Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1915-01-07
THE CAT-KING OF ABoL.

who was plugging hole in the canvas
of his own brown craft. Holding him.
self steady by spooning motion OF his
paddle, the stranger leaned forward across
the lily pads and searched McGraw's face
with eyes that flickered unsteadily.
"Howdy, pard |" said he. "Will We be
tellln' me where can find fellow they
call Barty, Barry this or Barty that, or
mavbe It's just plain Barty he'll be known
as ?"
McGraw scratched his head. 9TH is
queer way you have Of aSkin' for an
honest man p he grumbled, and looked
susplciousy at the stranger. "Are you
sure he's livin' hereabouts ?"
The man nodded. $50 I've heard
and maybe he's not so honest"
McGraw scratched his head again, and
Scowled, for there was something he did
not like in the manner OF the stranger.
"What sort would he be ?" he asked
grutily.
The stranger grinned and tapped his
forehead Cats he whispered, hoarse-
ly
McGraw looked up quickly. do you
say it ?" he exclaimed Nov it may be
I Birty Nicneven you mean"
The stranger smiled "The name
sounds good to me- Where might this
Bary NIcneven be found 2"
McGraw pointed over the scattered
cabins OF Logan'S Landing toward the
lonely bulk OF Russell Mountain.
When the stranger had gone on up the
river, McGraw, as he daubed white lead
on newly made patch, curiously pom
dered many things. The strangers hair
had been close cropped his shirt and his
trousers mad been little worn; he had a
trick Of shifting his eyes turtively and OF
talking in curious monotone from one
side OF his mouth only. McGraw whit
tied cedar plug TO point, and turned
over in his mind the eagerneSs with which
Barty Nicneven.
Barry Nicneven was an old gray man
who lived alone in the shadow OF Russell
! Mountain, which rises high above the
Aool valley. The villagers beyond the
lake called him the cat king OF Abol;
woodSmen who had passed his cabin at
DUSK, when the old man was moi al home,
told strange stories OF seeing cats, evaSive
as shadows, SinuouS, swift, and wild, run
through The woods, and sink IN and out
OF The tumble down Shdnty; They said
BdTty Nlcneven had numbered aud named
all his Cats thai he talked 10 them as II
tney were human beings, and that, with
strange Kissing tones, he could Onug the
llsht OF understanding 10 their green eyes.
Cats are SAID TO lack LOYALTY, and their
heartS are SAID 10 be selfish; yet, accord
ing 10 al! reports, Bduy NlcneyenS pets
displayed the iIueilly VI dogs, and there
by provided an argument Tor those who
al Logan'S Landing.
Inc very night before that August
norm <, McGraw had come down the
od hauling road oy BaTty Nlcneven'S
Camp, d, d ndd heard d Curious waliing
sound. AL tlrst he thought II was the cry
oi UlTd or wild animal. When The
SOUND was repeated, McGraw peered
over a "UloW- down" into the clearing,
anu there lie saw old Barry Nicneven Sit
lIng IN front OF his uoOr-dnd from the
WOODS came Cats, Cats, CJtS. lhey came
leaplng ana lrolICkIng; they came crawl
Ing aud Sombre they faced through the
ruolnng grasses ana the bending OIeTS;
They stepped along OLD logs WIN the cau-
man, Clmoed on his shouluer, Snugsled
III his lap. Never ndu MCUrdw seen SO
MANY cats al one time hen Bany Nc
neven'S lips moved. and McGrdw heard
again that wdIlIng sound, and saw more
Cats come bounding from every direction
toward their master. The OLD fellow
Smiled on his pets and ran his hanu over
tnelr soil Iur; ne talked 10 them III low,
Sau voI,e, dud led them Chunks OF raw
meat. Mnen McUraw SIeppeo INTO SlgnI
from the undeTbIush the scene Changed
Instantly.
Ba ly Ncneven started to his feet with
fearin his lace, dna the Cats warmed rouno
hun. AL nTSi tney had oeeH omlnOuSlY
SILENT lnen, slluhiug here and There into
The SlashIHsS, tney b gan ~ spit aud snarl
dt MCUldw tnelG eyes "lueneu dnd lnelr
tails tlulleo large obove theIr arched backs.
Behind Them stood the oid nan, win MS
gray hair rough ana toused anu his long
beard lying on his broad chest. McGraw
hurried Oy The group as quickly as he
could, for he could not help feeling afraid
OF the hermit and his beasts.
When he had gore a little way, he
heard Earty Nlcneven call alter him,
cheenly enough, Good luck to you'll"
He hdStened on, however, dnd looked
oack only once; then la Inc dusk OF the
gathering night he saw the stdlueSQue
figure OF the Old man, standing straIgnt
and tall, ln-an altitude OF mingled lonell-
ness and fear.
In spite OF his queer ways and his cats,
BartY Nicneven was known to be kind
hearted man. On winter day ne had
taken Donnelly OF the PtSien Farm into
his shack, bound his sprained ankle, and
kept him for three long storm bound
weeks OF convaleScence, while the world
below thought him dead Aiterward,
Donnelly said many times that the old man
had nursed him and cared tor him with
wOman'S tenderness ; but even he admit
ted that Barty Was not Ii e other men,