The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-09-02
The Golden Cat.


Several years ago / was stationed, ns as
sistant surgeon, with my regiment at Or
leans In that ancient city, in spite of its
many mansions of the old nobility suit
able apartments for bachelors are few and
far between. always want plenty of air
and space about me- and so installed my
self In o building on the outskirts of the
oity.
rented half Of the first floor compris-
ing four rooms. made my sleeping cham
Der and workroom of the two which faced
on the street In the third put plans and
flowers. The fourth was left empty. A
great balcony ran along the entire front OF
the house, on which could stroll up and
down, or rather on half of 1t, for 1t was
divided in the middle by an iron fence SO
low that one could easily step over 1t.
/ had been living there about two
month when one July evening as / ap-
preached my rooms / was surprised to see a
brilliant light streaming from the win
dows Of the uninhabited apartment.
"Ah, have "a neighbor" thought /,
and ! was not especially pleased. Going
70 my room, stepped noiselessy out upon
the balcony, but the light had already been
extinguished / returned to my bedroom
and read for an hour or two. From time
TO time / seemed TO hear about me In the
building sound as of light footsteps. AT
last went TO bed and TO sleep.
In the middle of the night I suddenly
awoke with a distinct sensation that some
cne was walking about near me. got up
and lit my candle. This is what saw:
In the middle Of the room stood great
cat, its back slightly arohcd, its tail erect
and its phosphorcscent eyes fixed upon me-
xuaa n M wit 1Oxy
hair Of the color of raw silk. AS the light
shone upon 1t its fur cleaned like spun
gold. 1t approached me with velvet steps
and softly rubbed its flexible body against
my legs. 1 stopped TO caress It, which it
permitted, purring gently, and then as 1
got into bed it leaped up on the counter
pane. 1t was n very young cat, and she
seemed we'll disposed TO let herself be ca
ressed. put her back on the floor and
tried to send her out OF the room, but she
evadcd mo and took refuge under the fur
niture.
AS soon as had blown out the light she
leaped up on my bed again, but 1 paid no
further attention to her and soon went to
,slccp. 1t was broad day when l awoke
again, and the cat was nowhere TO be seen.
The human mind is "a delicate instru-
mont, easily thrown out of gear Recall
the facts that have just told you: A light
seen, then extinguished, in an uninhabited
apartment; an Angora cat of singular color
which appeared and disappeared in mys-
teriors manner. There is nothing very
startling In that, Is there? Very we'll
Imagine. now, that this same programme
was repeated every night and under iden-
tically the same conditions for a week. Be-
lieve me, there Is not enough in that to
affect the thoughts of a man who lives alone
and to give him those little shiyers that
herald the presence Of the unknowable.
The human mind Is so constituted that it
unconsciously holds to the principle of
sufficient reason. For all series Of identical
phenomena 1t demands n cause, law,
and 1t becomes uneasy II 1t does not dis
cover that cause.
am not a coward. But know that
fear feeds and grows upon uncertainty,
while attempts to discover Its cause reduce
it to simple curiosity. resolved, then, to
Investigate this matter. questioned my
orderly. He did not know my neighbors.
Every morning an old woman came to take
care OF the other apartment. He had tried
to draw her into conversation, but wheth
er she was completely deaf or not she
would vouchsafe no reply to him.
Nevertheless easily accounted for the
light when / returned home had noticed
that the windows next to mine were mask
ed simply by great lace curtain. More
over, the two balconies communicated.
Ny neighbor, man or woman, therefore
dreaded indiscreet glances and extinguish-
ed the light on hearing rue return. To verify
my supposition / had my orderly bring
me from the mess a cold supper early one
afternoon, and / did not leave my rooms
that evening. When night had fallen,
took my stand near my window. Soon
saw the balcony lighted up from the win
dow of the neighboring apartment 1 gen
tly opened the sash and stepped out upon
the balcony. At that moment, knowing
that exposed myself to- a positive danger,
either of breaking my neck or of engaging
In q hand To hand struggle with some flesh
and blood person, my nerves were perfectly
calm i reached the lighted window with
out having made the least sound. The
window was half open. The curtains,
transparent for me, WHIT was on the dark
side, made me invisible to any one In the
interior of the apartment
i saw large room filled with quaint,
old fashioned furniture lighted by hang
ing lamp. AT the back of the room was
low diyan, on which lay young and beau
tiful woman. She was clad in loose wrap
Of some filmy material, and her unconflned
hair fell about her shoulders like golden
garment. She gazed at herself In hand
glass, barred her arms aud pressed her lips
TO the smooth, white flesh, and her supple
body writhed with the graceful, languor-
Gus movements of great feline. With ov-
cry move she made she seemed TO scintillate
with the CLINT OF gold.
was staring at her spellbound when OF
. sudden tho eyes of this strange and bcau-
tiful woman fixed themselves upon mo
peculiar eyes of pbosphorescent green
snas seemed TO burn with lambent fame
i was sure that was invisible TO her, be-
ing on the dark side of the drnpcd window.
Nevertheless felt that she SAW mo-
A cry escaped her, and she drew the gar
ment about her and buried her face In tho
pillows
I pushed open the window and stepped