The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-07-18
CATS AT A FIRE.
The Story Told by the Servant (;irls..Be.
huyIOr of the Fclines.

The Story Told by the Servant (:irIs-.Be.
hnvIor Of the Fclines.
The servant girls who escaped from
the Southern Hotel, st. Louis, while it
was in flames, tell singular story about
their premonition of q fearful disaster.
The girls occupied three different rooms
on the sixth story, and about eleven
o'clock, after they had all retired and
most Of them were asleep, a cat came,
scratched against the doors and moaned
pitifully. As a cat had never before
been seen in that part of the house many
of the girls were frightened.
Lizzie Leary, girl strongly super
stitious in her inclinations, woke up the
other inmates of the room in which she
slept, and told them there WAS cat at
the door acting strangely, and she could
not drive it away. She expressed be-
lief that it was the sign of something
terrible going to happen, at which the
other girls laughed and ridiculed her.
When they opened the door the cat
mewed but refused to come in, and in q
moment retreated down the hall rs il
badly frightened.
About twelve o'clock all the girls in
that room were awakened by the noise
of cats at the door. On opening the door
they discovered four felines crouchine
against and scratching the wall, and
moaning low, as if in terror. They pro.
cured broom and endeavored to drive
the disturbers down the hall toward the
stairway leading to the floors below, but
they refused to so in that direction.
While making the effort to drive them
away the door of the adjoining rc ON,
where the other girls slept, was opened,
whereupon the cats made frantic rush
into the room, flew under the beds,
where they crouched together. BY this
time dozen Of Inc girls were awake and
highly excited over the strange action Of
the cats.
The cats refused to move from their
position under the bed, neither blows
nor persuasive calls having any effect on
them. All the cats were recognized as
those belonging in the cellars and on the
lower floors, where they were used as
mousers, and their sudden advent to the
SlAUu 1loOI, GoSctllCl m1e1 olIOh uAie'S
countable actions, very naturally aroused
the fears of the servants, and the more
nervous ones could hardly be persuaded
to retire to bed again. It was concluded
to allow the cats to remain under the
beds, and in half hour quiet was again
restored. When the alarm of fire came
the cats were still under the bed, crouch.
ing, and there they staid until the girls
were rescued by the memorable courage
of Michael Hester.
It is said that all the girls now have @
firm belief that the visit Of the cats was
warming of impending danger, and that
they were sent there by some mysterious
agency to give timely premonition.
The proper theory, doubtless, is thai
occupying that part of the lower build
ing where the fire first started, and where
it spread and groaned and cracked in s
smothered way, perhaps for hours before
the general. alarm was given, the cats
became terror stricken and sought safety
by fight to the upper stories. They
stopped ut the servant girls rooms be
cause that was the highest point thu
could be reached.