Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-07-03
"Jim and the Cats"


An<a. -1S4S or '9-that Jim Wolf
cnrn@Rfo us. He was from Selbyville,
4 h4mlet thirty or forty miles back
hi <fb country, and he brought all
hie Hative sweetnesses and gentle
rsa4see and simplicities with him. He
WA. approaching seventeen, grave
Hf.d tlender lad, trustful, honest, a
1.z.afure to love and cling to. And
ht VAS incredibly. bashful.
Ii IS to this kind that untoward
things happen. My sister gave a
*r4ndy-puI" on a winters night.
was too young to be of the company,
ana I'm was too diffident. l was sent
no to bed early, and Jim followed
OF mis- own motion. His room was in
611c new part Of the house, and his
window looked out on the roof of the
[. annex. That roof was six inches
icop IN snow, and the snow had an
ioe-cxust upon It which was as slick
as elaes. Out of the comb of the
rood projected short chimney, a
co1nxnon resort for sentimental cats
on fnoonlight nights-and this was
a inoonight night. Down at the
eavca, below the chimney, a canopy
of dood vines spread away to some
ooe<8. making a cozy shelter, and
alter an hour or two the rollicking
crowd of young ladies and gentle
men grouped themselves in its shade,
with their saucers OF liquid and
plpinR-hot candy disposed about
them on the frozen ground to COOL
There was joyous chatting and Joking
and laughter-peal upon peal OF It,
About this time couple Of old
disrtputable tom-cats got up on the
chimney and started a heated argu-
ment about something; also about
this time l gave up trying to get to
elecp. and went visiting to Jim's
room He was awake and fuming
about the cats and their intoerable
yelling l asked him, mockingly,
why he didn't climb out and drive
chem away. He was nettled, and
fnid over-boldly that for two cents
~ would.
n was a rash remark, and was
pr0baby repented of before 1t was
{nl1IY out OF his mouth. But II was
f06 Niche was committed. knew
him: and / knew he would rather
br4Nk his neck than back down, II
c6ked him on judiciously.
"Oh, of course you would! Who's
of it,"
IT CALLED him, and he burst out,
with sharp irritation
Maybe you doubt IT,"
''fP Oh, no, shouldn't think OF
sneh a thing. You are always doing
uonderful things. With your
mon<b."
He was in a passion now. He
sllA(ehed his yarn socks and began
10 raise the window, saying in a
<oi1e un"teady with anger
<You think dasn't-you do!
Yhink what you blame please
don't care what you think. I'll show
Ihc window made him rage; It
Uou1dn't stay up. said
Neyer mind, I'll iold IT,"
IHdeed, / would have done any
thing 10 help, was only boy, and |
MS already In a radiant heaven of |
anlicIpation. He climbed carefully |
out, dung to the window-sill until |
his fcet were SAT ly placed. then be-
Een ID pick his peritous way on all
E44<@ along the CLASSY comb, a foot |
ind h hand on each side of 1t. be-
|iex4 ] enjoy IL now as much as | !
aid fhen; yet ii is a good deal over |
1f<x years ago. The frosty breeze |
VncSed his short shirt about his lean
|61<& the crystal roof shone like |
1Ql3&ned marble in the intense glory |
d he moon; the unconscious cats ]
<feet upon the chimney. alertly |
|<1<thing each other, lashing their
|<IIt and pouring out their hollow
<rleSances; and slowly and cautious
81 I'm crept on, tapping as he went,
ne gay and frolicsome young Great
tfes under the vine-canopy unaware.
- outraging these solemnities with
t|f misplaced laughter Every
Jim slipped l had a hope; but
pys on he crept and disappointed
AT last he was within reaching
nce. He paused, raised himself
fully up, measured HIS distance
berately, then made a frantic
at the nearest cat-and missed.
ourse he lost his balance. His
flew up. he struck on his
and like a rocket he darted /