The Cairo bulletin., 1909-10-26
A BLACK Peril.

Sllhoneted in the bar of moonlight
he looked almost gigantic The eyes
cleaned like yellow lamps Coming
slowly into the circle Of Iight cast By
my study lamp, he leaped upon my
lap with soft "purr," and nestled
his head on my shoulder.
In the morning my wife laughngly
declared he must stay.
My class colors, Jack" resting
her golden head against his shining
iet-black fur.
He soon became her constant com,
panion by day. his sleek, 1.-THE form
curled by night in the hollow OF hel
arm.
TO my remonstrances and quoted
authorities as to a cats unheaNhful
ness MS q bedfellow, she returned
wilfulsy petulant albeit laughing Oh
stinacy 1t would not do to irritatt
her now.
Always delicate, she began to hay,
at night, spells that were alarming
A gasping sound that awoke me, &c
find her struggling fer breath, her
lips liyid and cold as death; and
leaving her for hours languid and
exhausted. Then our little Blossom
came.
Jet" refused to acknowledge the
baby, or to resume his old ace; but
he was OF minor importance JUS then.
The roses came back to my wi,ea
face, the laughter to her lips; and
surely nothing could be brighter
sweeter or healthier than the baby
growing in beauty and strength every
day, until
TO 80 hack a littIe--Jet had soon
recovered from his evident jealousy
and transferred his affections 10
Blossom: curling himself into
huge black ball at the foot of her
cradle when she slept
Then, one night was gasping cry;
the little hands were thrown out, the
baby face grew livid, it seemed an
eternity before our efforts aroused
her She recovered in a maryelously
short time. and for several days wac
apparently as well as ever.
Then-one night there was The
same sasping cry
How can | write it? The little face
grew deathlike, the sweet eyes glaz-
ed, the baby lips unresponsiye to The
agonizing mother kisses-our little
Blossom was beyond all earthly love
or care,
The doctor was plainly puzzled;
there was apparently no slightest in
dications pointing to the cause of her
death When jet, soon after, crept
up to his old place and the empty
mothers arms closed rouad him. |
had not the heart to remoBstrate
Time brought its inevitable heal
ing; she grew stronger than for
years before, and my heart beat with
hope once more
Suddenly. without warning she be-
gan to fade The doctors could give
no name TO the lnsidious malay
which slowly Slapped her Ife-We
could only stand helpIessIy by ana
see the sweet race grow pale the
eyes dim, the hands nefEeless.
As her exhaustion was greater IN
me morning, had moved cot into
an adjoining room to not disturb
what resi- she might take,
sat again by the hfe' despair IN
my heaft, 100 hopeless TO pray,
SlahclhS with unseelng eyes upon the
uncut opened page.
suddenly one paragraph stood out
fom the others 'n US biackneSs be-
lore my hofrlhed eyes.
Good COD. had we al. been blind
could there be murdefous truth IN
2h exploded superstition = Wouid
soon Know.
l crept nearer 70 her door ana
listened 70 her soft breathing closer,
IN death-llke silence, I'LL | coQ4d
see as well as near MY heafl beat
to suhocauon, and my body tgembied
with The fury OF It's Imagination AS
/ watched, hlhe black form slowly