The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-02
ABOUT CATS.
Not All of Them Can be Called Politi-
clans con the Fence"

/
clans con the Fence"
| FROM the Nel0 York Aduertiser.
There is not in all zoology more maligned
animal than the cat it has even been
stated that the unpleasant traits attributed
to the vampire bat are wholly mythical.
Yet no one has arisen to vindicate the cat.
| There are still rural communicative
not yet penetrated by the railroad and the
telegraph-where they carry nutmegs
| for rheumatism ana plant their gardens IN
| the light of the moon, where the cat is care
| fully put out Of doors every night lest he
| should suck the baby's breath. An authenti-
Gated example of this terrible habit on the
part of poor puss has never been produced.
| IL is like seeing ghost. 1t always appears
| to somebody's second cousin, VINO told his
| great-aunt, who passed the legend down to
| the succeeding generation.
J A cats lack of alta hment to its bene-
| factor is another crime charged against
the poor animal. Cats are not the only
| creatures who do not like their benefactors;
there are hundreds OF folks who hate them.
| AS for pilfering another fault what man or
| woman is there who has not surreptitiously
| helped himself to some coveted dainty and
said nothing about it? People who have
| studied the ways Of the cat species are sur
prised to find how many different types of
| character there are among them; the dull
and the intelligent, the lazy and the indus
| trious, the affectionate and the indifferent,
the sober aud the digniaed, and the verit-
! ahls harlequin.
A family iwho has always had large
| objection tell many stories OF the ldlosyn-
] erasies of their pets
/ Among them probably the queerest of
| all was a black and white female who
had Osen denied the joys Of motherhood.
Never was the longing for offspring more
strongly shown in a human being. She
| had passionate interest in the kittens of
| all other cats more highly favored than her.
| self. Not only would she watcn their frisk-
| ing and playing with wisful interest, but she
was a hardened and persistent kiduaper
| She was an incorrigible kitten-srealer that
| no punishment could cure. She would
watch her opportunity when the real par
| ent had slipped away for breath of air,
| make descent in the box or basket where
| her family had been left and carry them
away, one by one, until the whole litter
had been abducted. She had all sorts of
| hiding places for the babies in the clothes
| pres j. o a the shelves Of the store room aad
| between the blankets OF the children's trua-
! die bed, and when the defrauded mother
| returned she Witnessed her grief and Iamen-
| tatious with the utmost complacenoy,
seeming to cherish her guilty secret.
Another cat was mighty hunter-also
a female cat with six kittens. Her masters
/
tens eyes were opened she began TO sally
| forth in serach of prey, which shs considered
| adapted to their tender stOmachs. Small
| moles, wood mice, chipmunks and flying
| squirrels were ruthlessly slaughtered, the
| family box being surrounded by their man
| gIod remains. No amount of beating or
| other means of discipline could curb her
| bloodthirsty propensities.
Another cat was a born clown. 1t could
| run and leap and turn somersaults Ike a
| trained poo lie, and learned of itself clever
trick of opening doors. The house was an
| old-fashioned one, and many of the doors
we're supplied with ancient latches. The
| cat would spring up. thurst one paw through
| the curved piece Of metal and tap the finger
of-thes latch with the other until the door
would fly open. Then she would walk in
with pronounced pride IN the achievement.
The cellar of the house would occasionally
get flooded with water. The entrance was
through a pantry, upon the shelves OF
which we're many Jars and various pans,
one of which contained -four One spriug
the rains we're unusually heavy and the cell
lar was flooded. The cat went down the cell
lar steps and discovered it, experimental
gingerly, and then retreated. While the
flood was still at its hight she was turned
out to go TO her own quarters, as usual,
which she showed decided unwillIngness 10
do.
In little while there was heard a tap,
tap, on the latch. and in walked the caU,
not only dripping. but covered with -four.
She had brRved the waters. crawled
through the hole in the window, swan
the flsod and wound up the performance of
knocking down pan of flour from the
shelf with which her wet fur was coated
from the ears to the tip OF her tail. The
family laughed immediately, aud if ever
there was grin of sympathy
depicted upon an animals face,
it appeared upon that cats.
She seemed perfectly conscious Of her
ridiculous appearance aud OF what she had
done.
A lady had beautiful Maltese Tom, an
animal of great size and sagacity. While
he was yet a young kitten, q spaniel
puppy was added to the collection of family
peJs. Between the dog, which had the in
congruous name of Phantom, and the cat
which was chrstened Timothy, there
sprang up an intimate friendship, They
had many a stirring romp, and ate out of
the same dish with the utmost amiablity.
When their mistress went to the meat mar
ket, Phantom and Timothy both accom-
panied her, alking sedately by her side.
1t was only a short distance, and when
the place was reached Phantom went inside
for his accustomed bone and Timothy ran
I'D a tree by the door and perched on one Of
the lower branches, out Of reach OF alien
dogs whom he had not converted to peace
and good will When his mistress and Pban~
tom reappeared he graveiy descended aud
trotted home again, sure Of choice tidbit,
which was never forgotten.
And the Maltese Tom and a small
Sky terrier were also great chums, and
PLAYED together constantly. They raced
through and through the house, over chairs
aud sofas, and even across the piano, but
the cat had the advantage. The terrier
was never permitted to go upstairs. When
the play became q little too fast aud furious
the cat would dart up the steps and lie down
on the upper landing, painting with ex-