The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-03

/ 4 was certain they we're gong ~ AbAl over
! the baby.
Something had to be done, and done
/ quickly, or I would see my child torn in
/ Two and eaten. The thought made me as
! wild as were the animals, almost.
! rushed in the house, grabbed the shotgun,
| and trembling Ike a leaf and praying
/ with every breath, fired through the win
! dow at the animal that had my babe. My
aim was unsteady and 1 only manned
him. 1t had the desired effect though,
for he limped off as rapidly as he could,
| the wildcat at full tilt after him, pOunc-
ing on him every second, biting and
scratching him, and the babe was dropped
on the ground. In a moment the babe was
safe IN my arms and I in fit of hys-
terics. The two animals were just out
side the yard and fighting in a way to
make ones flesh creep. Their cries be-
came faint and then l did not hear them
again l Rugged our boy and trembled
the rest of the day. My nerves were com
pletely shattered over the excitement
Every moment l drew my baby closer
in my arms and promise never TO leave
him again. And never did.
When Sam came home he examined
the trails. He knew those of the wildcat
at once, but the others he had never seen
before. The feet We're long as a cats, but
he did not know just what animal ii was
nor ever had an opportunity of finding out
for the animal did not call again.
THE next morning about 8 o'clock
what should see walking around but the
same wildcat as had saved the baby the
day before? He was very bloody and
besides looking as if he had been in a
terrific fight, appeared to be half starved
1 was not mistaken. I knew it was the
same cat, and while his intentions might
have been the same as those of the other
animal, felt grateful to him for saving
my child. But for his repeatedly barring
the others way, which prevented his
getting out of the yard before l came
both would have been gone and we'd
never have known the fate of our babe
The thing looked so badly l felt sorry for
him and tossed bone out of the window
He went for it and was gone in a minute
and the next morning he came back for
another bone, which l gave him, with a
few other scraps from the kitchen.
He came without fail every morning
about the same time, ate the small pieces
OF bread and meat, and carried the bone
away with him. He came so regularly,
that / prepared his breakfast early, put
1t in plate and set ii near the fence
where he came in, and then I'd watch for
him. His morning calls lasted for about
two weeks, when one morning, to my sur
prise, l saw him come out of the hollow
! tree in the corner of our yard. His i'm
/ pudence frightened me a little and amused
me also. He came out, ate his breakfast,
or q part of it, and then made several
! trips back to the tree taking something
| in his mouth each time. Most of the
/ day l watched to see what he was shar-
| ing his meals with, but did not see or hear
| anything. That night, however, after
we had gone in our room, Sam looked
| through the window and saw the old
cat and two young ones playing in the
/ moonlight
she liked the place so well she had
! moved her family there Sam laughed,
! and said we had three boarders. He felt
! towards the old cat as 1 did, and we con-
! Guided to let them stay a while if they
! behaved. This they did. Not once did
! they do anything to cause us the least
alarm. They became more gentle every
! day, and played over the yard like house
cats. In year the young ones were as
! large as their mother, and the three were
! glossy and fat They would run up and
down the gallery for an hour at a time
and never pay the least attention to the
! baby, who was then toddIng around.
Not long after this my husband died
and in less than six months later our boy
/ Joined his papa. 1 was almost in despair
/ as to what should do. On account of his
! i'll health we had managed to put by only
| little for a rainy day. / had no relatives
/ to 60 besides ! couldn't leave our home. l
! came here as a bride our babe was born
! iAGA u ii EOpA many years VI ildDIlleSS were
! spent under the roof of this little cabin.
! In spite of the dark shadow I felt drawn
| to the place. They are both buried out
| there under those trees, and 1 can't ever
/ leave them.
Il had been very successful with raising
! chickens and turkeys, for which there 5
| always a ready market. That field was
! open to me as means of livelihood and |
concluded to try it, my only fear being
| thieves, both kinds, the two and four-leg-
! ged. But do you know that now never a
coon, 'possum, mink, stray cat or any
! thing, man or beast, ever enters this yard
! at any time.
The wild cats, this old one, I've had SO
| long, and her two children keep them all
away. They are better by far than the
! best watch dogs to be found. Before they
| took up their residence here ana became
| our pets something could be heard prowl-
| ing around every night And not only
that, but making off with duck or chick
en- in his mouth. Now, nothing of the
| kind ever happers. They may come
around, but are met or frightened away
! before they ever get in the yard And
! Christmas week every year l bring home
| from market a small fortune from the sale
| of my turkeys, chickens and ducks, a num-
! Der of which, besides eggs, 1 dispose of
! readily all during the year.
once in a while chicken hawk swoops
! DOWN upon some unSuspecting fowl, but
that isn't often and is the only thing that
ever gets ahead of the cats. l was sur
! prised a week ago by seeing my old pet
| had an addition to her family. 1t had been
! so long since her babies were born / did
! not think she'd have any more. But there
! they are, two fine little fellows, az you
! see. Well, three were enough, but shall
not complain or interfere with her Keep
/ ing the other two. l don't know what l
/ should do without them. There's one
! thing sure, l couldn't live here alone nor
| meet with any success fowl-raising. They
/ are unequal as a guard"
When left l was escorted to the gate
/ by Mrs. Benson and two Of the cats, who
/ walked along slowly at her feet, their
/ tails under them and as meek and do@ile
/ as any dog / ever saw The old cat stayed
/ on the gallery still cycling me uneasily as
/ she had done all along. But the moment I
/ was out of the yard she was relieved, ana
I gave expression thereto by leaping off the
/ gallery and tearing ike mad over the
/ yard, her two babies after her. a wilder
/ romp ] never saw than these five cats
for the others Joined them a moment
/ later-onjoyed. As ] pushed the skif out
! and picked up the oars i glanced la rly a Z