The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1904-07-28

. tAhlNts nc ftNkhhf ~ "FtA ~ lt@NsAteA~N N1'
,iruss li. selection. II repulscd. he re
tires sish dlgtlr, ard returns presently
with renewcd detc ninAtioa, Altar all, h
Il really lhe same aitten who once clinbet
the teitea do0r, AID tslli1d to victory from
the tomato vnes.
| But though hero of perseverance, "Pus
sum- ia rot dlsIirglish,d As warrior
He has fAIlh ID discretion, AID 10 willirs
to r,iy on his sped rslher than upon hli
skill aud prav,ssia CO 4 e.. Not tina. b,
lis coRald--st least, not ersv,nly 30
When nee fac d Ia The light objection,
have sca him dtfT tuce sfuliy rand IN
dog, or he tet-pound tom asiaer" scros'
the wsy. His II ulty stms 10 b 10 4
/ II iuto lhc altitude aLd direc Ion OF war,
Prpsps hls ofJ CT 10 running "a to gel
far eroush ahtai to tnsblo him to turn
sround lie docs i ghs, too, fer be some
times bears The earmsias OF battle. isup.
pose they catch lin tog and lhen. o.
the morning after Thslbsgivrg he had 8
lump on bis forehead, d ltill more recent
| " be retprrtd il AMY d co dhion fmQd
ard water snd huniiistion after nights
aoserce. De ltmsuted dismslly while !
had him 10 the tub, probably explaining
how the cyclone hsd Gverttk u him before
he corli make hsfbor, and giving o.hef
valuable tea imony.
pse light | b ard a violent aItIcaiion
jast Gu side my window, ard when no long
er able to res rain my curiosity, rose ard
looked i4to the moonlight, halfsgrosn
tree stands b.; our side. walk. Il was late
autumn, and the leaves had disappeared.
They had been replaced with somethir &
larger. did not at frat realize what the
black burlhes sere that decorated the
several Limbs AID forks OF the little tree,
Then observed la It was q tree Of cats.
Ga the topmost ugh there swung and
bslar ced a feline form that evidently had
been driven TO last retreat.
descended to the kitchen, ard returned
with coal Leaning cut, 4 irg a shurtling
handful, that resulted In q wild osplosion
OF cats, leaving a single cat stlll balancing
on the topmost bough. y melting about
Its outline caused me to discontinue al ar-
thracite treatment. Then the coast being
quite clear, there was cautious descent, q
stealthy slipping alorg the path below, and
into the white moonlight beneath my win
dow there stepped with SOLEMN tread our
own great gray, reliable "Pussum".
Somehow We Eever connected "Pussum"
with romance, for he was so stately and
reserv d In his treatment Of bis neighbors
Even when we saw him considering with
vague interest the slender black ard white
cat who occupied the ce lar Of the vacant
house next door, we did not regard the
matter as more than a casual Acquaintance
ship. Anyhow, being interested in build
ing a new addition to our house, and in cur
gardening, We we're tuo pusy 10 take more
than a psssiog interest In 'iPussum's"
affiirs.
Ga the whole 1t seemed to be rather
hard summer for "Pussum". His favorite
corners were disordered his favorie cush-
ions were tumbled and up ct. Less than
this has driven more than one bachelor to
domes. .icity, and perhaps after all we were
to blame.
When the house was settled at last, he
returned much as usual, and presently fell
into lisfavor, through persistence In
occupying ne wly and bluely upholstered
chair, which We were trying to keep hard
some and free from hairs. Repeated cvlc
tion aud dire threats were CT no avail.
"Pus:umn slept in the chair wherever IL
stood upright, and protested when 1t vas
made uninl asitable by book. or when Its
angle made re- matter Of discomfort and
peril.
II was this later unkiLdness On cur part
that resulted In disaster to the chair and
deep disgrace on the part Of "Pussum". ]
suppose tipped the chair little too sud
denly, ard "Pussum" being dreaming, per-
hsps thought he was falling on prtcipice.
At all events, he claxCd and ciurg dekper-
ately, with the resnit that there were two
long slits In the blue fabric, that were as
wounds In our hearts. When he was final
ly captured and banished said that this
was the end. At sunlise he should die. L.
was simply a question whether would tie
our little feline brother to tree and use
him for target practice, Or take him down
cellar cnd quietly remove his head with my
new saw. On the whole lpreferred the lat
ter but the "precious ones"becime violent
when I mentioned ti.her method. They
were overlookif < the whole matter, aid de-
clared that nothing should harm hair OF
tteir darling cat. Sill ! WAS unforglvirg
aud the ntxs forenoon Xhich was sunny
and sunisy--whsn ! saw him blinking at
me from the stepa, while filed some vases
from the marigold patch, was Indifferent
and cool In my manner to him. Presently
something vas rubbing against my leg,
and purriug. was surprised at tLi---it
was not "Pussum's" way. Neither was II
ePussum,', for Wien ! locked down saw
Il was the slender ard hitherto wild, black
and white cat from the vsean. cellar next
door.
We'll, | taia, what does this mean
What do you wants
The black aud hite cat looked up plead
iDgly ard Continued 10 rub and parr.
No, 20 away, Igrowled, We do not want
you. We've got one cat too many nov.
The black and while cat looked up.
That's jast vha! want to talk about, she
purred. Our poor Possum".
On, cur ppor 'Pdssum". um-weli,
never mind cur poor "Panumn. FEES In
disgrace. He's torn my beautiful rev
chair with hls claws.
Yes, assenlcd the black aud ahite cat,
thoughtiuiy, kso~. But do you always