The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-03

had 1sns nseAAg sss q - aaG1naxy rss-
tine - re1pscenbas cat'a an1ly u1s.
/ Them o. resefend genfiensaA heid ont
for hln Is % ho1e. He 1sgEsd tae good
iadtss - a1nm1ns from thef 0lnds auy idea
that TIE sat had rsaIiy sfeed upon IL had.
They were the Victims Of fhetr own imngi-
nassons-'su thrss of them. They haA been
aiming Ahout m oceurre0c9 ~ thai sort.
ma Pessr ha1. ~ . curious eotne1dsnee.
- that very moment jumped On the table
and sasumsd N attitude accidentally
whsch they had n;stskea Tor Standing On
his had.
Ths sisters begxsd Mr. Jones to stay nm
81 fhey kad decided What % DO with the
eat Cnder the circumstances, they felt
that the preoence Of clergyman was at
least prctection against the powers OF
evil They would be satisEed " he would
oniy stay tiii midnighs. which was the hour
they dreaded not knowing what tt effect
might be upon Peter.
But the reverend gentleman wouldn't
hsar OF such thing There was nothing
In midnight, and there was nothing m
black cats. and he refused TO encourage by
any ecqutsscencs Ia his hostesses' wishes
such abominab!e and heathenish supegsts-
ton.
He bade the old ladies good night once
mere. put on his hat and his Inverness
cape. and went down the gravel path
trembling In every limb.
And ~ every sound that he heard that
night ~ he made his lonely way TO his
residence he gave q little jump and went
hot and cold all over.
He had seen a black cat stand on its
head with his own eyes. and that II should
stand on It's head had been the test he had
applied to prove that black cats have no
supernatural qualities.
when the curate had gone and the Misses
Shoosmith were left alone with Peter, they
looked at each other with white faces and
trembling lips, each sister Mientiy seeking
advice from the other. Miss Deborah was
the first TO make = decided attack on the
enemy. She went across the room 10 the
bookcase, took cut the family Bible and
placed II solemniy on the table. Then she
addressed Peter, who by this time waA fast
asleep. In these words:
Peter, II you are an evil spirit you viii
not harm ". for We have never harmed
any one In our lives. II you Choose to re-
main with NJ Ne viii givs you new milk
and fresh nsh and endeavos 70 make you
happy. but II you would - away In the
night We should Be very much obliged to
you"
Then. turning out the gas. she beckoned
to her sister. and they wunt out Of the
room, and locking the door quickly behind
them they went upstairs 20 bed. and burnt
n!ght-ught and slept with their heads
under the clothes
When they awoke ia the morning the sun
was shining In at their windows. and in
the sunlight they felt inclined to laugh al
the terrors OF the previous night. After
all. the Rev. Mr.. Jones was probably right
their senses had been deceived. Peter
hadn't really stood on his head at all.
tense relief there was no Peter The maid
servant informed them that when she
opened the door the cat had slipped past
her into the garden
At noon. walking In the garden. they
came suddenly on Peter under q currant
bush. He rose. arched his back. rubbed
up against them and purred. and they
stroked him and said complimentary things
to him. There were some birds on the
Cherry tree picking al the ripe cherries.
Mise Deborah clapped her hands three
times to frighten them away.
Instantly Peter ran up Miss Deborah's
back. jumped on 10 her bare head, and
stood bolt upright on his hind legs
Miss Jane tainted dead away, and Miss
Deborah shrieking ran round and round
the garden. But Peter stood his ground
firmly. AT that moment the Rev. Mr..
Jones came up the garden to inquire how
they we're after the flight Of the previous
evening. men
ing about. with the black cat standing On
it's hind legs on her head. he s'ammered
out a trivial excuse and fed. He felt con-
WINGED that insanity of some kind or other
had suddenly made It's appearance In that
hitherto happy little Christian household.
and that In some mysterious way his own
mental balance had been overthrow in
sympathy.
When Miss Jane recovered from her
faint she found Miss Deborah sobbing hys-
terfcally in a garden chair.
The cat was no longer on her head in an
acrobatic attitude. II had jumped down
and gore back TO lie under the currant
bush.
'.Oh, Jane" sobbed the unhappy old
lady, II know what II means now. It's
that wicked gypsy woman who came beg
ging last Tuesday. / told her 70 go about
her business. and she was insolent and said
l was a hard hearted wretch. and she'd
put the black curse on me-and she's done
it-Pessr H. the black curse.''
Eyes. yes" said Miss Jane. "Oh, my
dear sister. IL Is terrible thing TO hap
pen TO us in our old age but We must
hear II patiently-and whatever We do, we
must not offend Peter. So long as we treat
him kindly and don't attempt to injure
aim or to restrict HE liberty he may not
do anything 10 injure US"
"Janer' whispered Miss Deborah, terri
fed 81 her own thought. do you think I,
would be very wicked OF us--if we were
10 send for little holy water. / have
heard
mo. no. Deborah. We must not do that.
Mr.. Jones viii nese. speak 10 US again.
and IL think IL might be considered I'M
pious Don't talk about It. Look. Peter
II staring at us. and there Is a peculiar
look In his eyes.
The sisters rose and with a painful eff
fort smiled at Peter and called him a
naughty ickle tatzy watxy" 10 reassure
him. In case he had caught the words
holy water And then they went in TO
their midday meal but their appetites had
gone and the best cut OF the roast mutton
was pat on TO nice clean plate and placed
on the hearthrag ready for Peter when II
should please him TO accept their hospital
i,y.