Morning journal and courier., 1890-01-02

IFrom Irish Legions.l |
"Well, bad luck to all cats, say I; they
are as treacherous as anything at all; and tits
easy enough by looking in their eyes to know |
that they are not of the right, for their eyes |
have light in them that is not good.
Gay, Myrtle, I see you are thinking of the
story that was told last night at the wake, of
the nice black cats in the cid grand court, |
sitting around q coffin; another in the coffin
that was spirit; and the nine candles that
were more spirits, lighting in its eyes,"
"No, by my word, I'm not thinking of any
such thing. I'm thinking of what is great
deal nearer home to me, for I'm thinking Of
what was told by my old grandfather, that
he heard from the old people of his own
townland, about q cat"
"Well, Myrtle, and what was it the old
people said, for the old people are sure
enough the people that know deal better
| than us.n
"why, then, he told me, and by my
word, it was just as I'll tell you, the very
same thing:
"Thers was man living in a townland
and there was a cat in his house, and one
| day he beat the cat for running away with
pudding out of the cupboard. And the cat
| Jumped at him and scratched his hands and
tore his face with his claws, and the more
the man leathered him for it the more
the cat tore him with his claws and
teeth, which were as sharp as north wind.
"And it was a long time before they made
it up again and were friendly and loving to-
gether; for the cat was from that minute
out like wildcat among the bushes and rab-
bit holes, and not like tame cat living In
| house. -scz
ofk,~ Shakk1 k1,oS INT ID
ing to go to Ennis to sell his barley at the
distillery 70 pay his rent and he said to his
wife the night before: "I go to Ennis to-
morrow to sell the barley, for hear there is
good price for barley now at the distillery,
and I shall not be at home again till late at
night So his wife told him that when he
went to Ennis he must buy her new spotted
yellow gown and q little lilac silk handker-
| chief to wear of a Sunday, black Caroline
hat with a band and buckle and some red
ribbons; and to get himself new coat, that
he might appear decent and look smart and
like himself and like what he was at tho time
he courted her, when he would be riding be-
fore her to chapel on a Sunday or in holiday
times when bringing her to see her relations
in Limerick; and that he might as well get
her new pillion, since there was good
price for grain.
$50 the man promised, of course, to do
this, for if he did not tits we'll he knew he'd
sup sorrow tomorrow. Then presently one
of the little gossoons of young children said
to him: And, daddy, won't you get me q
new pair of shoes in EnnisP YES said the
poor man; yes, child, I'll get you a pair of
| new shoes, for you're ia want of them, !
know. And I'll get another pair of shoes for
your little sister who is with hear aunt
"And while they were talking in this way
to one another what should he see lying be-
fore the fire fast asleep but the cat. And as
, soon as ever the man told his little boy that
, he would bring new shoes for him and his
little sister {because the print of the crea-
ture's ten toes was in the ground out of her
brogans for the last fortnight), that very
!; minute the cat raised up his head from of
the floor where he was then lying before the
FIRE and turned his face to the man and said:
t"Why, ,then, should you not get me a new
! pair of shoes in Ennis, toos
"And faith the man, upon that, was sur
! prised enough to hear the Get say that same,
but he was cute and cunning enough. So he
said Immediately: Yes, to be sure, I'll get
you pair of new shoes in Ennis, and why
; nots For you must find it very cold always
: going about the country hunting the vaga-
bond rats and rabbits barefooted in that
way. But then you know, my darling, that
cats don't often wear shoes; and l don't
think; yea, I'm quite sure, I'll not be able to
get you pair of ready made in all Ennis,
and 80 think you must have yourself meas
ured by the shoemaker for pair. The very
, best think you can do is to come to Ennis in
the morning early and have your measure
taken, and then the pair of shoes can be
, made to fit your feet
"Tthink you're right said the cat, looking
as grave as judge. Il think that very same
together to Ennis in the fresh air of the
, morning
"Oh, but the man did not like these doings
and goings on at all. However, he bethought
within himself what he should do, and that
very night at midnight he stole out of the
house and went to sporting gentleman who
kept great pack OF hounds in the neighbor-
hood. He told him fairly and squarely the
whole matter, and what the cat said to him
while he was lying by the FIRE, and what he
said to the cat at the same time. The gen.
tlemsn promised the man he would do what
ever he wished in the matter.
$50 the next mail, with the first light, the
man was out Of his bed, and tackled his carts
and put his bags of barley on them, and told
the cat it was high time for them to be going
their road, and to get into the bag that was
. made of his darling mistresses' new flannel
petticoat, and SO he would ride snug and cosy
to the town of Ennis to get himself measured
for the new pair of shoes.
) $50 when the cat was once in the bag (1'll
, engage it was the man tied it tight enough
with n chord), off they started, and very soon
they came 10 place where the sporting gen.
tlemau was waiting with bis pack of hounds,
and horns and huntsmen. So the minute the
cat was brought into the very midst of the
hounds, that minute the man opened the bag
aud whisked the cat ont into the very midst
3 of them, and they gave him the very finest
? | tally ho' that was ever heard of in all the
! world And while hounds were killing him
be screached out 10 the mana
? "Aw-w- W, tits we'll for you that you have
! done this thing this morning, for if you
didn't do it twas that intended tonight to
I cut the throats OF yourself and your wife and
/ children for the beating you gave me fol
0 running away with the pudding"
! $50 bad luck to all cats, I say again, and
9 amen, to the came. For cat Is q hundred
= times worse than water wag tail, though
they say a water wag tail has three drops o.