The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-05-21
A Cats Sorrow.

A gentleman who went home rather
late one morning-about half-past one
o'clock, for which reason he does not
care to have his name mentioned-was
heard that evening to relate an interest
ing story. He says that at the corner of
Fourteenth and Chestnut streets he
heard queer sound, very much like
the moan of a human being in great dis
tress. He walked only few steps
further when the same strange sound was
heard again, The most peculiar feature
OF the last sound was that it seemed to
emanate from some cavern beneath the
pavement few yards distance. The
gentleman, in condition of mind ap-
preaching awe, hurried forward with
tremulous step. He crossed the dark
alley which divides the block, and the
lamp stood behind him. AS he moved
onward his eye detected slight vibration
or change in the form of the shadow
beyond the telegraph pole, too quick to
leave any outline of the form that made
it. Whether this circumstance had any
thing to do with the subject under in
vestigation remained to be seen. The
gentleman walked boldly up to the tele-
graph pole, and on arriving found moth
ing-that is, he saw nothing at first. his
eyes having been recently dimmed by
the glare of the lamp. A second after
ward q small object was seen on the
pavement close to the post, and while he
saw it it gave utterance to the sound that
had attracted his attention. It was ap-
parent that it was either cat or dog,
and an effort was made to frighten it
away from the shadow that curiosity
might be satisfied; but it refused to move
until actually driven, and then only a
foot or two with great reluctance. This
was sufficient, however, and the question
was settled. It was a cat; but why did
it seem 10th to retreat?
By STOPPING close to the ground the
dead body of a gray kitten about half
grown was discovered. The cat, which
had been driven away, seemed alarmed
by the investigation, and uttered some
half plaintive and defiant cries. The
gentleman said he then walked several
steps toward the south and then stopped
to see what the old cat was going to do.
She Immediately returned to the dead
body, and after walking around it and
| caressing it for some time, she suddenly
| raised her head and gave another cry.
This seemed to have been caused by an
other intruder, and by following the di-
rection of the cats eyes it was seen that
| another cat was the cause of the distress.
The latter animal was hidden in cellar
door with the exception of it's head. The
light fell upon it, and there was some
thing interrogatory about the face. This
cats object seemed to be to learn what
the other was doing, while the guardian
of the dead seemed to misunderstood the
cause of the intrusion. A we'll aimed
brickbat started the inquisitive cat on
the double quick, which doubtless car
ried him out of the neighborhood.
Immediately after his departure, the
mourning mother came away from the
little corpse and rubbed herself against
the legs of him who had routed her
enemy. She also looked up into his
face and mewed as if to ask pardon for
her former unkindness and to give him
to understand the true condition of her
feline heart. Having received little
kindness in return she resumed her
lonely watch beside the dead.-,T. Louis
Republican.