The Calico Cat

by Charles Miner Thompson, F. Gruger (Illustrator)

The consequences of letting your irritation get the better of you are humorously portrayed in this story of a self-important man who fires a shotgun at an annoying cat on his fence.. and hits a man skulking in the bushes. What did the cat do to enrage him? Why was the man in the bushes? And how can the whole matter be covered up and done away with before the neighbors start gossiping?

Charles Miner Thompson (1864-1941) was the author of: The Nimble Dollar, With Other Stories (1895), Mark Twain as an Interpreter of American Character (1897), The Calico Cat (1908), An Army Mule (1910), Demosthenes (translator) (1926), America: The Menace (translator) (1931) and Independent Vermont (1942).

Genres: Fiction, Classics, Audiobook, Cats

80 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1908

Reviews

[Jenna Scribbles · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a silly, quick read. I downloaded the free Kindle version and finished it in one sitting.

Mr. Peaslee thinks he's very smart and important. His wife is actually the brains of the family. One day, Peaslee ventures over to his neighbor's house to brag about being called to sit on the grand jury. No one is home. While there Peaslee sees "the bane of his life" - a pesky calico cat. It eats his chicks, howls at night with its friends and drives him nuts. So what does he do? Picks up a gun leaning in the corner of a boy's bedroom and tries to shoot the animal. He misses - and hits a man instead.

You can guess what happens next - people are wrongfully accused, the town gossips wildly, and Peaslee is asked to serve on the jury.

It reminded me of an English sitcom episode or maybe The Beverly Hillbillies. Goofy, vivid, exaggerated characters, etc. I gave it three stars since it was very, very predictable. I also would have liked to see the cat play a bigger role in the ongoing story.

[Nira Ramachandran · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful and humorous novella about life in small- town America. The cat motif runs through the story; in fact, the story would not have been but for the cat.
Solomon Peaslee and his wife have sold their farm and moved to a beautiful white house in Elmington near the Canadian border, where Peaslee is a Director in the Bank. The Peaslees are comfortably off, but a penny-pinching pair, with the shrewd Mrs. Peaslee more of a skinflint than her husband. As the story opens, Mr. Peaslee is in a contented mood, having just learned of his appointment as a Grand Juror in the local Court. The only bugbear in his idyllic life is the Calico Cat. “Her coat was made up of patches of yellow and white, varied with a black stocking on her right hind leg, and a large, round, black spot about her right eye, which gave her a peculiarly predatory and disreputable appearance. Solomon had disliked her at sight. Ever since he had bought the house in Ellmington, he had been trying to drive her from the premises but stay away she would not.”
As Peaslee strolls out after dinner, he decides to visit his neighbour Mr. Edwards, a rather silent and stern businessman, to acquaint him with his own good fortune. As he walks through the door propped open in country fashion, there is no response to his greeting. Looking for Mr. Edwards or his young son Jim, he finds himself in what is obviously Jim’s hobby room stacked with fishing rods, bait, a shotgun, powder and pellets and other essentials for boyhood fun. Obviously, Edwards is indulgent towards his only son, though he finds it difficult to display any affection for the motherless boy.
Still wondering where the occupants of the house could be found, Peaslee looks out of the window towards his home, and there on the fence sits the Calico Cat. Almost of its own volition, he grabs the shotgun, rams in some powder and shot, adds a glass marble to ensure some damage and takes aim, but alas, one leap and the cat escapes unharmed. But, to his astoundment, there is a sudden rustling in the bushes and a man rushes out and makes his escape. Shaken by this unexpected turn of events, Peaslee decides that the running man could not have been hurt and he, himself must make his escape before being caught.
Jim in his bedroom above hears the shot and comes tearing down, just in time to see a man streaking off, and jumps to the conclusion that it was his father who had fired the shot. His vivid imagination and fondness for stories of smugglers and adventurers, fueled by local gossip, have made him cast his father in the role of a famous smuggler, and himself as the loyal son who must save his father’s life. It’s the work of a few minutes to clean the gun and hide the rags, and all evidence of a shot. Moments later his father storms in and asks if he had fired the gun, which he stoutly denies, but is not believed.
Then begins a comedy of errors with Peaslee, scared of losing his newly acquired position yet finding it difficult to reconcile his cowardice with his conscience. He is genuinely sorry for the boy, but sure that his influential father will save him; Edwards is furious that his wayward son will not admit his guilt, while Jim is determined to save his smuggler father’s life, even if he must lose his own. And all this because of the Cat!
Peaslee spends sleepless nights “Long he lay awake and tossed, while the Calico Cat wailed on the rear fence--exultant, triumphant, insulting”, and tries to provide Jim with some comfort by taking him small gifts in jail, though every cent he spends hurts him sorely. Then the trial finally begins. And of course, it is because of the Cat, that the case is resolved!
Charles Miner Thompson (1864-1941) was an American journalist, author, editor, and translator. The Calico Cat was first published in 1908. The illustrations throughout the book are by F. R. Gruger.
The book is also available in audio-format.

[Caroline W · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was on my toes from the firing of the shot to the last fullstop!

[Zvonimir · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 1000th read book on Goodreads.

[Lyndsay-ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wasn't sure what to expect but this was a fun short read. Narrator did a good job reading and was decent with her voices.

[JoAnn Stutz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meets Popsugar requirement of cat on the cover. A short read and average entertainment.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solomon Peaslee, while at his neighbor Edwards' house one afternoon, takes a shot at a white-and-yellow Calico Cat that has been annoying him. He misses the cat, but much to his surprise, he sees a man fall on the other side of the bushes! Solomon quickly leaves the Edwards' house without Jim or his father ever knowing he was there.

Jim Edwards believes his father fired the shot, and tries to cover it up. His father is equally convinced that JIM fired the shot, and refuses to post bail when Jim is arrested. Things begin to get complicated when Solomon, both feeling and BEING guilty, is called to serve on the grand jury that will try young Jim Edwards ...

[NikkiLane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this little story. The characters were flawed, but realistic and the moral was very interesting. I listened to this one and honestly, I think a lot of what I enjoyed was what the narrator brought to this simple little country story.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this funny and sweet yarn.