The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-08-01

A little hatch-it story, which Of course
nn1st he true. Is told bv the New y oTk World
of Sunday last 1t is all about motherly
cat that hatched out and is now raising
brood of young chickens, and Is told IN TINS
wise
Mrs Thomas Leonard. wife Of a bricklayer lIv-
tho at 73 Fifteenth street, South Brooklyn, has
very maternal cat and a very sfmple-minded
erless before they had cracked the shell 10y the
cruel desertiOn of the hen to whose care the esgs
had been consigned. The cat Immediately took
possession of the nest, Matched out the chickens
and is now educating them accordlng 70 heI
lights. Mrs. Leonard, who is very proud OF the
queer family, said to a reporter yesterday
Il put six eggs under my old hen and she took
care OF them until about three days before the
chickens were expected to come ont. One evening
I noticed that she was not acting like set ting
hen and went 70 the nest in the barrel, thinking
that my eggs would be spoiled. The barrel was
lying on its side with the mouth towards the fence
pass in and out. I put my hand into the barrel
and was surprised and scared TO feel soft, warm
fur. Then I heard n cat new and called 'Tib-
bic The cat mewed again and found il was
yown. ! tried 20 coax her out, but she wouldn't
come. She lying with the eggs gathered
under her and concluded 90 let her stay there.
She stuck TO the nest TOR three days, coming out
occasionally 10 ger sohethihg 10 edt ana scam
per1ng back as soon as she had satshed her APP
petite. A week ago last Sunday morning went
into the yard and heard the peep of some chick
ems l looked into the barrel and there saw I'VE
chickens which the cat was licking The sixth
shell was broken, but the chicken had not come
out. l ran in and told TOm-that's my husband
of my discovery but he laughed at me and said
l was trying to fool him into getting up early on
a Sunday morning. That evening the eat bro't
, five chickens up into the kitchen. The sixth had
died. l carried the barrel in and put il in the
front room and they took possession of It and
seemed comfortable. But within day or two so
many people came to see them that Tibbie got
uneasy and carried of her family. She hid them
under old closet down stairs. where i found
them. I brought them up again and put them in
this big cage in an out-Of-the-Way corner and
there you can see how contented they are.''
Tibbie was lying cUrled up on a feather pillow
in the cage with her foster family around her
Two of them were straddled over her back and
two more were nestled between her legs The
fifth was absent, having been purcha sed by a lady
, of Brooklyn Heights. Mrs Leonard took the
chicks in her hand and carried them into the back
ROOM The cat lay perfectly quiet until she
heard their cries of distress: then She out OF
the cage, bounded over the board which Mrs.
Leonard had placed across the foot OF the door
way to cOnfne the chicks to the limits of the
front room, and hurried out. She mewed gently
and the chickens TO her. Putting her paw
under she seized il with her mouth and car
/ red IL gently to the nest. When she reached the
boardiat the door she did not Jump over hastily as
commonplace cat would, but rose on her hind
. legs with maternal gentleness. placed her for,
paws the top and with a swift but easy motion
slid to the floor the other side without jarrfng
the chicken. She laid it IN the nest and repea tee
the operation until all four were brought back
/ when she lay down beside them contented.
Tibbie IS about eighteen months old and is
' real tortoise-shell.