The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-05-11

my catsg'
So Gaudaloupe promised earnestly to
attend to all their wants, to call them
regularly to their meals, to administer to
the ailing ones their allotted s~poonsful of
herb tea, and TO endeavor to solace and
cheer them during the absence of the
priest. Next day, as Padre Mateo trudg-
ed slowly down the road, a sardonic
smile came upon the c~ountenance of tho
wicked sacristan. As the PADRES portly
figure diminished in the distance, Gauda-
loupe, forgetting the stitch in his back
and the ache in his bones, skipped MINI
bly, into the house and began prepare
tions to carry out his evil designs.
It was nearing midday. Already Ig-
natius, the oldest and leanest and hum
griest of the cats, had appeared, shifting,
as he entered the kitchen, to learn if din
ner was being cooked.
II will teach thee, villainf' muttered
the sacristan, fercely, as he busted him
self building a fire. 81 will teach thee
to sit and glover at me while l work till
my body shakes with wearinessy"
When the meal was ready Gaudaloupe
went Il the door. ''Co,ne, Carlotta,
dearest! Come, my Pedro! Come, Car
losl'' he called, tenderly. "Hasten within,
for thy dinner waitsi Be quick, then;
all of your
When the cats were seated. and wait
ing, as usual, for Padre Mateo to take
his place and pronounce the benediction,
Gaudaloupe, after tightly closing the
doors, hurried to the chapel. From the
altar he selected the largest crucifix,
and, bearing this in the left hand, and a
great whip behind him in his right hand.
he returned to the padres house.
Holding the crucifix before him, the
sacristan entered the room where the
cats were assembled. Snow wretchesl
blutesl v~illains!" he shouted-and at
each word came a cut from the whip
tfends! monsters! ~ungrateful beasts!
Receive your punishment"
The astonished creatures leaped from
their seats and tore madly about the lit
tie room, but they could not get beyond
the reach of Gaudaloupe's whip. He
dashed right and left, still holding the
cruciix before him, till at last he could
no longer WELD the heavy whip.
Enough for this time!" he painted,
throwing open the door. "Now, crea-
lures of evil, departr' and as the last cat
disappeared the sacristan dropped his
whip in a corner, assumed a devout ex-
preston and carried the crucifix back to
its place on the altar.
Thrice each day a similar scene was
enacted. The cats were called tenderly
by name, arranged in their respective
places and generously served to a savory
repast, only to see the sacristan appear,
bearing the crucifx aloft in the left
hand and the whip behind him in the
right-tin at the sightof the crucifix the
creatures would spring wildly from their
seats and seek to escape.
Padre Mateo returned at night and
was welcomed cordially by the perfidi-
GUS sacristan. In the morning, when
the breakfast was ready, Gaudaloupe
called the padre to the meal.
"But-where are the eats?" asked
Padre Mateo, upon seeing their seats
unoccupied.
Gaudaloupe shrugged his shoulders
Will " lOOA vi GdAl1So1 dS 0G IGpltAs
''Speak not of them, reverend padre!"
But / want my cats!'
your excellence fear you have
been befooled."
"Where are my cats?'
"Well, then, I will call them, venera-
BILE padre; but first let me speak. / fear
the creatures are not mere common cats,
aIsa p,bu did fbou conduct fban,caIvac 90
strangely in your absence!"
"Nonsense!" roared the padre. "Of
what do you speak? Call my cats!"
"But wait, your reverence. As your
reverence knows. it is my duty always,
of q Thursday, to clean the candlesticks
and the sacred cruciixes on the altar.
Your reverence well remembers that it is
my custom always to bring them outside
into the air that the dust may not soil
the altar cloth. What will your rever-
enee think when l reveal the wickedness
of your r~everence's cats? They are all
devils, surely, else why should they run
from the crucifix, as the evil one would
flee from the presence of the VirginF'
Nonsense" roared the padre. "Can
my cats!'
So the sacristan did as he was bid.
"Now," said Padre Mateo, triumphant
". when all the cats were seated about
the table, 1--WE will test this thing! Bring
in tho crucifx!"
Without q word the wicked sacristan
few to the chapel, and, returning, en-
tered the priests room holding the sacred
emblem aloft before him. At its APP
pearance the unhappy cats gave a dis
cordant howl Of rage and despair, and
fed, as spirits of evil flee from the pres
ence of the Virgin.
AS the last swollen tail disappeared the
padre gave a gasp and caught the sacris-
tan's arm for support.
There was an interval of ominous
silence, and the venerable priests coun-
tenanee was agitated by conflicting emo
tons.
"Devilsw he walled at last, wringing
his trembling hands. Things Of eel!
Alasi alasi How We have deceived mel
My worthy Gaudaloupe, thou hast spoken
truly-but-oh! how / have loved themi
Get thy gun, my Gaudaloupe. They are
fendsl, Get thy gun and rend their
wicked hearts!'.