Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1888-01-11
KITTY IN A PARLoR CAR.
A Plump Little Manx Furnishes No End
of Fun for the Passengers.


of Fun for the Passengers.
Ten or twelve passengers on Pennsyl-
vania parlor car coming over from Phila-
delphia the other night had no end of fun
with plump little Manx kitten. No
body suspected the kittens presence until
there came a faint NEW from a pasteboard
box at the feet of tall young man in a
piratical travelling cap. Then there was
an energetic display of white paws, seem
ingly at everyone of half dozen Sits in
the box. Passengers peercd at the young
mans feet and he prOfessed to be deeply
interested in a newspaper. Then the
news grew louder and more frequent.
the white paws were thrust out with fran
tic energy, and the whole car was in a tit
ter. 1t was useless for that young man
to keep up any longer the attempt to con-
ceaI his guilt, so, with the eyes of every
passenger upon him he began to unite the
box Presently the lid was lifted, and
the passengers were surprised when only
one white kitten popped out At least
six had been expected.
lie was most engaging little chap
with blue eyes, cOttony fur and no tail to
speak of. Once on the floor he was the
center of dozen smiling glances. A bald
headed man in glasses shook handker-
chief at him and it was convulsively
grabbed between two playful little
paws. Then puss caught sight of a pretty
young woman across the way, and turn
ing his gnarled and stumpy tail to the
bald headed man, walked over to her
seat. The young woman picked him up,
stroked his soft fur, cOoed sweet things
at him, put his head against her own
peachy cheek and filled with envy the
breast Of every man on board. Then the
little Manx started solemnly down the
center of the car, making playful excur-
slons here and there as a hand or a foot
was thrust out to bar his progress. He
stopped, shivered and seemed on the point
of having fit as an express train rushed
by, but recovered in time to seize the out
stretched hand of blear eyed man who
Weakened suddenly, caught sight of the
kitten and appeared relieved at the gen
eral interest which seemed to attest its
reality. The entrance of the conductor
from rear door gave puss a serious
fright, but he regained his presence of
mind in time to grab at the trousers of
the grave man in blue.
BY this time the ManX was in full pos
session of the car. He tried various va
cant seats, thrust an inquisit1ve paw at
stolid travelling bags, clawed every hand
that was carelessly hung over the chair
arm, and had no end of fun with the even
ing papers. Everybody picked him up
and inquired whether his kindly little tail
was natural or a work of art The tall
young man enjoyed it all, but with symp-
toms of uneasiness, for he had never be-
fore Travelled in parlor car with a kitten,
and he didn't feel quite sure Of his com
panion's behavior. Several persons who
had picked up the little cotton ball
dropped it rather hastily, and puss, APP
parently discovering in this a reflection
upon his personal cleanliness, sat upon a
hassock in the most conspicuous part of
the car and shamelessly made his toilet
This performance was given without
omission or abbreviatiOn, and everybody
watched it with ticklish interest. The
tall young man seemed relieved when it
was done, and more so ten minutes later,
when he discovered that the train was al
most due at Jersey City. He boxed up
puss with infinite difficulty, and as he
marched through double row of crowded
seats in the ferryboat soon after, with a
protest of news and outthrust paws COM
ing from the pasteboard box, citizen in
pea jacket said to his neighbor: ''Id
like to know how many kittens that ERE
long dudes n takin' to his best girl -
New York Mail and EXPRESS.