The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-07-20
THE STUFFED CAT.

-tlayei y. Mines IN darperB weekly
THE STUFFED CAT.
was all alone one evening in my
study.
Do you not know this study That is
natural because never have introduced
you to 1t. Perhaps you would noe 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 infinity 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.
1t is here that 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 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.
1t is especially the stuffed cat that jars
upon their nerves. My wife absolutely
W16ueu W tuIoW MN away, SiNo MIN
away, destroy him. was obliged to de-
i clare to her that such an outrage would
= Immediately provoke on my part de
o mand for legal separation pending the
9 approval Of divorce by vote Of the Italian
d chamber of deputies.
Q Now that have presented, so to say
D the surroundings, 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 embellish my 36-year-old locks
One evening in the autumn all my
family was in the country. l only had
staid in town to attend to some urgent
work.
:. Twas all alone in the house. A WON
an came every morning to clean, tt
+ sweep and air the rooms and went away
after noon. dined at a restaurant.
y Now, for some days thought that
r. noticed in my study something strange
Todd, unaccustomed. 1t had the sam,
q effect upon me as if something were mo-
S in its place. would have taken my
!, oath that certain books had been moved
y certain papers had been rummaged.
i, questioned the domestic, who swor,
:. and perjured herself to the effect that
- faithful to her trust, she had touched
8 nothing, but had limited herself t
sweeping the floor and busting the furni
ri ture. And no one else ever entered TIN
room.
= One morning it seemed to me that tn
stuffed cat, my good cat with the greer
;. eyes that l called Tic when he was alive
t. had been touched. Certainly his attitud
II was not the same or | was dreaming
~ Yes, yes, his head was turned anothe
Ie way, and the expression of his face, tina
: of an honest feline, was different iron
g that which l was accustomed to hav
y before my eyes. How in the world ha'
|. such a strange phenomenon happened?
1t But this was nothing. For two o
three evenings, shut up in my study
;, writing-alone in the large apartment
IL thought l heard singular noises her
lg and there. arose from the desk, wen
~ Us out of the study and all through tn
Al house, carefully examining every room
y. stopping now in this one, now in that, t
III listen. Nothing. The rooms were de
IA serleui tlle sllehCe WIS Soniiic'ej PIe
icl found.
-, ~ Then | returned to my study and sc
to work again. But the noises persiste
s- and became more decided and frequent
e, would have sworn that some my
!. terious and invisible being was scratcl
i. ing in tho walls or forcing some loci
~ ~ One evening indeed it seemed to III
c, that the noise was just behind me, and
AZ turned mechanically.
nd Well, would have taken my oat
q, that saw the cat Tic move almost i'll
perceptibly. and his eyes CLEAN brighte
=, and his back arch, and his bold, majesti
Of tail stretch itself in an act of defiance.
IT. But surely it was an hallucination, b
rs. cause the cat was still in his place, in
/. passible, and gave no sign of moyin
AT from his column.
All these small things, insignificant an
en- extraordinary at the same time, had i'll
nj pressed and disturbed me. BY instinc
by nature, don't fancy what I cann'
Iuxplain. / am foe to the supernatural
er, the marvellous, the mysterious. lii
I'D TO see clearly within and around mysel
Il l, you see, am of well balanced al
an sound temperament. Nervousness. mo
RS bidness and such nonsense annoy /,
:. and are repugnant to me.
And as think | know myself preti
well, was surprised and bored by
state of mind so contrary to my habi
and nature. Evidently my physio-ps
m. Geological system was in a moment
ID crisis.
or How conld get ont of it-be cure
as Must l, too, take the first train and {
Nv into tho country? Perhaps that wou
ny be the best way. But unfortunately
itel could not, had an important engag
AstL =