The Portland daily press., 1886-10-04

The sweet morning an neat' ITlli ana l0Vely
at six O'Clock a. m. as city girl at her late
dinner Joe grew worse and worse. He
thought of Nanny in mill and market; her
face shone above the machinery her laugh
tinkled with the mill bell. He made
| friends with Peter also; for cats know
lovers-when they are loyers-just as well
AZ children know their friends. Tiger was
still kept in the high-fenced chicken-yard on
the Parker premlseS-noW devolu OF chick
ens-as a measure of precautlon against his
straying; he was too dear to his mistress to
be ventIfed at large yet 1t is not to be de-
| MED that Nanny looked with favorable eyes
upon Joe Parker; personable young fellow
with good position does not fall at the feet
of every farmers daughter even if she is
beauty. The anxious and aimleSs" have in
their ranks many lovely face and capable
character. Nanny had been no farther than
the district school for her education, and her
ough work. She read no novels or STORY
| papers," the Weekly Courant and the Puri-
tan Recorder helped her through Sundays,
but on week days she had work to do, and
at night was tired enough to go to bed early
She was simple as well as sensible, in the
best sense eff simplicity, and did not coquette
with Joe any more than was natural to any
girl. She dimpled and blushed when he came
IN, pretended to be vexed when Peter pre-
ferred his knee to her lap, and called him an
awful thing" if he caught her hand in his
with the milk pail handle, and was always
ready to go to singing school and evening
meeting with him, so that his true love ran
ominously smooth,
But alas there was trouble coming. Tige
| the Parker cat, hurt himself seriously in an
attempt to climb the palings of his jail yard,
for they were old and rickety, and could not
bear his weight. His mistress nursed him
in the house for six weeks with great care
and when he was quite well again, and
stronger than ever with much feeding he
was turned out of doors, and allowed to
roam and ravage as he would, and at once he
lit upon Peter.
Dire was the conflict, but Mrs. Parker
fastened to the rescue with a pail of water
and the astonished Peter, quite drenched to
the skin, fled while Mrs. Parker picked up
Tiger and carried him into the kitchen, la
menting over him as if he was hurt child
Now Mrs. Parker was shy and silent wo-
man, but very resolute; she at once made up
her mind that the Mays cat should not in
trude on her premises to disturb Tiger. She
had the garden fence REINFORCED, and even
strip of wire netting added to its heighth ON
the Mays side; but she could not cabin,
crib or confne Tiger himself-a circumstance
home to Mary Ann after that first duel, drip
| ping like drowned rat, she too was indig-
nant; but what could she do? Battle set in,
bowls by night skirmiShes by day; piece
| was soon bitten out of Peters lovely waving
tail and Tiger lost half an ear. Nanny made
invidious remarks about Mrs. Parker's cat
| every day of her life, and Mrs. Parker made
Joes meals bitter to his soul with evil
| Ol 1eIbT anu Idlnlly-In6dH-
ing the Mays. Yet they were friendly
| enough except on the cat question. Mrs.
May taught Mrs. Parker how to knit new
heels into Joes, yarn stockings, and Mrs,
| Parker showed Manny'S mother the last
pattern of crochet edging; they exchanged
samples of cake, talked skillfully of pickles
and preserves; in fact, had liking and re-
| spect for each other-all but the cats.
Before the last pleasant autumn days were
| gone Joe had gathered courage to ask Mary
Ann to marry him, and she had prettily con-
| scented they were "keepin' company" now,
| and the old folks looked on well pleased to
think that neither of their children. would
stray far from home, though Joe insisted on
| having a small home of his own, if only a
| tenement in the village, properly remarking:
''We won't mix folks, Manny-it don't sue
| coed; beside, want you all to myseH-a
peremptory sort Of logic that pleased Miss
| Mary Ann and made her assent hearty and
| prompt.
