The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-05-13
"PUSSUM.
An Amusing Story of Stray Cat Who Walked Up
Door and Into the Hearts of the Family Within,
Observation-Disclosures
BY ALBERT BIGELOW PANE.


! pressive within the month, and daily
he grew in grace and noble self-re-
spect None knew him but to love him
and the occasional mouse, which !
caught for him in a trap, was a slight
token awarded in appreciation of his
sterling qualities and unfailing appe-
tite.
| have never seen a cat display more
eagerness for mice For as much as
the empty trap, doubtless recalling joys
already tasted and those still to come.
For me to begin setting it was the sig
nal for violent enthusiasm on the part
of our faithful mouser, and at morn
ing he invariably rushed fearlessly to
the spot where the trap was known to
do it's most efficient work. There is
even q rumor among our precious
ones" that "Pussum" once captured a
mouse on his own account But the
testimony in the case is confusing and
contradictory. | am forced to believe
the reports of this mouse's death have
been grossly exaggerated. However
this may be, the advent of "Pussum"
has been much to us all, and if we
knew his birthday we would add it to
our anniversaries.
"Pussump is reliable in other ways.
Even from the beginning he was in
clined to be sober and dignified, and
did not destroy frail objects in the wild
gambols Of kittenhood l have Won
dered sometimes what his earliest days
were like-those weeks that must have
passed before that memorable morn
ing when | found him protecting our
milk supply. Perhaps he never had
really known childhood's happy hour,
but only a brief period of bitterness
which he was anxious to forget 1t is
true he would allow the precious
ones" to wheel him about in their lit
tie carriages, and seemed to take COM
fort in this apparent frivolity, of which
he is still fond. 1t is his only diver
sion. He was old and reflective even
in his youth, and the ways of other
cats are not his ways. Most young
cats, and many old ones, are common
thieves, ready to leap on the dinner
table, and grab something the moment
your back is turned. "Pussum" is dis
tinctly uncommon in these matters. He
would scorn to make flying exhibit
ton of himself like that, or to conceal
his designs. He even may be left in
the dining-room alone with safety 1t
is only when we are all seated, and
general feasting is in progress, that
with the aid of convenient chair he
will calmly climb up, and leisurely Sc
lect such portions of the food as please
him. If restrained at those times he
regards us with reproach, and contin-
ues his selection. If repulsed he re-
tires with dignity, and returns present.
ly with renewed determination. After
all, he is the same kitten who once
climbed the screen door, and rallied to
victory from the tomato-vines.
But though hero of perseverance,
"Possum" is not distinguished as
warrior. He has faith in discretion,
and is willing to rely on his speed
rather than upon his skill and prowess
in conflict. Not that he is a coward
at least, not crayenly SO. When once
faced in the right direction, | have
seen him defy successfully random
dog, or the ten-pound tom tiger
across the way His difficulty seems to
be in getting into the attitude and di-
rection of war. Perhaps his object in
is to get far enough ahead
to enable him to turn around. He does
fight, too, for he sometimes bears
earmarks Of battle. | suppose they
catch him now and then. On the morn
ing after Thanksgiving he had lump
on his forehead, and still more recent
~ he returned in a mixed condition of
mud and water and humiliation after
a nights absence. He lanented dis
mally while | had him in the tub pro-
badly explaining how the cyclone had
overtaken him before he could make
harbor, and giving other valuable tes-
timony.
Somehow we never connected "Pus-
sum" with romance, for he was so
stately and reserved in his treatment
IF his neighbors Even when we saw
him considering with vague interest
the slender black-and-white cat who
the cellar Of the vacant house
next door, we did not regard the mat
ter as more than a casual acquaint-
Anyhow. being interested in
building a new addition to our house.
lad in our. gardening, we were too busy