The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-06-23


cled by collar of bright. new tin. while
a red paper shade around the lamp Chin
new added touch of brightness TO the
kitchen. which was all the more agreeable
because of the Stygian darkness of the
April night These conditions however,
were not subjects of comment to the occu-
pants OF the shanty. The Finn family,
when gathered around the fire in the even
ing. were usually engaged in The discussion
of much graver problems such as why
does a pig cut his throat yid his feet whin
he swims arcoss Browns pond" or some
question equally enigmatical. So on the
evening indicated the question arose, Can
a cat Think"
The house of Finn was divided on this
question. the elders taking up the negative
side of the problem. while little Mike as
stoutly asserted his belief in the affirma-
tive.
Nonsense said Mr.. Finn. thin bath
erin howlin' scuts, that does be malva-
therin' around on the hnce in the night,
Shure, they can't think. They make too
much noise TO be thinkin'. Mickey"
That's WHARF we are mistaken, father"
said the boy. waving his finger didactically
in the direction of his progenitor ''Whn
the cats are upon the fnce they are singin
love songs and coortin'. and coortin' takes
dale o. thinkin."
"Troth We are right thare, Mickey Mr.
Finn replied. 'Coortin' do take hape O
thfnkin'. but not by cats.
well. I can tell ye about a cat that
did a hape o thinkin' TO save the life of
another cat" continued little Mike posi-
lively.
was the cat takin' poison. or did she
try to cut her throat wild a raZor?" asked
Mr.. Finn. dersiyely.
No" continued the boy seriously, vivid
wan stroke of her paw she saved the other
from losin' her backbone"
"Arrah. look at that now. Mickey: faith
you are gon' crazy" interjected his
mother. as she shook her darning needle
at him I'm warning manner Now don't
be tellin' amy lies but go wan wild yer
story"
Thus encouraged, Mickey began. Said
he:
The both o. We know well the big red
barn that Mr.. Lindsey, that owns the ce-
ment quarries. has back in the wood?
Well twas full q rats as an ould cheese
is of maggots. Twas swarnin' wild thin
so twas. Shure, they were atin''the oats
and the corn. and chewin' the nay and
spiln' everything in the place. till they
had Mr.. Lindsey nearly crazy wild their
COINS on. So what does he do hut he gets
tin big cats and puts thin in the barn SO
they'd ate the rats. Well, We must know
thin cats couldn't get out o the barn at
night. bekase Mr.Lindsley had to shut the
door SO the InBNeS FOuIIn I ne EPftin IN
and stain the harness and the wagons
Mebbe We niver noticed 1t. father. but It's
hard for A cat TO be shut IN on a moon
light night. They do be fond o. the moon.
for why | dunna, and nothin' seems 10
plaze thin like settin' down and singin'
come-all-ye's to the moon. Well whin
they couldn't get out Of the barn. shure
they had a concert every night inside that
'ud make a goosefesh come out on Yer
arrum twas that loud and noisy. and poor
Mr. Lindsey couldn't sleep. they freck-
ened him so wild their yowlln and devllin'.
And he. poor man. was In that state ne
didn't know was he on his head or his
heels Well, there he was lyin' awake
nights hekase o. the cat concert, and
thinkin' -
'Thrue for ye." interrupted Mr.. Finn,
twas the man who was dom the think
in and not the cats"
wait till | get through. and then ven
know how the cats did the thinkin'." said
Mickey Where was I? Oh yes Poor
Mr. Lindsey couldn't sleep hekase he was
irwin 10 think how could ne keep the
door Of the barn locked and let the cats
out at night So they could get back and
he not havin' 10 get up In his shirt tail
and Fave them In. So he was thinkin' o.
this till IL near made him gray headed
until one night ne Jumped out o bed wild a
great y-hoop. erwin: 1 have it, I have it.
Faith. why didn't I think OF II before
60 that night what does ne DO but sleen
sound hekase his mind was alsy And
wbin ne gets mp IN the moTnln and ates