Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 December 1874 — AUNT JERUSHA’S CAT. [ARTICLE]

AUNT JERUSHA’S CAT.

A New Year’s Story. Little Bessie Atwood had neither father, mother, sister nor brother. She was all alone in the world and was about as miserable as any little girl could be. To be sure, she was well and strong and “in full possession of Tier five senses; but Bessie was twelve years old and realized fully the unpleasantness of her position. Sirs. Murdock had offered her a home for the chores she could do, and Bessie soon found that she was expected to work hard from early in the, morning until the children were all snug in bed at night. The chief cause of Bessie’s trouble was not so much the work, for Bessie was an industrious child; but that she was not allowed to go to school. Mrs. Atwood hadtauMit'herdaughter to read and write a Tittle, and Bessie could do sums in long division and parse easy sentences in her reader. She knew something of geography, too, and had stored away in her little head a clearer knowledge of historical events than is usually possessed by young ladies double her age; but when she came to live at Mrs. Murdock’s all these pleasures of study were forbidden her. — : —- —-—, “ I have no objections to your reading and writing, Bessie,” said the mistress, one day, in answer to the child’s earnest appeal to be allowed some time to improve herself, “after your work is don’e. Of course, you know that I only took you in out of charity. 1 didn’t like the idea of a girl as capable as you being sent to the asylum; but Mr. Murdock isn’t rich, by any manner of means, and you will have to earnwhat you eat and the clothes you wear.” “Oh! Mrs. Murdock,” continued Bessie, pleadingly, “if you only would let me go to schpol part of the day I would be wiffing to work half the night to pay for it. lam losing all my dear mother taught me, and I shall grow up. nothing but a poor, ignorant servant.” “ Well, I declare!” burst in Mrs. Murdock, with flashing eyes and a very red face. '“ If ever I heard such impudence! If not a servant what do you expect to be, Bessie Atwood?” Mrs. Murdock’s tones were intensely irritating, but Bjessie replied, quietly, checking the inclination to cry: “ 1 hoped to be able to tit myself for a teacher, Mrs. Murdock. This is the work my mother commenced.” Your mother, was always too big for her clothes,” replied the mistress, coarsely. For a moment Bessie’s eyes flashed with temper. To hear her darling motherthus insultingly spoken of was rather more than she could bear. It yas on licit lips to say: “ My mother was a lady; but you don’t know what the word means.” I>ut she controlled herself, and went on scouring the kuives, her eyes blindedi with tears and her heart so full of pentup agony that it was all she could do to keep from screaming. “If you are going to snivel, turn your head the other way,” said the hardhearted woman; and with these miserable words left the kitchen. Bessie tried Xo compose herself, and went over all i the things her mother had said to her about controlling her temper and keeping her conscience_void of offense and her heart pure and lovmg. But the dreadful sentences had sjufik deep into Bessie’s sensitive-wuUJ&tid'she found it hard even to ask God to help her to be calm and gentle “ How dare she speak so of my mother? IlotV dare she?” muttered Bessie. Juet Then the kitchen door opened and Aunt •Terusha entered, all out of breath. Aunt -Terusha was an aged Quaker lady, who lived in a small cottage about a quarter of a mile from the home of tligr Murdocks. tshe bad evidently walked very fast, and was laboring under considerable excitement.

