The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-03-26
A CAT STORY.
A Woman Whose House Was
Headquarters for Hundreds of
the Feline Race.

Whether uDjustly or not, from time
immemorial, all maiden ladies of ar
uncertain age have been credited
With q certain amount of affection
for animals of the species feline, bat
never bas case been recorded where
the passion for cats was cultivated &c
such IA abnormal degree as it was by
lone, lorn Womau," u number oil
years ago. IN q small town In = neigh.
boring state. For some years previ.
Gus to the year 1885, there lived in q
small, low.studded, tumble. down
looking house, situated 10 an out-of-
the-way cross road, between the towns
Sterling and Lancastef, Mast, two
maiden sisters. named Congdon,
each OF whom had q love for c. Is,
and had three or tour pets of this
Kind. Finally. about the year ABOVE
mentioned, the younger sister died,
leaving the elder, aged about sixty
five u are, alone lie the world. From
this time forward ali the love which
miss Cong on bt d ielt tor her ster was
conceI q 81 into love for cats, and
soon her little mouse kecaCoe the shell
ter for ali the stray felines that came
that Wsy, place where all the neigh
bors dropped their cats or kittens
which they wished 10 rid themselves
of. Thus they multiplied aud in
creased until it is estimated that at
one time the ''lonely old maid" was
the foster.mother or sort OF guardian
angel OF from 100 10 125 cate, OF all
sexes, sizes, shapes, colO's ,And de-
scriptioDs. And slI OF these tie old
women loved with love that pass
eth understanding" aod wou puue
them in sickness as tendefiy as n
mother would her child, caressing
them in an Rfiectionate manner. and
day by day wash them and carefully
comb and brush their coats or make
up their beds, while those not under
treatment would run and race up and
down the room, over her shoulders,
chairs, tables, etc. La the summer
time the old woman could frequently
be seen seated in her aid armchair,
with the doors ana windows thrown
wide open with Cats perched upon her
cuddled down in her lap
and occupying every available space,
in every conceivable p sition. The
cats themselves seemed 10 be always
happy and contentsd, save when the
larder WAS empty, and then they
would 60 on a foraging expedition
out in the fields and woods near the
house. They would catch rats, mice,
meadow moles, etc which they
would quickly kill and eat. Ordin-
arily the cats were comparatively
peacefully disposed, but at times
when they we're hungry, they became
very angry and Ierocisus, and rent
the air with the meowliDgs, yells and
go that the school children
were afraid to pass the house. and
would take hold OF hands and 90
seampering across lots to avoid pass
ing the door. In the winter the cats
were housed up the greater portion of
the time, and those persuus who
to go past the house at a
when the door was acciGen-
ALLY opened would find the stencil
aden atmosphere which came from
within almost unbearable. all cats,
yaunt or fat, we'll and strong or lame
md III. from the tiDiest kitten to the
oldest gray beard Iof q tom-cat, we're
beloved by "Mo'her Congdon" and |
ound shelter in Ler house and plenty
If food while she could provide it. |
,he was possessed of a small pro-
,erty from which she derived a
Moderate income, every dollar of |
which was spent for her darling pets.
When the weather was good she has
,tten been seen taking the cate out
or walk, AMI ct this time she pre-
ented a very comiesl appearance.
Jats were riding on her shoulders,
,ats in her arms, cats clinging to her
Iress, and cats running beside her or
ollowiDg in a demure procession in
Ter wake. At this period OF her life,
be IL described az being tall and
aunt, with round shoulder S and bent
igure. a small, thin. very much
1rinK!e !, face, surmouUted by coarse,
ray hair, bushy eyebrows. under
eah (which cleaned keen. steeIy gray
yes, her whole exterior being like
nto one OF Macbeth's witches. A
sw years later Mother Congdou
led AID all of her property was found
D have been left fl r her darling oats.
II her early life but little is knnan.
or could the cause Of .hls Iuoruiuste
Fiction for the Ct tribe ever be
as she turned the cold shout
IT Oh al visiters, ard devoted all
er time and energies TO the almost
ndless task of washing. combinP,
,eding and dressing the hundreds OF
ats which for nearly ten years we're
er constant companions Prori.
ence Star.