The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-08
TRUE CAT STORIES.
The One That Was Villain and An
other who Was an Accomplished
Mind Render.

The One That Was a Villain and An
other who Was an Accomplished
Mind Reader.
BY Martha Mccullough williams.
Cats, at least some cats, are either
prescinct or have a reasoning compre-
hension of human speech-witness
these two cases in point. The first con-
cerne Tangle-Eye, white kitten, sole
salvage from a litter of nine, which
grew to lusty cathood, the pet of
young woman. Its home was a big
plantation house, where its mother had
been for years an honored and success
full ratter. She was big tortoise shell,
and except when there werelrats about,
the moral and pattern of feline gentle.
ress. Her son, who had one blue eye,
one yellow, was not deaf, as is common
with blue-eyed cats. Contrari-wise, he
had wonderfully fine ear, particular
ly sensitive to the offerings and fiut-
terings of hedgelings crowded out of
the nest. He would dash from the piaz-
"a at the faintest rustic of wings TO
pounce upon the luckless birdlings, and
devour them forthwith. For this his
mistress rated him soundly, and after
a while whipped him. His feelings were
deeply wounded. She was the only per-
son he ever permitted to touch him.
He followed her about wherever she
went. The whipping did not change
that, but evidently in revenge for it
he began to kill chickens, plump young
things, just sprouting pen feathers. The
killing was done openly. Sometimes,
indeed, he fetched his victims and laid
them at his mistress feet, maiou-ing
up at her the while. This was most
intolerable and not to be endured"
Still she could not bear to think of
killing her pet--not even though he
showed himself a wanton murderer.
When he killed the seventh chick she
said to him, reprovingly: "Tangle- Eye,
do you know what will become of you?
/ shall send you to the miller-he is
overIun with rats-and you will never
see me any more"
Tangle-Eye trotted off, his tail high
and waving defiance. Next day the
wagon was sent to mill with load
of corn. Before it started Tangle- Eyes
mistress, who had resolved to send
him with 1t, called him to feed him the
last time. He had always leaped into
her lap, or on her shoulder, or stood
upon his hind feet to rub his head
against her knees before beginning a
meal. That morning he stopped ten
feet off, eyed her doubtfully a minute,
made lightning dash, seized a greedy
mouthful, darted out with it, and ran
| under the house to devour it. This was
repeated three times. Then a saucer
| of cream was set down for him. and
| everybody left the room. He came to
lap it, but looked suspiciously over his
shoulder every little while. Notwith-
standing the doors were shut on him
and his mistress went inside to make
him prisoner. She stopped to rub his
head, when he stood rigid, spit
at her. caught her finger, bit
1t to the bone, and as the door
was opened at her cry of pain, dashed
out of 1T, and was never again seen
about the house, though for a year at
least he kept up his depredations. He
harbored in a wooded swamp, more
than mile away. where like the thief
and migrate he was, he made a bad end
In battle with a genuine wildcat. But
to this day his mistress is undecided
as to whether his change OF conduct
was due to divination or eavesdrorping.
So Is another woman who talked with
cat doctor concerning her cats
health, in the presence of the cat it.
self.A II was a very meek animal,
thoroughly house trained, and the in
separable companion of its mistress
Though she was too wise for indiscr.m
mate feeding, she permitted the silky
Maltese to sit upon a cricket beside her
at meal times, and receive an oc-
cas'onal harmless tit-bit from her own
plate. There had been some trifing
aiiment. After the doctor had looked
the animal over. he prescribed a simple
powder tasteless and ordorless. as far
as human senses discern. This the
cats mistress bought and put in very
| small quantities, inside tiny bits OF raw
meat, gashed to receive it. After the
medicine was in place the bits were
| roll I'd tight, and covered with fresh
raw meat, scraped fine, But the cat
Eosed the meat pills languidly over,
and would have none of them. Starv-
ing even would not make him eat them.
That. however, was less strange than
| the fact that for a whole week he re-
| fused to eat anything whatsoever from
the hand of his mistress, even things
taken from her plate. 1t was all of six
| weeks, indeed, before confidence was
| fully restored. .,.-s .-. e,
Cats have long memories, also taste
for something approaching histrionics.
| visitor in a country house noticed
one winter day the family cat, a very
fine animal, walking about in evident
distress. The weather was very cold
| cold enough to freeze tight all the or
| binary watering places-so it occurred
to him that the animal might be
thirsty. He called 1t. invited it to
| perch upon his shoulder, went into his
own room with the cat perched there,
put 1t down on the bed, then half filled
basin. and was rewarded by seeing
the cat drink as though water fam.
ished. He left next. day, thinking no
more of the matter. Six months later
he was again in the house. Notwith-
standing warm weather, and water in
plenty, the cat at sight of him leapel
upon his shoulder. purring and maiou-
ing until he again took it upstairs, and
gave 1t long drink. This performance
has been repeated at each succeeding
vista dozen times in ALL and always
the cat shows the same delight
Would Be Draconian.-"Who was IL
| who said he'd rather make the songs