They meant to be married in April; in no
less time could the modest array OF clothing
| and house linen be made ready, for chiefly
| it must be sewed by Manny's deft hands;
| and sewed it was, with no intervention of
| machinery, and almost ready, when-how
shall | tell it lone Pleasant February day
Peter trailed into the house with bleeding
ear, blinking eye, and one leg SO hurt that
he could not even limp on it. This was the
climax. Nanny had winked at Tige,s enor-
mites all that winter for Mrs. Parkers |
sake (meaning Joe's); she had only once
times chased him with broom handle, and |
not thrown more than dozen stones at him |
which didn't count, for women never hit |
anything they throw at, or at least men say |
so.
But now Manny's patience gave a great |
gasp and died. She flew out of the door in |
tent to main or slay,, but Tige's black tail
just whisked out of the gate; she could not
follow BIN, so she did the next best thing, |
which was to wash Peters wounds, put him |
to bed in the cellar, fetch him dry catnip |
and warm milk, and leave him to that soli-
tude that the wounded animal seeks, and the |
wounded man ShunS.
1t was tea-time then, and when Joe came |
in at his hour for visitation he found Nanny |
no longer tender, arch, or sentimental; the |
hazel eyes had a redder spark in them than /
he had ever seen, the cheeks famed, and the |
red lips were puckered into lovely severi- |
ty instead of wreathed with smiles.
Joe" she began, rushing at once into the |
fray, you will have to kill Tiger | can't |
most dead"
'My dear GIRL" said joe in dismayed |
tone, mother sets by Tiger So
II can't help it; he's a horrid. dreadful |
cat and he'll murder Peter, and he's got to |
be killed"
''But, Nanny, think of mother; she's goin' |
to be alone, and she thinks everything of Ii |
ger. Why, she never would forgive me if l
"Well, if you like her better'n you do me,
therel''
Now Joe was not used to girls and their
ways. He thought Mary Ann meant every
word she said He was really frightened
But, Nanny, just think. What will
mother say?"
Il don't care cent what anybody says. l
VIII not i stand by and see me dear, sweet, old
cat killed by dreadful beast like that, and |
not defend him. I'll p'ison it.
sob, Mary Ann p cried Joe.
Then kill him yourself" she retorted.
Il cannot" said Joe, steadily.
Well he knew how his silent mother loved |
Tiger; like many another woman, she be- |
slowed ON her pet all the demonstrative af- |
lection she was too shy and too reserved to |
lavish on Joe. The cat slept on her bed, fol-
lowed her about the house and garden |
sprung up into her lap aud purred there as |
she sat alone in the evenings, and however |
fierce a fighter of his kind, was devoted and
loving to his mistress. More than ever did
she cling to him now, in her worthless jeal-
ousy Of Joe's new love; for well she knew |
that
MY sons my son till he gets him wife,
and deeply she felt as most mothers feel.
that her rule and her joy were over.
Joe looked at Nanny with his heart in his
eyes, but that young persons wilful soul
had got the better of her sense and her af-
lection both; she had given Joe her final
test; she would find out now whether he
loved her or his mother best. Poor joel
in a firm red line.
NO" said Joe, with equal firmness.
The situation had come to deadlock.
just then wild scream was heard, and a
scurrylng of feet. Mrs. Parker, with face
of fright, drew herself up on the picket
fence, and called for Joe.
Come quickw she cried. ''Tige has tum-
bled into the cistern."
Joe ran as fast as he could. He knew the
cistern was two-thirds full, and its sides
slippery, but he had not an idea what to do;
he lost his wits-and Mary Ann found them
She overlook him at the door of his
mothers kitchen. ''Herel herep' she said
breathlessly; there's pas scoop net; it's
real strong You can't get him out any 9TH
er way" And yet five minutes before she
had made it a vital issue with Joe that he
would not kill this very cat. Girls are queer
So Tige, resisting to the last, was fshed
cut of the water butt and handed over to his
mistress who rolled him in her |
apron and took him in for repairs, finging |
over her shoulder to Nanny curt, 81 don't
know how to thank ye enough"
Nanny" said Joe, holding out his arms
in the moonlight
Mary Ann rushed into them, and sobbed
out: 81 did act like all possessed! l never
should have liked you mite again if you'd
killed Tige!' Oh, woman! woman!
So they were married, and lived happy
ever after and had a nat 0f thnir 0pyy, hand |