The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1896-07-03

fence, they perch on her posts and hy
to her cherry trees with bristling fur
at the sight of dog. Amanda has as
deadly a hatred of dogs as have her
cats. Everyone which comes within
stone throw of her she sends off yelp-
ing, for she is good shot. Kittens
tumble about Amanda's yard and crawl
out between her fence pickets under
peoples feet. Amanda will never give
away a kitten except to a responsible
person, and is particular as if the
kitten We're human orphan, and she
the manager of an asylum.
She will never, for any consideration,
bestow one of her kittens upon family
that keeps a dog, or where there are
n.any small children. Once she made a
condition that the dog should be killed,
and she may be at times inwardiy dis
posed to Danish the children.
Amanda Todd is extremely persistent
when she has selected horne which is
perfectly satisfactory to her for a kit
ten. Once one was found tied into a
little basket like baby on the doorstep
of childless and humane couple who
kept no dog, and there is story that
Deacon Nehemiah Stockwell found one
in his overcoat pocket and never knew
how il came there. Ii is probable that
Amanda resorts to these extreme meas
ures to save herself from eitherdestroy-
ing her kittens or being driven out of
house and home by them.
However, once, when the case was re-
versed, Amanda herself was found
wanting. When she began to grow old
and the care of her pets told upon her.
it occurred to her that she might adop.
little girl. Amanda has n comfortable
little income, and would have been able
IN provide good living for child, as
far as that goes.
But the managers of the institution
to whom Amanda applied made in
quiries, and the result did no. satisfy
them. Amanda stated frankly her
reason for wishing to take the child,
and her intentions with regard to
her. She wished the little girl to tend
her cats and assist her in caring for
them. She was willing that she should
attend school four hours per day, going
after the cats had their breakfast and
returning an hour earlier to give them
their supper. She was willing that she
should go to meeting in the afternoon
only, and she could have no other chill
dren come to visit her for fear they
would maltreat the kittens. She fur
thermore announced her intention to
make her will, giving to the girl, whom
she should adopt, her entire property
III trust for her cats, to include her own
maintenance on condition that she de
vote her life to them as she had done
The trustees declared that they could
not conscientiously commit a child to
her keeping for such purposes, and the
poor little girl orphan, who had the
chance of devoting her life to the care
OF pussy cats and kittens, to the exclu-
sion of all childish followers, remained
in her asylum.
So Amanda TO this day lives alone. and
manages as best she can. Nobody in
the village can be induced to live with
Ter; one forlorn old soul preferred the
almshouse.
I'D 'nough sight ruther go on the
town than live with all them cats" she
said
1t is rather unfortunate that Aman-
da's shingied cottage is next the meet
ing house, for that, somehow, seems to
render her rnon-church-going more glar-
ingly conspicuous, and then, too, there
is liability of indecorous proceedings
on the part of the cats.
They evidently do not share their mis-
tress' dislike of the sanctuary and find
its soft pew cushions very inviting.
They watch their chances to stink in
when the sexton opens the meeting
touse; he is an old man and dim-eyed,
and they are often successful. 1t is wise
for nybody before taking a seat. in a
pew to make sure that one of Amanda's
cats has not forestalled him; and often
cat fees down one flight of the pulpit
stairs as the minister ascends the other
We all wonder what will become of
Amanda's cats when she dies There is
a report that she has made her will and
left her property in trust for the cats to
somebody, but to whom? Nobody in
this village is anxious for such a be-
quest, and whoever it may be will prob
ably strive to repudiate it. Some day
the cats will undoubtedly go by the
board; young Henry Wilson, who has
gun, will shoot some, the rest will be-
come aliens and wanderers, but we all
hope Amanda Todd will never know il.
In the meantime she is undoubtedly
carrying on among us an eccentric, but
none the less genuine mission A home
missionary is Amanda Todd, and we
should recognize her as such in spite of
her non-church-going proclivities.
Weak in faith though she may be, she
IS, perchance, as strong in love as the
best of us. At least l do not doubt that
her poor little four-footed dependents
would so give evidence if they could
speak.-Ladies' Home Journal