The morning call., 1892-12-25
SAVED BY A CAT,
Why Jacob Flyers Has Lasting Fond
ness for Feline.


ness for Feline.
Yes, sir; 1t saved my life, and Astor's
wealth could not purchase it. I would part
with everything possess first and starve
afterward"
The speaker was Jacob Myers. young
carpenter, and the unpurchasable sit" an
ordinary looking tomeat. with three dark
lateral stripes extending from shoulder to
flank On each of its sides, and the person
addressed the writer, who confesses to
having made futile but wicked attempt to
convert the priceless tabby into q Ham,
burg steak with his bootjack on the night
previous.
You see, sir" continued the speaker,
picking the cat up in his arms and stroking
its fur with his hand, while the mouser
began gentle purr and rubbed its whiskers
months ago IL saved me from a horrible
death.
You want to know how IL happened !?
Twas this way: l was building houses TO r
the Indian Department on the Crow Reser-
walton in Montana. / was working con-
sleep in an old shack built on the outskirts
OF a little copse, In which there was dense
underground OF willow. rosebush and
wild currants, which the Indians said con-
thlDeu eWHImS OF ThttltSDAkeS.
Until then | had not seen any of the
reptiles, but had heard the noise of their
rattleS many time.
81 had halfbreed Indian helping me,
who owned the cat.
"One afternoon last July he went 10 the
| river to get drink. Ten minutes after
| ward heard him give terrific yell, and a
| few minutes after he came running toward
| me squeezing the thumb of his right hand,
while his copper-colored features had as
sumed cadaverous hue.
HE had been bitten by q rattlesnake.
tied a handkerchief around his arm, while
an old Indian sucked the wound.
despite the primitive remedies of the
Medicine man and the medical aid of the
doctor from the agency. who was sent for,
| agony.
AFTER the funeral the Indians set fire to
the c0pse, and forming circle around il
they killed number of snakes that were
attempting to escape from the fire.
THAT night / was thinking over the fate
OF my late companion before going to sleep.
| while the cat purred pleasantly upon my
| shoulder. had about another weeks wor
to do there. and ] fervently wished my self
through with the job.
Il went to sleep consoIipg myself with the
thought that all of the SNAKES in that neigh
Dorhood had been exterminated.
| :. Being very tired i slept until late next
gay, and when l opened my eyes the sight
| .ias niol NY gaze almost patalyZed me with
Cooled on my bosom, its head erect and
ready 70 strike and its eyes scintillatinp
Win rage, was large rattlesnake.
Il was too Mortified to move and 10 add Ia
my dread L could hear the rattles OF
another reptile under my bed.
| Il DO not know the exact time had been
| watching that snake after 1 awoke. II
might have been fifteen seconds. but II
| seemed to me lifetime.
The FIRST thing knew ] saw the cats
| paw descend upon the snakes head like !
| stroke OF lightning. and the next momenI
the squirming. slimy thing was flung upor
the floor.
with g bound / jumped MP in the bed
and. grasplng heavy stick that stood con,
venient, / smashed the reptiles head fntf
PUN.
THE other snake then showed fight, buI
II was dispatched as quickly a. Its mate
After making sure that there was M