Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1919-05-29
Saved by a Cat.

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Germany, Lieut.. Patrick O'Brien de-
clares that no one of his experiences
was more trying than the five days he
spent in an empty house. He had reach
ed a city and got in touch with q man
who, AT first seeming to be friend,
proved presently to be bent on eXtor-
ton rather than assistance and, in the
end, was of no use az all. But he had
introduced O'Brien into the empty
house, where, indeed, the fugitive was
safe for the time, except that he was
half-Starved, for the other would not
take the risk of bringing him food /;
and, although pasSably disguised and
provided with money, he could speak
neither German nor Flemish, and
dared not go marketing for himself.
perhaps il was because had more
time now to think of the hunger pains
that were gnawing at me all the time
but | don't believe was ever so mis-
erable as | was at that period of my
adventure" he declares. 81 spent
most of my day on the top floor in a
room that looked out on the street.
while looking out OF that top-hoor
window one day, noticed a cat on the
window ledge of the house across the
street. | had a piece o. roken mirror
| had picked up, and used to amuse
myself for an hour at time shining
it into the cats eyes. AT first II was
annoyed and would move away, only TO
come back a few moments later. BY
and by, however, it seemed TO get used
to the glare, and wouldn't bulge, no
matter how strong the sunlight was,
Playing with the cat in that way was
the means of my getting food a day or
two later-at a time when ! was 50
famished that was ready to DO almost
anything to appease my hunger.
at was about seven o'clock in the
evening when noticed my friend, the
cat. coming down the steps of the op-
posite house with something in IFS
mouth. Without considering the risks
ran, opened the front door, rar
down the steps and across the street
and pounced on the cat before it could
get away with is supper, for that, as
had imagined, was what | had seen ir
its mouth. 1t turned out to be a piece
of stewed rabbit, which | conhScatet
eagerly, and took back with me to the
house.
perhaps felt little sorry for the
cat, but certainly had no other qualm:
about eating the animals dinner.
was much TOO hungry to dwell upoT
niceties, and piece of stewed rabbi
was certainly good TO eat when a mar
was starving"
| A cat was the means OF supplying
| food, in a manner even more curious
to a wounded American soldier, lyinl
in a patch of woods on the outskirt:
of A destroyed village. He had beer
there for two days,-he was not founc
for four.-and having recovered from
| the shock of his wound, which, al
| though not very severe, was such as tC
render him temporarily helpless, wa;
suffering from both hunger and thirst
Then a lean, hungry, half-wild cat
from the village came prowling alonG
the edge Of the little hollow where hC
lay, crouched, wriggled, and pouncec
upon something-and a moment latel
ran away with a large, brown bird in its
mouth. Looking closely, the soldiei
| perceived a nest OF some sort, where
the bird had been, and with the aid oI
a crooked stick succeeded in pulling
il toward him. II was full of eggs
He had a royal supper, being only toe
| glad 10 suck them raw. The mothel
bird must have been already dead wher
the cat seized her, he reasoned, for tht
eggs were cold; she had probably beer
killed by the shock OF the explosion o
the same shell that had wounded him
although, by one Of those freaks no
uncommon in shell fire, not one Of tht
eggs protected under her soft, fluff.
body had been even cracked.