davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-14
WHEN THE CAT AWAY HI MICE WILL PLAY"
WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REpuB11c.

WRITTEN FoR THE SUNDAY REPuBILc.
Except In tourist time the duties OF her
Majesty's Consul at Neutrality-suspicious.
cannot be called excessive. N. De Lamothe
had come to cheer my solitude. I had met
NJ. de Lamothe only q few days before,
while exploring the wooded country on the
other side Of the Oder. He was an Alsa-
tan. he explained. IND . writer by pro-
fession-but as he did not favor me with
particulars regarding his works I gath
cred that his literary aspirations were 70
far uncrowned by success.
NJ. de Lamothe and I had been discussing
Johann XIII. the absentee Prince Of Lut-
zingen, my Alsatian acquaintance agree
ing In q rather fistlesS way with b warm
and decidedly undiplomatic sentiments
which I expressed. mo doubt. Mr.. Mallory,
YOU are right" he said. "a ruling sover-
eign should I suppose. live among his sub
jects. But, has he not placed the Gov
ernment in the hands Of good Ministersf
There il Herr Won Rottweiler. the Presi-
dent OF the Council Of State"
IA professional politician. nearly - IN
popular a. the Prince himself. II I might
speak quite unreservedly-"
please do, Mr.. Mallory. I shall carry no
tales"
well, It IL indiscreet T. talk: but the
state OF affairs disgusts me 30 much that
it is a comfort to find some one to whom
! can relieve my feelings safely" And then
and there I told Lamothe everything which
] had discovered about the corruption prac-
ticed by Won Rottwefler and the other
Councillors. thk scandalous overtaxation OF
the people. the wholesale bribery in con-
nection with Government contracts nj the
infamous proposal to turn the capital town
Of Marbach into . gambling center. La
mothe listened politely while I unburdened
myself. raising his eyebrows over the most
f1agranf portions Of tina narrative. hut dis.
playing no very great interest.
Il never heard that Prince Johann was .
prc0igats." ! put IN, ''but merely that he
was Q careless young fellow. who spent
his time in exploration and trave instead
q properly governing his people,"
lamothes reply I did not hear. for the
aoise q cazEtags Wheels In b street
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-14

ty Gosser and her song" OF course, I am
an old Heidelberg man, and my German Is
excellent. but without Lamotlle's assistance
l could never have hoped to turn out much
idiomatic work. Lamothe coached Kitty
carefully in accent and pronunciation. The
title, freely translated into English. was
when the Cats Away" and it was simply
a fable set to music, crowded with local al
l~usions, and telling in obvious parable the
story of Prince Johann's abandonment OF
his realm to Herr Won Rottweiler and his
gang of corrupt Ministers. Now. as every
one knows, Johann NXIII descends from
the medieval lords Of katzenberg, or
"Cat's Mountain" so that when he figured
in our satire as
A princely pussy cat. sleek and fine.
The twenty-third of an ancient line,
the application to his Highness was plain
enough.
There was no mistaking the Old Father
Rat" whom We introduced into the chorus
of our song, for that happened to be Won
Rottweiler's nickname among the good peo-
pie of Lutzingen; and the gray whiskers OF
the Prime Minister were well known to
daring caricaturists.
The evening came, The "curtain-raiser''
concluded with a touch of that homely
| Wertherish pathos so popular in German
middle-class theaters, and the manager
came forward to announce Miss Kitty Cos
ser. Then Kitty tripped into view, and I
saw, to my amusement, that the little mink
had dressed herself in catskins. real or else
ingenious limitations. For headgear she
wore a gigantic cats mask. with bristlins
whiskers and great leering eyes. From be-
meath this strange covering her pretty,
tricksome face smiled out upon the audi
! ence. which hailed her with a mild enthu-
siasm. In his box l could see old Rottweiler
laughing and clapping his white-gloved
hands.
The song ~began-it's title, when the
Cats Away" being first announced in loud
tones by the leader of the orchestra. in ac-
cordance with Marbach custom. Kitty was
a little nervous, I fancy. but she managed
to disguise her emotion fairly well. Hardly
had she sung the first words
"a princely pussy cat. sleek and fne,
The twenty-third of an ancient linel.
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-14
The Story of How a Variety Turn Influenced a German
King to Stay at Home.

