Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1901-190?, 1902-03-03
Flora and Mnr INItt.ns.

Flora is Maltese cat without
Hhite hair in her furry coat from the
End of her nose to the tip OF her tail.
She received the name of Flora from
circumstances attending her discovery.
She was found last summer hiding be-
hind the thick blades of bed Of tiger
lilies, a slender shy young thing with
wild yellow eyes and, as her captors
were made 60 know, all claws. She
was fed literally morning and evening
at the kitchen door. bed in a snug
box in the woodshed was provided for
her. AS time went on she became ac-
quainted with the several members of
the family and would permit her back
to be stroked and her head to be
scratched. When the weather became
colder her fur thickened and length
ened. She was an out-of-door cat and
had never been inside the house. At
ter time she began to show great
desire to get into the house, and
whenever a door was opened it was
necessary to close it promptly to pre-
vent her coming in. She forsook the
oed in the woodsbed and took lodg
ings elsewhere. She was so careful in
her disappearances that no one could
follow her. One morning she did not
,ome to her breakfast. The next morn
ing she appeared. and was fed as usual.
Two days later, a very cold morning,
she came to a side door and mewed
plteously She was taken in. Then
this cat that had never before been
within the house became a marvel Of
feline audacity and inpudence. She
| roamed through all the rooms inspect
ing all the corners. Finally she went
into front room, in which there was
couch, She popped under this, and
was with some difficulty dislodged by
means of broom. The next day,
watching her opportunity, she lodged
in by way of the kitchen, made the
tour OF the house and again went un-
der the couch. She WAS coaxed out,
the door was opened and she disap-
peared. Early the following morning
NEW was heard at side door. 1t
was opened and in popped Flora, a
kitten in her mouth. How proudly she
held her head! Looking neither to the
/ right nor to the left, she traversed
three rooms into the one in which was
the couch. Under the couch she went.
There she left her kitten, and, return
ing to the door, was let out. Two
minutes later she appeared carrying
another kitten. She was again admit
ted, and again, until four kittens had
been deposited under the couch Stand
ing on the porch she seemed in a
1
brown study Evidently she had lost
the count of her kittens. She was let
in and having looked them over again
set out and soon returned with a fifth.
This time there was no hesitancyg She
would make sure that none of her off
spring was left behind. She set out
again. She was followed 1t was
found that she had made her nest un-
der the steps of house 200 feet away.
She came back this time without any
kitten in her mouth. Five was the
total and they were all comfortably
bestowed under the couch in room
with good fire. The little mother
cnddled her kittens and seemed salts
fed. But the kittens were quiet. sin
gularly quiet all but one and that one
| oPPoiOhtiy thN AhOOt lODuSl III lut lOL.
He was continually mewing. The
door opening upon the porch was left
ajar that night so that Flora might
go out and come in. The next morning
only one kitten was found under the
couch. 1t was the robust one the one
that had made so much noise. He
was quiet now. What had happened ?
Where were the other four kittens ?
Their place had been cold under the
steps and they had been brought to the
warmer place too late to save them
They had died in the night and the
mother cat had taken her dead. one
at time and carried them away. She
is now trying to save the surviving
kitten, who is stout and healthy and
promising. g.--Indianapolis News.