Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-08-01

upon her ran up and uuwn h~r back.
Her heart seemed to have stopped en-
tirely. Then she shrieked-not once
but over and over again, while the hor-
rible thing in the little dark room with
her kept up its dashing back and
| forth, its desperate splitting and claw
| ing.
Cassie's screams brought her father
and mother at once to the spot. They
flung open the closet door. and out
rushed Pumpkin Pussy. with eyes glar-
ing, tail as big as a boa, and every
hair upon his back bristling straight
out He fed out of the room and down
the stairs Cassie continued to scream.
The gas was turned up and they drew
her into the light.
What is the matter?" cried her
mother.
At first Cassie could not utter a word.
THE cat has terrified her." said her
father. HE probably had fit There
Cassie, don't scream So"
What is it-what is it?" she at
length burst out, wringing her hands.
Nothing but pussy-pussy In nj.
''Oh, no, it was something dreadful
hiding in the closet"
''How came you in the closet9"
asked her mother. "How did it hap
pen that you and pussy were shut in
there together?"
Cassie began to sob violently. Never
in the many times she had frightened
jamie had that little sister ever so ut
terly lost her presence of mind or
made such a commotion.
''Hush," said her mother, with some
sternness. "Quiet yourself. 1t is all
over now"
Little jamie was standing by pale as
a ghost. her chin quivering in SYM
pathy and her eyes full of tears.
Are you sure it was only pussy?'
sobbed Cassie.
'Only pussy. Tell me now how
this all happened.
Cassie felt she might as well out
with it. II came up to bed first.
jamie is always asking-about the
closet. thought it would be - fun
-to-to-'' She sobbed anew.
Eyes. to brighten jamie a little?"
''To-cure her of being so silly"
"Yes?"
''And when I stepped in the closet
to hide, my foot -
''Your foot and pussy's paws or
tail must have come together" said
her father, not able to repress smile.
Il guess So" said Cassie, able now
to laugh Historically through her
tears.
''You thought to brighten jamie a
little, and-the tables were turned.
You were the frightened one?"
eyes,
"You found it pleasant? You would
have liked jamie to do that way by
you?"
'.N-no.''
poor, poor Cassier' said jamie, with
fearful pity.
Eyes, poor Cassie!" said their mother
.''poor Cassie, because she finds her
in doing unto others ex-
actly as she would not like them to do
unto her"
II think rll-never do it again"
I'm inclined to think this was a
direct punishment upon you, Cassie,
since your mothers wishes had so little
weight with you. Something more
seemed to be necessary to make you
Perhaps this will do it,
After Cassie's nervous sObs were
hushed, and the sorrowful tears from
little JAMES, eyes had been dried. their
father went in search of pussy. He
was found in his favorite easy chair in
the sitting-room, his usual lazy seren-
ity much disturbed. He responded to
Janie's caress with a plaintive NOW.
On examination it was found that the
tip of his tail had been broken. He
had doubtless been watching in the
dark for a mouse when Cassie made
her stealthy entrance. and the heel of
her shoe had come down upon his tail
with force enough to separate one
of its slender joints. The pain had
made him momentarily frantic.
II didn't know it was so dreadful to
be frightened" confessed Cassie, when
it was all over. "And poor, innocent
pussy had his share. too"
Always after that Pumpkin Pussy
carried the point of his tail at a curious
angle That wry joint was a source
Of remorse to Cassie every time she
saw it.
''Oh, do straighten it. kitty" she
would say. II can't bear to see it,
OF course Cassie was not Immediate
y cured of her disposition to "have
fun" at the expense of others. But this
experience went far toward making
her more thoughtful and considerable.
lit was most natural and fitting
result" her mother said. And, much
IS she disliked to admit it. Cassie
thought so too.-Mrs. Clara Doty
Bates, in Chicago Advance.
The very height of strawberry-eat-