Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-04-17
TIE PADRES CATS.

rLose regeneration u was ROUNDED ID
extinction, but sixty years ago
ns .a uateo was the busiest man in the
There were the massive struct-
"O'' adobe to be erected, neophytes to
W.. ,.c, and discipline, infants to bap-
,ize bordes of hungry Indians to feed
.aJ funeral services to preach, for be-
s, fine benighted savages could be
,O ,oht To understand that the mission
beino established for the saving of
',ai, souls they had sent many Chris
~, N on the army OF the blessed
martyrs
AniLIipcs were completed. and the last
o,tyrs were buried ard the infants
faro all regencrated, and the Indians
'aore naciGed by gifts of trinkets and
olo,bes time began to weigh rather
sooriv upon the jealous padre. He
Enlightened the services and sang mass
srery day and performed all the cere-
o,onies Of the church with scrupulous
avoctpess; he provided the mission with
cattle and sheep, and taught the Indians
10 SOW grain and to labor with tools, yet
,bere were long hours left unoccupied
and the priest was often lonely.
After the soldiers were removed to
younger mission the PADRES Pensioners,
with the exception of Gaudaloupe Cor
too the ancient sacristan, were all In.
dans Now. Gaudaloupe, it must be
confessed. made but poor companion;
far. his work being done, he straightway
stretched his Iank body upon bench be-
tween the great arches at the sunny side
If the building and went to sleep
Years passed away The mission pros
pered The H. r,ri %. souls was bounti-
fuI and where once had been an I'M
broken solitude now uprose picturesque
Indian village, with houses built of reeds
or Of adobe and the winding streets all
leading up to the great gray pile on the
hill
One morning, while the sacristan slept
on his bench. Padre Mateo sat outside his
door with big book on his knees.
The rugged mountains were yelled in
miles Of blue mist, but their snowy crests
shoue in tie sunlight. Upon the velvety
slopes OF the foothills grazed cattle and
sheep The wide, fertile valley was
bathed in golden light. Far off-a silver
line-geamed the Pacific ocean. The
village streets were deserted. Save the
dressing Of insects and the regular respi-
rations OF the doing sacristan, not a
sound broke the stiffness.
The padre had almost fallen asleep
when, hearing the patter Of bare feet, he
looked up to see some dark skinned boys
carrying litter of kittens toward the
creek
"Que Quer' cried the padre, rubbing
his eyes, "Adonda va V? Would you
destroy the poor kittens?'
Isl, padre, replied one little Indian.
para que" questioned the priest.
They are too many, padre, answered
the little Indian, poking his great toe in
the dust and looking longingly toward
the creek.
But wait! The pretty things They
have not yet beheld the light of day,
Give them to mel" cried the benignant
priest They shall not perish, for will
care for them myself. Are they not
pretty my worthy Gaudaloupe? Open
thine eyes for an instant. Seel are they
not pretty"
Surely, had the sacristan foreseen the
consequences, he would have made re
monstrance then, before the PADRES pas
sion strengthened; but, being sleepy and
selfish, Gaudaloupe only chuckled as he
settled himself for another nap, think
ing, Now that the reverend padre has
somewhat to amuse him, perchance
may be permitted to doze in peace"
One Of the Inconvenience arising
from the adoption of family of cats i:
the manner in which it is prone to in
crease, At the end of the second yeal
Padre Mateo's cats were the bane of the
sacristsns life. Every day the priest
found 1t necessary TO reprove Gauddloupe
iorsomesad dereliction. Either he had moi
oathed Celestines sore eye, or the dost
OF catnip tea for Antonio had been neg
lected, or Christafus had been allowed
TO scamper off before breakfast-for, bt
1t understood, each cat had high sound
Ing name, and a place at the padre'
Iaole' and regularly partook of repas
three times dav.
Had Gaudaloupe not so highly veneer
ated the padres sacred calling, there
would surely have been an open rebel
Aon; as 1t was, the sacristan had to con
tent himself with thinking his indigna
ton
Must l." thought he, with risins
spleen Il, who am 70 years old and hav,
stitch in my back-must |, beside
uustins the altar and ringing four heav.
Uells and tending the padres house
! 10 obedience to an army Of yowlin.
calsf Is vergonzoso, indeedl"
had he not feared the padres malp
uetion he would have murdered til
creatures without conjunction. He eve
gave up his morning nap, sitting Wit
ms little red eyes open and a scowl O
MS Wrnkled, yellow face, while he trie
!" aeVlSe a means of Kidding the worl
Oh the pests. In vain he pondered, TIL
eatS lourished, and the padres fondnes
increased, aud Gaudaloupe was scoldo
more frequently than ever Heart {
s'one. the priest would exclaiu
would you let them starve? am sur
you gave no milk to Carmina's new XII
"hS this dayl and well you know she lls
not nourishment enough for them al
ties'
But your excellency," the sacrtstai
would demonstrate with great humility
mad no milk left after supplying tn