Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1899-04-27
"CRISTOBAL COLON"
The Kitten That Was Rescued from
the Spanish Cruiser.
Story OF the Famous Animals Re-
ceptiOn in This COuntry--LaSt
Seen at Chicago Cat

Six months ago little gray kltten
played among the sailors of Spanish
cruiser. He was in no wise remark
able cat, and if any one had told him
that he was going to be, it probably
would not have troubled his little head.
His ship, with three others, lay in the
hill-circled harbor of Santiago for many
days, while in the ofing the big Amer
lean men-of-war, like watchdogs,
barked grimly, and threw bursting
shells at the port and town, to show
how they could bite if they should find
harsher measures necessary. At last,
one bright Sunday morning, the throb
of the screw-propeller on board Of the
kittens ship was felt again, and the
cruisers in their war-paint slid down
the channel to meet the awful storm
of shot and shell that awaited them
outside. From that dreadful rain of
steel, as we all know, three of the
Spanish vessels turned to the shore,
bursting into flames, while the Cristo-
bal Colon fed down the coast, with the
Oregon and Brooklyn following at her
heels.
When the chase was ended, a party
of the Oregon's men boarded the wreck
of the Colon, to take away any wounded
they might find, and to collect such rel
les as they could. The wrecked ship
lay at the mouth of one of the most
beautiful little bays upon the Cuban
coast. From top to bottom the hill
sides were clothed with living green.
"A fairer resting place could not have
been chosen, but it is doubtful If the
poor old Colon's bones will be allowed
to lie there in peace. When the Ore
gon party returned, it had among other
prizes, two trembling little captives,
who, having gone through one of those
experiences which make history, could
never again be considered commonplace
cats. They soon became accustomed to
their new quarters, and showed no
prejudice against their captors, evident
" deciding that an American arm was
as warm to lie curled against as Span
ish one, and that American food was,
If anything, superior IN quality and
quantity to the short rations they may
have had at Santiago. One kitten was
given to Capt. Evans, of the Iowa, and
the other to the Oregon's commander.
When the Oregon reached New York
the cat belonging to Capt. Clark was
shipped to his brother at St. Joseph
Mich, to be cared for until Capt. Clark
should have settled his duty. Cristo-
bal, as the kitten was called, made as
much sensation upon his journey west
ms if he had been high official. Tackled
to his travelling basket was placard
which read:
TO GOOD AMERICANS.
Treat me kindly and give me food. as I
am a prisoner Of war from the Cristobal
Colon, being forwarded by my captors, the
crew Of the Oregon. to their gallant COM
nander Capt. Charles E. Clark, whose
brave efforts forced the Colon TO surrender
July 8, 1898.
People crowded to the New York ex
press Office to see the little prisoner
who had played his part in one of the
battles of the century. Newspapers
printed paragraphs about him, and 1t
was even stated, to give him more dis
.tirguished rank, that he had been Ad-
SSINGIG pGbs u NhANi
his name alone should have contra
dicted, since the Colon was not the ad
miral's flagship. He arrived at st. Jo-
seph none the worse for his journey.
At last his peaceful life was broken
by call from Indianapolis, where what
with the payments to see him and the
sale of his photographs, Cristobal Colon
brought the sum of $50 to the Indian
apolis free kindergarten. He seemed
so glad 10 be at home after his Indian
apolis trip that Mr.. and Mrs. Clark re-
solved he should travel no more; but
Capt. Clark, while Directing to further
travels for the cat, who had had so lit
tie rest in his eventful life, had stipu
lated that if Chicago asked for him
she should not be refused, for that city
was the home of many of Cristobal's
brave shipmates on the Oregon. Poor
little Girls! His appearance at Chi
cago cat show was his last appearance
In public. He greeted his master and
mistress, on his return, with the usual
affection, but seemed very, very tired,
and after day and night of illness
died. The handsome medal he won at
the Chicago show will probably besent
to the crew Of the Oregon, in memory
of their little shipmate.-Mrs. S. S. Rob
json. In ST. Nicholas.