The herald., 1893-07-30
THE STUFFED CAT.

obo0Js
Do you not know this study? That is
natural because never have introduced
you to it. Perhaps you would not like
it. / like it very much-frst of all be-
cause it is mine, and then because have
arranged it according to my tastes.
There is little of everything in it-a
colossal writing desk with an infnity Of
drawers and pigeonholes, a bookcase,
some shelves for books, two tables, one
large and one small; divan, an arm
chair, on the floor rugs and cushions
thrown down everywhere, pictures on
the walls, gas lamp in the center. In
one corner on top of column of black
wood is stuffed cat-a magnificent
tiger striped cat with sparkling green
eyes that seems ready to spring down
from its pillar, tired probably of acting
Simeon Stylites.
In this den or study, as you please to
call it, pass beautiful hours, day or
evening, writing, reading, meditating,
smoking and doing nothing.
It is here that l retire in hours of the
blues, in those hours of unconscious, in
stinctive i'll humor which one cannot ex-
plain or justify and which exactly on
that account one translates into an ex-
traordinary nervous irritation.
This den is the despair of my wife and
the rest of the household because they
are positively forbidden to touch, to
even move book or a paper under that
rretext of putting into order which re-
solves itself into real disorder. l will
wager that if my wife, my sister-in-law,
my nieces, could arrange my den accord
ing to their tastes, turning it upside
down, they would be happy. But they
do not venture for fear of me. Only
when / speak of my study all those
feminine lips curl with smiles, disdain-
full, ironical or compassionate.
It is especially the stuffed cat that jars
upon their nerves. My wife absolutely
wished to throw him away, give him
away, destroy him. was obliged to de-
clare to her that such an outrage would
Immediately provoke on my part de-
mand for legal separation pending the
approval of divorce by vote of the Italian
ChamDe OF deputies.
Now that l have presented, so to say,
the surroundings, 1 will go on to relate
the fact, the terrible, frightful fact that
has taken place in my delicious den and
to which l am indebted for the gray
hairs that embelish my 36-year-old locks.
One evening in the autumn all my
family was in the country. | only had
10 o<+ tO T1rordNt
work.
Twas all alone in the house. A WON,
an came every morning to clean, TO
sweep and air the rooms and went away
after noon. l dined at restaurant.
Now, for some days thought that
noticed in my study something strange
odd, unaccustomed. 1t had the same
effect upon me as if something were not
in its place. | would have taken my
oath that certain books had been moved
certain papers had been rummaged.
Iquestioned the domestic, who swore
and perjured herself to the effect that,
faithful to her trust, she had touched
nothing, but HAD limited herself to
sweeping the f6Nr and busting the furni-
t,1re. And no one else ever entered the
room.
One morning it seemed to me that the
stuffed cat, nay good cat with the green
eyes that called Tic when he was alive,
had been touched. Certainly his attitude
was not the same or / was dreaming.
Yes, yes, his head was turned another
way. and the expression of his face, that
of an honest feline, was different from
that which l was accustomed to have
before my eyes. How in the world had
such strange phenomenon happened?
But this was nothing. For two or
three evenings, shut up in my study,
writing-alone in the large apartment
thought heard singular noises here
and there. l arose from the desk, went
out Of the study and all through the
house, carefully examining every room,
stopping now in this one now in that, to
listen. Nothing. The rooms were de-
serted; the silence was complete, pro-
found.
Then I returned to my study and set
to work again. But the noises persisted
and became more decided and frequent
| would have sworn that some mys-
terious and invisible being was scratch
ing in the walls or forcing some lock-
One evening indeed it seemed to me
that the noise was just behind me, and
turned mechanically.
Well, / would have taken my oath
that / saw the cat Tic move almost i'm
perceptibly, and his eyes CLEAN brighter,
and his back arch, and his bold, majestic
tail stretch itself in an act of defiance.
But surely it was an hallucination, be-
cause the cat was still in his place, i'm
passible, and gave no sign of moving
from his column.
All these small things, insignificant and
extraordinary at the same time, had i'm
pressed and disturbed me. BY instinct,
by nature, don't fancy what cannot
explain. am foe to the supernatural,
Che marvellous, the mysterious. like
to see clearly within and around myself.
I, you see, am of a well balanced and
sound temperament. Nervousness. NOR
bldness and such nonsense annoy me
and are repngnant to me.
And as / think know myself pretty
we'll, I was surprised and bored by
state of mind SO contrary to my habits
and nature. Evidently my physio- psy-
Geological system was in q moment Of
crisis.
How could get out of it--be cured?