The Washington times., 1906-08-19

NTH the exception or the Ehrrulous
old man smoking with much enjoy
ment on the settle behind him
..1tu DO a power o. good" said the
ancient. craning his neck round the
edge OF the settle and turning
bleared eye on the window. am [
like some folk; / never old mind
drop o. rain.
The traveller grunted and. return
ing 20 the settle opposite the old man,
fell TO lazily stroking a cat which had
strolled in attracted by the warmth
OF the small fire which smouldered IN
the CRATE.
Hes a good mouser.' said the old
man. but I expect that Smith. the
landlord would sell I'm TO anybody for
arr a crown: but we 'ad a cat In Clay
bury once that you couldn't ha'
bought for a hundred golden sover-
eigns."
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 I sit ere wishing that 'ad
another mug o. ale as good as the
last you gave me
The traveller. with a start that up
set the cats nerves. finished his own
mug. and then ordered both to be re-
hUed He stirred the FIRE into a blaze.
and, lighting his pipe and putting one
foot on to the hob. prepared TO listen.
II used 10 belong 10 old man Clark.
young Joe Clark's uncle, said the an
Client. smackiug his lips deliCately
= H. Il.
claw TO the tOhaCco-pOuch pushed to-
wards him; and he was never tired OF
showing 70 of 10 people, He used 20
call IT Is blue-eyed darling. and the
fuss e made a. that cat was sinful
Young Joe Clark couldn't bear It,
but being down in is uncle's will for
five cottages and a bit O. land bring
ing in about forty pounds a year. he
'ad TO 'ide hts feelings and pretend as
he loved It. He used TO take II little
drops o. cream and tit-bits O. meat
and old Clark was so pleased that e
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
Tim enough. and the old man, who 'ad
been afing a long time, made I'm come
up every day 10 teach I'm 'ow 10 take
care OF II arter he was gone. He
taught Joe low TO cook its meat and
then chop 1t mp fine, 'ow it liked a
clean saucer every time for fits milk;
and 'ow he wasn't 10 make a noise
when 70 was asleep
Take care your children don't worry
H. joe" ne ses one day. very sharp.
cone o. your boys was pulling It's tai
this morning. and want YOU 70 clump
HIS cad for I'm"
(Which one was it?" ses Joe.
"The sIobbery-nosed one" ses old
Clark.
'Tu give i'm a clout as soon as
get 'oue." ses Joe, who was very fond
OF is children.
eco and fetch i'm and 90 il ere"
SEES tire old man. "thatu teach I'm 70
love animals"
Joe went OF 'ome 20 fetch the boy
and artcr his mother 'ad washed his
face and wiped his nose. an put n
clean uirnevf0re on 'iu he took I'm
% 'is uncIe's and cl.ute5 his cad for
'im. AFTER that Joe ard is wife 'ad
words all night long. and next morn
inE old Clark coming in from the gar
den. was just in time 10 see lm kick
the ear right acrost the kitchen.
Die couldn't 'ardIy speak FOR q min
ute. and when 'e could Joe see plain
wCJ "a fool he'd been. Fust Of AL a
called Joe every name De could think
of-which took i'm a long time-aud
then he ordered I'm out OF is house
''You shall ave my money wen your
hetters have done with H." he sts.
sand not afore. That's all you've done
for yourself"
Joe Clark didn't know what he meant
at the time, but when old Clark died
three months afterwards e found out.
His uncle 'sd made a new VIII and left
everything 10 old George Barst0w for
A. long rs the cat lived, providing
that he took care OF IT, When the cat
was dead the property was 10 90 to
Joe.
The cat was only two years old at
the time and George Barstow. who
was arr crazy with JOY. said il
shouldn't be is fault II il didt live
another twenty years.
The funny thing was the quiet way
Joe clark took IT, He didn't seem TO
be at all cut mp about It. and when
Henery Walker said IL was a shame a
said he didn't mind. and that George
Barstow was q old man. and he was
quite welcome 20 ave the property as
long as the cat lived.
1T must come 10 me by the time
I'm an old man." he ses. and that's
all ] care about"
Henery Walker went off. and as e
passed the cottage where old Clark
used % live. and which George Bar
stow ad moved into. e spoke to the old
man over the palings and told i'm wOt
Joe Clark 'ad said. George Rarstow
only Erunted and went on stopping and
prying over is front garden.
Bin and lost something's" ses Hen
ery Walker, watching i'm.
mo; I'm finding" SEES George Bar
stow, very fierce and picking up some
thing. That's the NTH biz o. pow
dered liver I've found i'm my garden
this morning"
Henery Walker went off whisuing.
and the opinion he'd 'ad o. Joe Clark
began 10 improve He spoke 10 Joe
about it that afternoon. and Joe said
that If q ever accused I'm o. such a
thing again he'd knock is cad on He
said that he 'oped the cat 'ud live 20
be a hundred. and that ed no more
think OF giving IL poisoned meat than
Henery Walker would Of paying for
- drink so long as e could get any
body else 20 do IL for i'm
They 'ad bets up az this ere CauH-