Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1899-01-19
PUSSY'S WAIT FOR HER SHIP.
Hundreds of Other Vessels Arrived
but She Needed Them Not.

An instance of remarkable sagacity
displayed by cat in connection with
the oil tank steamer Bayonne, now
loading at Point Breeze, is just now
the prevailing topic of conversation
among officials of the custom-house
and the employees of the Atlantic Re-
fining Company. 1t is a true story
and is vouched for by the crew of the
Bayonne, the boarding officers and all
others having to do with vessels.
When the Bayonne came to Phila-
delphia about seven weeks ago it had
pet, an ordinary black and white
pussy, whose birthplace was far off
beyond the Italian Alps. The cat was
a present to Captain Won Hugo and
had accompanied him on several voy-
ages. 1t is, moreover, no ordinary
tabby. as it is the proud possessor of
a pedigree and appearance equally
remarkable. Italy is not blessed with
many cats-in fact, they are almost
a rarity. Therefore, to the great cat
show held last year at Florence there
were vast crowds attracted I he mas
cot of the Bayonne was present and
carried off a big gold medal, which
Captain Won Hugo personally exhibits
to visitors-a tribute to the finest
specimen of feline aristocracy rep
resented at the exhibition.
While the big oil-tanker was load
ing its cargo at Point Breeze, to the
horror of the captain and the con-
sternation 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 parties 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 Captain 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 Sternbeck,
which now occupied the pier formerly
held by the Bayonne Visiting in sue
cession every ship in the vicinity, the
instinct of the cat forbade it boarding
any of them, and finally, giving it up
in despair it cast it's lot in the watch
box of Waterman Manly, seemingly
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 it's voyage
to Vavonia, Italy, twenty other
steamers came in, and each was care
fully inspected in turn by the aban-
doned tabby. Strange to say, q sur
vey from a distance seemed to satisfy
the cat. 1t was obvious that its
former home was not recognized
At last the Bayonne returned and
then was manifest an unparalleled ex-
hibition 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 a thousand
antics that the oncoming craft was
the one so anxiously awaited for so
many weeks. Unnecessarily to say
perhaps. that the recognition was mu-
tual, from Captain 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 en-
thusiastic welcome To cap the eli
max, when the Bayonne was yet
twelve feet from the pier the cats
Impotence reached the limit. With
one flying leap it cleared the inter
vening space, and. to the surprise of
,--e cheering crew, ran directly to
where her kittens were formerly
domiciled. The latter were still on
board, and in a few moments the
happy family was again united.
Captain 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
family and friends concerning the
phenomenal instinct of pussy. which
has already become well known at the
home rt.-Philadelphia Times.
THE BEST MAN.