Master Frisky/Chapter 11
Snow Baker was a big white cat, proud, complacent, and a great favorite with the Baker family, where he had his home.
His warmest friend and boon companion was Rollo. Rollo was not another cat, but a big black retriever, full of fun and spirits, and always ready for a lark.
This friendship between Snow and Rollo was often remarked upon by the dogs and cats of the neighborhood; for it is seldom that a cat and dog are as good friends as two cats or two dogs. But there was no mistaking the friendship of these two; for they would lie for hours upon the same mat, washing each other and carrying on pleasant conversation.
I have often seen them, when going by, lying upon the piazza together,—a pretty picture,—and a strong contrast was Snow's spotless white against the jet black of Rollo's shaggy coat.
They always shared their breakfast, eating from the same dish; and if either one was late the other would leave him his fair portion. If the butcher gave Rollo a bone, he always saved a choice bit for Snow; and many a time the big white cat would come home with some dainty morsel, and going up to Rollo would rub fondly up against him and lay it between his feet.
Snow was the acknowledged lord of the cat community, and he ruled with an iron hand. His great size and long experience made him a terrible antagonist, and bold indeed was the cat that dared face him.
He had often put dogs of very good courage to flight; and among other peculiarities he cherished a strong dislike for Jimmy Brown, a neighbor's dog, and the two never spoke civilly or passed a kind word. Jimmy was a brindle bull-dog, not of a quarrelsome disposition, but of a quick temper. This quality in Jimmy, and Snow's hatred for him, led to the latter's undoing.
It happened this way. Jimmy had been calling upon some friends, and was going home by the Bakers' when he espied Snow upon the front porch. Snow at once arched his back, crooked his tail, and began spitting.
"What do you want, you old hunchback?" asked Jimmy.
"I'm not a hunchback," said Snow, stretching out his paw and extending the claws upon it to their full length, and shaking it at Jimmy. "Where have you been? Up street, playing with the new pups?"
At this direct insult Jimmy's mane bristled.
"No," he said with a growl, "I have not been playing with puppies; but if you will come out here I will play with a kitten."
Snow gave a bound, lighted on top of the gate-post, and glared down upon Jimmy, at the same time digging his claws into the post in his wrath.
"You are an impudent poodle," said Snow, spitting down at him.
"I am not a coward," growled Jimmy.
This was too much for Snow; and like a white fury, with claws extended, he sprang upon his enemy. No one ever knew just how it happened. Jimmy certainly did not have murder in his heart; but in less than three seconds Snow was lying on the sidewalk, gasping in his last agonies, while Jimmy stood over him growling savagely.
"You've killed me," said Snow piteously.
"Served you right," growled Jimmy.
Then Rollo came running from across the street; and seeing his dead friend, and Jimmy standing over his quivering form, he straightway rushed at him, and a battle began the like of which had not been seen for many a day in Dogtown, where Judge Major Hill kept such good order. Round and round they went, snapping, snarling, and biting, while the dust and leaves flew so that you could not have told one dog from the other; and very soon they were covered with blood and foam. It is quite possible that another life might have been taken on that eventful day in Dogtown had not Judge Hill happened along.
"Stop instantly!" he said, with a terrible growl, bounding between the foaming dogs and separating them by his sheer weight. "What does this mean?" asked the judge sternly.
"He killed Snow," said Rollo, gasping for breath.
"Served him right," growled Jimmy, glaring defiantly at his accuser.
"Dogs," said the judge most sternly, "this is a very serious affair, and one that I shall not treat lightly. I summon you all to appear at the courthouse to-morrow morning, when we will inquire into this sad case; and I assure you that I shall deal severely with those responsible for it."
Promptly at nine o'clock on the morning following the violent death of Snow the dog court convened to consider the case and deal out justice. The courtroom was an old ice-house back of my barn; and I had a good opportunity to observe the dogs without being seen, and to judge of the trial as it proceeded. First came Tom Hatch, the sheriff, a tall, lank greyhound, escorting Jimmy. Poor Jimmy looked ill at ease; his eyes were blood-shot, his head hung down, and he had quite a criminal look about him.
Next to the sheriff and his charge came Rollo, bringing the body of his dear, dead friend in his mouth. Rollo had watched all night in the garden beside the grave of Snow, and then in the morning had dug up the cat and brought him to the trial as direct evidence.
Faithful Rollo and his charge were followed by Judge Major Hill and several of the older dogs, who looked very grave and stern, and talked in low, deep growls.
Master Frisky felt very sorry for Jimmy, and had been talking with a group of the younger dogs—trying to get them to ask the judge not to be too hard on poor Jimmy.
When all had arrived, the older dogs arranged themselves on one side of the building in a dignified row, with Judge Hill in their midst.
Rollo then laid Snow down in front of them; and after licking the dirt and blood off the dead cat, and looking fiercely at Jimmy the while, began what we would call the prosecution. He told of the many virtues of the great white cat, and of their long friendship, during which time they rarely quareled. He told how on coming in from the fields he heard a noise, and that he had discovered Jimmy in the very act of killing his friend, but had been too late to save him.
Some of the other dogs, who had seen the affair from a distance, told the same story; and the judge and the older dogs looked very sternly at Jimmy, who hung his head and was sullen.
At first he would say nothing in his own defense; but finally said that Snow had called him names, jumped on his back, and clawed him. I could not get quite all that followed; but Master Frisky seemed to be interceding for Jimmy, for he went up to him and licked his face, and then stood in front of the judges for some time, wagging his tail. But these dignitaries only shook their heads gravely, and there the evidence seemed to end; for the older dogs considered the case for a time apart, and then returned to their old position. The tall sheriff escorted poor Jimmy up to Judge Hill and left him there. Jimmy cowered to the very ground under the looks of the judge, while all the dogs looked expectant.
I never knew just what the sentence was, but suddenly Jimmy raised his head and gave a most piteous howl; then putting his tail between his legs, ran out to the road and up the street as fast as his legs could carry him; and he was never the same after that day.
None of the dogs associated with him or spoke to him, and he slunk about as though he was afraid of his own shadow. At home he was cross, and ate very little. Finally he ceased going out by daylight at all, but was frequently seen skulking about at night.
I think the dogs were sorry for Jimmy; for he was not bad at heart, and had done some of them good turns. I frequently saw Master Frisky looking wistfully at him—as though he would like to be good to him had he dared.
One morning, some weeks after the trial, Jimmy was missed from his home, and no one knew where he had gone. It was several days before he was discovered. Some section hands on the railroad nearby found his body in a deep cut, mangled and torn.
Poor Jimmy's troubles were over! Whether he had wearied of his disgrace and the life of a criminal and an exile, and went into the deep cut to end his misery, or whether it was an accident, no one could say; but from what I know of dog character, and from several incidents that have come under my observation, I am quite confident that the poor dog took his own life, and thus ended his dishonor in Dogtown.