The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1891-12-11
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skS Hogs Joke Played on COIlszaer 81
CuriOs.

-
CuriOs.
Col. Morrow Lowry, of Erie, IS 4
prominent politician and an ex-con-
gresham from his district but more to
the purpose of this story, he is a most
interchangeable curio-collector His wife
shares with him this mania, and their
handsome residence is a sight for curl
osity-seel1ers. Among the bon ton of
Erie is Mrs. Thornton. This lady had
a cat, an old family cat, to which she
had become greatly attached. The
animal was seized with the mango, and
in course of time the hair all came off,
leaving poor Tabby most curious
looking creature. Mrs. Thornton de-
cided that the humane thing would be
to have pussy drowned, and she there
fore called in the aid of Jim Stuart, a
gentleman of color Mrs. Thornton
asked Jim to carry the cat away and
drown it, agreeing to give him five dol
lars if he made a sure thing of it Jim
had the cat in a bag when he met Col.
Lowry. Jim had borrowed an old plug
of horse from the colonel some weeks
before to go to u MON and had not re-
turned the animal Seeing him the
colonel said:
''Say. Jim, when are you going to
bring my horse bacl1?"
well, now, look aheah. kunnel,"
said Jim, Il borrowed dat boss to go to
Union; L amt done gone to Union yet,
an when l dos an gets back shall
bring dat boss back
The colonel laughed at Jim's evasion
and then asked: Say, Jim, what have
You got in the bag?"
This gave Jim an inspiration; he
knew the coloners mania and un blush
ingly he answered.: II tell we what,
kunnel, got great curiosity in dat
bag; you member my brother Jake
what went out to Denver; well Jake
he's been telling me what great things
dey have out dab, and finally he done
send me a Rocky mountain cat; mos
curious animal you ever saw, kunnel"
This excited the cOlonePs curiosity,
and he said: Lets see it, Jim; l like
to look at curiosities
Jim opened up the lag and the col
onel took peep He certainly saw
curiosity.
Say, JIM" he said, 'I'll buy that
cat from you I'll give you five dollars
for it,
''Oh, no, I1unnel; l wouldn't sell dat
cat; it was a present from brother
Jake, you know; and then the express
charges wus nearly that much"
Now here jim" said the colonel,
getting excited over the matter, II
have been friendly to you and can help
you yet. I'll tell you what I'll do;
want that eat, and you can keep the
old horse you borrowed, and here is
five dollars to boot; you take the cat
down to my house; your bfother won't
kick at that bargain"
IAN right, kunnel; Use gwine ter
'blige yer, though l does hate to sell
my brother Jal1e's present -
The cat was duly taken to the colo
neIs home, and he and his wife devised
an elegant cage for the poor beast So
pleased were they with their last new
acquisition that they gave grand re-
ception and invited the elite of the
city, making the Rocky Mountain cat
the piece de resistance of the affair.
Throngs came and went and wondered
and amazement were expended upon
the feline curiosity. Naturally Mrs
Thornton. as one of the upper ten, was
an invited guest. As soon as she saw
IHe cd1 SHS ICCO5 AlASu tAS OAu IdLHuy0
favorite.
''Why, Mrs. Lowry" she exclaimed,
where in the world did you get our
old cat?"
Your cat, indeed" said the hostess
in a very much offended tone. Col
Lowry bought that cat at high price;it
is genuine Rocky mountain cat and
great curiosity. Jim Stuart's brother
Jake sent it from Denver and the colo
mel bought it from Jim"
Yes" said Mrs Thornton, land If
was last Monday afternoon the colonel
bought it. That same afternoon hired
Jim Stuart to take that cat away and
drown it,
OF course that settled the curio bus
mess for the Lowrys, but what the col
mel said or did to Jim has never beeL
told FTir,aS