The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-07-28
REMNANT

The cats of Marblehead always SEEM
ed to me very important part of the
population. There was Postoffice Tom,
over on the Neck, a great, handsome
felloW, who presided over the distribu-
ton of the mails, looking down with
Dig green eyes from his lofty perch on
the very top of the pigeon-holed cab
met where the letters awaited their
owners.
There was the bewitching Maltese
kitten who took me in charge when I
went sketching in the old town, and sat
demurely at my side while I worked,
with an occasional scamper after her
own frolicsome gray tail by way of re-
freshment. There were various aristo-
cratic cottage cats, sleek and proud;
and there was Remnant
The first time I saw her the little
steamer had just come in from the
Neck. and the people were hurrying to
and fro, some going ashore and some
running to take their places in the
boat, and Remnant, not bit abashed
by all the hustle, looked on with her
bright eyes from the post where she lay
basking in the sunshine and evidently
feeling herself the proprietress of the
whole affair.
1t seemed a strange place for cat,
l thought; but she was quite as much
at home among the boats and piles Of
timber and dingy warehouses as is
your own puss in her peaceful back
= yard, or her corner by the kitchen
stove.
She was pretty creature, black and
gray and tawny yellow, with snow
white breast and paws, and because of
this coloring, like piece of gay calico,
the sailors gave her the curious name
of Remnant" She had family of
kittens somewhere among the old can
vas in one of the dark sail lofts; but
she had hidden them away so safely
that even her good friends the sailors
could not find them.
All night she stayed with them, and
part of the day, but am sure she felt
equally the responsibility of looking
after the wharf, to see that the boats
came and went regularly, and that the
float was kept as clean as a tidy cat
would wish to see it.
And how was she fed? No doubt
there were plenty of rats, and mice
about the wharves, but Remnant had a
taste for daintier fare, as you shall
see.
When the little steamer had puffed
away again, and the deserted float
swayed gently on the quiet water, kind
bot o&
where she still sat on her post in the
sunshine.
81 guess you're hungry, puss,'' he
said. cts about dinner-time" Then
he called, Exit, kit, kit" She blinked
her eyes lazily, and did not move. The
captain smiled at me.
"This will fetch her." he said, and
took a fishing-reel out of his pocket
Exit, kit, kit" he called again soft
ly, holding it up so that she could see,
And Remnant understood. Down she
came, stepping gravely along the gang
plank, and looked up with questioning
eyes in the captains face
Are you hungry, puss?" he asked.
Meow" she answered gently, with
a wave of her plumy tail.
Then the captain knelt down on the
float, unwound his reel and dropped the
line into the water, and Remnant set
tied herself beside him, watching every
movement with an air of entire famil-
iarity with the proceedings She was
too well-bred to show any Impotence
Her manners were perfect, though
she was born and brought up on the
wharf, and had not had the advantages
which your pussy has enjoyed. She
cooked her pretty head on one side
with an expression Of alert and intelli-
gent interest, restrained by q gentle
dignity. Jerk! up came the line. A
culver ran through Remnants delicate
body. But there was only bit of sea-
weed on the hook, and down it went
again. "
Over and over this happened, and
still with unwearied patience the man
knelt and threw his line, and the cat
sat motionless beside him, gazing
gravely down into the dark water. The
float rose and fell on the tide, and the
sunshine lay warm on the boards, and
I watched the pretty sight, smiling,
from my bench corner.
"I'm afraid you'll have to go hungry,
puss,'' said the captain at last. ssThey
won't bite today" And then. as he
spoke, jerk! up came the line again,
and he sprang to his feet, for this time
there was little fish dangling and
shining on the hook!
Remnant would have liked to jump
for joy, think. But she didn't. She
caught the fish in her white paws. with
soft "me-ow!" for thank you" when
the captain tossed it to her, and walked
away to enjoy her dinner in sheltered
corner; after which she sought her
young family to tell them, no doubt,
about the fishing, while the good cap
tain wound up his line and went whist
ling off to his own dinner.
A wise cat was Remnant! Down on
her wharf she might miss some Of the
privileges enjoyed by her fashionable
cottage friends. but which of them had