The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-04-24
CAT KILLS "RATTLER."
Kitten Strays Into Railroad Camp and
Fiqhts Reptile to a Finish.

Fights Reptile to Finish.
Life in a railroad construction camp
at its best is hard humdrum exist
ence, but men, no matter where they
are or what may be the conditions un-
der which they earn and eat their
daily bread, will find some way to pass
the tedious hours while they rest their
weary frames, says the Minneapolis
Tribune.
Such camp was the scene of one
of the strangest battles between two
widely different species of living be-
ings one warm Sunday afternoon three
years ago.
The place was on the Great Western
Railway, among the rugged hills of
Iowa, just over the Minnesota line. 1t
was there that a gang of about 100
men watched fight to the death be-
tween mans worst enemy, big rat
tlesnake, and the pet Of the camp, a
half-grown kitten.
Somehow, from somewhere, this
kitten had come and cast its lot among
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by the promise of food from the COM
pany's boarding car 1t quickly made
friends with the lonely men, but was
wild and hard to approach, although
it tried to be friendly, and, in spite of
the life she had led, was q pretty ami
NAL of the striped or tiger" variety.
On this particular Sunday afternoon
the men were passing the time as best
they could, gathered around the bunk
cars, when one of them noticed the
camp cat circling round certain spot
on the right-of-way. The cat was lash
ing itself with Her tail and seemed
wild with fright and fury.
The workers gathered quickly, form
ing ring, and the reason for the cats
strange action was found to be a large
rattler, collier into the sand with its
head raised to strike and its rattles
playing lively hum of warning.
The cat paid no attention to the
gathering of the men, and the crowd
remained quiet, watching proceedings,
curious to see what would be the out
come.
Round and round went fabby, each
time making the circle smaller. With
eyes shining like living Goals of fire,
her fur stood on end, and the white
froth streamed from her champing
jaws. Crouching low, carefully and
guardedly she crept nearer. and near
er to the deadly foe.
When the feline had reached point
within a few feet of the coiled and
watchful reptile, it came to a dead
stop and prepared to spring, settling
her paws firmly into the gravel.
Slowly the wicked head and beady
eyes of the snake rose from the coil,
while the black forked tongue played
from between the deadly fangs. Like
a streak of lightning the rattler struck
at the cat, but she was far too quick,
and swifter than the eye could travel
had sprung to one side and buried her
teeth in the snakes writhing body be-
fore it could recover, coil, and strike
again.
Giving the reptile flop, to prevent
it reaching her, and before her actions
could be fully comprehended by the
watching throng, the cat was out Of
harms way, again going round and
round, still frothing at the mouth, and
still lashing her TAIL
Again and again was this perform
ance repeated, until it could be seen
that the descendant of the tiger family
had conquered mankind's most hated
enemy
Finally, the snake struck more fee
bly, and recoiled more slowly. Then
Tabby succeeded in sinking her teeth
in the snakes neck. This time she
did not let go her hold, but crunched
and crunched until she had finished
her job and killed the enemy.
That night there was but little said
when the lanterns were lighted and
hung in the bunk cars, but from that
day until winter broke up the camp
and closed the seasons work one con-
struction camp had its little heroine,
who was always treated with kindness
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