"Where can Gertrude be?" said Mrs. Clemens, after pouring out the tea; "for seven years she has never before been absent from my side at meals unless sick."
A fearful suspicion crossed the mind of Rich, and catching the eye of Dan, he saw that he was similarly affected.
Hastening to the stable when the meal was over, with a light, they turned out the contents of the bag, and lo! it was poor Gertrude, that in the dark they had mistaken for the Thomas cat and drowned. Rich was very much distressed; so was Dan, as, aside from his sorrow for his mother, the cat was a favorite pet of his, and had grown up with him.
Placing the dead body of Gertrude upon the dissecting table, they locked the door for consultation. At first they thought of owning up, but finally concluded to keep the secret, and, as long as she was dead, thought they might as well make the remains of some advantage to science. Richardson possessed already one skeleton of a cat, and only cared for the eyes. Dan therefore persuaded him to mount Gertrude for him. This Rich did, making a small incision, turning the body through it, and replacing the skull and leg bones, after removing the brains and flesh, supplying the rest of the skeleton, so far as was needed, with wire.
Having already mounted several birds for Dan, he made a tree, put the birds in the branches, and having furnished Gertrude with eyes of colored glass, placed her under the tree in a natural attitude, as though watching a squirrel, the wire in the limbs enabling him to bend them in any direction. A red squirrel was also placed half way up the tree, as though alarmed by the cat. Dan was delighted, and thought he had much rather have his pet dead than alive.
All these operations were performed with closed doors, and the birds and animals placed under lock and key in the closet.
Mrs. Clemens mourned for her cat, and refused to be comforted. Gertrude's empty chair was always placed beside her; at table she often recounted the virtues of the departed, considered and spoke of the event as one of those mysterious dispensations of Providence, to which, though we cannot fathom, it is our duty to submit.
"I do wish my mother would bury that cat," said Dan. "I'm sick and tired of hearing about her—should think she might pick up another kitten."
Month after month passed, and still Mrs. Clemens mourned the loss of her pet. At the expiration of this period, Fred Evans, a cousin of Dan, came to visit him. One afternoon Dan persuaded Rich to put all the things on the table, make a grand show, and let Fred see them. To this Rich consented; the door was locked, and Fred sworn to secrecy.
On the table was placed the tree set in a block, with birds in its branches; half way up the trunk a red squirrel looking down and chattering at the cat, crouched at the roots as in act to spring.