The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-05-23

hAN.N SAA~ANN
when a pair of green eyes CLEANS ar
them from a post. But is it another, or
only the same cat who has moved? Cats
cit in Amanda's windows; they stare
out wisely at the passers-by, from be-
hind the Panes, or they fold their paws
en- the ledge outside in the sunshine.
Cats walk Amanda's ~ridgepole and her
TO her cherry trees with bristling fur
at the sight of a 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 a 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 as particular as if the
kitten We're n human orphan, and she
the manager of an asylum
She will never. for any consideration,
bestow one of her kittens upon a family
that keeps a dog. or where there are
many small children. Once she made a
condition hat the dog shorld be killed,
and she may be at times inwardly dis
posed to Danish the children.
Amanda Todd is extremely persistent
when she has selected a home which is
perfectly satisfactory to her for q kit
ten. Once one was found tied into a
little basket like n baby on the doorstep
OF 4 childlcss and humane couple who
kept no dog. and there is n story that
Deacon Nehemiah Stockwell found one
IN his overcoat pocket and never knew
how ii came there. 1t 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 70 grow old,
and the care of her pets told upon her,
il occurred to her that she might adopt
a little girl. Amanda has 4 comfortable
little income, and would have been able
to provide 4 good living for a child. as
far as that goes.
But the managers of the institution
TO whom Amanda applied made in
quiries, and the result did TO- 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 t tend
Ter 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 fer fear they
would maltreat the kittens. She fur
thermore announced her iItention to
make her will, giving to the girl, whom
she should adopt, her entire property
in 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
N-NHNN VI NNNcNiiS ICl llS ~ llc ClTe
Cf 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
her: 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 shingled cottage is next the meet
ing house, fC- that. somehow. seems to
render her non-church-going more glar-
ingly conspicuous, and then. too, there
is a liability of i]ndecorous 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
Louise; he is an old man and dim-eyed,
and they are often successful. 1t is wise
for anybody before taking a seat in a
pew to make sure hat one of Amanda's
cats has not forestalled him: and often
Il eat fees down one fight 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
4 report that she has made her viii 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 60 by the
board; young Henry Wilson, who has a
gun. will shoot some. the rest will he-
come aliens and wanderers, but we dill
hope Amanda Todd will never know 1t.
In the meantime she is undoubtedly
carrying or among us an eccentric, bit
the less genuine mission. AhoI.e
missionary is Amanda Todd, and tSe
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.
Florida Indians.
Our Indians" says DR.. Brecht, In