Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 September 1875 — THE CAT WITH A BROKEN TAIL. [ARTICLE]

THE CAT WITH A BROKEN TAIL.

BY CHARLES BARNARD.

“She did cry—awful!” “ Oil! Jenny, how did it happen ?” “ Jimmy shut the door on her tail.” “ I didn’t mean to,” said Jimmy. “ I didn’t know your old cat was there.” Mary and Jenny tried to fondle and soothe the poor cat; but she wouldn’t be comforted. Her poor, poor tail! How could it ever wave again ? It was surely broken by that cruel door. “She 'can’t waggle it,” said Jimmy, with great sympathy. “No!” cried Mary. “You broke it for her.” “ I didn’t mean to. Perhaps it’s not broken—only pinched a little.” “Oh! it is; it is! Poor thing! Do see how it droops at the end.” “ Anyway, it didn’t come off.” “ It’s* a mercy it didn’t, Jimmy Barnes. How she would have looked if the piece had come off!” > “It would have been awfuller still,” said Jenny, with great earnestness., Meanwhile the poor old cat lay on the rug moaning and mourning in true cat language for her blighted tail. The two girls bent over her with expressions of the warmest interest; and no doubt the cat felt very much better for their kind condolence. “It isn’t the hurting, you know,” said Mary ; “ though that’s bad enough. It’s the disgrace of the thing. How will she ever bold up her head with a broken tail banging down behind? She’ll be so mortified !” “ And the waggle won’t run out to the end,” remarked Jimmy. “ No, poor thing; the ’spression will only go part way.” ‘' And the broken piece will hang there, so limp and awkward, just like my cuffs when tlie stiffening’s all gone. And how it will look! Oh, dear! I think we ought to call the doctor.”

“So we had. Why didn’t we think of it before? Run, Jimmy; run for Dr. Green.” “Oh! I guess he wouldn’t come for a cat.” “ He would if he knew how bad she felt.” “Let’s. I’ll get a basket,” said Jimmy. They all three concluded this would be the best plan. Jimmy got the big marketbasket and Maty ran tor her hat, while Jenny sat on the floor with the unfortunate patient, She and the cat had their things all on, and could start right away. “ Oh, Jimmy Barnes! how stupid you are! We couldn’t put her in that thing.” “ Well, Mary, never mind. Let’s take Her in our arms.” Shortly after this Jimmy, Mary and Jenny appeared on the street in melancholy procession. Jimmy went before; Jenny followed, with the poor, unfortunate cat in her arms; and Maiy, all sympathy, and with teary lashes, walked beside her in the character of nurse and general assistant. Dr. Green opened the door himself. He was a young man and a very good doctor, and when he saw the three children on the steps he said politely: “Good morning, children. What can I do for you?”

“Oh, Dr. Green, my cat has broken her tail,” said Mary, _ v “It didn’t quite come off,” put in Jimmy. “Meow! meyw!” moaned the cat. “ The patient speaks for herself,” said Dr. Green. “Yes, sir; shedoes. And, doctor, don’t you think you could fix it for her?” If Dr. Green had not been a wise man he would have laughed. He did not; for he was a good surgeon and a very wise man indeed. “The patient has my hearty sympathy. Bring her into my office and let me see her poor tail.” The children were surprised and overjoyed at this sudden turn in affairs, and they marched into the little office, cat and all. “A cat with a broken tail would be a truly pitiful object,” said Dr. Green. “Yes, sir; and think how mortifying!” “ The waggle would only go part way,” added-Jimmy, with great solemnity. The doctor was ready to ciy with laughter ; but he did not. He took the unfortunate cat in his arms and examined her injured tail. Puss seemed to know that everything was all right, and submitted to the examination with great moral courage. The children gathered round with the greatest inteiest; and then the doctor said, soberly : “It is broken; hut, perhaps, if we put on a splint it will heal up again.” “ I hope so,” said Mary, with a sigh of relief. “ Let her rest on the floor,” said the doctor; “and do you pat her gently and keep her quiet while I put on a splint.” Mary and Jenny made the cat comfortable on the floor, and tried to soothe her feelings as much as,.possible. Jimmy, meanwhile, stood in wide-eyed wonder by the table while the doctor prepared the splint. First, he took a sheet of very stiff cloth from a drawer, and then with a pair of long shears he cut out a piece about four inches wide and ten inches long. The cloth was dark colored, and it was smooth and stiff like card-board. Then he took two little rubber rings from a box on his desk, and kneeled dow T n on the floor by the cat and gently straightened out her unfortunate tail. The poor thing “ meowed” softly, but did not stir. The doctor rolled the cloth round the broken place, and tlieq with the tiny rubber rings he fastened it securely, so that the injured part would keep in place till it healed up. “There!” said Dr. Green. “I think that will answer. Nature will do the rest.” The girls did not know what this meant, and Mary asked if they should put on any liniment. . „ “No. There is nothing to be done. It will soon heal up again, and perhaps be as well as ever.” “ And the waggle will come out all right?” said Jimmy. ’ ' > “ Y*es,” said the doctor, with a laugh.

“ The expression will run out to the re end.” f “ Oh! I’m so glad to hear you Say that,” said Mary. “ she does wave her tail beautifully sometimes—at least, she used to do so.” - •‘’Shall we chance her diet, doctor?” “No. Let her have as much milk as she wants, and keep her in thfi house for a few days.” “So she shall not take cold in it?” “Yes.” “ We’re very much obliged, doctor,” said Mary, taking the cat up in her arms. “Oh! I never work for thanks,” said the doctor, with a look of solemn grandeur. “ You must pay me for my trouble.” “Have you any money, Jimmy?” said Mary in alarm. ’ Jimmy fished in his pockets desperately. ‘‘NO. I’ve only got ten cents and two glass agates.” “ I’ve got twenty-five cents,” said Jenny, hopefully. “That’s not the kind of pay I want,” said the doctor with a great flourish. “Give me a kiss and I’ll call it square.” “ Oh!” cried Jenny. “Is that all ? I’ll kiss you. Come.” Here the doctor laughed heartily, and he gave Jenny e rousing smack, and they all thought it very jolly. Even the cat purred and waved her tail feebly. “ Aren’t you going to kiss me, too?” . “To be sure. Twice.” So he did; and then he opened the door and the procession marched happily home, eat and all. In about a week they took the splint off, and in another week Jimmy declared that now the wangle could run down to the very end.— lndependent.