clear. rapid tones; now. my friends. I havs
something to say to you all. I am tho
Prince of Lutzingen-an exile no longer. I
have come back to live and reign among
my people. and to deal with them as my
fathers dealt. honestly and fairly. For a
month I have been dwelling incognito upon
the borders of the principality, while my
Ministers thought me at the furthest ends
Of the earth. I have watched over Lutzin-
gen in sec~ret-watched and grieved. And out
of that watching and grieving came q res
olution to return to my throne"
Before the storm Of reclamation could
break, he had vanished from the royal box.
AS for me-. 1 went behind the scenes to
find Kitty Gosser. The little woman was
radiant.
SUGGEST" she exclaimed. "S-u-c-c-e-s-si
Success! my boy! o! what a brick that
Prince is! And, o! how Nellie Burlington
will cry when she reads the news in the
morning papers!'
But perhaps it will not be in the morn
ing papers," I ventured. Kitty looked at me
~pityingly.
do you think I'm a donkey?' she said.
why. I've just sent a complete account
Of the affair to my agents in London: and
Reuters representative has been here to in
terview me-"
AS we were speaking. an aid-de-camp,
gorgeous in blue and gold. came forward
and presented Miss Gosser with a note, II
was from Prince Johann, and read as fol-
lows:
Although the cat has come back and
means business. the mice may lave one
more night in which to play. The Prince Of
Lutzingen's official labors do not
until Tomorrow. In the meantime, NJ. de
Lamothe-the Alsatian artist and composer
CT ballajs-win be glad to join Miss Gosser
at supper In the K~atzenberger Hotel, The
bearer Will escort Miss Gosser thither; and
If the whereabouts Of Mr.. Mallory, the
British Consul at Weissberg. can be ascer-
tanned. NJ. de Lamothe begs that he, too,
may form one of the party"
1t was a very merry little supper; and
Kitty Gosser sang when the Cats Away
for the second and last time,
GERALD Brennan
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-14

from the gallery stopped in midcourse; the
police ceased to wrestle in surprise: women
clung to their escorts. trembling with fear.
What had happened? Had the long-threat-
cned revolt broken out in Marbach? Were
the enemies of the Prime Minister attack
ing the garrison?
Steadily the barracks guns doomed their
message; but 1t was not until the twenty
first fire that the truth dawned on the peo-
pie at the Volks Theater. This was a royal
salute. Some great sovereign had visited
Marbach.
Somewhere in the now silent house a
bugle sounded; the curtains before the
gloomy box set apart for Lutzingen were
swept back: the great chandeliers in the
box flashed forth their score of lights; and
a tall figure, dressed in uniform blazing
with orders, strobe forward to the marble
balustrade.
who is he? Who can he be?" ran the
eager whispers: and, then, as the person.
age In the box slightly turned his profile
to see what was happening on the stage,
that same shrill voice from the pit, which
had called for the second verse Of our song,
cried. in tones of recognition: TT is the
Prince. His hair has grown gray, but 1t is
surely Johann NX1II."
But I had already recognized the new
conner. ''That is not the Prince" I ex-
claimed to my next neighbor; 1T is NJ. de
Lamothe. an Alsatian painter. I know him
we'll" For the man in uniform was. in
deed. my acquaintance Of weissberg-he
who had helped us to write "When the
Cats Away" But If he was Lamothe the
artist, he was only Johann XXIII-o!d
Rottweilers Mortified face told me that.
Release that lady" he cried, pointing to
where Kitty Gosser, ragged and disheveled,
stood staring, like the rest of us, at the
| sudden apparition. rs this the way VIZ
treat foreign artists in L~utzingen? Release
her instantly"
The command was obeyed. The rude
hands OF the police fell away from Kitty
| shoulders. Something of her old impudence
| returned. She curtsied gracefully to the
royal box; and I thought that I saw the
| shadow OF a smile upon the Princes face.
And now he continued, speaking in
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-14

