The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-07-23

/ really don't think you ought to
make Spot give his paw so much it is a
great strain upon him. complained Miss
Fiorry once, in tone Of jealousy Of
which she was not herself aware.
=" don't suppose it's any more of q
strain on him than j; is on Grimalkin to
jump for the peacock feather
"oh, well, that is play, not an intel
lectual exercise. 1t seems to me some
times, that Grimalkin looks with scorn
at the whole proceeding, as some old
savage king brought into slavery might
look at the dances of the other slaves be
fore their conqneroIs.'
Dear me didn't know he was Sc
superior. Who is Grimalkin. anyway Pr
think he is an enchanted prince.
said Miss Florry, scratching her head
with her knitting needle -" or an afrit OF
the Eastern tales some cabalism would
set him free. There is a far-away look
in his eyes that speaks of familiarity with
the Prince Of the Powers of the Air -
"And who is Spot, then 81
I" Oh, Spot is cat, . said Miss Florry, in
her thoughtless mischief
A cat :"
I" Just a cat, and nothing more"
Il don't see how you can talk so about
an innocent little confding being - cried
Miss Penelope. guess thera's just as
much enchantment about Spot as there
is about Grimalkin, and no more -
But you know Grimalkin is in Shaks-
peare,r said Miss Florry, still mischiev-
ously
an fddlesticks Spot would have been
if Shakespeare had known about him.
said Miss Penelope, tartly.
Bot Shakespeare didn't"
All the worse for Shakespeare, then.
Besides, it is Shakespeare who says, Pur,
the cat is gray, so you see by that, that
it is Grimalkin that is the cat and Spot
who may be the enchanted prince"
" No, don't. see that Spot is all he
ever has been, or ever will be-just
cat"
Well, wonder what awfully wicked
thing Grimalkin's done that he should
be shut.up into cats shape if he was
ever anything better" said Miss Pene-
lope-and then came the explosion Of all
the pleasantly. It's wicked ~ cried
Miss Penelope You, professor, talk
ing in such perfectly sinful manner, as
if you believe in metempsychosis and all
the rest of the Buddhist wickedness ?"
Il wouldn't be a simpleton, Pen, said
Miss Florry. ~Tm not claiming really
that Grimalkin is anythings but cal" 8"
"And a very common cat at that, cried
Miss Penelope. "And if he ever was
anything else, it was something as much
lower than = cat as an earthworm."
"Oh, really, Pen, it's getting absurd
said Miss Florry and she put up her
work to 90 out for soothing and cool
ing walk.
But it was only day or two afterward
that Miss Florry was detected in feeding
at dinner some of the biggest morsels TO
Grimalkin. @He has the biggest frame
to support, she said in her defence.
"He is no hungrier than Spot" said
Miss Penelope, Immediately putting
down a saucer of cream for Spot.
"You mustn't do that, Penelope said !
Miss Florry "Spo5 spatters the cream all /
over the carpet"
Il suppose Grimalkin never does
@Grimalkin eats Ike gentleman, and |
Spot ike glutton."
Il must say, Florry, you carry spite and
a 7Jng way"
There was certainly considerable ex
citement aroused already, but yet the |
rufiled feathers might have been smooth !
ed had not the cats at this point taken 1
matters INTO their own claws. Grimalkin |
who had grown tired Of standing on his
hind legs and tapping Miss Florry's for ,
getful hand, had gone to Spots saucer
and thrust his nose into the dish,
that Spot resented by smart /
box on the ear upon which Grimalkin
drew back, and with a hiss lifted his own
paw whereupon Spot, in conscious
strength, rose and hurled his whole fat |
weight upon Grimalkin, who tumbled /
over in a heap. The next thing TO be |
seen and heard was an indiscrimlnate /
mass of fur and yowls, and electric re-
bound Of two imps with blazing eyes,
and Miss Florry and Miss Penelope, each 1
screaming, each crying, each rushing |
triumphant out of the room to her own
sanctuary, each with cat in her arms,
tears on her face, and hatred, malice and 1
all uncharitableness in her heart.
The little cats, it viii be seen, had
grown unspeakably dear to the poor
maiden ladies who had so little TO I'LL |
their hearts. They were talked to and /
embraced and cuddled mum beriess times l
every day. They gave as much comfort /
as they received, and slight to either of |
them was a slight to that cats intimate
friend. If Miss Florry complained that /
her sleep was broken by Spots sharp |
little meow, Miss Penelope was on her
dignity all day and if Miss Penelope |
remarked that Grimalkin shed his hairs |
and that he was spelling every chair IN
the house, Miss Florry did not know |
her tears were those of anger or |
grief And if Miss Florry said she was /
tired of hearing eat-talk all day and 1
would like a little English, then Miss
Penelope replied that Miss Florry never |
did love animals, and for her part she |
had always observed that the character
of people who did not love animals was
very defective and, on the whole, the
two little eats were only so many fire.
brands.
But the next morning after this par
ticular scFimmage, as the two ladies met
al the table, the cats having ignored their
difficulty and sitting side by side await
ing their portion, it seemed best for the