“ Has thee seen anything of my, cat, Bessie?" was her first question. , “No, Auntie,”- said Bessie, smiling through her tears. “ I hope you haven’t lost him.” Aunt Jerusha’s cat was her only companion, and was a big Maltese animal that one of her sons had brought her from over the sea. Some of the boys in the neighborhood, knowing how fond the old lady was of this pet, took every opportunity to annoy her by stealing it and carrying it a great distance out of town, and then leaving it to die or get back just as the poor creature was best able. Tom had returned safe from innumerable excursions of this kind, and might perhaps from this, Aunt Jerusha thought, but the poor old woman had a good deal of doubt about it. The circumstances were unusually aggravating. One of the neighbors had seen Tom in the hands of Hal Murdock, Mrs. Murdock’s eldest son; and, as he was a terror to the whole village, the case looked dubious. Aunt Jerusha told Bessie all about it; and Bessie promised if she saw the cat or heard anything of him to let Aunt Jerdsha know immediately. “Thee has been crying, little girl,” said the loving old lady. “Is it because thee has so much to do, dear?” “ No, Aunt Jerusha," answered Bessie. “ I want to go to school. I don’t care so much about the.work, but I can’t bear to think that I must grow up a poor, good-for-nothing, ignorant girl.” And now Bessie was driving back the tears again. “Thee is both right and wrong this morning, little girl,” said Aunt Jerusha. “Right because thee should desire to improve thyself, and should be determined to use all the means in thy power to accomplish it; but when thee sees that all this don’t amount to anything then thee should try and remember that our time isn’t God’s time. Anything that is right and noble we have a perfect right to strive after. If we can’t get it just when we want it that don’t signify that we are never to get it, only that God knows best. He hasn’t forgotten thee, dear. Scour thy knives and wash thy dishes, and be sure that everything thee undertakes to do thee does throughly, never mind what it is. Be faithful over a few things, Bessie, and all that is great and good and true in thee will one day, when thy Heavenly Father sees it is time, be brought into the perfect light. Bear and ibrbear, Bessie, but be true to thyself and thy honest convictions. I was about to say even if thee has to light for it, although fighting is not a part of our creed.” “ Oh! Aunt Jerusha, you have done me so much good,” exclaimed Bessie. “I never will be impatient and cross again, never mind what happens.” “Oh! yes, thee will. Don’t make any such promises,” said Auntie, smiling. “ The devil is a very wily old rascal, and he creeps into very small places sometimes. Remember, Bessie’, if thee sees anything of my cat thee is to let me know right away.” Bessie reiterated her promise, and Aunt Jerusha started for home. All the rest of that day Bessie scrubbed, and sang, and wheeled the baby, and washed dishes; and Mrs. Murdock, whojiad not recovered from the rumpus of the morning, looked on and wondered. She couldn’t tell how a girl with any spirit (and she knew Bessie did not lack spirit) could so soon be good-natured again. Christmas had passed, and Bessie had been quite overlooked. The Christmas tree in the parlor had been loaded down with presents for the young Murdocks, t>ut poor Bessie had had no part nor share in these festivities... True, Mrs. Murdock gave her an old alpaca dress to cut and make over for herself; but this was all. And for this Bessie was not in the least grateful. The next day was'New Year’s, and about as cold as cold could be. Bessie’s poor little fingers were so numb as she made the fire in the kitchen stove that it was as much as she could do to lay the sticks together ; but the child kept bravely on, saying over to herself Aunt Jerusha’s words of cheer which had done her so much good the day before, and after a little was rewarded with a bright fire and a comfortable room. What was that queer sound Bessie heard every once in awhile like something scratching and clawing in the cellar below? She listened and finally opened half of the huge outride door and peered down into the darkness beneath. Just then came a decided and pitiful meaw, and Bessie knew that Aunt Jerusha’s cat was down there. Just then She heard the boys coming down-stairs and had only time to get back to the kitchen before theywere upon her. She heard Hal whisper to Frank as she set the breakfast-table: “ We’ll let him be there till after dinner; and then we’ll take him to the barn and put on those nut shoes, set a match to the end of his tail and send him kiting. Poor old Aunt Jerush, what do you think she’ll say when Mr. Thomas Cat flies-past her house?” The whole plot was thus discovered. How Bessie was to manage to take that cat to Aunt Jerusha or, let Aunt Jerusha know that the animal was confined in the Murdocks’ cellar was more than she could imagine. She could not leave ihe house until after breakfast; and not then if the children were anywhere in the vicinity. About half-past ten —a time that seemed an age to poor Bessie—the boys strolled oil’ down the street. Then Bessie concluded she would tell Mrs. Murdock about the cat and ask her permission to take him to . his owner. This she did very prettily and frankly, and this was the answer she received: “If the boys want to have a little fun with that fussy old woman’s cat it is certainly none of iny business, and