The state herald., 1900-12-07
ANIMALS LOVE HER.
A CHILD HAS STRANGE PETS.
Birds and Animals Come to Her without
Fear-She Makes Her Grandfather's
House "a vcritapie MensgerIe- Panther
Follows Her Like n Dog.

Down in BurIcson county, Texas,
says n writer in the Pittsburg Sunday
Post, there is n young girl named Ag.
mes Payntcr who has Il peculiar and
wonderful power over birds and ami
mails. When Il very little girl she
showed a great fondness for pets, and
when she was four or five years old
the little birds that frequentcd the big
shade trees in her grandfather's gar
den would make friends with her,
though they We're afraid of other chill
drcn.
Agnes has no mother and father but
lives with her grandparents in Il colin-
try house surrounded by big trees and
II pretty flower garden. Once she was
very sick, and when she began to get
better and could lie by the open win
dows. when the spring time came, she
amused herself by feeding crumbs TO
the birds which soon became so friend
ly they fiuttered about on the window
sill and finally We're bold enough TO
light ON her hands and pick crumbs
from her fingers. IL was Il pretty
sight 10 see the little feathercd song
sicrs waiting for her window to opeu
In the morning. then sing for JOY with
In few inches of the sick child.
When she was well enough TO play
about the yard they did not forget
her and her greatest delight was in
playing with them, for she was n
lonely little girl, and had no children
with whom 10 amiIsc herself. Her
love for these small friends grew and
grew and finally she extended her ut.
tentions 10 Include the animals she
came across during long ramblcs In
the forests about her grandfather's
farm.
On account of her love for these
dumb friends and her influence In the
nclghborh0od the people thcreabouis
stopped killing game for sport, and for
this she should have n laurel. Not Il
youth In that country could be In.
duced to kill crow and sometimes
one Is led to think that her power of
fascination is not confined to birds and
animals.
She filled her grandfather's house
with pets. there Were tame birds In
the parlor. fiocks of gentle quail hoy-
erlng about the kitchen door. chatter.
Ing crows Ia the porch. rabbits In the
yards and several varieties OF squir.
rels IN the shade trees around the
place. Sometimes visitors stopped to
see the wonderful girl and her pets
nnd ARE nstonlshcd 10 hear her call the
birds from the trees and see her cn.
rcss them with her soft little hand.
She does not like TO be- accredited with
supernatural powers and declares that
she Is not conscious OF possessing any
other power over birds aud animals
than thnt which arises from treating
them with patient and continued kind,
ness.
She hns recently made n pet OF nm
nnlmnl which has 50 much aroused the
Tears of her friends thnt she has de.
cidcd To present the beast To the state
1oolosicnl garden, though she never
suffers the least anxiety ns TO lis per.
Zee, docllity aud nmlnbiliy About n
Scnr ngo she came running Into the
house. hugglng 10 her brcnst n very
pretty little animal. aud putting 1t ON
the i'oor nt her grandfather's feet, she
exclaimed.
Look, grandfather. what pretty
little hnby coon found out Ia the
woods"
The old gentleman looked down over
his spccks. Then moved his chair back,
nulnediy saying;
Coon 1hnis M coon; that's n
Young panther Jngunr or mountain
Hon whatever you please 10 cnll H.
they're all the same. aud you'd bet,
Ter cut it, hend on. Agnes, for no man
ain'i never tanned one of them var.
niiiis yet
"llui girl Will" she answered, ~
she fnn To get some milk Tor II.
She fed the little animal regularly
and began lo nstlli Into II degree OF
nmlnhllliy though II belonged 10 n spc.
rlrs noted for lts frtoclty. She nnmed
her pet Gomez. nnd ~ h. grew larger,
white nnd black spots. like rosciics.
began Ia appear On iir soft fur mud
II became n renl beauty. Against the
earnest proi.sintlona of her gfnndfn.
iirf she allowed II 10 follow her
nt0und the yard nnj II was her favor.
lle pct aud companion.
iomcz IL now u full grown panther,
nnd about the size Of nm AHlnilc lcop
nfl, nn animal thai he very much r.
suinhlrs. lie c0tld rnHlly drag n four.
yunf.old steer 10 the rnrili nnd riit H.
ilifuni, nnd with one of his mighty
paws be- could XIII horse NJ u single
blow. lie N ~ playful ~ n kitten.
nild thus far hnH shown no signs Of his
nnsrnile birth, Almost any dny this
strange Texas gill mny h. seen walk. /
Ing or riding n mustang over her
Erandfniher'- farm aud always the
magnificent panther Il irUitlnR NJ ihr
bupl- uf her pony Ur bounding over the
rfnsH ~ hrf Side Dld Texans ahnl,r
their hondH mud give the young xiii
nnd her pct plenty ~ room,
Tint Miss lnyniur possesses sornc
strong power over animals II pvlncrl
lp tho fnpt tint alp hns often, Ia IN