The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-08

fensiye. standing no nonsense. l PLAYED
with one half hour. watching it spend its
poison-which was the color of water-over
the shovel as il tried to bite it, the shovel,
hot /, being its adversary. until in weari-
ness or soreness, as the shovel may have
nurt its gums. or perhaps it had exhausted
its store of poison. it turned tail and glided
slowly away. Then | shot II.
To come back 10 my feline family.
Presently when | started on my iaunrs
walked from ten TO twelve miles in some
direction every day, and had not only one
but procession of cats in my wake. And
as though these were not nuisance enough,
if for a brief instant a tree, a clump of
chaparra or a hill depression or elevation
hid me from their sight. concert Uf bowls
announced the fact 10 the world, and with
their noses to The GROUND they would run
hither ana thther trying to trail me. 0cca-
SiOnaliy tAis performance was entertaining.
but as il threatened 20 interfere with my
search for adventure l was compelled 10 tie
them in a galvanized iron barrel and with
great lack of dignity run swiftly out of
sight before they clambered up the slippery
height.
AS winter neared | added another room
with q fireplace 10 my establishment, and
now with doors and windows closed, felt
a freedom from family cares | had not
known for months. But l reckoned with
out my host. The cries of my pets, which
were very uuHiaO, resembling the wall OF q
human babe, suddenly ceased, and down
the chimney, bounding over the cracking
flames, without singeing hair, came mother
and children to take their usual snOoZe in
my bed My man brought all his ingenuity
to work in closing the chimney to them, but
they Outwitted every continuance.
The family did not take up with strangers,
they seereted themselves when visitors
came; but once two from distance. young
man and an old one, we're left in charge
while / made neighboring visit. When
returned both were nearly frightened out
of their wits. for by some chance Little
Mother had been fastened in the house
with them. and after showing her dis
pleasure by fierce growing and splitting,
she flew up the chimney through blazing
fire ike the red witch Of fairy lore.
When | left the ranch for months visit
to the city the whole family disappeared
and never returned until they heard my
voice echOing through the woods again.
Their love was tor me, and not for such OF
this world'e comforts as they got from me.
One day a howl of distress reached my
ears, and brighter Lyon" came running Io
me, her head dripping blood, her left eye
dangling from the socket. Evidently she
had been playing with rattler's tail and
be had turned upon her and bitten her, hi;
teeth entering above and under the eye
showing il from its place. / washed the
wounds with warm water and deluged them
with turpenline for three days. At nigh
she slept on my arm. l can eneyer think
without pain that while her little frame
quivered with agony, she yet purred almost
necessarily through happiness at my Ca
resses. Once or twice she got up and paced
around the room, crying pite0usly, but she
returned TO my arms again. The res. Of
the family knew that something very unto