if you know when you are well oil’ you won’t make it any of yours-. Just assure as you do you'll get yourself into trouble. The boys expect tc have' a' good time New Year’s Day. Beat up those eggs now, and get all my things togethef for the pudding, and I'll be down in half an hour to make it.” Bessie’s little feet fairly flew over that kitchen floor. She had decided to keep the promise she made to Aunt Jerusha, at all hazards. She thought the subject over in every light, and decided that it was right; and so, after sh£ had arranged everything for Mrs. Murdock, she tied on her bonnet and shawl, took a large covered basket, and went down into the cellar. Poor Tom was securely tied, and she was compelled to go back to the kitchen for a. knife, to cut the cords with. All this necessarily consumed some minutes, and when Bessie emeiged from the regions below, with poor Kitty trembling and bruised in the. basket, it seemed to, her 'hat she was quite as badly frightened as the animal she had in charge. She heard Mrs. Murdock 4*ll after .iter from an upper window: “ Jessie Atwbbd, where are you going? Conn? back this minute!” But Bessie turned neither to the righjt nor left. She didn’t even think oT what awaited her on her return. She had just

begun to congratulate herself that Aunt Jerusha’s cottage would be soon reached —indeed, it was in plain half a dozen boys, blowing tin hornsand hooting and bellowing in the rudest and maddest manner, came rushing toward her. Hal and Frank were among the foremost, and immediately suspected What sl»e had in the basket. “ Give me that cat, you hussy,” shouted Hal, “or I’ll give you a good punch.” All the effect this threat had upon Bessie was to make her hold on to her charge the firmer. “ Meaw, meaw, meaow," squealed Tom, trying his best to get out. “ She heard what we were talking this morning," said Hal. “And thelittle thief worked her cards pretty well; but just before she did she didn’t, eh! Now I tell you, fellers, one of you hold on to her arms from behind, and I’ll have the cat out of the bag in Up to this time Bessie had not spoken a word. Now she said, clearly and calmly: “ Boys, stand aside! Aunt Jerusha came to the house for her cat: and 1 promised her that if I saw him or heard anything of him I would let her know. I am on my way now to keep my promise.” “ But you- won’t be on your way long, not if I know it. Take hold of her, Frank. We’ll settle up some old scores now.” And with this the young desperado dealt her a ringing blow on the side of her face. At the same time Frank and another boy pulled at the handle of the basket, but without effect. “Let go,” screamed one of them, “or you’ll get hurt.” ■ “ You may kill me, boys, if you will,” said she, holding on with all her might; “ but I started for Aunt Jerusha’s with this cat, and if you succeed in taking it from me you’ll do it when I’m dead, not before.” “ That’s the talk, little girl,” said a friendly voice from the rear. “ Got Aunt Jerusha’s Maltese cat in that basket, have you? Now tell me who those. boys are.” Bessie obeyed. She. had never seen this gentleman before, and felt quite sure he was a stranger in the village. “ I’m going to the cottage,” continued the gentleman. “ Come along with me. I’ll see if there’s any law in this town after I see you safely housed.” And the two walked on, leaving the boys considerably crestfallen and not a little alarmed. “ How does thee do, mother?” said the gentleman, walking straight into the house, leading Bessie by the hand. “ Bless thy heart, boy, is it thee, safe home again?” said Aunt Jerusha. “I expected the Lord was preparing this surprise for me.” And the old lady cuddled down in her son’s arms as if there was nothing else on earth to wish for. “ And here is thy cat, mother,” continued the stranger, “ and the bravest little girl I ever heard of. Why, that child would stand at the cannon’s mouth without flinching.” In the meantime Bessie had liberated Tom; and he now purred contentedly on his mistress’ knee. After hearing a full account of the child’s struggle Aunt. Jerusha said, suddenly, taking her son’s hand : “ William, how much money has thee?” “Enough and to spare,” was the quiet answer. “Has thee enough to rear this child as she should be reared —enough to secure her a good home with me and all the advantages that active little brain demands?” “Yes, mother, and nothing would please me so well asto take this responsibility. Little girl,” he continued, “ what do you want most of anything in this world?” “Togo to school,” answered Bessie, simply, “ and have somebody to love me.” Aunt Jerusha wiped her eyes and said: . “ William, this child has been abused. She must never go back. Take off your things, Bessie. This is your home as long as it pleases thee. Thee has done "thy best, and God is always as good as His word. Thee is under no obligation to those Murdocks. I will settle all this business for thee.” And she did. Bessie Atwood is now at the head of all her classes, and no girl in the country has a better home or more "loving care. Mrs. Murdock’s rage was fearful to witness; but there was nothing she could do, as Bessie was not bound to her by the law. So she vented her spleen on chairs and tables and doors, whipped one or two of her wretchedly-brought-up children, spoiled her New Year’s pudding, and finally vowed that when she tried again to be benevolent it would be when her name was something besides Mary Murdock.— Eleanor Kirk, in N. Y. Independent.