REVENGE FOR POISONING A CAT.

A FRENCH lady by the name of Mme. de Bientruffé, whose departed husband had left her enough money to live comfortably the rest of her life, lived in quiet and happiness until her jealous neighbors began to envy her good luck, and wrongly to gossip about her. Among her most implacable enemies was a certain Mme. Galuchard, who burned with an almost Carthaginian hatred, which included not only Mme. de Bientruffé, but also her gray Angora cat, called Minouchon. Mme. Galuchard vowed incessantly with set teeth that some day or other she would cook their soup for them. The piano on which her old neighbor sometimes played threw her into fits of mad rage, which were accentuated only by the mewing of the cat. She had already several times demanded the execution of the animal, and every time the poor old lady had formally refused to comply with the demand, denying the charge that her pet attracted all the tomcats of the neighborhood. Not being able to encompass by open means the revenge which she desired, Mme. Galuchard resolved to accomplish it by force, and by means of the darkest machinations.

One day—entirely by chance, of course—a piece of bread crust, soaked in milk saturated with arsenic, was thrown in the way of the innocent Minouchon, who was wandering over the stairs, and, incapable of suspecting the perfidiousness of the human race, she thought she had found a tidbit, and hastened to sample it.

Alas! An hour later she died in fearful agony, and her little white Angora soul soared straight to the regions where there is no pain, and the remembrance of the misery of this world is effaced and vanishes in the vibrating splendor of the sky.

Her mistress mourned her as if she had been a human being. She had a handsome wooden box made, and painted white, in which she placed her idolized companion, with a new ribbon round her neck, and had her secretly buried in a corner of the nearest park.

When these sad duties were accomplished she had only one thought—how to punish the monster who had killed her pet.

Her suspicions soon fell on the repulsive Mme. Galuchard, who appeared to be puffed up with satisfaction over some insolent and cruel victory. Unfortunately, the latter had no pet animal through her love of which she might be hit; besides, Mme. de Bientruffé was too good-hearted to avenge the death of one innocent being by killing or injuring another.

If she thought over her plan for a long time, and at last fancied that she had found a punishment equal to the crime, she gave no sign that such was the case. The only thing to be noticed was that she bought one day a dozen traps—rat traps and mouse traps—which she caused to be set in her apartments. But then, since the assassination of the poor Angora cat had left the rodent tribe the freedom of the house, it was, of course, necessary for her to combat the animals, and the neighbors did not trouble themselves about it, Mme. Galuchard least of all.

A week later, however, when the latter was at home, and busy thinking what new injury she could do Mme. de Bientruffé, a uniformed messenger brought her a large box, and withdrew, saying that it was paid for. Thinking that she would find some beautiful gift—a shawl, a boa, perhaps a gown—Mme. Galuchard hastened to open the box.

Horrors! Hardly had she lifted the cover before a swarm of little gray animals, leaping, jumping, bounding, and giving piercing squeals, dashed across the room and crowded together in the corners, leaving the paralyzed woman half dead with fright. At the bottom of the box was a note signed by Mme. de Bientruffé:

“Madame: You killed my cat by giving him arsenic. As this kindness deserves another, I make you a present of my mice.”

Ques.—What proves a minister to be the most affectionate of men?

Ans.—In every church you will find a catechist (cat he kissed).