The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1896-04-25
PET OF A SHEEP RANcHER.


PET OF A SHEEP RANCHER.
He Finds wildcat Better Than a Dog
to Drive on Coyotes.
A sheep ranch near Ash Fork. A. T..
j. H. Abshire, has discovered that Wild
cats can be domesticated, and are then
us nice pets as any purring Maltese or
tortoise-shell tabbies. He has one that
follows him everywhere, acting both as
protector and companion. 1t is big,
striped and spotted animal, with glar-
ing yellow eyes, whisacrs like porcupine
unills and tail as glossy and sinuous
in its windings as any jungle tigers.
''How did happen TO take wildcat
for household pussy?" repeated Mr..
.ibshire during reccn. interview. I'll
tell you about it. was hcrding sheep
ono day, and was standing on the top
of cliff. Looking down on ledge OF
rocks projecting from the cliffs below
saw very large, ferocioas-lo looking
wildcat. She had tassels on her ears,
ind was flashing her tail from side to
side and glaring at me ard growing
angrily. stood speilbound for u min
ute, and, not having any gun, was at
"a loss to know what to do. / spied a
huge bowlder on the edge of the ledge,
right over this cat, and, using all my
strength, / pushed it over. She was
too quick for it and lodged. When [
looked down again she had disappeared.
II concluded there must be n cave.
and perhaps nest of kittens, SO Law
In wait few minutes 70 see if the cat
would make her appearance again.
was ready for her this time, as had
secured lot of rocks and intended to
shower them upon her. / did not have
very long to wait, for out she came,
looking fiercer than before. | let the
rocks go, and that time there were too
tnany OF them for her to dodge. One
struck her on the back and broke it,
and after that l easily put an end to
her.. l then crawIed down the cliff a |
short distance, and pcered over as far |
as | could, and discovered there were |
two very small kittens in the cavern. |
Their eyes were not yet open made |
up my mind 1 would have them. 1t
took me some time to plan how could |
get to them, as the cli.T was almost per-
pendicular. 1t was with great diff |
Guilty that i finally captured my
prizes. l took off my coat and wrapped |
II around them and started home. When
reached there laid them down at the
base of big juniper tree. My large
hound, Adam, came bounding up, and,
to my surprise, seemed as pleased over
my kits rs l was. He at once began to
lick them, and laid down beside them.
The kittens crawied over him and
seemed to think he was good substi.
tute for their mother. / gave them
sleeps milk, which they seemed to
thrive on. They woald lie all day
under the trees with the hound, and
he would never let my shepherd dog
come near them. They grew very fast,
and we oil became very much attached
70 my strange pets.
= AT sheep shearing lime we drove
the sheep into Ash Fork. packed the
burros and made a box for the wild
cots and dashed them on top. When
we reached town that evening let
them out to run around the sheep shed.
While Adam was eating his supper
arge dog came in and killed one of the
rats. Next morning, as we were pass
ing down the street, with Adam and the
wildcat following, we created quite a
Some people were afraid of
the cat-others were anxious to pet
him, seeing me caress him, but he OBJ |
ected to strangers and would arch his
back and spit furiously. ]
while we were at saloon neai-the
!epot the passenger train came in. Sew /
raj of the eastern tourists came rush
ns over to the saloon for a drink. They q
Iad just poured out whisky all around '
vhcn they turned and saw the wildcat I
lifting there looking at them. They
tarted for the train on the run, their r
Whisky standing and not getting their .
hange. / shall try to keep him out OF
light of the tenderfoot after this.
Ont want to scare them TO death, but
he cat is all right and the finest pet
yer had. l wouldn't part with him
t any price. He is death on coyotes,
nd keeps all those sheep-killing ras.
mis- away from our ranch."--San Fran
se-r