New-York tribune., 1900-01-15
SAN PRYOR LOST AND FOUND.
ANCIENT CAT DISAPPEARS AND IS RE-
COVERED BY HIS BEREAVED
MASTER.

who stole TOMS Tom cat?" That was the
oLestion which going from ward TO ward, patient
to patient in Bellevue Hospital yesterday, mace a
sensation, the like of which the hospital mas not
seen since the day some months ago when one OF
the women nurses risked her life to put out a fire
in a ward
The Tom whose name is printed above in the
form possossive is entered the records Of Belle
vue as Thomas McElroy, eighty-one years old, en-
ployed in the institution for forty-two years, gen
eral drug department.
The tom who was lost and whose name is Sam,
the cause Of much dismay and anxiety on his mas
ters part is a large white cat, In his eighth year,
and as ugly as ancient cat can be- A cat In his
eighth year is far removed from the days Of his
kittenhood in many ways Yesterday the cat dis
appeared and perhaps his temper had something TO
do with It. The fact first noticed by the
employees in the drug department when at o'clock,
an hour behind the regular time, cid Mr.. McEiroy
had reported for work.
Uncle Tom is either sick some ones swiped
his cat" they told each other for 1t was well
known that not once in all the eight years OF his
relations with the white tabby did the latter ever
fail to awaken the old man at O'Clock. No alarm
clock was as certain The big, ugly cat would jump
from his place the foot OF the bed and, rubong
gently against @ his masters s face ft purring loudly
nobodT 10 awaRen HIN the old man Slept on When
he finally got up and saw IN the ii time Sad ne was mad
when he rushed into the wards to ask who hao
thought some one had escaped from the insane
Eiroy explained that sam Pryor was his rnucn
valued Thomas cat, and then there was Laughter
room IN the building from the amphitheatre TO the
basement, wards, machinery and store rooms. was
searched but the cat was not 70 be found IN &c
spar, the tears trickng down his furrowed cheeks
.HsVe You seen my Sam Pryor here?" he asked
Seeing him with tears. The Morgue attendant-who
is a new man-thought the Old man was lnqulrlng
'1'n look on the books" he said. Take 4
chalT.
Bad cess to you said the old man angrily;
r cave wen bs s0H bF R "I fellow fbe nes cat in New
man promised give the best place in the building
to the cats body If by chance it was brought 20
Finding no trace of the cat about Bellevue Nc
roy went nj. out 70 sgarea [ae S ~
hunt for the cat That was In the morning. BY
m96y ToGK cats o appeared looking for him The cats
were black and white and yellow and Maltese and
. Late in the afternoon Mr. McElroy went to a
saloon at Firstave, and Twenty th-st where he
Charlie told him he had seen man carrying
such cat out on the Charities Department pier on
The old man ran down TO the pier; He called
for his cat and after half an hours hunt among
boxes and bales ne rewarded by hearing
pitifuI meow 1t was very weak
the bartender. Where's he at do you think?"
After much work he traced & the c9 s,SS GFes b 10 pe
the bottom Of the Rg Raf tbe neoV came 1l
from 1t Enthusiastically. II didn't take long to break
It open. ,.u.-,., ~. ,.as =, -. box =
looked as II it had been there for week, so thin
and bedraggled was H. The otd man 1q! ana ne ne
carried his lost pet back 10 his room in the hos
fia Pa ana naesd before him That thar which
was lost was found quickly spread IhrousT ~ 4ri lre
hospital and every one VINO could went 10 uhc.s
But If / find the blaekguard tnat did H. SAID
Uncle Tom ominously. he'll need every doctor IN