The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1873-08-08
A~ntipathy 10 Cats.

llllll~AA8T AAAA IFAINh 49, -,
remarkable instance of antipathy TO the
feline race. He says:
Within twenty-five miles of Cambridge,
". Y, the home of my youth, the Rev.
DIR. - resided. His name l withhold re-
luctantly, and merely because what am
going 10 say of him will be regarded by
some as a fOible, though do not so con
slider IL. It was infrmity of constitution
fol which he was not responsible. He
was by birth an Englishman came 10
this country with a young family, and
was finally settled as a pastor In the Stete
of New York. He was the father of sew
enteen children, two of whom were cler-
m one = President of a College, one
a distinguished lawyer, and all who grew
up occupied places of honor and useful
ness. DIR. Spragle saws Of him, tina. he
was "one of the leading men of his day"
He was "A man of large frame, stout Eng
fish build, strong constitution, full habit,
and c%orpulent, the very last man TO be
suspected of weakness or foolish notions,
or Alterations of any kind. His only Pc
culiarity. of which | have any knowledge,
was inability 10 exist In the same imme-
diate atmosphere with a cat. That the
disability was real and not imaginary, |
have the most painful and abundant testi-
monv, and the facts are worth recording
as they establish a Physiological point OF
great interest, and II may be of value.
Nv father and the DIR. were members
Of the Presbytery of Troy. and of the
synod of Albany, and as those ecclesias-
teal bodies fifty years ago extended over
a large territory, attendance upon the
meetings required long journeys. On
these excursions as the DIR. and my father
were warm friends, my father being much
the younger, acted the part Of fdus Aeda-
ties. TO prevent any collision between the
DR.. and his natural enemy the cat. Be
fore he was admitted into a hotel or pri-
vate house. my father would inform The
family OF the Dr.'s popularity OF tempera-
ment. and every one of the feline ok
would be removed or carefully closeted.
Putting up together for the night al ru-
raj inn i'm New Hampshire, my father had
taken the precautiOn TO consult the land
lord on the subject, and received the as
suranee that no cat was on the premises,
the landlord having long since learned
that cats were more of a nuisance than
the nice they were tabled TO destroy. In
this | am very much OF the same opinion
with the New Hampshire landlord, never
vet having seen a house less infested by
mice for the presence OF "A cat. Satisfied
with the assurance, the two clergymen
took lodgings, and after an early supper,
being wearied with their journey, retired
To- bed in adjoining rooms. In the dead
OF night my father awoke 10 hear the PEE
culiar cry Of the cat, and evidently in the
hall by the door of the Dr.'s bedchamber.
Leaping from his bed - accoutred as ne
was he rushed out into the hall, and the
noise OF the animal ceased: but returning
10 his room and lighting his candle he
pursued the cat down stairs into a lower
room. where he made her a prisoner. He
hoped hat the DIR. had not heard the cry.
but thinking il prudent 10 look in upon
him. he opened his door and found him
lying with his head over the side Of the
bed. the sweat in big drops standing upon
his forehead, and in faint voice he said.
Z" I'm better now" He was greatly ex-
hagsted, but was recovering as from a
swoOn.
AT another time the DR.. came to our
house. In Cambridge, y. Y, and rs his
visit was anticipated, the usual prepara-
ton had been made. that of sending the
cat away TO one of the neighbors. And as
Il happened at this time that the cat fam
lily was somewhat enlarged the kittens
were carefully conveyed with the cat
10 a safe retreat. DIR. - entered the
room from the hall. and instantly retired
10 the piazza, snd there sat down. My
mother went out. and, greeting him, led
him into the parlor. Again he retired.
saying with his usual ~urbanity. my dear
Madam, You lave not considered my in
trinity" She assured him that he was
for once at least mistaken, and at her ur-
gent request he returned, but on the
threshold again paused, and said he coulc
not enter. He resumed his seat on the
porch, and a search was made. Under "a
bed in a room opening out of the parlor.
was found a kitten asleep. The atmos-
phere Of the whole apartment must have
been so impregnated, that his system re-
volted, and TO have remained In ii, would
in all probability have been followed by
the most serious consequences.
This infirmity. as he himself always
used to call IL. when ii vas necessary for
him TO allude to IL, became well known in
the community where he lived. and IL Is
said that at one time some mischievous
boys put a cat into the box-seat of his
chaise. In which he was going out to ride,
and although the animal made no noise.
The DIR. soon became sick. and with those
peculiar sensations that made known 10
him the nearness of his enemy. He
was obliged TO return home, and a
search revealed the cause of his trouble.
| have heard many anecdotes of the
same kind respecting the Dr.'s In
TRINITY, all going to show something
IN MS physical condition SO suscep-
uOle 10 the cat power. that it felt Its pres
ence without the intervention of sight or
sound. liz was a subtle but very efficient
influence flowing from the cat and pervad-
Ii'g the atmosphere very widely. How far
me u~nfrieudly effect extended, or how
iOng II remained in the room after the cat
mad retired, | cannot pretend 10 say. Nor
what catastrophe would have followed II
tne Dr. had been confined in a room with
ms Toe, seen or unseen, l 90 not know,
out presume that he would have died In
avery short time.
IL Is an unquestionable fact that the in