New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-06
WISE MARIA JANE.
CAT WHICH COULD PUT TWO AND T"o ~
GETHER-How LITTLE CALICO
GOT INTO THE CELLAR.

OOI lNIO Ihh O1SLbHf"
There is a family living in a house near Union
Square who think they have the cutes cat IN town.
and they also think they can show good reason for the
faith that IS in them. The name of their wonder is
plain everyday Maria Jane. She has an ordinary
coat of black and white fur and there nothing In her
face or appearance distinguish her from any otner
well-behaved black and white cat. But all the same
Maria Jane has q great head, a single anecdote VIII
show.
Maria had litter of Kittens the other day, ana sne
was compelled to keep them out OF the house. which
is also not remarkable. STILL 1t is in connection win
this fact that the story Of Maria James great head
work comes in On one Of the cool days Maria
wanted to bring her young indoors and set them
down In front OF the kitchen range where they "ouo
be much moro cOsey and comfortable. But MARIA
knew well enough that this was against the ruies
She had tried II several times before and each TING
had the door shut In her face. Nevertheless Sho
meant to get them In by some hook or crooh' ap
parently thinking that once they were landed in the
kitchen they would be allowed DO remain there
Once more the old adage, "Where there's VIII,
there's a way held good. 1t had been noticed ina.
Maria had been quito uneasy all the morhhs' anu
when she scratched at the cellar door, as sno was
wont TO do when she wished TO have u openou' h'
Importance was attached TO the move by her mis-
tress who happened to DO In the Kitchen III
minnie however Maria came running up the cellar
stairs with one OF ner hllJtiLo III HVA iHNNN'''
sbe deposited In front Of the fire. There was no mis-
taRe about IL. 1t was a little I" calico" cat and was
the only one OF that kind in the litter. III ever cat
purred and pleaded for Of her offspring Mara
Jane did so on this occasion. But II was all 70 no
PURPOSE Discipline had to be maintained ana tho
younGster was gently but ARMY sent back 10 us
companions.
At the same time II Maria's infexble mistress had
known at that moment what she learned little later
her heart would certainly have melted. I'm
mediatey after Little Calico as the kitten was
called had been disposed Of an Investigation was
started and the whole household turned out to assist
Every nook and Granny of the cellar was explored,
but no more kittens were found. Tho next question
in order was to find out how Little Calico" got
there in the first place. 1t was evident enough that
he was never brought in through any of the regular
means of entrance and exit Not only were they
most carefully guarded by the servants, but Maria
would have stopped in the kitchen with her charge
instead OF taking him all the way down cellar and
then bringing him back Yet no one could tell
how or where the little fellow got In. Therefore
the mind OF Mara's mistress, who was ono OF these
we'll meaning and amable domestic terrors known as
a good housekeepero filed with dlsquietng
visions of that motherly tabby smuggling into the
house an endless procession OF Kittens who would
require an endless amount of " bouncing"
suddenly It occurred 10 her that she had Maria
at the cellar grating, and the investigation was at
Onoe adjourned to than spot iheh Ior ho nFs' ''ie
the full magnifcence of her pets strategy dawned
upon her in all of its ingenuity and cunning. II
seemed to come as close to putting two and two
together as an animal often gets. Underneath the
grating was square well-holo. such as cellars ord
narily have but IL ended with dirt bottom about hall
the distance to the cellar floor which perhaps
nine feet below the kitchen. One corner OF this
grating had been broken Off and the triangular hole
thus formed large enough TO pass rabbit
through, TO say nothing Of a kitten. That discovery
showed plainly enough how the trick done:
Little Calico" and his brethren were all too small
to walk or crawl there, and Maria must have carried
the pioneer one there in her mouth and then dropped
It through the grating upon the soft dirt at the bot
TOM Then 1t was easy enough 10 go down INTO the
cellar, climb up 10 the bottom OF the wellhole'
and get the kitten that was roostlng there ,,.u,,
Although her adrOit scheme was frustrated, Mario
did not go unrewaried Her mistress felt proud OF
her and gave her a special treat with her midday
meal She went out for the biggest saddle ROCK
oyster TO be got, and Maria had feast, eating u
on the half she'll This made her feel so happy
that She went out in the back yard and cutted her
kittens all around their box, just for exercise.