The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1884-08-02
The Cat.

There Is nothing very funny in the
mewing of eat, and under ordinary
circumstances it receives no other at
tention than an expletive or two, with
possibly an old boot or a boot-iack
thrown in-or thrown out, to speak
more accurately.
But there are times when the voice
of Grimalkin sets everybody on the grin
or the giggle, according as they belong
to the grinning or the giggling sex.
You are seated in the steam car, for
instance. Everything is quiet, or rs
quiet as anything can be which is
pounding along at the rate of thirty
miles an hour. The passengers are
reading their newspapers or their nov
els, or sleeping over the funny books
for which they have foolishly parted
''miaou" pierces the startled air.
Instantly every eye If open, smiles
take the place of frowns and solemnity,
and an hysterical giggle comes from the
two young ladies in the rear seat. The
sound arises somewhere about midcar,
and the heads of the passengers in front
swing about in unison, as il moved by
machinery, while the heads of those in
the rear seats are craned forward to-
ward the common center of interest.
A woman with basket in her lap
and blush all over her face sits be-
side man, apparently her husband,
while upon the seat facing them are
little girl and n small boy.
The woman is what she would call
$50 frustrated" and holds on to the
.f he hoo bot txytth ba Il s.,,,
with which drowning man is said to
cling to a straw.
Why a drowning man should cling
to straw when there are so many
things which might prove more etfec-
tual life preservers is not easily ex-
plained; however, that is nothing to do
with the cat, whose head pushes up the
cover of the basket, showing two eyes
full of wonder and alright. and
mouth that opens at regular intervals
to emit plaintive ''miaou.n
The man pretends not to see or hear
the cause of all the commotion. He
would have the passengers think him
a stranger, not only to the cat, but to the
woman mt his side and the children in
front of him. 1t is hard. almost i'm
u
under such circumstances. But his
assembling is dismal failure. Self
consciousness is written in every feat
ure of bis agonized visage. His very
thoughts, were it not wicked to do so,
could be read by the least discerning
passenger in the ear.
But the children, the little nuisances,
they sympathze not with their dis
tressed parents. The diversion is
boon to them. The ride had become
monotonous, and the voice of puss is to
them a glad evangel.
PUSSY, pussy, poor pussy!' says the
little girl, coaxingly, reaching forward
to caress the house pet.
'Be still, Nellie" says her mother
under her breath, at the same time
pushing the cats nose from view and
holding on to the cover tighter than
ever.
Nellie tries to peer through the
chinks of the basket, while Johnny
pipes out in his highest treble:
"Pa, want to hold kitty, and ma
won't let us look at her! Kit-kit-kit"
Pa frowns, says Johnny in an
authoritative way, and then fixes his
eye on the hole through which the bell
rope passes over the front door, as
though that were the only thing in this
world which at all interested him.
Presently there is u scratching; a
hustle, struggle and
80, ma, kitty's got out.'
AS though ma didn't know it!
The car is alive with excitement.
Everybody is talking with everybody
else, as though they had been &C
quainted all their lives.
'There she is.
"Ain't she cunningp"
"Did you everp'
Such are few OF the more common
remarks which are heard on every side.
Pa, when the cat got out of the
basket, was forced to let the cat out OF
the bag. He was compelled to own his
connection with the disturbing element.
He jumps from his seat, scurries about
the car, running this way and then that,
chasing puss down the aisle then up
again, now reaching under seat, and
now feeling behind the stove, until he
finally grabs puss by the tail, and pull
ing her in as he would very heavy
fish, he folds her firmly in his arms,
and sweating and putting from his I'M
wonted exercise, he shoves her into the
basket with desperate lunge; and If
the ears of the passengers in the seat
behind do not deceive them, he says
something which sounds like jam the
catn' although that is not exactly what
it sounds like, either.
Then father, mother and the children
sit silent for the rest of the Journey.
They looked as though some great sor-
row had fallen upon the family, or as if
some great crime had been committed
by some one.
When they reached their station they
are the cynosure of all eyes. They walk
out like criminals bound for the scat
fold. Nobody laughs now. The scene
is too solemn. But none present in the
car will ever forget that cat, and when
ever he thinks of her, smile will come
to his face, though he be at the time
suffering from any or all the ills which
flesh is heir to.-Boston TRANSCRIPT.