The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-05-25

! He had been seen to act as arbiter be
| tween two game cocks with spurs and a
| harmless little bantam they wished to
! destroy. The game cocks evidently wish
ed TO appropriate everything in sight and
didn't give the bantam any showing at
| all
Our Roosevelt promptly stepped into
! the breach and by his arched back.
threatening manner and open claws terri
| fled the two DULLES and drove them back
! to their own domains.
| They do not now crow quite so loud and
Roosevelt took the bantam under his pro-
| lection.
Our Roosevelt believed in helping the
weaker brother, and while he held to his
own tenacious grip he never encroached
upon others preserves.
lie had even been seen to slap the dog $
| face when he sought to appropriate a
bone Roosevelt desired for his own
lie believed in freedom and equal rights
only within decent bounds
So the news of the cats uutmely death
stirred up great Indignation il the family.
small boy Of the neighborhood &c
rortod that n man with gun had simply
used Roosevclts head as target ana
Shot him for sport
At this the mother spoke Of suing for
damages. and ROosevclt's value rose IN
The estimation of the neighbors as the
figures for damages increased. one Is
apt to accord others the valuation they
put anon themselves and their belongings.
After awhile Roosevelt had arisen 70
such eminence that had he lived in an
cIent Egypt there would doubtless have
been n tc.uple erected to his memory.
Finally about a dozen little boys had
dropped in TO sympathze with Charhe
in the loss Of his pet
The mother sent the man from his
gardening 10 assist in the preparations
for the funeral.
4 small pine coffin was constructed,
while the boys took the red express
wagon and went for the body Of the cat
The mother selected the spot tor the
grave and the man dug it deep and wide.
II was in the shadow of the lockwood
hedge where the purple tomb vines were
IN blossom and where the evergreen ten
drills Of the vine would beautfy The spot
Then came the wonderful cortege, the
boys had risen to the Importance Of the
occasion: excitement fired their youthful
hcarts us they sang III chorus, These
bones shall rise again"
As lie man lowered poor Roosevelt in
40 his grave Charles tears burst out
anew. his mother had already drenched
her haudke rchief
She erasped the moment to impress
lesson in Kindness upon the boys She eX-
borted them to let the sad catastrophe
teach them humanity 40 every creature.
She waXed eloquent and wished thcn
and there to establish society for the
prevention OF cruelty to animals
All were Gods creaturea-al had 4
bat Irit rftl If.4
who gave life had the right TO take it.
Thcn came the oulogies 10 poor RooSe-
ycit never before had there been such q
faithful, sensible eat. He had been SO
clearly in habit, SO handsome-such y
gentleman of a cat And now he was
Cead' Murdered by man who should
have had pity and humanity in his
breast but he had proven himself an in
human brute
The dirt bad been packed into
mound over The grave. the boys had
gathered white pebbles to put over IT,
and wreathed it in towering vines.
Suddenly a familiar meow broke
upon their ears
The mother shrieked, the boys turned
in terror; there beside them. waving his
tail as triumphantly as if It had been
the Monroe doctrine, stood Roosevelt.
The cat had come back.
The colored man dropped the SHOVEL
and exclaimed. Il alters knowd dat
eats had nine lives. but l didn't spect
Roose 1T back SO soon"
Yes. It was Roosevelt. in the flesh;
there were all the familiar mar<s-one
ear uicked tooth out bullet hole in
one lee-made BY stray sling shot while
ne vas in his riotous kittenhood- The
buried eat HAD been exactly IKE This
one.
The BOYS were for opening the grave
to sec if a genuine resurrection mad
taken place, but the mother persuaded
them to let wen enough alone as there
was Roosevelt. alive and well, IN the
arms Of his delighted little master
T II. STRICKLAND.
Andereon s c