ON April z and 8. 1862, occurred the battle
of Shiloh. near Pittsburg Landing. on the
Tennessee River. lightweight miles east
Of Memphis. The Federals, under General
Grant. were surprised by the Confederates
under General A. s. Johnston. and forced
back to the river. Johnston was killed and
Beauregard succeeded him Grant was re-
enforced by Buelrs Army on the 18th. and
the Confederates were compelled to retreat.
The Federals lost about 14.00 men and the
Confederates about 10000.
The surrender of the outnumbered and
almost starving Confederate Army at APP
pomattox Courthouse. Va, situated about
twenty-five miles east of Lynchburg. &C.
CURED on April 9. 1865.
Fort Sumter was fired upon April Il. 1861.
and on the 18th the fortress was surrendered
to the Confederates. who held it until the
evacuation of Charleston. February II. 1866.
Henry Clay was born in Hanover County,
Virginia, April IL. LIT. His early life was
spent in the western part Of the State in n
district called 1.-The Slashes." He Is often
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-14

is the first time. I fancy. hat one Of us
has been called on to act the part of the
atrical agent"
IL thought you were a friend" cried
Kitty, tearfully.
81 am always your friend, Miss Gosser:
There are no butts between real
friends
Who could answer the mink otherwise
than in the affirmative?
Good she continued. ''Then listen to
my plan. But first; your other visitor is
not a subject of the Prince Of Lutzingen,
I think?"
Lamothe rose with a q~uickness for which
I had not given him credit. mo, Miss
Gosser." he replied. II am not a Lutzinsen
subject at all. But as you doubtless desire
a private talk with the Consul"
Kitty, who was nothing II not uncerc-
monious. %playfully pushed him back into
his chair. please don't 60" she eS-
claimed. eagerly. Perhaps you can help
us. Now. gentlemen. I'll tell you what I'm
going to do. I'm going to get expelled from
the principality for the crime Of lese
majestic"
1 gasped. And you expect me. a British
Consul"
ITO help? Yes. young man: but only Sc
cretly. You shan't be implicated or run
any risk of a wigging. All I ask Of you Is
to scribble me a song, like the ones you
used to write before you became an I'm
portant Parsonage. Wen ring up the music
between US. and I shall eing it o-night at
the Volks Theater in Marbach. It must be
a rafting attack on old Won Rottweiler, the
Prime Minister. and the rest Of the Council.
besides pitching into this gadabout Of a
Prince Johann. Now. II you write me a
ong-no a scurrilous song. you know. but
| a sort of parable that the people can see
through and understandable sing 1t at the
volks Theater. There will be a tremendous
sensation; the house will be crowded.
and"
And Miss Kitty Gosser will be marched
across the frontier in charge of a troop Of
Dragons" y
Precisely. After that. success is easy.
All the Fatherland's going to ring with Kit
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-14
FAMOUS
Demosthenes Denounced.

FROM an Grafton delivered at Athens
against Demosthenes. 3A B. c. Let us no
longer suffer by the corrupt and pernicious
conduct of Demosthenes. Let 1t not be i'm
agined that we shall ever want good men
and faithful counselors. With all the gen.
erous severity Of our ancestors. let US pun
fish the man whose bribery, whose treason.
are unequivocally detected; who could not
resist the temptation Of gold: who In war
has proved himself a coward. in his civil
conduct a busybody: who. when his fellow
citizens are called forth to meet their enc
mics in the field. flies from his post and
hides himself at home; when the danger is
at home. and his aid is demanded here,
pretends that he Is an Ambassador. Int
runs from the ethyl
Let his man no longer amuse you with
airy hopes and false representations. and
promises which he forgets as soon as ut
tered! Let not his ready tears and lam
entations move you! Reserve all your pity
for your country; your country which his
practices have ~undone-your country which
now implores you to save 1t from a trait
or's hand. When he would waken all your
sympathies for D~emosthenes. then turn your
eyes on Athens Consider her former glory.
Contrast 1t with her present degradation!
And ask yourselves whether DemoSthenes
has been reduced to greater wretchedness
by Athens, or Athens by Demosthenes!
-Dinarchua
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-14

