Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-08-16

per. What IS your plan.'' That is little thing of my own, as Bunthorne says. By the way, uncle, how's mconlight9''
 ''Moonlight!'
 "Ies, moonlight. As for me, am in my oince working so hard that never have q chance to sec such thing as moonlight night really don't know when she shines and when shc don't. By the way, uncle, you ought to throw something handsome in the way of business my way if rid you of your cats"
 "I shan't forget you, James," said Mr.. Sutton, with great solemnity.
 "All right. I am willing to guarantee that the cure shall begin the first moon- light night. Well, you sec," in answer to the question in his uncle's eye, moonlight is good for taking observations. You will like to see this thing work, won't you? When did you say!"
 ''The m oon will be full on Thursday"
 "And to-day is Saturday; very we'll"
 That night Mrs. Sutton remarked at din ner that Mir. Sutton's nephew had been do- ing something at the alley fence, so.the cook reported. MT. Sutton made no reply, but rejoiced in his heart.
 On Thursday night J. Deming Hazard 3 r rived just after dinner, and seeking his uncle in the library announced that his ar engagements were completed. ''So come down with me, uncle, and see the thing work"
 Going down into the basement and ou; ; into the back yard, Mir. Sutton looked and listened moment, then said: ''I see and hear the usual horrible state of things"
 "Exactly-just wait a minute" Leaving his uncle, young Hazard went forward until he nearly reached the end of the little gar in fhn dozen or moro cats pleasantly occupied in giving first-class concert on an alley fence.
 Rejoining his uncle, he observed, joy fully: "Now you shall see."
 minute longer passed with no change when an old tabby rising to charge upon a foe was seen to describe the most singular movements. She flew into the air as if she had been shot and came down again with an agonized howl only to fly up again with renewed force. Descending tho second time she fell into the alley and was seen no more.
 'Is she dead!" demanded Mir. Sutton, who had witnessed this gymnastic feat with surprise.
 "Oh, no, only astonished. This is only the prelude to the fun."
 In the mean time the remaining cats craned their heads over the fence to gaze after their friend. Silence following, they resumed their concert. For a few mo- ments all went well until one, getting ex- cited, made rush, and all at once re- peated the strange antics of the first, ris. ing in the air as if set off like a rocket, and coming down like it's stick, fell into the garden with a yell and darted up a shed roof and disappeared.
 Again dismy seized the remaining nThn Ir,f Tho, had brought Mrs. Sutton to the parlcr window overlooking the scene, and the servants had come from the kitchen, and at every fresh performance set up chorus of exclamations, while Mrs. Sutton maies- tlcally demanded what it all meant.
 'It's the cats, my dear," said her hus. band.
 "Cats should think so! Why do they scream soa What is happeninga I demand to know, Mir. Sutton!'
 "I don't understand it myself, Mrs. Sut ton, but-''
 Here the attention of all was diverted to couple of large mousers who rose to their feet and began walking cautiously along with the evident intention of leaping down. Much to thelr astonishment, Q steL or two and they too flew into the air, de scribing perfect curves as they did so, and uttering piercing shrieks, which the serv- ants added to with their cries of ''Holy mother, sec there! The poor craythurs Och! listen to lem thinv'
 Meantime the cats, coming down with terrific force, fell in the alley, whence sounded lamentable yowls and cries.
 This was too much for those that re- malned, and there was a rush. Some jumped down decorously, while others flew into the air like their friends before them, l f0xx the girls screamed and Mrs. Sutton de- manded that "this unseemly performance should cease"
 By this time quiet was restored, and again Mrs. Sutton demanded to know the reason.
 Applied science, my dear madam. Noth- ing more. assure you that few nights of this sort of thing will finish the cats as far as you are concerned. Here, uncle," and leading MT. Sutton down to the fence, J. Deming Hazard showed him the metal plates he had distributed along the top of the alley fence.
 "You see, my dear unclc the thingis very simple, Just fix your plates, connect them with your store of electricity, and at the proper time turn it on and there you arc and the cats aren't. See?' Admirable! Admirable, and yet, James, would not-will any of them die!' 'No, no, I guess not. Nervous shock when unconnected with mental anxiety won't be fatal with cats, I think" "If you have rid us of these cats-n "You'll remember what you said, won't you unclea You sec a slight knowledge ot science is a valuable thing even for 8 young lawyer"
 "James, I can't thank you enough. ] shall never forget this-neither will Mrs Sutton, and any little thing I can do-come to dinner-come in, James, and Mrs. Sutton shall ask you to dinner. You have relieved ne, James, from a state that was approach ing-desperation-a Mrs. Sutton was growing nervous"
 "All right" said his nephew. "I don't think will come to dinner, though" J. Deming Hazard was as good as his | word. No cats care for electric shocks, anc in the course of a night or two the extra ! ordinary state of that particular alley fence | was freely advertised among all cats. They 1 came no more. Mrs. Sutton even ventureG l after little to replace her bric-a-brac, an( Mir. Sutton finished his essay and wrote others Springfield (Mass.) Republican. |