The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-12-29
Vancouver Independent.
A New Postal Service.

graph, which is always saying some-
thing to get somebody into trouble, pub
lished an article relative to the engross-
ing partially which the domestic cat
feels for its home, its vehement yearning
to return thither when circumstances
have resulted in its transfer to unfamiliar
localities, winding up with an account
of how certain eminent Dutch natural
lists had utilized Grimalkin as letter
carrier; made sort of carrier pigeon of
the cat, in fact. OF thirty-seven cats
carried miles away from their native vii
lage, and turned loose with letters tied
around their necks. not one of them
failed to get back to the starting place in
time.
Well, young Mr.. Tillinghsst, out on
West Hill, read this article, and a ro-
mantle conception occurred to him right
on the spot. While he was burning a
limited quantity of old Judge Diffen-
baughs gas that evening, and just ruin
ing Miss Differbaugh's bands, he told
her all about it. Happy scheme! born
of loves emergencies. Mr.. Tillinghast
would carry Elfridas beloved Maltese
home with him that night. The next
evening, WHICH, tllC Stdls WCIC SAlHlHt anu
. the presence of the old Judge, returned
from the circuit, forbade Clarence about
the premises, the Maltese home return
ing would bear, bound to its neck by a
silken cord memoranda by Clarence of
his undying affection, and one thing and
another.
Clarence loved the Maltese for its mis-
tress' sake, but it just called for all the
love he had in the warehouse before he
got it home. The Maltese was one of
the fiery, untamed Ukraine breed; blue
rs smoke, with tail like second growth
bologna sausage, and it weighed about
% pounds. Its name was Cleopatra. 1t
was really Mark Anthony cat, but Miss
Difenbaugh called it cleopatra because
it was such pretty name. You never
can tell whether cat has right to vote
or not by the name a girl gives it.
Mr.. Tillinghast tucked the cat under
his coat as we'll as he could, but the cat
stuck out fore and aft. And when he
was about half way home he met group
of friends returning from some festive
and expensive ice cream saloon. They
accosted him, and he had to let go one
hand to lift his hat; as he did SO Cleopa-
ira got his head out and yelled for fresh
air in a tone that blighted the lilacs an d
threw one of the ladies into Mysteries.
Appalled, by the fearful sound, Mr.. Til
Enghast was hurrylng on, when one of
the gentlemen collared him and told him
that in his opinion it was very brutal,
cowardly trick, and he believed that Mr..
Tillinghast would never have done it had
he not been intoxicated, and he would
Il
him when he was sober.
Greatly depressed in spirit, Mr.. Til
linghast pursued his homeward way,
Cleopatra occasionally clawing his ribs
in a manner that indicated an early
grave. They reached home at last.
Cleopatra curled up on the foot of the
bed and went to sleep, and Mr.. Tilling-
hast sat up the greater part of the night
writing letter full of poetry and bath
ing his lacerated body.
Next evening he made ready to send
his messenger home. In order to in
crease the cat vehement yearning" to
return home. Mr.. Tillinghast had fed it
nothing during the day, and Cleopatra,
in the FRENZY of hunger, had chased
imaginary rats about that room until
there wasn't left in it a piece of fragile
furniture big enough to break again.
''H," said Mr. Tillinghast, holding his
lacerated hands in bath of water and
soda, after tying his letter carefully
around Cleopatra's neck with blue rib
bon, 'if your yearning to return is one
half so vehement as mine is to have you
return thither, you will be in the lap of
your angelic mistress before can close
this door again. Go, messenger of love
that is deep as the sea, and deathless as
eternity; go tell the heart that holds my
own that pens of fire could not write on
the scrolls of infnity one-half of my
love"
And so he opened the door. Cleopatra
went out into the cleaning with the air
of cat who was just going to say some
thing like that anyhow, when he sug-
gested it. Mr.. Tillinghast was looking
at the sky.
The stars are shining" he said; she
is looking for my message and she is
thinking of me-
And Miss Diffenbaugh.
She was sitting in her lonely bower,
looking out into the star-lit night, say
ing, His messenger, with feet of ST.
lence, is even now on its way to tell NE
he loves me yet"
In the meantime Cleopatra was carry.
ing out his contract after the approved
manner of veteran star route con.
ua oc< alone varx- x,.I g. -.