Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1896-09-21
THE SAMARITAN.

There was an excitement in the
tenement when Mickey moved in, for
he brought a yellow dog that annoyed
the people on his ssfoor."
The dog was of no special kind ex-
/ cept, perhaps, the lucky dog variety;
but his master loved him, although he
defied classification
He was a commonplace dog. with
the commonplace name of Jim. He
had little originality and not a spark
Of genius,-in short, he was a plain
every day fellow.
He annoyed the people on his floor
simply because he was a dog; and
fairest specimen OF cathood in the al
ley,-a dainty Persian puss, whose
early days had been spent basking
among flowers in the land of Omar
Khayyam. She was an aristocrat and
quite intOlerant of Jim's mongrel
ways. Amasia, for so she was called,
had come to this country with nau-
tical character nearly allied to her
present owners. The nautical relative
often called when in town, and Great
ed quite sensation in the alley; for
he wore two earrings, and a sailor is
only entitled to one
The canine and feline neighbors
were not friendly. When Jim wish
ed to go downstairs, Amasia would
mount guard on the top step and re-
fuse to let him pass. When Jim, be-
ing once down, desired to return, Am
asia would block the way, and i'm
pede his progress. Often a passage
Of arms was the result. Jim had
enough Of the gentleman in him ca
King Charles strain: how blood will
tell!) not to fight lady; but Amasia
gave no quarter; she was feminine,
and she was Oriental
Mickey and Tom, scions of two
mighty houses of Hibernia, were fore
ed daily to run to the landing and
separate the combatants.
1t was unreasonable" according
to Tom, for Mickey not to admit that
his dog caused the trouble. Tom was
"pigheaded," said Mickey, not to ac-
knowledge that it was the fault of the
cat
Thus matters stood for nearly
year.
Jim bore many a scare inflicted by
the beautiful Amasia, who looked SO
white and gentle, as she drowsed up
on the window sill, that no one in the
world would have believed her ca
pable Of such a malice.
1t was winter, cold, bleak, and
drear. Jim was jogging home in the
chill of dull afternoon. Snow, mud,
and slush-that grimy compound that
marks the wake of a great city's traf
fc-blocked the streets. People hur-
ried up and down, reviling the wealth
er. Jim was hungry, tired, and a
little out of sorts. Presently a shout
of fiendish glee rent the icy air; and
down the street, pell-mell, sped
troop of lusty, red checked boys, in
eager pursuit. of cat. A volley of
snowballs, sharp sticks, and bits of
ice-a very artillery Of youths inven-
tion-went whizzing through the air.
And the victim? Poor Amasia,
lame, bleeding, and "besprent with
mire,' who would have recognized in
you the sleek darling of the kitchen?
"Catch her boys! Catch her!" cried
one of her tormentors, as he flung a
heavy missile. Amasia, faint with
fright, looked wildly for some way of
escape; but there was no retreat.
The boys were close upon her; and
she paused, dazed and exhausted, as
milk cart came rumbling down the
street. Then the boys saw Jim. 'Sick
'im!" they screamed, still pelting the
unfortunate cat. "Sick 'im!"
With one bound Jim reached the
center of the street in time to drag
the helpless Amasia from beneath the
cart wheels. Taking her by the neck,
as he had seen cat carry her kitten,
he leaped past the astonished boys,
and ran until he gained the alley.
They found him licking her wounds,
and trying to soothe her in his poor,
clumsy way. He was tender, even if
he was stupid.
Years have come and gone. Both
are now quite old, but the friendship
then begun has never waned.
Their owners dwell in unity; peace
reigns on the top floor Of the tene-
ment.
AS for Jim and Amasia, you may
see them summing themselves in the
alley any warm spring day, when the
hand organ season has set in and the
vendors are calling, ssStraWberries!'