The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-04-23
Black Cats, UnlucRieSt OF
Animals, Destroy Peace
OF One Happy Family
Young Lady and Her Steady Find I'll Luck Harbinger
Quietly Reposing On Front Door step-Every Member
of the Family Questioned Excites
Fears of Washerwoman
By DOLLY DALRYMPLE.

by DOIiLI
There is one family in this great big
city which is wavering twixt love and
duty, and Isabella belongs to that family.
She came from the theatre one even
ing recently with her 'best BEAU John
Henry, and at that delectable hour of
the evening when taxicabs wander about
aimlessly, and lovers stroll lesurely along
the noiseless highway one is more than
apt to meet with strange acquaintances,
but neither Isabella nor John Henry had
the faintest idea that they were soon
TO add to their list a strange black cat
which had comfortably ensconced itself
upon the vestibule steps and who was
amiably scratching the new paint off the
front door, as though she was one of the
family and had inadvertently gone out
without her night key.
Now, of all people whom the big black
cat could have elected to choose from
the large circle of fashionables who
dwell on the South Highlands no one
could have filled the bill better than
Isabella when it comes to friendliness,
for her love of dumb animals supersedes
all else in her makeup, and when she
sees one in distress she religiously does
everything she can to succor them and
appease their distress.
So it was not with malice aforethought
to impress her best sutton nor yet to save
the appearance of the front door that
made Isabella extend cordial invitation
to Mrs. Pussy Cat to enter and make
herself perfectly at home.
This makes the fifth member OF my
family aggregation of cats, said Isabella
to John Henry as they eagerly watched
the antics of the newly found cat as she
and bounded over the little gold chairs
and prettily upholstered divans.
"Its the only coal black one though
that I'VE ever had" said she, "and they
say it's luck to have a black cat take
up at your house."
John Henry had heard differently, but
that in no way changed Isabella 8 ~opin-
ion.
Sad to relate, the strange cat, although
treated like a queen, and the best OF
everything being placed at her disposal,
did not remain in its new domicile long.
It's fur had just taken on that sleek,
shiny. highly polished look that disfin-
cuisines the well brought up and properly
hammered cat from the unkempt deni-
zens of the world of the back fences,
when, without so much as by your
leave" she quietly and suddenly disap-
peared IL you please
"Once a tramp, always tramp sighed
10 onid fold her that the
beautiful black cat had disappeared, but
busying herself with the other members
of her cat family she soon forgot the
renegade in ministering to their numerous
wants and wishes.
About two weeks elapsed when, ION a
Sunday morning." Isabella, as is her
won't was returning from church.
She was In highly exalted and up
lifted frame of mind, brought about by
two things-the sermon and her brand
new foulard gown-chiefiy the gown!
About two blocks from home Isabella
heard a plaintiVe "m-e-o-w," and brought
herself to a sudden halt, although dressed
in her best bib and tucker. only to find
the blacklist cunningest, friskiest little
kitten imaginable!
She forgot all about her new foulard;
she forgot bacilluses; she forgot pellagra;
she forgot everything, as she picked up
the little soft fussy thing and Rugged
her to her bosom, and tight up against
her brand new foulard and started home
with her new-found pet at breakneck
speed.
II would seem that ingratitude was the
besetting sin of black cats, judging from
the two Isabella had made the acquaint-
arce of, for no sooner was this one fed
and sleeked Zip than she left, as uncere-
noniously as the other, which set Isa-
bella to thinking good and hard.
She began to make inquiries about
hack cats starting with her father at
the breakfast table the next morning,
when she thought she could catch him
Off his guard and wound up with the
butcher boy when he came to deliver tho
meat But. despite Isabela's keenness and
clevorncss she could find no damaging
evidence Forthcoming and no one appar-
emily had any theory, even though vague,
nd uns,rbstantal to offer as to the sud
den. mysterious and wholly inexplicable
disappearance of the two black cats.
But Monday morning came around soon
enough and with It the old-fashioned
wa si1erwoman. who belonged to Isabella
fathers mother, and had been doing the
family washing for dozens of years.
When lisa bella preached the subject of
the black cats to Lucindy she almost
turned pale-that is, if~ebony-hued ladies
ever do such things.
I "Why. yes, Miss Isabella, l KNOWS where
dern cats is cause I TUX 'em both away
from here
"Why, how dare you do such a thing,
Trcindv,r said Isabella righteously in
dignant. Didn't you know they belonged
to me?"
"suhtainly. chile" said Lucindy en-
nbatically. but dats de very reason |
done TUX EN- away! Black cats is black
dehbils and dey brings luck to cherry
body de is near and luvin' you as does
I couldn't bear to see dem black things
round here bring you all sorts of mis-
erv and pain"
'sWhat did they ever bring to you that
vas unlucky, Lucindy?" asked Isabella