The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-01
THE CAT IS THEIR JONAH.
Lake Sailors Apprehensive When q
Feline Comes Aboard Ship.
From the ChicaRo Trihune.

A0AO OhAAOAS app w h6h u
Feline Comes Aboard Ship.
From the Chicago Tribune.
Lake sailors are not nearly as supersti-
tious as their brothers who follow the
sea, but they show with them their dis
like of women or clergymen as passen-
gers or visitors on any boat other than
the regular passenger lines. Cats are
nearly as bad, while the three together
are fatal to the good luck of the trip at
least. There is an old sailor in Chicago
who attributes the fact that he is alive
to-day to his determination not TO sail
in such company. He was all ready
to make certain trip when he sud
denly discovered that a friend of the cap
tain's and his daughter were to go along;
he disliked the idea greatly, and his aver
sion TO going grew stronger when he
learned that the gentleman in question
was minister, but when the young lady
came aboard carrying pet kitten in her
arms, his heart failed him entirely, and
he was forthwith attacked by sudden
and severe illness, which efectually pre-
vented him from making the run. While
between ports a collision occurred, and
the unlucky boat promptly settled, - and
although all on board were rescued by the
other vessel, the superstitiOus man always
will believe that had he made the trip he
would have gone to the floor"
But, Notwithstanding the feeling in re-
gard TO the feline tribe, one liner"
which runs between Duluth and Buffalo,
always has cat on board She was orig
inally the property of the first mate but
so attached to the boat did she become
that when in course of time he was pro-
NOTED she refused to leave with him.
Since then she has made every trip but
one, and on that occasion no persuasion
could induce her TO cross the gangway or
b, Il
place in which several men lost their
lives, and since then her behavior upon
lenving port is carefully watched.
Should she again refuse to board the
boat the trip would, in all probability, be-
postponed until new crew could be OBJ
tanned.
Queer stories are told in this connec-
tion, and it is said a genuine sailor
will make any sacrifice rather than lose
his place at the swinging table. A GER
tain captain on grain steamer says on
the final trip of last season a
series of catastrophes had so
depleted the china supply that but
five men could dine at one time, instead
of the usual ten, and even then it was
necessary to resort to strange eXpedients
to make up for deficiencies. One man
drank his tea from a small pitcher, an
other used a sugar bowl, a third a
spoonholder, the fourth boasted
a handleless cup, while the fifth
proudly displayed a tall goblet. Many
jokes were exchanged on the subject of
the unique table service and much
laughter was INDUCED in, and when in
the course of a sudden violent storm the
goblet was thrown to the floor ami broken,
its owner, a doughty Scotchman, was
mercilessly chaifed. But having declared
his determination TO remain with the
mess at all hazards, he was not to be out
done. Calmly washing his deep soapdish
he converted it into teacup during the
two days which interviewed before the
nearest port was reached