The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-12
CAT CAUGHT THE THIEF.
He Was stealing "A Bicycle, But Tom
Came to the Rescue.
From the Philadelphia Times.

From the Philadelphia Times
Dutch Neck, n. j., July 4.-Otis Lyons
owns a cat that for pure and unadulter-
ated gumption hasn't its equal in Mercer
county and probably not IN the wide
wide world 1t does no wonderful tricks
but puts itself to practical use in a way
that is astonishing
Tom, as the cat Is called, came to the
Lyons home one stormy night last winter
and made its presence known by scratch
ing on the door He was a long, gaunt,
wild-eyed, unfed creature, and plan
was laid to do him up In a sack and drop
him in the pond. but when in the morning
an ATTEMPT was made TO catch him, he
skurried up an elm tree and sat on a top
most branch looking defiance at the men
on the ground. When a member Of the
family got a gun the cat took refuge be-
hind the trunk of the tree and kept on the
shooter as he circled around looking for
an opportunity to cover the cat with the
gun.
cat amt no fool an / reckon we won
lose nothin' by jest takin' care o him
eff e wants ter stay with US"
IT was settled that way and when Caleb
Lyons. the son, had put away the gun, the
decided for he came down the tree and
rubbed up against the old man Lyons
leg In an appreciatiVe way.
From that day Tom was fixture In the
Lyons household, and he began to give an
exhibition Of his common sense right
away His FIRST remarkable show of intel
ligence after he came down from the tree
was made one Sunday when the Lyons
family was at church.
Tom was left contentedly snoozing In a
corner of the kitchen when the family
left the house and old man Lyons nearly
knocked off his seat in the midst of the
t4H auf Atrffa Il
the aisle, and clawing at the legs of his
trousers began to yell at the top of his
voice.
The minister stopped talking and every
body got up to Sc what the rumpus was
Tom was unmindful of them, and con-
tinued to yank away at Otis trousers
Hes got a fit, father" whispered Ca
leb. take i'm out" Otis went ont doors,
Tom at his heels, and when they were
outside the cat got a fresh hold on the
old mans trousers and showed dispo-
stion to drag him in the direction Of
home.
There's sumpthin' wrong down at the
house, boys" said Otis to his sons, IAN
I'm goln ter see what tits"
The men and the cat started for the
house, about a quarter of a mile away,
and when IL was reached smoke was pour
ing from the kitchen window. The door
was thrown open and the carpet on the
kitchen floor was found to be burned to
cinder A coal of fire had evidently fallen
started the fire. That Tom understood
the danger was shown by his action. He
got out Of the house by diving through
pane of glass.
Jimmy, the youngest member Of the
LYONS family, rides a bicycle. One day
last spring he returned from a spin on the
wheel and left 1t standing by the front
porch A dirty knight of the turnpike,
who had evidently seen better days, hap
pened along the road and his eyes fell
on the wheel He could ride, and he was
soon astride the bicycle, making his way
to the gate.
He might have succeeded in getting
away with the plumber had not he fallen
under the eyes of the cat, who happened
to stroll around the corner of the house
Just as the tramp was moving away.
Like a fash Tom was after the thief
and leaping into the air he fell on the
mans shoulders and set his teeth in bis
neck Th1re was howl and crash
that brought the tramp rolling on he
ground trying TO get away from Tins
rigid jaws. The cat was finally Induced
to loosen his hold. and after the tramps
wound had been cared for he was allowed
to go.
one day Farmer Holbrook's horse ran