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

JnlnB was quiet WIN the exception Oh the BdTTui'
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 AMI
turning a bleared eye on the window. Il amt
like some folk; never did mind drop o rain
The traveller grunted and, returning to the
settle opposite the old man fell to laziy strok'
ing cat which had stroiled In attracted by thS
warmth OF the small fire which smoudered In the
crate. f1 }H N
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 an
Claybury once that you couldn't ha bought for \
hundred golden sOvereigns'
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 l sit ere wishing that | 'ai
another mug O ale as good as the last you gave
me-"
The traveller, with start that upset the cats
nerves, finished his own mug and then ordered
both to be rehlled He stirred the fire into
blaze. and, lighting his pipe and putting one foot
on to the hob prepared to listen
It used to belong to old man Clark young Joe
Clark's uncle, said the ancient, smacking his
lips delicatey over the ale and extending a trem'
ulous claw to the tobaccopouch pushed towards
him; and he was never tired of showing II off to
people He used to call It Is blue-eyed darling,
and the fuss g made O. that cat was sinful
Young Joe Clark couldn't bear 1t, but being
down In is uncles will for Ave cottages anu bit
'ad to ide his feelings and pretend as he loved
1t. He used to take 1t little drops o. cream and
ttbits 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 1t up
fine; 'ow 1t liked clean saucer every time foi
Its milk; and ow he wasn't to make noise whsh
1t was asleep.
Take care your children don't worry It, Joe"
he SEES one day. very sharp. "One O your boys
was pulling It's 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 get ome" ses
Joe, who was very fond OF 'is children.
go and fetch i'm and do 1t 'ere," ses the old
man; ''that'll 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 i'm, he took
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 minute, and when
e could Joe see plain wot fol he'd been. Fust
of all e called Joe every name he could think Of
which took i'm long time-and then he Orde.
ed i'm out OF is house.
lou SHdI ave my HiOnSy wen your DetteTS
have done with It." he ses, and 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 ar
forwards he found out His uncle 'ad made a
new will and left everything to old George Bars
for as long as the cat lived. providing that he
took care OF 1t. When the cat was dead tina
property was to go to Joe
The cat was only two years old at the time.
and George Barstow, who was arr crazy with Joy,
said it shouldn't be Is fault AZ &c didn't live All.
other twenty years.
The funny thing was the quiet way Joe Clark
took It, He didn't seem to be at all cut Up
about It, and when Henry Walker said It was
shame, e said he didn't mind, and that George
Barstow was a old man, and he was quite vel
come to ave the property as long as the cat lived
IT must come to me by the time I'm an old
man he SEES, "and that's all care about"
Henery Walker went OF, and as q passed the
cottage where old Clark used to live and which
George Barstow 'ad moved into e spoke to the
Ola man over the palngs and told I'm wot Joe
clark al SAID. George Barstow only grunted and
went on StOODinP and No