The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1893-07-13

f.
For the most wild yet most homely
narrative which,al am about to pen, /
neither expect nor solicit belief Mad
indeed would be to expect it in yl1ase
where my very senses reject their own
evidence. Yet mad am l not. and very
surely do not dream. But tomorrow !
die, and today l would unburden my
soul My immediate purpose is to place
before the world plainly. succinctly and
without comment a series of mere house
hold events. Intheir consequences these
events have terrifed-have tortured
have destroyed me. Yet Twill not at
tempt to expound them. To me they
have presented little but horror; to
many they will seem. less terrible than
baroques. Hereafter perhaps some in
tellect may be found which will reduce
my phantasm to the commonplace
some intellect more calm. more logical
and far less excitable than my own,
which will perceive in the circumstances
detail with awe nothing more than an
ordinary succession of very patural
causes and effects.
From my infancy was noted for the
docility and humanity of my disposition.
Ny tenderness of heart was even so con-
spicuous as to make me the jest of my
companions | was especially fond Of
animals and was INDUCED by my par
ents with a great variety of pets. With
these I spent most of my time and never
was 60 happy as when feeding and ca
reesing MEM. This popularity of char
acter grew with my growth, and in my
manhood derived from it one of my
principal sources of pleasure. To those
who have cherished ap affection for a
faithful and sagacious dog need hardly
be at the trouble of explaining the nature
or the intensity Of the qualification. thus
derivabla. There Ia sOmething Ii the
unselfah and .aelf sacri6cing leve Of q
brute which goes directly to the heart OF
him who has had frequent occasion to test
the paltry friendship and gossamer fidel-
ity of mere man. , q
l married early and was happy to find
in my wife disposition not uncongenial
with my own Observing my partiality
for domestic pets. she lost no opportunity
of mocuring'tho Of the most agreeable
kind We bad birds. goldfish. : fine dog.
rabbits, small monkey and a cat
This latter was q remarkably large
and beautiful animal. entirely black. and
sagacious to an astonishing degree. In
speaking Of his intelligence my wife, who
q hees aea list3e tIEstsEsd 8 With su-
ancient popular notion which regarded
all black cats as witches in disguise.
Piuto-this WIS the cats name WAS
my fsrotite pet and paaymate, alone
fed him. and he attended me wherever
went about the house It was even with
difficulty thAx I could prevent him from
following ne through the streets.
Our friendship lasted ia this manner
for several years. during which my gen.
eral temperament and character. through
the fundamentally of the 6end intem.
perance. had Il blush to confess it) expe
rienced q raiicai alteration for the worse
grew day BY day more moody. more ir.
ritable more regardless of the feelings Of
others suffered myself to use intem
perate language to my wife. At length
even offered her personal violence.
My pets Of course were made to fee
the change in my disposition. not only
neglected but ill used them. For Pluto
however. still retained sufficient regard
| to restrain me from maltreating him, al
made no scruple of maltreating The
rabbits. the monkey or even the dog
when nv ar.r.idenf or thrnnoh affection
they came in my way. But my diseast
grew upon me-for what disease is ikt
alcohol:-and at length even Pluto, wht
was now becoming old and consequently
somewhat peevish. even Pluto began tt
experience the effects of my i'll temper.
One night. returning home much in
toxicated from one of my haunts abou
town. fancied that the cat avoided my
presence. | seized him, when in hi.
fright at my violence he inflicted Sigh
wound upon my hand with his teeth