climbed
half way up the shelves, came down with
a bound, and actually had his hands
upon her back. But she Kissed at him
till sparks flew out of her eyes, and
jumped clean over his head into the mid
die of the kitchen floor, scattering Gus
tard and apple-sauce wherever she went.
Round and round the kitchen they
flew. A row of shining tins came down
with crash, which only frightened the
cat still more. Dan thought he had her
once, but just then he stubbed his toe
against crack" as he afterwards de-
clared, and measured his length upon
the floor. His face striking against the
oven-door, which had Just been BACKED,
one cheek took on instantly the color of
a chimneysweep. The next time around
the cat alighted on the top of the stove,
and feeling the hot covers, sprang up
the stove pipe and seated herself, pant
ing upon the elbow. Dan picked up a
fatiron to throw at her. He missed the
cat, but unfortunately hit the stove pipe
with such force that it fell over, scattering
SCOT and ashes and black cat upon the
well cleaned floor.
DuO OiAio was w bdu LIE WAS
going to catch that cat. The kitten flew
up the wood box and made dash at the
stove pipe hole, with no result but to
scatter more SCOT and cinders on the
floor but as she came down, Dan fairly
had his hand on her To be sure she
slipped right through his grasp like an
eel, but Dams blood was up by this time.
He had no mind to come so near winning
and then fail after ALL Besides he had
an idea that something was wrong in the
kitchen indeed something which sister
Belle and Huldah might be foolish en-
ough to make fuss about that moth
ing, in fact, could be real excuse for
his behavior but the fact that he had
caught the cat. If he didn't do that he
had pretty clear idea he would get
scolding.
And still the kitten flew about the
room, every hair on her back erect her
tail swelled to a great size, her eyes
shooting forth green flames, and her
growls rending Dams ears.
She was sitting just now upon the
wood-box; Dan made a dash from the
opposite side of the stove; she jumped
upon the edge of crock of yeast which
had been set by the fire to rise; the I'M
steady thing upset, and bewildered by
such lot of things so different from any
thing she had ever met with in her barn
and outdoor life, she stopped for an in
slant to look at the foaming stream which
her haste had set in motion. Dan seized
the lucky moment. He plunged his
foot in the yeast crock, but he caught the
kitten by the nape of the neck, and
triumphant smile breaking through the
mixture of yeast, and custard and stove
backing which adorned his face, held
her aloft, kicking and struggling, and
shouted in the very accents of vitory
I've got her 1--we got her Belle
aud the Boys"
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