The Worthington advance., 1899-07-21
Fate of Madison jerks
He Was Pampered Cat, and
Had $500 Annuity.
IS7IS ~ ~ 7ISSiS - ~ 7TS51

ONE of the wealthiest cats in the
y world live in Harlem," said the
theological student, who was talking
about experiences with cats. II mean
exactly what say. There are cats here
which have money in the bank, which
live in luxury on their incomes. For
there are scores of rich maiden ladies
in Harlem who make cats their favorite
companions, and when they die they
leave the felines legacies, and fat ones,
too. Guardians are appointed for the
animals, and thus they lead life of
feline ease until the fires of the ninth
life are extinguished.
"When my friend Dalton's elderly
maiden aunt died, some time ago, she
left a legacy of 5000 a year to her pet
Maltese cat, Madison jerks, Il name be-
slowed on the animal in memory of a
lover who died many years ago, and di-
rected in her will that Dalton should be
its guardian. AS long as the cat lived
he was to provide it with every care and
dainty, and when it died the $500 year
was to go to Dalton, to be used as he
pleased. To make sure that Madison
jerks obtained all the care and cat
luxuries she wished him to have, Dal-
toms aunt specified in her will = long
list of things to be purchased every
week, and directed that the bills should
be sent regularly to the executor of her
estate to be audited. The executor was
also to visit the cat once month to as
lok Do14
lectful.
swell, Dalton took the cat to !. his
home in Manhattan avenue and was
highly pleased to have direct charge of
Madison jerks and the 5000 a year, for
he calculated that an annual expendi-
ture of $50 would cover. the cats re-
quirements, thus leaving $3.50 a year
for his own and his children's numerous
needs. But when he went to the execu-
tor at the end of the first quarter. to
draw his first installmentEof the $500
Dalton found, to his amazement and
chagrin, that under the provisions of
his aunt's will he had had to spend two
thirds of the money due, leaving only a
beggarly $50 for himself. He returned
home chewing cloves and stepped in
thought.
'Mrs. Dalton was equally amazed and
chagrined and joined Dalton in his lam
entatfons. 1t seemed impossible to
evade the heavy expenditures for Mad
ison jerks. The executor, who taught
in Sunday school and was a conscien-
tious man, insisted that every specifi-
cation in Dalton's aunt s will which re-
lated to Madison jerks should be full
filled to the letter.
"'And so,' sighed Mrs. Dalton, gloom
lily, we must continue to pay $400 out
of the $500 every year until that impu-
dent cat dies = -s.5@.. <..
"'Until he dies!' ~ -. $,<..s Il n !, O.
Dalton kissed her. Then he danced.
He would have stood on his head, but
the children had, assem- bledto take part
in the family gloom and such an up
sending of the parental anatomy he
deemed ruinous to parental authority
"'Funny it, never occurred to me be-
fore,' he said. II = s1p|fts
"'What never occurred to you be-
fore?' asked Mrs. Dalton, astonished by
his actions. ~ .ss RI.
"That Madison jerks had been look
ing mighty feeble Of late and is liable
to drop off almost any day. returned
Dalton, scanning the chandelier in a
meditative fashion. 81 fs<
''Mrs. Dalton scanned the carpet pat
terms. She was a good woman, and her
mind and heart did not bend easily to
a suggestion of crime; but $4OO year
for bloated, lazy, good -for-nothi cat
when the children needed
Trough on rats wouldn't do, would
it?' she ventured, still cycling the pat
terms. s ], /. b
No. answered Dalton. That pes
tiferous lynx-eyed executor would in
sist on an autopsy, and have the courts
set aside the legacy on the grounds Of
s. H.r4 a. M z