Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-12-15
FEAT OF A SHIPS CAT.
LEFT BEHIND W. en- THE SHIP
SAILED AWAY.
ner Long Wait Was Rewardcd-Truo
Story of the Remarkable Instinct of
This Feline Mother-Found Her Chill
dren Safe and Sound q

|
displayed by a cat, in connection with
he oil tank steamer Bayonne, now
oading at Point Breeze, is just now the
prevailing topic of conversation among
ohcials of the custom house and the
employees Of the Atlantic Refining COM
pany, says the Philadelphia Times. 1t
IS true story and is vouched for by
the crew of the Bayonne, the boarding
officers and all others having to do
with the vessel. When the Bayonne
came to Philadelphia, about seven
weeks ago. she had pet, an ordinary
black and white pussy, whose birth
place was far off beyond the Italian
Alps. The cat was present to Capt.
Won Hugo and had accompanied him
on several voyages. 1t Is, moreover,
no ordinary tabby, as it is the proud
possessor of pedigree and an appear
ance equally remarkable. Italy is not
pressed with many cats-in fact, they
are almost a rarity. Therefore to the
great cat show held last year at Flor
ehce there were vast crowds attracted.
Inc mascot of the Bayonne was pres
ent and carried off a big gold medal,
which Capt. Won Hugo personally ex-
hlDlts to vis1tors-a tribute to the fin
est specimen of feline aristocracy rep
resented at the exhibition.
| While the big oil tanker was loading
her cargo at Point Breeze on the visit
mentioned, to the horror of the cap
tain and the CONSERVATION of the
steward, who was charged with it's
Keeping, the animal disappeared the
day after presenting to the ship four
beautiful kittens. Well-organized par
ties searched the tanker from stem to
stern and thoroughly explored the
streets and wharves around the oil
works, but all to no avail. Pussy was
gone, and with much regret Capt. Won
Hugo was obliged to make sail without
his old companion. Two days after
the Bayonne left the prodigal returned.
Running down on the wharf it cast
anxious glances at the big bark Stern
back, which now occupied the pier for
merly held by the Bayonne. Visiting
in succession every ship in the vicinity,
the instinct of the cat forbade it's
boarding any of them, and finally CIV
ing up in despair it cast it's lot in the
Matchbox of Waterman Manly, SEEM
ingly reconciled to the fact that it must
await the appearance of the absent
oil ship. During the six weeks in
which the Bayonne was on her voyage
to Savonia, Italy, twenty other steam
ers came in and each was carefully in
spected in turn by the abandoned tab
by. Strange to say, survey from
distance seemed to satisfy the cat. It
was obvious that its former home was
not recognized.
At last the Bayonne returned and
then was manifested an unparalleled
exhibition of animal instinct. When
the oil ship was still far down the
stream pussy took her position on the
end of the wharf. showing by thou
sand antics that the oncoming craft
was the one so anxiously awaited for
so many weeks. Unnecessary to say,
perhaps, that the recognition was mu-
tual, from Capt Won Hugo on the
bridge to the big black dog barking on
the poop deck, and there was no need
to decry the absence of an enthusiast
tic welcome. To cap the climax, when
the Bayonne was yet twelve feet from
the pier the cats Impotence reached
the limit. With one flying leap it
cleared the intervening space and to-
the surprise of the cheering crew ran
directly to the place where her kittens
were formerly domiciled. The latter
were still on board and in a few mo-
ments the happy family were again
united. Capt. Won Hugo will now have
a picture painted of his celebrated pet,
which will ornament his private cabin,
and on his return home will have the
strangest of tales to relate to his fam
lily and friends concerning the phenom-
email instinct of pussy, which has al
ready become well known at the home
port.
Value of Good Roads,.
The office Of the road inquiry Of the