Year: 1878




Tompkins to New York Timss re-
porter, that there was to be great cat
show at a museum in New York, and
that handsome prizes were to be given
for the best cats. Now, had cat
that would take the first prize. 1t was
o very large Maltese, and its strong
point was that it ate tacks. II lived on
tacks. 1t ate two or three papers day
-eight-ounce, ten-ounce, no matter
what size, it ate them all. knew that
cat would take the first prize, and l
brought it down to New York. l had
never been to New York before, but l
went to hotel and went to bed. On
Monday morning before l went out l
left word with the waiter to have the cat
fed with tacks. He started at the first
as il he thought 1 was crazy, but |
happened to have two or three in my
pocket, and when gave them to the
cat. and the waiter saw him eat them,
he was satisfied. So then | came out
out to see the city. At dinner time,
when l went back to the hotel, l went
up to my room to sec how the cat was
getting along. How do you think he
was? He was dead. Yes, sir, he lay
stretched out on the floor, dead as
door-nail. There were two empty tack
papers on the floor. l sent tor the
waiter, and asked him about the cats
dinner, and he h: q said he had fed him
the two papeIs Of tacks, just as | hao
told him. l picked up one of the papers
off the floor, and then it was all clear
enough. What do you think that care
less waiter'd done? Yes, sir, he'd fec
that cat tacks with leather heads. o.
course, that killed him; it would kill
any cat. You never saw a cat in youl
life could eat tacks with leather heads,
nor no other live man. Well, it wass
all up with the cat, and there was moth
ing for it but to box him up and send
him home"


"Did you get all these cuts and
bruises in a misunderstanding with the
waiter?" the reporter asked.


NO" said Mr.. Tompkins, ~ was
coming to that. 1t was late in the
evening when got the cat boxed and
ready to 20 to the depot, and then went
down to the cat show. When told
the manager the tack cat was dead, he
was the disappointedest man ever see.
| thought he was going to cry, and he
was going to cry, aud he says to me, as
kind as could be: Go right in, Mr..
Tompkins, II shan't cost you cent.
No man as has met such loss as that
shall pay me money. No, sir, walk
right in." I went in, and looked at the
cats and things. 1t was pretty late,
and while was in one of the rooms up
in the third story all the lights went out
like q fash-turned Of in the cellar,
you know. There wasn't no one else
III the room where l was, and l thought
it was about time to go, but I went to
20 down stairs there wasn't no stairs
there. I'm sure / went to the very same
place where I'd come up, but the stairs
was gone. So was in for 1t. What
to do didn't know. l felt about in all
my pockets for match. Without any
foolin', I'd gin a half dollar for a
match. 1t must have been an hour or
more that was tryin' to find the stairs
and at last gave it up, and Topped
right down on the door for rest. l
don't know how long I'd sat there, but
| must have gone to sleep. All ofa
sudden was woke up by the most aw-
full noise close to my ear. 1t sour ded
like some wild animal. 1t went pretty
reg lar like breathin', and l was afraid
to stir for fear it would spring. After a
while, though, put out my hand to see
if could feel it, and where do you
think my hand went? Well, sir, If my
hand didn't go straight into some wild
animals mouth right between his teeth
then never owned tack cat. But he
didn't close on it quick enough, and /
ierked it out you better believe got
away quick and ran across that room. l
was bound to find the stars whether or
no, and found them. amt find them
till | struck the last step though, and
that's how 1 got this bruise on my
cheek"


You mean you fell down stairs?"


Fell down Yes, that's it. Then L
didn't know which way to turn, aud |
went three or four steps ahead, very
careful like, and first thing | knew l
touched mans arm. 1t was sticking
out slright, and think he was waiting
to grab me. l saw through it all in
minute, They'd got me up there and
and turned of the lights, so as to rob
me. But wasn't quite so green as
that. you know. l made good calcu-
tou by touching the mans arm again,
and made up my mind jest where the
face was. Then | drawed back and let
him have one jest as square between the
eyes as | could in the dark. Drop?
Well, guess he dropped. He dropped
so hard aad lay so still l began to be
afraid I'd killed him, and after a while
l stole up to him and touched his face.
1t was cold as ice. felt down his arm
for his pulse. His pulse didn't beat.
| had killed him !"


Mr.. Tompkins, as he spoke, re-licked
a piora of court-nlastpr that had DROP