than I heard Whispering all around me, and
saw my neighbors looking at one another
in a half-startled manner. But when she
described the contents OF the larder over
which the cat was set to watch
(Marbach cheeses. and Lutzngen hams.
And Katzenberg carp. and Weissberg 1ams).
and detailed his scandalous neglect of duty,
and his leaving of all these good things to
the vermin, there was a sort Of general
chuckle. followed by cries Of approval and
intelligence. In the ministerial box. how
ever, Won Rottweiler and his friends had
ceased to applaud. and were glaring savage
ly at the singer. Kitty saw the Prime Min
lister Juggling at his whiskers. and coolly i'm
itated the gesture, thus giving additional
point to the chorus about 'tOld Father Rat"
The Marbachers understood the full gist OF
the satire now. Roars Of laughter came
from the pit; in the parquet seats fat burgh-
ers were holding their sides. and rolling
about with merriment, and When Kitty had
duly chanted the refrain. 1t was taken up
by q tremendous volume of voice. All eyes
were turned upon the ministerial box. while
parquet, pit and gallery Numbered in uni
SON:
Old Father Rat. with his whiskers gray.
Said. Let us be gay, there is naught to pay;
When the cats away the mice will play.
So nibble. and come again. o.
The Prime Minister'S face was as gray
as his whiskers. Two or three of the
officers around him drew their swords. while
a band Of active youths, swinging them
selves over the gallery rail. began to
swarm down the pillars of the ministerial
box. A great stamping behind the scenes
was succeeded by the downfall of two OF
the wings and the entry OF a squad Of po-
lice with sidearms drawn. Kitty Gosser
found herself a prisoner. Two %strappine
gendarmes seized her by the shoulders, tear
ing away the ~grinning cats mask from her
head, and dragging her with 40 gentle
hands from the stage.
Just at this critical moment something
occurred which stopped the uproar as If by
magic. There was the boom of a big gun
from the artillery barracks across the Kat
zenberg-platz. Once-twice-thrice the can
non roared. The figures scrambling down
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-14
From Norma ~Innominata.

Come back to me. who wait and watch for
you:
Or come not yet, for It is over then,
INC long 1t is before you come again,
So far between my pleasures are and few.
While. when you come not, what I do I do
Thinking Now when he comes,'' my
sweetest. when:
For one man is my world OF all the men
This wide world holds: o. love. my world 10
you.
Howbeit. to meet you grows almost a pans
Because the pang Of parting comes so
soon;
My hope hangs waning. waxing. like a
moon
Between the heavenly days on which we
meet:
All me. but where are now The sangs I sang
When life was sweet because you called
them sweet?
I wish I could remember that first day,
First hour. first moment If your meeting
me.
II bright or dim the season. II might be
Summer or winter for aught I can say.
So unrecorded did 1t slip away
So blind was I to see and to ~foresee,
So dull to mark the budding Of my tree
That would not blossom yet for many q
May.
II only 1 could recollect II. such
A day of days! I let it come and go
As traceless as a thaw OF bygone snow;
1t seemed to mean so little, meant so much,
II only now I could recall that touch,
First touch Of hand in hand-Did one but
know!
-Christina Rossetti
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-14
remembrance.

Sweet love of youth. forgive IL l forget thee
While the worlds tide is bearing me along;
Other desires and other hopes beset me,
Hopes which obscure. but cannot do thee
wrong.
No later light has lightened up my heaven;
No second morn has ever shown for me:
All my life's bliss from thy dear life was
given:
AL my Nfe's bliss is in the grave with
thee.
But when the days of golden dreams had
persisted,
And even Despair was powerless to de-
stroy:
Then did / learn how existence could be
cherished,
Strengthened and fed without the aid Of
joy.
Then did I check the tears OF useless pas
sion
Weaned my young soul from yearning aft
er thine:
Sternly denied its burning wish to hasten
Down to that tomb already more than
mine.
m even yet I dare not let it languish.
Dare not indulge in memory's rapturous
pain:
Once drinking deep OF that divinest an
guish.
How could I seek the empty world again?
Emily Bronte.
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-14

