“We Give Our Hearts to Dogs (and Cats) to Tear”

There came a grim day in November with nothing at first to distinguish it from other days.  But in mid-afternoon Gentleman Tom gravely got down from the cushion of Great Grandfather Nehemiah’s chair and looked all about him.  Judy and Pat watched him as they made the cranberry pies and turkey dressing for Thanksgiving.  He gave one long look at Judy, as she recalled afterwards, then walked out of the house, across the yard and along the Whispering Lane, with his thin black tail held gallantly in air.  They watched him out of sight but did not attach much importance to his going.  He often went on such expeditions, returning at nightfall.  But the dim changed into darkness on this particular night and Gentleman Tom had not returned.  Gentleman Tom never did return.  It seemed a positive calamity to the folks at Silver Bush.  Many beloved cats of old days had long been hunting mice in the Elysian fields but their places had soon been filled by other small tigerlings.  None, it was felt, could fill Gentleman Tom’s place.  He had been there so long he seemed like one of the family.  They really felt that he must go on living forever.

No light was ever thrown on his fate.  All enquiries were vain.  Apparently no mortal eye had seen Gentleman Tom after he had gone from Silver Bush.  Pat and Rae were mournfully certain that some dire fate had overtaken him but Judy would not have it.

"Gintleman Tom has got the sign and gone to his own place," she said mysteriously.  "Don’t be asking me where it might be . . .Gintleman Tom did be always one to kape his own counsel…I’m not denying I’ll miss him.  A discrate, well-behaved baste he was.  All he iver wanted was his own cushion and a bit av mate or a sup av milk betwane times.  Gintleman Tom was niver one to cry over spilt milk, was he now?"

from Mistress Pat by L.M. Montgomery

With a very loving tribute to our own dear gentleman tomcat, Calvin.   

 

2 Comments

  1. Oh, Lanier, I am so sad for you and Philip! We do give our hearts to small creatures who wriggle their way into our affections. There’s never been a time in my life when I did not have a cat close by, so I have grieved deeply many times through the years for those who have gone to their own places. Calvin was blessed; remember him with joy and smiles and tenderness.

  2. Lanier ~ I weep with you over the loss of Calvin… the excerpt from ‘Mistress Pat’ brought back a flood of memories of dearly loved pets. How much we love them
    and miss them when they go!

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