Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1888-11-24

the occasion, till the entrance Of the colored
waiter with a tray on which were glasses
Of egg -nogg.
Even Rev. Mr.. Putter considered that a
mild potation Of this kind was allowable
on Thanksgiving eve, and accepted the
agreeable beverage with q cheerful smile.
1t was perhaps trifie unfortunate that
he chanced to take his place, goblet in
hand, directly under the swinging perch
Of the observant parrot, who just then was
very wide awake.
For as Mr.. Putter, elevating the goblet
and clearing his throat, was about to-er-
propose toast, the wretched bird, cock
ing his head downward and fixing his hard,
unwinking eye with infinite meaning upon
Mr. Putter, remarked sepulchrally;
Let us pray"
OF course only wrong-minded people,
given TO unseemly levity, would see any
thing to laugh at in this, which was per-
haps the reason that such q general chorus
Of severe coughing followed the injudicious
suggestion, while number Of faces were
suddenly averted. Old Bynner, 1t is true,
shouted "Hawi hawl'' and young Golden
grew purple to his ear tips with sup
pressed mirth, but these two didn't count
1t was Dick Blake who, coming to the
rescue Of his embarrassed hostess, tried
to create diversion by loudly inquiring
as to the whereabouts Of his friend Sim,
whom he had not seen that evening.
Had Mr. Blake known that a wicked
young man among the guests-Bluffer by
name-had been slyly plying Sim with
egg-nogg behind the window curtains, he
would perhaps not have ventured the
query.
"Slml oh, he's chained in the bay-win-
dow, sound asleep" responded the widow,
with glance in that direction.
But alasl Sim was neither chained or
asleep, and at the repetition Of his name
he suddenly crawled from beneath the
curtain folds on three legs, and uttering
sound like hiccough strangled In its
birth.
The more timid of the ladies' uttered
small screams and cast imploring glances
at their male protectors. Miss Dash, gath
ering her skirts about her, skipped upon
the nearest chair, as females do at the ap-
proach Of mouse.
Naughty Sim," said mrs. Brown, re-
bukingly. ''Mr. Blake, will you"
The sudden pause in her adjuration was
caused by the unexpected action Of Sim,
who in strict justice was usually one Of
the most gentlemanly and mild hammered
Of small monkeys.
For instead Of obediently approaching
Mr.. Blake's outstretched hand, Sim rose
on his hind legs and staggered across the
room, wildly waving his hand above his
head. Then he chartered and hiccoughed
alternately for a moment after which he
plunged boisterously at unhappy Mr.
Putter, and whom he bit in the calf Of the
leg. He's mad-he's got the hydro
phobia" shouted Mr.. Putter, in dire dis
may as he held on to the wounded member
with both hands.
II Sim tCds mad there was method In his
madness; for all at once, having violently
twitched the tail Of the Angora cat in pass
ing, he skipped nimbly up on a side table
upon which stood the handsome buhl
writing desk belonging to Mrs Brown.
Before that estimable lady realized the
situation Sim threw back the lid and
snatched in his small paw an addressed en-
velope with broken seal, with which he
sprang to the floor.
Mrs. Browns fine color gave place to
sickly pallor as she saw the act.
Catch him, some one-that 1etter"-she
gasped, and Francie Bruton, who was not