Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1909-08-27

"Himmel! hes a vunder;" whooped
Mr.. Vogel, dancing about the writing
ball of fur. AS it bounded and thumped
from one end of the back yard to the
other, an occasional glimpse could be
caught OF green eyes, needle-iike teeth,
and extended claws. There was no
sparring for time, and no intermission
it was fight to a finish Mingled
with the catamount-like screams of
the cats as they clawed and tore at
each other, tooth and nail, was Mr..
Vogels excited voice coaching the
black cat
Now, den! Eat i'm alive! Dots
the stuff Out nit his eye! At him
again! Goot! Goot! Chump him!"
Patches Of tortoise-shell fur began
to float in the air and decorate the
shrubs. Finally the visiting cat tore
| loose, leaving what seemed to be
portion of one ear in the black cats
mouth. The victor chased him over
the fence and out of sight, only to re-
turn shortly, breathing heavily, but
otherwise quite calm.
He would be gOOt for MICE" said
Mr.. Vogel, as he looked at the con-
quering Thomas refectively
Grand" replied Mrs. Vogel, as she
stopped over the crushed rosebush to
conceal a smile.
BY the time Mrs. Vogel put linen
busters on the parlor furniture and
made other preparations to close the
house for the summer, the cat was
sleeping regularly on Mr. Vogel's
heaving chest when he took his after
dinner nap.
| 81 don'd like him personally, but
he's so goot for MICE" Mr.. Vogel ex-
planned to wondering visitors who
knew of his antipathy.
Finally the question arose as to
what should be done with him during
the summer.
Il will not leaf him to run the streets
and starve," declared Mrs Vogel
! "And nopody wants cats in summer"
| Mr.. Vogel reflected and then said
judicially:
| "Send for the man from the Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Ami
mails. He will take him away and kill
him easy-mit chloroform."
Mrs. Vogel shuddered and declared
it would be murder; but, as one
friend after another declined the
honor of entertaining the Vogels'
Thomas, the society seemed the only
alternative, so, at last, Mrs. Vogel
blotted a postal card with tears and
sent it to the society
Mr.. Vogel was reposing on the sofa,
the cat purring loudly on his bosom
and occasionally reaching up soft
and playful paw to slap Mr. Vogel's
double chin, when a closed black wa
gon stopped at the door. The electric
bell trilled loudly, and Mrs. Vogel ad-
mitted a burly colored man with a
covered basket.
"Cats," he asked, in a business-like
voice.
Mrs. Vogel burst into tears and
pointed to Mr.. Vogel on the couch.
"Cats," repeated the colored man,
reaching for the cat on Mr.. Vogel's
chest.
| The cat seemed instinctively to
| know it's danger. His pupils dilated,
his tail swelled, and he sprang to Mr..
Vogel's shoulder for protection.
ooh, fadder!" cried Josephine Vogel,
and her voice shook. "He vas fine
cat-and such a fighter
"But we hat no blaze for him." said
Mr.. vogel stubbornly. "He will die
| easy-mit chlorofOrm."
The man reached again for the cat,
and it struck and spit at him. Then
the society's agent raised his hand to
slap him into submission. The cat
shrank from the blow, and, putting
one soft paw on Mr.. Vogel's double
chin, chung desperately to his shoulder
with the other.
81 dast you to strike this cat!"
| shouted Mr.. Vogel furiously, and he
covered it protectingly with his hand.
"You lay your finger on this cat ofer
my dead pody-Chosaphine he con-
tinued, to that person, who was weep
ing audibly, 81 will gif you 500 to look
after this cat this summer"
"But hotels will nod take CATS" wept
Josephine.
"Den, py chimney" roared Mr..
Vogel, 81 will keep this cat if l hat to
build cat hotel. I am made ashamed
| to dink / raised wife and children
| vot would gif cat like this to the
cruelty.-Dot's the door, you cat thief,
and you go before 1 do Something's for
| vich you will be sorry!"