The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-06-29
THE GOLDEN CAT.

Several years ago was stationed, as 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 80 installed my
self In building on the outskirts of the
city.
rented half Of the first floor, compris-
ing four rooms I 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 l could stroll up and
down, or rather on half of 1t, for 1t was
divided In tho middle by an iron fence SO
low that one could easily step over 1t.
I bad been living there about two
month when one July evening as 1 ap-
preached my rooms was surprised to see
brilliant light streaming from the win
dows of the uninhabited apartment.
"Ah, have neighbour thought !,
and / was not especially pleased. Going
to my room, stepped noiselessly 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 suddenly
awoke with distinct sensation that some
one was walking about near me- I got up
and lit my candle. This Is what saw:
In the middle of the room stood great
cat, Its back slightly arched, its tail erect
and its phosphorescent eyes fixed upon me.
1t was superb Angora, with long, yellow
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 1t, which it
permitted, purring gently, and then as I
got into bed 1t leapsd up on tho counter
pane. 1t was u very young cat, and she
seemed we'll disposed to let herself be CO.
ressed I put her back on the floor and
tried to send her out of the room, but she
ovaded me and took refuge under the fur
niture.
As soon as had blown out the light she
lcaped up on my bed again, but I paid no
further attention to her and soon went to
sleep. 1t was broad day when l awoke
again, and the cat was nowhere to be seen.
The human mind Is delicate instru-
ment, easily thrown out Of gear. Recall
tho 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-
terious manner. There Is nothing very
startling in that, Is therep Very well.
Imagine, now, that this same programme
was repeated every night and under iden-
tically the same conditions for week. Be-
lieve mo, there Is not enough In that to
affect the thoughts of man who lives alone
and to give him those little shivers that
herald the presence Of the unknowable.
The human mind is so constituted that 1t
unconsciously holds to the principle of q
sufficient reason. For all series of identical
phenomena it demands cause, q law,
and 1t becomes uneasy If it does not dis
cover that cause.
lam not coward. But l 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
IlC ulu INV AIlOW my utlRHDDI5
Every morning an old woman came to take
care Of the other apartment. He had tried
to draw her into conversation, but wheth-
or she was completely deaf or not she
would vouchsafe no reply to him.
Nevertheless l easily accounted for tho
first strange fact Of the extinction of the
light when returned home. l had noticed
that the windows next to mine were mask
ed simply by great lace curtain. More
over, the two balconies communicated.
My neighbor, man or woman, therefore
dreaded indiscreet chances and extinguish-
cd the light on hearing me return. To verify
my superstition l had my orderly bring
me from the mess cold supper early one
afternoon, and l did not leave my rooms
that evening. When night had fallen, I
took my stand near my window. Soon
saw the balcony lighted up from the win
dow of the neighboring apartment gen.
tly opened the sash and stepped ont upon
the balcony. At that moment, knowing
that exposed myself to a positive danger,
either of breaking my neck or of engaging
III hand to hand struggle with some flesh
and blood person, my nerves were perfectly
calm. reached the lighted window with
out having madc the least sound. The
window was half open. The curtains,
transparent for me, who was on the dark
side, made me invisible to any one in the
interior of the apartment.
SAW large room filled with quaint,
old fashioned furniture, lighted by hang
Ing lamp. At the back Of the room was
low divan, on which lay n young and beau
tiful woman. She was clad in a loose wrap
Of some fllmy material, and her unconfined
hair fell about her shoulders like q golden
garment. She gazed at herself in hand
glass, barred her arms and pressed her lips
to tho smooth white flesh, and her supple
body writhed with the graceful languor-
GUS movements Of great feline With ov-
cry move sho made she seemed to scintillate
with the CLINT Of gold.
was staring at her spellhound when of
n sudden the eyes of this strange and beau
tiful woman fixed themselves upon me-
,,oculinr evea cf n acknowledgements pyrpnn