The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1873-01-02
FRENzIED FANCIES.
THE TERRIBLE TAIL OLA: MIDNIGHT
SCREAMER.
GFrom the Titusyillc Press. I

SCREAMER.
From the Titusvillc Press.1
A gentleman engaged in the fur trade ol
this city informs us that there seems to be
some kind of an epidemic raging among the
cats in town, and it is his opinion that unless
strict sanitary precautions are taken at nee,
we are liable to lose every feline pet in the
city With the idea of fascertaining the truth
of this statement, we visited several localities
last evening, and obtained the following in
formation regarding the "catalepsyhippic :"
THE FIRST SYMPTOMS.
Mr.. Spelter, who keeps boarding house
and cut feed mill upon back alley, inform
ed us that he had first noticed something
wrong with the cats week ago. He had
twenty of these household pets about bis es-
tablishment, which he keeps for the comfort
Of his single male dodgers, who, upon cold
nights, takes cat to bed with them to keep
their feet warm. No additional charge. ia
made for this luxury by Mr.. Spelter. About
week since change in the dsmeanor of
these animals was observable. A young gen.
tleman boarder was about to retire for the
night, as has been his custom since cold
weather set in, called upon the landlord to
furnish him with cat and candle. The
proprietorprocured candle, but upon reach
ing under the stove for o cat, found none
there. He began to search for these living
warming-pans in the pantry, the wood-box,
tho bag Of dried peaches, the oven but the
only sign he could discover was circular
cavity or depression in a pan of bread that
had been set to rise by the stove. The result of
the search was in vain, and the inmates Of
the house went catless to bed that night
Speter says the next day all his pets
re-appeared, and acted as if nothing had
happened, but about sundown change SEEM
ed to come over them.
THEIR EYES TURNED GREEN,
and sounds began to emanate from the older
animals, similar to the more delicious strains
of Italian operas. The younger animals also
caught the operate infection, and the entire
feline tribe began to walk slowly around the
room in couples, MAINTAINING very orderly
behavior, but seemingly suffering extreme
mental anguish, which occasioned the cries
they tried to repress. AL at once, said Mr..
Spelter, without word of warning, large
gray and white cat. of the Thomas variety,
elevated the central vertebre of his spine,
his tail expanded like hot air balloon, and
with an exclamation that sounded for all the
world like, 'come, boys, come h-e-a-hv' with
the last word drawn out like linked sweet
ness or sausage,
PLUNGED THROUGH THE WINDOW,
and was Immediately followed by the other
nineteen in rapid succession, so that it seems
ed to boarder, who happened to be stand
ing outside, as if one variegated cat about
thirty feet long, and with twenty tails located
at regular intervals along its spine, had
jumped through the window. Mr.. Spelter
made every effort to discover the cause of
this unusual behavior, but could not do So;
the cats haye now for several nights INDUCED
in these eccentricities, and it is the belief OF
their owner that they are affected in some
manner by the atmosphcrical causes that
have produced the horse disease, though Pro-
fossor Bologna, tho celebrated naturalist and
cat expert, thinks it is simply the pleasant
evenings and love Of excitement that calls
them out.
OTHER FELINEs AFFECTED.
A visit to other parts of the city develop.
ed the fact that some peculiar complaint is
certainly raging among the cat tribe, or else
they are enjoying unusual good health or an
exuberance of animal spirits just now
House keepers tell us that cats who have
long since arrivsd at the age of discretion,
and have been exceedingly domestic in their
habits heretofore, now prowl around the
house after dark, and utter cries that would
cause q sewing machine agent to weep, and
skirmishing is continually going on upon
the house-tops, and other available spots
whereon these animals love to indulge IN
teeth and toe-nail contests. The prevailing
sentiment among the cats seems to be desire
to
RATHER FIGHT THAN EAT.
And as a consequence, the rats have become
80 bold in some localities as to have things
their own way. One gentleman whose men,
dacity is fashionable, assures US that he
saw series of cat fights in his back yard the
other night, where, upon oyster cans, bricks
and other elevations, sat great numbers OF
spectators in the shape of rats, who held
pastcboard tickets of admission in their paws
that had evidently been prepared by. the
cats themselves. But whether it is owing
to any atmospheric changes or not, one thing
f is certain, there never was as much cat war
fare going on as now. The night is made
hidcous, and sleep impossible to nervous hu
manity More than a thousand boot;iack'
have been sacrificed to qucll these nocturna
disturbances, but without effect Grey cat
patrol the housc-tops, while black cats how
f and pull fur on the ground below. yellow
, eats sit ON the fence posts and warble sere
, nades to spotted tabbies who roam amon'
the weeds in the garden below. The bella
q st- TO- rl,ou