The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-08-11
Tenth Page

Inc village street DelOW was empty, ana every
thing was quiet with the exception Of the garru!
GUS old man smoking with much enjoyment on
the settle behind him.
It'll do power O. good" said the ancient
craning his neck round the edge of the settle and
turning q bleared eye on the window II amt
like some folk; never did mind drop O rain.
The traveller grunted and, returning to the
settle opposite the old man fell to lazily strok
ing cat which had stroled In attracted by ths
warmth Of the small fire which smouldered in the
crate.
He's a good mouser," said the old man. "but
expect that Smith the landlord would sell I'm
to anybody for arr a crown: but we ad cat IN
Ciaybury once that you couldn't ha' bought for
hundred golden soveregns"
The traveller continued to caress the cat.
"A white cat, with one yailer eye and one blue
one" continued the old man. 1T sounds queer,
but It's as true as sit ere wishing that 'ai
me-"
The traveller with start. that upset the cats
nerves, finished his own mug, and then ordered
both to be refed. He stirred the fire into a
blaze, and lighting his pipe and putting one foot
on to the hob, prepared to listen.
1t used to belong to old man Clark, young Joe
Clarks uncle, said the ancient, smacking his
lips delicately over the ale and extending trem.
uious claw to the tobacco-pouch pushed towards
him; and he was never tired Of showing 1t off to
people. He used to call It Is blue-eyed darling,
and the fuss e made o that cat was sinful
Young Joe Clark couldn't bear 1t, but being
down In Is uncles will for five cottages anu bit
o land bringing In about forty pounds year. he
ad to ide his feelings and pretend as he loved
It, He used to take 1t little drops O. cream and
tt-bts o meat, and old Clark was so pleased that
Q promised I'm that he should ave the cat along
with all the other property when e was dead.
Young Joe said he couldn't thank i'm enough,
and the old man, who 'ad been ailing long time,
made I'm come up every day to teach i'm 'ow to
take care OF 1t arter he was gone. He taught
Joe 'ow to cook Its meat and then chop II I'D
a lima Rc,
It's milk; and ow he wasn't to make a noise whsa
1t was asleep.
Take care your children don't worry 1t, Joe,"
ne ses one day, very sharp. "One O. your boys
was pulling Its tail this morning and want you
to clump his cad for i'm"
Which one was it?" SEES Joe.
The slobbery-nosed one" SEES old Clark
III give i'm clout as soon as 4 get ome." ses
Joe, who was very fond Of is children.
Go and fetch i'm and do 1t ERE" SEES the old
man; ''thatll teach i'm to love animals"
Joe went on 'ome to fetch the boy and artei
his mother 'ad washed his face, and wiped his
nose, an put clean pinneyfore on 'im he took
i'm to Is uncle's and clouted his cad for i'm
AFTER that Joe and is wife 'ad words all night
long, and next morning old Clark, coming In from
the garden, was just In time to see i'm kick the
cat right acrost the kitchen
He could 'ardly speak for a minute, and when
Q could Joe see plain wot a foil he'd been. Fust
OF all q called Joe every name he could think Of
which took I'm long tme-and then he orde'
ed I'm out OF is house.
You shall ave my money wen your betters
have done with It," he ses, land not afore
That's all you've done for yourself"
Joe Clark didn't know wot he meant at the
time but when old Clark died three months az.
forwards he found out. His uncle 'ad made q
new will and left everything to old George Bars.
for as long as the cat lived, providing that he
took care OF II. When the cat was dead tho
property was to 60 to Joe.
The cat was only two years old at the time
and George Barstow, who was arr crazy with 10y
said 1t shouldn't be Is fault II It didn't live au.
other twenty years
The funny thing was the quiet way Joe Clark
took 1t. He didn't seem to be at all cut up
about 1t, and when Henry Walker said II was
shame, g said he didn't mind, and that George
barstow was old man, and he was quite well
come to ave the property as long as the cat lived
1T must come to me by the time I'm an old
man he ses, and that's all I care about"
Henery Walker went of, and as e passed the
cottage where old Clark used to live, and which
George Barstow ad moved into, e spoke to the
oio man over the palings and told I'm wot Joe
noro