The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-08-07
Feline GrAtitutl q.

Feline Gratitude.
The funniest little cat in i1ew York
lives in a semi-deserted fiat on the
West Side. Her master goes away IN
the morning and does not return until
late At night and all this time the little
cat has to amuse herself the best way
she can. AS she is a sociable little
creature her solitary life weighs heav-
lily upon her spirits and she perches
on the kitchen window sill, which
gives view on a neighbcr's yard and
watches eviously the free and happy
cats that play there. The neighbor,
being a tender hearted person, wrote
a letter to the cats master and re-
ceived permission to introduce the for
lorn puss to the pleasures Of the yard
and It's merry occupants. Every
morning the neighJor's servant lets
the little cat out OF the kitchen and
turns her loose in the yard with the
other cats But the green grass has
but a temporary charm for the little
FlSlLOI Sdl. IL duy lllllS AhISiSS'Ao
such as the preparation of luncheon
Is going on in the kitcnen the little cat
deserts her playfellows Of the yard
and establishes herself at the cooks
elbow, purring contentedly and keep
ing her bright eyes on her SO as not
to lose a single movement. Her ia
vorite perch IS on top OF the gas
range, and Casabianca did not stick
to his burning deck more stubbornly
than this little cat sticks to her peril
GUS post of observation. Even when
the range is lin action Tippy can
not be induced to bulge from her
position. and not until everything
cookable is eaten or otherwise put out
of sight will the little cat consent to
come down to earth and interest her
self in other things.
Once a week the cat-lovlng neigh
Dor sends beef heart from the butch
er's to be cooked for the pussies' din
ners throughout the week. When the
cooking of this "plat du jour" takes
place Tippy behaves as a Kentucky
cat who had attended barbecues IN
her native land might act under the
same circumstances. AS soon as the
beef heart is brought into the kitchen
she seems to know that something un'
usual is on foot and settles herself IN
her favorite spot on top OF the gas
range. The beef heart is put on to Doll
in a saucepan and left there twohour
All that time the little visitor cannot
take her eyes off the pan or relax her
attention except to stretch a little OF
TO pillow her head upon her paws
when she gets tired of sitting sphinx
fashion, with paws primly in front or
her. When the meat is cooked and
put in a bowl on the window Sill to
cool she yawns from fatigue after her
long vigil, but does not throw down
her burden. She takes a position on
the window sill, among the plants, and
there she stays until the precious beef
heart is put away in the refrigerator.
At first the cook thought the visitor
cat was greedy gut pure and simple
and then she came to the conclusion
that she was a grateful creature that
was anxious to repay, in vigilance ana
fidelity, the kindness of the hostess.
The way the cox came to this opinion
IS interesting. One day, before the lit-
tie cat had been brought into the yard,
a chicken was placed on the kitchen
window for a minute while the COOK
was washing her hands at the sink.
When she turned around it was gone.
AS the chicken was not live one, Dut
ready to be dressed, the astonlshment
of Bridget was profound. She looked
around the kitchen for signs OF sprites
or banshees, but saw none, and then
she went ont into the yard just IN time
to prevent one of her mistress pets
from disappearing over the fence with
the fat and tender poulct au naturel.
Cook administered a sound whacklng
to 1he thief and denounced him IN un-
measured terms in her rich brogue,
which never fails to bring the neigh
bors to their windows. AS she was
returning to the house with the mutt
lated chicken in her hand and angry
words still on her lips she happened
to look up at the fiat house, and there
sitting on the window ledge, was the
little visitor cat, taking in the scene
with eyes that were almost popping
out of her head with excitement.
And although she has often been
left alone with her special charge, the
beef heart, as we'll as with other good
things. she has never been known 10
"misappropriate" any of her KIM
neighbor's goods, even to bone or a
fish-head, which Bridget, to test ner
virtue, has more than once wlckedly
nut in her way.-New York CONNER
cial Advertiser.