The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1900-05-19
A Cat and Dog Life for Tuo.

~
| Julia was madly devoted to art. She
wore "new" garments and ''new"
modes of hair; but they all became
her, though hideous on any other girl.
With aunt's $500 year, she had money
to scrape along on. Literature was
my rope of fortune. l had enough
to keep myself in bread and cheese
and the dog in bones.
But fellow requires other things
than mere necessaries. l yearned for
Julia. Thrice I made an effort to see
her, and thrice I wrote. All in vain.
I had the wretched bulldog as com
pensation and nothing more.
Now in the third or fourth week I
began to experience the joys of being
master of such brute as Strong. He
had to be kept in my own room, if
you please, because there was no yard.
While I was in it was all right; he
would sit watching me as humble as q
dog could be. But the moment / was
free of the house he would bark and
rave and keep it up until + returned.
OF course got served with sum
monses on behalf Of the nuisance.
All this time was without explicit
intelligence of Julia. 1t was madden
ing To think of this poor, dear way
ward child alone, as it were Though
not quite) in a great city, consuming
her own pride. For l felt, you see,
that she really still loved me as 1 loved
| nd rot o$ T
get from the worthy, devoted old
housekeeper who looked after her.
But one evening, when many weeks
had passed and had bred wrinkle
on my brow, who should come to see
me but Mrs. Green herself-this same
good housekeeper.
"'Tis no good talking, Mr.. Will
! loughby," she burst forth, 'and for
nobody that lives will 1 see my dear
Miss Julia breaking herprecious heart
least of all cat.''
"Go on, Mrs. Green" urged, and
she went on.
"The times we've had, sir, I'd never
have believed possible, and all along
of that Sweet wretch. You're ac'
quainted with the animal, Mr.. Will
loughby, but not as she's grown up
of late. There's an evil spirit in that
beast not fit for a decent person to
live with-and least of all tender
yohng lady like Miss Julia
"You are extremely right, Mrs.
Green, extremely" l remarked. ''Tell
me more
1.-The very last thing, sir, was the
scratching of the ''King of Scotland"
from head to foot and him ready to
be sent to the academy. Six weeks
hard work and all for nothing' my
young lady sobbed and said, appointing
at the cat, which lay purrin' like the
evil hypocrite sheis. There's nothin
safe from the false great object. And
the milk it drinks and the dainty bits
it does steal-why, it's S. week
damage it does one way or another,
if you'll believe me, Mr. Willoughby." u
II believe every word you say, myI
dear Mrs. Green" 1 replied. "Look
at that other object"
pointed at Strong as spoke and ;
made click with my tongue. Strong
obeyed that click. He stole, growing
towards Mrs. Green, who jumped up,
screamed and fled. But arrested her
outside and took her by the arm and
whispered in her large red ear and
was so glad that could have kissed
her, though she carries much hair on
her upper lip and unequivocal down
on her chin.
1--WE will go in cab," said I at
length, when I had soothed her. And
on the way convinced her that my
plan was a reasonable one and that
she Mrs. Green) would be far more
comfortable and opulent as house
keeper to two souls than as house
keeper to one soul and demon cat.
And in the street, where Julia gives
conservation to the atmospheric I first
pressed dollar into the dear creatures
palm and then set her on the pave
ment.
Then back I drove to my rooms to
find that Strong had, in playful fit,
reached down my collection of foreign
stamps lin 800 album) and divided
it into an incalculable number Of
parts. But for once did not curse
the pretty creature.
"Good old dog" said, as I patted
him on the head. And he waggei his
ugly tail and straightway proved his
goodness by swallowing British
Guinea stamp Of 1855 worth S. and
scraping to morsels its fellow worth
$40.
That night dreamed many dreams
in which Julia, Mrs. Green, the dog
Strong and the cat Sweet were strange
ly mingled. But I awoke refreshed,
nevertheless. for I was full of hope.