The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-03
psf OF a SHEEP RANcHER
lie Finds wildcat better Than a Dog
TO DIV or CnAotes

10 DRIVE On Gov ofes
From the san Francisco Examiner.
sheep ranchcr near Ash Fork. Ari-
zona, J. III. Abshirc has discovered that
Wild eats can De d3mesticated. and are
then as nice pets as any purring Nal
tose or tortoise shell tabbies. lie has
one that follows him everywhere, act
Ing as both protector and companion
n Is n big. striped and spotted animal
with ElarinE yellow eyes. whiskers like
rnrcupine quilts and a tail as glossy
and sinuous IN its windlngs as any jun
gle tigers.
How did happen TO take wild cat
for a household pussy" repeated Mr.
Ahsh.re during a recent interview. I'm
ton you about IL. was herdlng sheep
one day. and was standing on the top
Of cliff Looking down on a ledge Of
rocks projecting from the cliffs below
/ saw a very large. fc~OciOus looking
Wild cat She had tassels on her ears
and was lashing her tail from side T.
side and glaring M me and growing
angrily | stood spellhound for min
ute. and, not having any gun. I was at
a loss 70 know what 10 do. I spied a
huge howldcr on the edge OF the ledge
right over this cat and. using all my
strength. I pushed II over. She was too
quick for II and lodged. when I
looked down again she had dlsap-
pcared
Il concluded there must be a cave.
and perhaps a nest OF kittens. so I lay
i'm wait "A few minutes - see II the cat
would make her appearance again.
was ready FOR her this time as had Sc
cured lot OF rocks. and intended 70
shower them uDon her I did not have
very long TO wait for out she came.
looking flercor than before l let the
rocks go. and that time there were too
many Of them for her 10 dodge one
struck her on the back and broke IT,
and after that I easily put an end 20
her. / then crawled down the cliff
short distance and peered over as far
as 7 could. and discovered there were
two very small kittens In the cavern
Their eyes were not yet open. / made
up my mind / would have them. II
took me some time 10 plan how I could
get to them. - the cliff was almost
perpendicular. II was with great Diff
Guilty that finally captured my prizes
took on my coat and wrapped Il
around them and started home When
l reached there I laid them down at the
base OF a big juniper tree. My large
hound. Adam. came bounding up. and.
10 my surprise. seemed as pleased over
my kits as 7 was. lie at once began 20
lick them. and laid down beside them.
The kittens crawled over him and
seemed 10 think he was a good substi-
tute for their mother. / gave them
Sleeps milk. which they seemed 10
thrive on. They would lie all day IN
der the trees with the hound. and he
would never let my sheperd dog come
near them. They grew very fast. and
we all became very much attached 60
the strange pets.
at sheep shearing time we drove the
sheep into Ash Fork. I packed the bur
ros and made a box for the wild cats
and dashed them on top. When we
reached town that evening I let them
out TO run around the sheep shed.
While Adam was eating his supper a
large dog came in and killed one OF the
cats. Next morning. as we were pass
Ing down the street. with Adam and
the Wild cat following. we created quite
a sensation. Some people were afraid
OF the cat-others were anxious 10 pet
him. seeing me caress him. but he OBJ
Jectcd 10 strangers and would arch n.
back. and spit furiously ..
while we were at a saloon near the
depot the passenger train came In. Sew
eral ~ the eastern tourists came rush
ing over 20 the saloon for n drink. They
had Just poured out whiskey all around
when they turned and saw the wildcat
sitting there looking at them. They
started for the train on the run. their
whlskey standing and not getting their
change | shall try TO keep him out OF
sight Of the tenderfoot after this.
don't want 70 scare them 10 death. but
the cat IS all right and the finest net I
ever had ] wouldn't part with him at
any price. lie Is death on coyotes, and
keeps away all those sheep-kilnng ras-
Gals from our ranch"