spoken OF as the mill boy of the Slashes.'
Clay died at Washington June %. 1852. The
famous Senator from Kentucky was twice
a candidate for the presidency. He it was
who said, Il would rather be right than be
President"
Thomas Jefferson was born at Shadwell,
Aibemarle County. Virginia, April 13, 1743.
He died at Monticello, July 4, 1926, the day
on which John Adams passed away. JEFF
ferson's public service was Of vast import
ance. The author of the Declaration Of
independence was also the father of VIZ
ginia law in disestablishing the church and
the system of primogeniture. He was al
ways democratic in his aims and views.
He was Minister to France, Secretary Of
State. Vice President and PRESIDENT. He
founded the University of Virginia. The
most important event Of his administration
was his purchase of Louisiana from the
French In 1908. While Governor of Virginia
Jefferson commissioned George Rogers
Clark to make his historic and effective
campaign from Kaskaskia to Vincennes.
which resulted in the holding of the North
west Territory by the United States.
The surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga
occurred on April II. lit. This was one of
the most important events Of the Revolu-
ton. 1t showed to the world that the colo
nists were capable Of valor and military
ability, and that their organization pos
sessed sufficient strength to conduct 4
campaign to a successful end. It was this
brilliant feat Of American arms that led
France to recognize the independence OF the
United States and lend aid to the cause. It
will be remembered that General Gates was
In Of tho American forces. The
method of procedure in the campaign was
planned by General Washington, but Gates
got the credit Of It, and 1t was after this
time that the famous Gates cabal" came
into being. the plot being laid to dispossess
Washington OF his position as Commander
in-Chief. and put Gates In his stead. It was
fortunate for the cause Of liberty that the
Conway conspiracy. or the Gates cabal. as
1t was called. was not successful. Gates
demonstrated his inability at the Battle of
Camden. In the Carolinas. much later. Ben
edict Arnold distinguished himself at the
Battle Of Ticonderoga in this campaign.
The battle Of Lexington. or. more prop
erly speaking. the massacre at Lexington.
Mass. occurred on April 10. 1775. General
Gage. the British commander at Boston,
felt himself strong enough to arrest Joh
Hancock and Samuel Adams, who were
lodged at Lexington. and, accordingly,
troops were sent thither. the preparations
being made secretly. Patriot leaders in
Boston detected the affair. and two lanterns
were displayed In the tower Of the Old North
Church. This was a signal to Paul Revere
and William Dawes. and their messengers.
who rode through the country. giving the
alarm. The ext day. April 10. the minute
men at Lexington were fired upon. and the
road back to Boston. through Concord. was
q battlefield. after houses had been plum
6ered by the British.
This slight waste Of Stores" says Ban
croft. was all the advantage for which
Gage %precipitated a civil war"
Or April IA. 1866. Abraham Lincoln was
assassinated.
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-14
LITTLE CLASSICS

IN the spring a livelier iris changes on the
FURNISHED dove:
In the spring a young mans fancy lightly turns
to thoughts OF love.
-Tennyson. "Lookslsy Hail."
When daisies pied. and violets blue.
And lady-smocks all silver-whits,
And cuckoo-buds OF yellow hue
Do paint the meadow with delight.
-'Love's Labor Lost"
It Is the season now to go
About the country high and low.
Among the lllacs hand in hand,
And two by two in fairyland.
Robert Louis Stevenson.
The holy spirit Of the spring
Is working silently.
George Macdonald.
The boyhood Of the year.-Tennyson.
Sweet April showers
Do bring May flowers.
Oh. the lovely hckleness Of an April dayl
W.. H.. Gibson.
Every tear is answered by a blossom.
Every sigh with songs and laughter blent,
Apple-blooms upon the breezes toss them.
April knows her own and Is content.
Susan Coolidge.
Now the noisy winds are still:
April's coming up the hill!
All the spring Is in her train.
Led by shining ranks Of rain:
Pit. pat. patter. patter.
Sudden sun and clatter patteri
All things ready with a will.
Aprifs coming up the hill
MARY Mapes Dodge.
The children with the streamlets sing,
When April stops at last her weeping,
And every happy growing thing
Laughs like a babe just reused from sleeping.
Lucy Larcom.
''Christ the Lord Is risen to-day"
Sons Of men and angels say.
Raise your joys and triumphs high;
Sing, We heavens, and earth reply.
Charles Wesley.
Springs bursts to-day,
For Christ is risen and all the earth's at play.
Christina g. Rossetu.
think Of the garden after the rain;
And hope to my heart comes singing,
'.At morn the cherry-blossoms will be white.
And the Easter bells be ringingl'
Edna Dean Proctor.
o risen Christ! o Easter flower!
How dear thy grace has grown!
From East to West. with loving power,
Make all the world thine own.
Phillips Brooks.
Twas Easter Sunday. The full-blossomed trees
Filled all the air with fragrance and with JOY.
-Longfellow.