Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1900-03-27
Whatever they can md ne an

swered
This reply filed me with despair. for
foond 40 food anywhere. though |
hunted very eagerly. Finally I saw a
young working girl preparing her
breakfast in an attic. and on the table
IN front of the window was a beautiful
outlet with a most appetizing smell.
There's a chance for me- rhouch,
In all innocence. and l sprang on the
table and grasped the outlet.
The moment. however. thar the
working girl caught sight OF me she
raised her broom and struck me a fear
fui oiow on the back. l dropped the
meat and rushed out of the attic.
What are you about?" remarked the
toHcaL When you see meat on a Ia
BILE. you must understand that you can
only enjoy 1t from a distance. If you
want food. you'll have to look ON the
| roofs"
His statement hat meat in kitchens
does no belong TO cats was incompre-
hensible TO me. Now indeed my stom-
ach began to clamor most earnestly for
food The tomcat filled me with de-
spair by his assurance hat we could
not expect to get much food before
nightfall. "When darkness comes" he
said. I'VE Will go down into the street
and search through the ash heaps.
Wait till n~ightfall" How calmly he
said that. the hardened old philosopher,
Very ugly the street appeared To me.
Here found no more warmth, no more
sunshine. Very different was il on the
cleaning roofs, where one could frolic
80 comfortably. With bitter regret l
thought of my warm blanket and of
my feather pillow.
Scarcely had we reached the street
when my friend the tomcat began TO
trembie- He made himself small. very
small. and sneaked past the houses. |
while be ordered me to follow him as
quickly as possible. AS soon as he
came to a door he hid himself and be-
gan to pur ~contentedly. When l asked
him why he had fed, b. answered.:
Did you see hat man with the big
hooky'
yes"
well. If be bad caught sight Of US.
he would have cooked and eaten u.s."
Cooked and eaten u.s." | 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. | foun6 two or three bare bones
buried in dirt and ashes. Then l ap
preciated the value of fresh meat. My
friend b tomcat examined the heaps
with the skill of an artist
He let me run around until morning,
and for ten hours l remained in the
rain. shiverfng with cold In every limb.
Internal street. accused liberty! How
l longei for my prison.
When day came and he saw me al
most Dowerless. he asked:
Have you had enough of itY'
"Oh. yes" l replied. /.
do you want to go back homer s
"Of course l DO, but TO- are we TO
and the house?" {
Come. When | saw you yesterday
! knew well that q fat cat !,
like you would not appreciate the joys /
Of liberty. | know your home, and l
will take you to the door." I
The worthy old tomcat said these I
words with the utmost composure. I
When we cache the door. he babe me /
farewell and did not seem In the least t
moved at parting from me. I
-NoS~ 1 cried: I'VE cannot part thus 6
You fnust come with me- We VIII
share the same bed and the same meat I
My mistress is a good woman" i
He Interrupted me hastily.
"Silence." he exclaimed. "You are
l fool, In your warm home | would
soon go to pieces. Your quiet. domes-
lie life is good for pet cats. Eats that l
owe liberty will never surrender it for
he sake of tidbits and a feather bed. t
Goodbye 4
He returned to the roofs. l saw his b
leaf body culver with Joy as ii y
the caresses of the rising sur t
As l entered the house your aunt C
a rod and gave me a thrashing. d
l received with deep joy.
1t was a zeal luxury for me to feel
warm once more. While she beat me l
with rapture Of the dainty y
neat which she would soon set before =
ne. 4
Let me tell you" said my cat as he :,
himself out at full length on Ii
he hearth. true happiness. paradise.
ny dear sir. consists In being locked up
md getting a thrashing In q room
where there IS a piece of meat"
l merely give this as my cats opin-
on.-New York Herald.