Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-06-14

HE. you must understand that you can
only enjoy il from Il distance. Ii you
xrant food. you'll have TO look on the
roofs,
His statement that meat in Kitchens
docs not belong to cats was ipcompre-
bensible to me- Now indeed my stom-
oob began to clamor most earnestly for
food. The tomcat filed me with de
.pair bv his assurance that we could
not expect to get much food before
rfchtfaIl. when darkness comes" he
said eve will 90 down into the street
and search through the ash heaps
wait till nightfall." How calmly he
said that, the hardened old philosopher!
Very ugly the street appeared to me-
IIere found no more warmth, no more
sunshine. Very different was it on the
cleaning roofs, where one could frolic
ca comfortably. With bitter regret |
thought of my warm blanket and Of
nv feather pillow.
Scarcely had we reached the street
when my friend the tomcat began 10
trcmble. He made himself small, very
small. and sneaked past the houses,
while he ordered me to follow him as
quickly as possible. AS soon as he
came to door he hid himself and be-
gan 20 pur contentedly. When | asked
him why he had fed, he answered.
"Dd you see that man with the big
hook?'
yes"
well, if he had caught sight of us,
he would have cooked and eaten us
Cooked and eaten usr' | cried But
doesn't the street belong to us? We
don't get anything to eat and yet we
are TO be eaten ourselves"
Meanwhile the heaps of refuse in
front of the houses had been ransack-
ed. | found two or three bare bones
buried in dirt and ashes. Then | APP
nreciated the value of fresh meat My
friend the tomcat examined the heaps
with the skill Of an artist.
He let me run around until morning,
and for ten hours ! remained in the
rain, Shivering with cold in every limb.
Internal street, accused liberty! How
l longed for my prison,
When day came and he saw me al
most powerless, he asked:
Have you had enough of it?'
ION, yes" | replied.
"Do you want to go back home"
"Of course | do, but how are we TO
find the houseF
Come. When | saw you yesterday
morning, | knew well that a fat cat
like You would not appreciate the joys
of liberty, | know your home, and
will take you to the door"
The worthy old tomcat said these
words with the utmost composure.
When we reached the door, he bade me
farewell and did not seem in the least
moved at parting from me.
NO" | cried 1--WE cannot part thus.
You must come with me. We will
share the same bed and the same meat,
My mistress is a good woman"
lie Interrupted me hastily.
"Slcucew he exclaimed. you are
a fool, In your warm home | would
soon 90 to pieces Your quiet, domes-
TIC ne IS GOOD lOf pet cats. tdlS tndl
love liberty will never surrender it for
the sake Of tidbits and a feather bed.
Goodby"'
He returned TO the roofs. | saw bis
large lean body culver with JOY rs 1t
felt the caresses of the rising sun.
As | entered the house your aunt
caught a rod and gave me n thrashing,
which | received with deep JOY
1t was n real luxury for me to feel
warm once more. While she beat me |
thought with rapture of the dainty
meat which she would soon set before
me.
Let me tell you" said my cat as he
stretched himself out at full length on
the hearth, true happiness, paradise,
my dear sir consists in being locked up
and getting a thrashing in a room
where there is a piece of meat
merely give this as my eats opin.
lon.-New York Herald.