The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-20

thieves, ready to leap on tho dinner
tnblo and grab something the moment
your back Is turned "Possum' is dis
t1nctly uncommon in these matters Flo
would scorn to make q flying eXhibi-
tion OF himself like that, or to conceal
his designs. He even may be left in the
dining.room alone with safety. It Is
only whom We are all seated, and gem
eral feasting Is in progress that with
the aid of convenient chair ho will
calmly climb up, and lesurely select
such portions Of the food as to please
him. If restrained ct those times. ho
regards US with rcpronch, and con-
tinucs his selection. II repulsed. ho
retriros with dignity, and returns
presently with renewed determination.
After oil, ho is tho same kitten who
onco climbed the screen door and rul-
lied to victory from the tomato vines.
But though hero Of perseverance,
"Pussum" Is not distinguished rs a
warrior Ho has faith In discretion, and
Is willing to rely on his speed rather
than upon his skill and prowess in con-
fict. Not that he is a coward-nt
least not cravenly so. When once faced
In the right direction. have seen him
defy successfully random dog, or
the ten pound tom "tIger" across tho
way. His difficulty seems to BIO
In getting into tho attitude ana
direction Of war. Perhaps his
object in running is to get far
enough ahead to enable him to turn
around. He does fight, too, for he
sometimes bears the oarmarks of bat
tie. suppose they catch him now
and then On the morning after
Thanksgiving he had lump on his
forehead. and still more recently he
returned in mixed condition Of mud
and water and humiliation after a
nights absence. Flo lamented dis
mal.y while had him in the tub. prob
ably explaining how the cyclone had
overtaken him before he could make
harbor, and giving other valuable tes-
timony.
One night I heard violent alterca-
ton just outside my window, and when
no longer able to restrain my curiosity,
I rose and looked into the moonlight
A half-grown tree stands by our sidc-
walk 1t was late autumn and tho
leaves had disappeared They had
been replaced with something larger.
did not at first realize y hat the black
punches wcro that decorated the sfv-
eral limbs and forks OF heglittle tree.
Then one Of the punches moved; then
oil Of them howled. Then l observed
that 1t was tree of cats. On the
topmost Dough there swung and bal
anced feline form that evidently had
been driven to last retreat.
descended to the kitchen, and re-
turned with coal. Leaning out, flung
hurting handful, that resulted in a
SUDDEN and wild explosion Of cats.
leaving q single. form still balancing
on the topmost bough. Something
about It's outline caused me to discon-
tinue the anthracite treatment. Then,
the coast being quito clear. there was
cautious descent stcalthy Slipping
along the path below, and into the
white moonlight beneath my window
there stepped with solemn tread our
own great, gray, reliable "Pussum."
Somehow we never connected "Pus-
sum" with romance. for he was SO
stately and reserved in his treatment
of his neighbours. Even when we saw
him considering with vague interest
the slender black-and-white cat who
occupied tho cellar Of the vacant house
next door, we did not regard the mat
ter as more than casual acqnain-
tanccshp. Anyhow. being interested
in building a new addition to our house
and in our gardening, we were too busy
to take moro than passing interest ir
''Pussum's" affairs.