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Show SAVED 1JY A CAT. Why i San Frnnoleoo Follno Is Lovod by Ito Mnutor. Tim I.llllo Anllnsl Co tun Iu tliK Itmruii nt it Critical Mnmrnt-A Tlirlllln Ad- trnltir with a Lmiitlii nf tKlltll1Nll. "Yes, sirs it saved my life, and Astor'a wealth could not purchase it. I would part with overythlnp I possess first nnd ntnrvu nflerwards.'' Tho speaker was h young carpenter of this city, hays tho Snn Frnnclscn Examiner, and tho unptirvhsnnblo "It" 1111 ordinary looking tomcat, with three dnrli lateral stripes oxtcndlng from shoulder to Hank on oach of Its eldes, nntl tho person addressed, tho writer, who eunfe&ie to having made, n futile but nicked attempt to convert the priceless tabby Into n Hamburg steak with his bootjack on the night previous. previ-ous. "You see, sir," continued the speaker, picking the cot up in his arms nnd stroking its fur with his hand, while the mnuser began gentle purr and rubbed its whiskers against Its owner's arm, "less thin six months ago It saved mn from horrlblo doath. You want to know how Ithsppsnrd? 'Twas this way: I wai building houses for the Indian deportment on tho Crow reservation In Montana. I was working convenient to the Illg Horn river and had to sleep In nn old 'shack' milll on tho outskirts of n little copse, In which there Wis s itenso undergrowth of willow, rosebush rose-bush nnd wild currants, which the Indians said contained swarms of rattlesnakes. Cntll then I had not seen any of tho reptiles, but I hid heard the nolso of their rattle many a time. I had a half-breed Indian helping help-ing mo, who owned the cat. One afternoon last July ho went to the river to get a drink. Ten minutes nftcrwards I heard him give a terrific yell, and n few minutes after he came running toward mo squeezing tho thumb ot his right hand, whllo his copper-colored features had assumed a cadaverous ca-daverous huo. He had been bitten by a rntttosndke. I tied a handkerchief around his arm, while an old Indian sucked the wound. Dcsplto tho primitive prim-itive remedies of the 'medicine man' nnd the medical aid of the doctor from the agency, who was tent for, tho roan died the next day, suffering lnbtnrc agony. After tho funeral the Indians set flro to tho copse, and, forming a circle around It, they killed a number of enakts that were attempting to es-enpo es-enpo from tho Ore. That night I was thinking ovr tbo fate of my late com-(aurna com-(aurna beforr polnj-to olcpnvhllo-tht cat purred pleasantly upon my shoulder. shoul-der. I had about another wcek'a work to do thero and I fervently wished myself my-self through with tho Job. I went to sloop consoling myself with tho thought that nil of tho snakes In that neighborhood hail been o.-ttormluatcd Being very tired, I slept until lato next day and when I cqjencd tnr evci the sight that met my gnzo nlmonl par-nlyzed par-nlyzed mo with terror. Colled on my botoin, Its head erect and ready to strike, nnd its largo eycB scintillating with rage, was b largo rattlesnake I was too horrified to move, nnd to add tn my dread I could hear the rattles of nnothcr reptile under my bed. I do not know tho exact time I had been watching that snako after I awoke. It might havo been fifteen seconds, but It seemed to mo a lifetime. Tho first thing I knew I saw tho cat's pnw de sound upon tho snake's heed like n stroke of lightning, and tho next moment mo-ment the squirming, slimy thing wis flung upon the floor. With a bound I Jumped up In the bed, and, prnsplng a heavy stick that stood convenient, I smashed tbn reptile's head Into pulp. Tho other snake then showed fight, but It wns dispatched pa quickly as its runte. After making sure that there wns no other snako In the hut I plckvd up the cat, and to my joy found it unharmed. un-harmed. I measured the reptile from which tho cat so timely rescued roe, nnd found It to be threo feet six inches lonr, driving one hundred and alxjty-scven alxjty-scven bcutft on the body and IU tall had thirteen rattles. The other snake was not so lnr.go. Tho fire In the copso had driven the reptiles Into the shack, and wera it not for the eat I would have met the fate of the hall-breed hall-breed Indian. No, sir, money cannot buy this cat." , m,t. .. - ' |
