The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-21
AN ORPHAN WILDCAT.
His Doings When Adopted as Gen
uine Family Pet
lFrgrn the Neyy York SIN

(From the New York SUM-
Tom Andrews. Elaine, his pretty sister,
and a small party OF friends went camping
in the North Woods this summer The
trouble began when Tom shot a mother
wildcat. The dogs rushed in and disposed
in short order of all the
cubs but one, small, spit
ting ball of feline rage and fear that
stood at bay OF a little branch until il was
rescued by Tom at the cost Of several tiny
but energeticaIly inflicted scratches. The
baby wildcat was soft and fluffy and after
the dogs had been driven 70 a safe distance,
seemed inclined to make friends.
Its a cute little beast, said Tom. ad-
miringIy Believe III tote him back TO
the camp and give him 10 Elaine as a pet
The guide seemed TO look with disfaYor
on this proceeding.
I've got a little dynamite I haven't
any use for" he remarked. Give her
that instead. It won't make half the
trouble that little animal viii when he
grows up
But the question was decided by Elaine
when she saw the club.
Poor little Tuotherless, fuzzy thing
said Elaine pityingly, as she stroked the
scared kitten. Did wicked men shoot
your mother and want to kill you2''
And when the Wildcat kitten curIed up
contented on Eiaine's shoulder. and purred
himself to sleep, his destination was set
tied.
While tae Andrews party were IN camp
the kitten thrived and grew amazingly
The dogs made several overtures at &C.
quaintaaceship which the kitten repealed
with scornful spittings. taking refuge on
Elaine's shoulder when hard pressed.
Wildcat kittens develop fast, and when
the time came for the return 10 the city
Bobs, as they had named the kitten, was
as large as a good sized domestic cat.
and no longer under the necessity of TAX
ing refuge on Elaine's shoulder. IN fact,
the dogs didn't seem at all inclined to
bother him Several times, when Elaine
had been away Tom had matched the kit
ten against Individual dogs Bots had
shown conclasively that d partially grown
wildcat is perfectly able to protect him
self even against hound several times
his weight
-I am sure don't know what we will do
about Bobs when We get back home. F"
said Elaine, refectively, the day before
they broke camp. These poor dogs here
are so scratched by the brambles that
! they wouldn't feel like bothering him,
and / suppose they know him anyway.
But when we get home I'm afraid those
awful strange dogs will tear my poor lit
tie pet to pieces.
Don't worry about Bobs, ma am" said
the guide in saddened tones, as he looked
at his scratched and battered dogs. ANY
dog that NEEDLES with him wants to be-
gin training by fighting a buzz saw. a
funeral is the only thing the average city
dog will long for after bothering Boks.
Scratched by brambles, :" ne added re-
fectively. NY dogs look as if they had
been tryfng tC break through a barbed
wire fence"
Bobs was 35xed Up and shipped to the
city This didn't prove his temper nor
did the strange surroundings and unwont-
ed noises seem to make nim more placid.
The afternoon he arrived he started on
an exploration tour. After he had in
speeted 5ne andre VS. premises to his sat
isfaction. he leSpso lightly to the top Of
the fence and down into the next yard.
which happened to be in the rear of the
residence Of Dorothy Foster, Elaine's