Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-01-11
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY.
Padre Mateo
Verdugo's Cats

demonstrated, with great humility, Il
had no milk left after supplying the
sick babe of the squaw who died last
week. Surely the kittens can wait"
''Wait?" stormed the padre. "Are
they not wailing from hunger even
now? Their cries pierce my heart. How
can leave them to your charge and go
away for eight long days-and go j
must"
At these words hope sprang up in
Guadaloupe's perfidious heart.
Art thou going away, reverend pa
dreT" he asked meekly. Am 1. indeed,
to be left alone for eight days."
1T is true" replied the priest sadly.
Il must go. l am summoned TO report
to my superior at San Luis Roy, and
the journey will require eight days.
But how can 1 go? The Indians can
get along well enough, but what. ask
you, heart OF wood, what will become
OF my cats?"
Next day, as Padre Mateo trudged
slowly down the road. a sardonic smile
came upon the countenance of the
wicked sacristan.
1t was nearing midday. Already Ig-
natius, the oldest and leanest and hun
griest of the cats, had appeared, sniff
ing, to learn If dinner was being cook
| ed.
II will teach thee, Villain muttered
the sacristan fiercely, as he busted
himself building n fire. II wilT- teach
thee to sit and glover ut me while
work till my body shakes with weari-
ness
When the meal was ready, Guada-
loupe went to the door. Come. Carlotta,
dearest Come, my Pedroi Come, Car
los" he called tenderly. Hasten with
in, for thy dinner awaits! Be quick,
then; all of your
When the cats were seated, Guada-
loupe. after tightly closing the doors,
hurried to the chapel. From the altar
he selected the largest crucifix, and.
bearing this in the left hand and
great whip behind him in his right
hand, he returned to the PADRES house.
Holding the crucifix before him, the
sacristan entered the room where the
cats were assembled. Now, wretches,
brutes, villainsr' he shouted. and ut
each word came a cut from the whip.
"Fiends, monsters, ungrateful beasts,
receive your punishment
The astonished creatures leaped
from their seats and tore madly about
the little room, but they could not get
beyond the reach of Guadaloupe'S
whip. He dashed right and left, still
holding the crucifix before him. till ut
last he could no longer WELD the whip.
Thrice each day a similar scene was
enacted, till at the sight of the crucitix
the creatures would spring wildly from
their seats and seek to escape.
Padre Mateo returned at night and
was welcomed cordially by the per-
fidious sacrIstan. In the morning Qua
daloupe called the padre to the break
fast meal.
"But-where are the cats?" asked
Padre Mateo.
Guadalupe shrugged his shoulders,
with a look of sadness. Speak not of
them, reverend padrer'
"But 1 want my cats"
"Your excellency, 1 fear you have
been befooled."
where are my cats?''
"Well, then, 1 will call them, veneer |
able padre, but first let me speak. 1
fear the creatures are not mere COM
mon cats, else why did they conduct |
themselves so strangely in your alb |
senceT'
"Nonsense. roared the padre. Call
my catsT'
But wait, your reverence. AS your |
reverence knows, 1t is my duty always |
on n Thursday to clean the candle |
sticks and the sacred crucifixes on the |
altar. Your reverence well remembers |
that 1t is my custom always to bring |
them outside into the air that the dust
NOT soil tho altar cloth What will L
your reverence think when reveal the
wlckedness of your reverence's cats?
They are devils surely, else why should
they run from the crucifix as the evil
one would fiee?"
"NonsenseF' roared the padre. "Call
my catsy'
So the sacristan did as he was bid.
Now" said Padre Mateo trium-
phantly when all the cats were seated
about the table, 1--WE will test this
thing. Bring the crucifix"
Without word the wicked sacristaD
few to the chapel and returned hold
ing fhe sacred emblem aloft before
him. At it's appearance the unhappy
cats gave discordant howl of despair
and fed.
AS the last swollen tail disappeared
the padre gave gasp and caught the
arm for support.
"Devilst' he walled, at last wringing
his trembling hands. Things of evil,
alas. alas! How ye have deceived me!
My worthy Guadaloupe, thou hast spo-
ken truly. But, oh, how 1 have loved
theml Get thy gun. my Guadalupe.
They are fiendsl Get thy gun and
rend their wicked hearts."-New York
Evening JournaI