Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1901-07-10

ceremonies. The Egyptians wor-
shipped cats, pied bulls, crocodiles,
apes, serpents, and numberless other
creatures. In fact, domestic cats are
supposed to have originated in or
near Egypt, for from the earliest
times temples were erected in their
honor and devotions offered TO them.
The family in whose house a cat
died shaved their eyebrows.
A cat was supposed to symbolic
the moon, which was accounted only
less sacred than the sun. 1t was a
capital offense to kill a cat in the
land. When dead it was embalmed
and usually buried in Bubastium,
which sacred city was dedicated to
the moon. Painted cats figured in
the finest mural decorations. In the
middle ages cats were supposed to
be the familiars of witches, and in
our own New England may still be
heard (when the lights are low
bloGd-curdling stories of the achieve
ments of old Mrs. M, 4 we'll
known witch, and her familiar, and
sit Is fact that when that old black
cat came into the room our jim
caught him and put HIM into the fire.
place, where he was held till he was
dreadfully burned, when, with n ter
rible scream, he tore away and
leaped through the window, breaking
the glass, and no one could get into
the old woman's house the next day.
When an entrance was finally forced,
Mrs. M was in bed with ner face
and whole body covered with deep
burns and cuts
IL a cat cried on house-top, it
was considered sure "forerunner"
of death. In all ages the supposed
attributes of cats have received a
great deal of attention. In some
lands they have been deeply veneer
ated, while in others they have been
regarded with extreme dread. Satan's
faVorite naturalization was said to
be the form of a black cat. Prob
ably the favorite Egyptian animal
was the sacred bull, Apis, worshiped
with divine Lonors. 1t was regarded
as a Symbol of Osiris, god of the
Nile, husband of Isis, and great di.
vinity of Egypt. His residence was a
sacred court in the temple of Ptah
at Memphis, where he was waited
upon by priests. Oxen were sacri.
feed to him. His changes of appe.
tite. choice of places, and all move.
ments were religiously regarded as
oracles. 1t was understood that he
would not live more than 25 years
and if he reached that age the priest.
quietly disposed of, MIN in a sacred
well into which it was popu.arly be
lieved that he had cast himself. i
he died natural death he wa.
placed with great ceremony in tn,
temple of Scraps, in Memphis.
At the Inauguration of q new bull
Mt Apis bacchanalian festivities wer,
held. This animal must be black
with white square on the brow
the figure of an eagle on the bacl
and knot under the tongue. Hi
birthday and the day of his dis
covery were celebrated as high fes
tivities. He was supposed to pre-
side over agriculture. Decked witt
wreaths of flowers, and led by
priest, he was worshiped by tn
people who danced around hin
Osiris was worshiped throughou
Egypt as q human body with bull
head or in the form of bull. Isl.
wife of Osiris, was worshiped unde
the form of COW. She is often see
represented with cows head, some
times causing her to be identified wit
Athor. . second-class divinity, tn
daughter of Ra, the sun. Tn
Greeks believed Athor TO be one wit
Aphrodite. The COW was her symbo
ed abs generally appears in hiers