Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1894-1895, 1895-07-19

ferocious appetite What do you cat
on the roofs?' asked my friend.
whatever you find he replied
shortly.
This embarrassed me, for had been
looking and had found nothing. At
length perceived in an attic window Il
young woman preparing her breakfast
On table under the window was laid
a beautiful chop, appetizingly red.
There is my affair! l thought in
nocently. and jumping to the table l
seized it, but the young woman had
seen ME and got a terrible whack OH
my back from her broom. l dropped
the meat and fled, swearing my worst
''Are you just from the country:
said the tOm-cat Meat which is on
tables is only to be desired. You must
hunt in the CUTTERS
Never could comprehend that meat
in kitchens does not belong to cats. The
tom-cat helped to dishearten me by
saying that we must wait till nightfall;
then we could descend to the street and
rummage in the garbage. Wait 70,
hiShi. liz IL INT a
hardened philosopher. AS for me,
felt my self weakening 1T the thought
of this prolonged fast.
might came slowly, night of fog
which froze me. Rain fell. fine and
penetrating, whipped by sharp gusts
of wind. We descended by a sheltered
stair. How ugly the street seemed.
No longer the welcome heat, the great
sun. and the airy roofs where one
might stretch so delicously.
1--WE were hardly in the street when
my friend began to tremble. He made
himself small, small. and crept slyly
along the houses, telling me to follow
swiftly. He took refuge in the first
doorway and heaved purr of satisfac-
ton and relief.
81 questioned him about our flight.
"'Did you see that man with the club
and the great basket on his back he
asked.
Yes
"'Well, if he had seen us he would
have stunned us, and we would have
been eaten in brOchettes.'
Eaten in brochettesv l cried. Let
us leave the street. We do not eat,
but are eaten here
Meanwhile garbage heaps had been
emptied in front Of the houses.
searched them despairingly. l found
two or three lean bones covered with
ashes. Then 1 realized how succulent
fresh meat is. My friend, the tom-cat
scratched the rubbish piles like a pro-
fessional. He kept me running till
morning, visiting each side of the way
and not hurrying at all. For nearly
ten hours shivered in the rain-awful
street! Awful rain!
AT daybreak the tom-cat, seeing that
staggered, asked me, with a strange
air: Have you had enough%
"'Oh, yes said 1.
"'DO you wish to return hOme?'
Certainly; but how find the houseT
"'Come. This morning, on seeing you
start out, realized that a cat as fat rs
you was not made for freedoms rough
joys. l know your house. and 1 will
drop you ut the door, He said this
simply. the worthy fellow! and when
we arrived, without the slightest emo
ton. he said adieu.
NO | cried, we will not part thus.
You must come with me. We will
share the same bed and the same
meat. My mistress is kind woman
-
"'Be STILL he said brusquely; you
are fool. 1 should die OF your silly
high living. Your life is all right for
| such as you. but n free cat would never
buy your down cushion at the price Of
a prison. Adieur
HE climbed to the roof, and l saw
his great gaunt silhouette CULVER CRATE
fully under the caress Of the rising sun.
"When l entered your aunt took q
switch and administered a correction,
which was received by ME with deep
JOY, for the feeling of being warm was
| pleasant. While she was beating me L
thought with delight of the meat |
would have afterward.
You see" concluded my cat, stretch
ing out before the embers, "true hap
piness. true paradise, my dear master,
is to be shut up and beaten In q place
where there is meat"
l am speaking for cats.-Translated
by Lucy Martin.
"A Dance Alphabet.