The Colfax chronicle., 1904-12-17
Tom of the
Koh-i-NOr% %
loopyasht. 1904, By DAILY story Pub. Co.,
BY j. C. PLUMM E R

TOM was an ugly cat. Ugliness was
congenital with him and time haf
added to 1t. His right ear hung in fes.
toons over his jaw. the result of some
fierce fight with an intruder aboard ths
brig. 1t had been hot argument for
ward as to whether Tom could or could
not see out of his left eye; at times the
organ had CLASSY appearance without
any semblance Of an eye-ball, then again
q ball was dimly visible. 1t was so alb
struse problem that the crew always
gave 1t up. With all these blemishes
with coat OF rusty black hair and tail
changed by scalding water to an imita-
ton OF the appendage of a rat--with all
these blemishes Tom was regarded with
deep respect and fed with the regularity
Of an officer. Tom had voyaged four
years with the brig Koh-i-Nor and was
regarded as her mascot. Storms had
wrecked or damaged scores of vessels
while the Koh-i-Nor. exposed to the
same gale, had triumphantly weathered
It. In fact, since Toms sailing with
the brig, she had been free from any ac-
cfdent whatever, and to what else could
such a miracle be attributed.
Toms fame dated from furious tropi-
cal gale and thunderstorm in the Mona
Passage. A sailor coming down from
aloft, bis face pale and shocked, told Of
Tom sitting in the fore-top. with cor
posant on each side of him, splitting at
the lightning. The sailors at once ac-
knowledged his position; a cat that
would do that was worthy of respect,
and Tom got it. He proved his gratitude
by assuming the general protection OF
the brig.
Creatures possessed Of occult powers
are apt to be unresponsive to the call of
common affections. and Tom loved mo-
body. He would snarl at and scratch his
most devoted admirer. There was one
exception to this rule, the captain. Tom
had habit Of following Capt. Mayhem
for short distance when he left the
brig, but whether he did this out of re-
gard or whether he regarded it as with
In his duties to protect the captain from
harm until safe distance from the
water no one knew; certainly he fol-
lowed no one else.
The brig was loading hogshead shocks
for Cuba and Capt Mayhem was strid-
Ing up and down his quarterback with a
perturbation on his countenance which
the stowage Of cargo hardly seemed to
justify.
The captains trouble was not about
the cargo; 1t was worriment which an
Eedated the stowage of cargoes some
thousands Of years. Capt. Mayhem was
In love. and whether another person
vas similarly affected, and indeed If so
affected. whether Capt Mayhew was
the depository. that was the cause of
the perturbation alluded to.
Nancy Gale was very pretty girl |
md no one knew this better than did |
Miss Nancy herself. She had a great
many suitors and she liked to have them.
She knew her power and loved to exer-
Use It. To cast a strong man into the
lepths of dependency by a careless
word, a glance or q twist of the Iip and
hen by the same simple process resur-
ect him into a happy, sanguine crea-
IRE, was one of the joys of Miss Nancy's
lie, and with no one did she amuse her
'elf with more persistency than With
japt Mayhem. That capricious Jade.
he weather. In its treatment of vessels
t sea was as nothing to the manner in
vhich Miss Nancy shifted the captain
rom hope to despair. just now he was
a despair.
Mr.. Cough. his first mate, being con-
ided in, expressed the opinion that
APT. Mayhem was too mild In his WOO
ng. He was man Of vast experience.
9th as to women and ships and he be-
Ieved In firmness. |,
When asked Mary Jane to have me
e said, "she looks up and SAYS no les,
Ike you'd hit nail with hammer. I |,
axes my hand and gives her q box on !
he ear that sends her of the cheer and !
he ups and says. yes. before she had
L. That's the way to get woman"
But Capt. Mayhem doubted the result ,
this strenuous wooing with Miss :
Tancy. T.
Capt. Mayhem set out for the Gale
ouse about dusk. His brig sailed the ,
blowing morning and he had deter +
lined to know his fate. Tom followed
IN down the gangplank and up the \
harf unnoticed by the thoughtful mari
y. There was crowd on the porch of /,
le Gale residence when the captain :
alked mp and his heart fell as he felt
g unlikelihood Of an opportunity oc- ,
Irr1ng for him to tell his love. Capt. ,
ayhew had barely paid his respects
hen Miss Nancy screamed:
What sort of a creature is that you
I'VE brought with you. captain?"
Capt Mayhem looked down at his b
e., following the general direction of !