him was an inexcusable error, which really called for his graceful retirement from cat-fishing. This example ought to bear fruit. At a very small expense for tackle, any resident of this city who occupies a back room can secure excellent sport, and at the same time can render a great service to humanity by reducing the number of cats. The sport ought speedily to become a very popular one, and there can be but little doubt that in time cat-fishing will rival trout-fishing in the estimation of American sportsmen. _W. L. Alden._ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ _CAPTAIN STICK AND TONY._ OLD Captain Stick was a remarkably precise old gentleman and conscientiously just man. He was, too, very methodical in his habits, one of which was to keep an account in writing of the conduct of his servants, from day to day. It was a sort of account-current, and he settled by it every Saturday afternoon. No one dreaded these hebdomadal balancings more than Tony, the boy of all-work, for the captain was generally obliged to write a receipt, for a considerable amount, across his shoulders. One settling afternoon, the captain, accompanied by Tony, was seen “toddling” down to the old stable, with his little account book in one hand and a small rope in the other. After they had reached the “Bar of Justice,” and Tony had been properly “strung up,” the captain proceeded to state his accounts as follows:— “Tony, _Dr._ “_Sabbath_, to not half blacking my boots, etc., five stripes. “_Tuesday_, to staying four hours at mill longer than necessary, ten stripes. “_Wednesday_, to not locking the hall door at night, five stripes. “_Friday_, to letting the horse go without water, five stripes. “Total, twenty-five stripes. “Tony, _Cr._ “_Monday_, by first-rate day’s work in the garden, ten stripes. “Balance due, fifteen stripes.” The balance being thus struck, the captain drew his cowhide and remarked——“Now, Tony, you black scamp, what say you, you lazy villain, why I shouldn’t give you fifteen lashes across your back, as hard as I can draw?” “Stop, ole mass,” said Tony; “dar’s de work in de garden, sir—dat ought to tek some off.” “You black dog,” said the captain, “haven’t I given you the proper credit of ten stripes for that? Come, come!” “Please, ole massa,” said Tony, rolling his eyes about in agony of fright—“dar’s—you forgot—dar’s de scourin ob de floor—ole missus say nebber been scour as good before.” “Soho, you saucy rascal,” quoth Captain Stick, “you’re bringing in more offsets, are you? Well, now, there!” Here the captain made an entry upon his book. “You have a credit of five stripes, and the balance must be paid.” “Gor a mity, massa, don’t hit yet—dar’s sumpen else—oh, Lord! please don’t—yes, sir—got um now—ketchin de white boy and fetchin’ um to ole missus, what trow rock at de young duck.”